1. Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing http://livetext.com/doc/2050727?review=1562756&print=1
Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing
by Lindsay Garner Reviewer: Rachael Waller Reviewed on: 11/30/06 09:53 AM
Reading and Writing Lesson Plan - Field Experience
Topic of Lesson
Adding supporting details to writing.
Grade Level
3rd
Objectives
Your objective is very structured, which gives students an opportunity to be successful.
Students will be able to:
List ideas of things they are thankful for
Create a web
Describe the things they are thankful for with detail
Write what they are thankful for
Write why they are thankful for it
Explanation of Standards Section
The standards are specific towards your objectives, and appropriate for your grade level and for you lesson.
EDITING
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2. Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing http://livetext.com/doc/2050727?review=1562756&print=1
3.3.1. Use proofreading marks to edit written
text for capitalization, punctuation,
spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and
paragraph indentation
3.3.2. Share final copy with peers, teachers,
and/or family members
3.3.1. Select ideas and information to persuade,
entertain, or inform using a specific genre of
writing; i.e., narrative, personal persuasive,
traditional tale, poetry
3.3.2. State and organize prior knowledge and
experience to produce a written text; e.g.,
webbing, listing, gathering information, taking
notes
Standards
IRA.12.2 ...adapt instruction to meet the needs of different learners to accomplish different purposes
IRA.2.14 ...show that goals, instruction, and assessment should be aligned
IRA.9.1 ...teach students planning strategies most appropriate for particular kinds of writing
IRA.9.2 ...teach students to draft, revise, and edit their writing
Teacher Preparation and Materials
This section shows attention to detail in your planning.
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3. Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing http://livetext.com/doc/2050727?review=1562756&print=1
Preparation:
Teacher will have to check out Apple Laptop computers from library in advance for Day Two of this lesson. Teacher will
also have to locate the book, T'was the Night Before Thanksgiving. Worksheet with web will need to be created or
copied.
Materials
* Chart paper
*Markers
*Book: T'was the Night Before Thanksgiving
*Web worksheet (25)
*18 apple computers with Kidpix program
Procedures
Day One:
Motivation: Since this lesson will be taught two days before Thanksgiving the book "T'was the Night Before
Thanksgiving" will be read aloud. After the book the teacher will ask the students what the meaning of Thanksgiving is?
Teacher will explain that it is a day to think about what we are thankful for and even if you do not celebrate this holiday
it is still good to think about the things we are thankful for!
1.) Teacher tells the students that they will be writing about things that they are thankful for and that this project will
take two days.
2.) Teacher explains and writes on chart paper the steps they will take in order to write a good paper on these things.
(5)
* Brainstorm 5 things that you are thankful for
* List these things on a piece of paper
* Now choose 3 of the things you are most thankful for (these will be the things you will be writing
about)
* Create Web
* Begin to write your paper by beginning with "I am thankful for...." on the first line and then "I
am thankful for ______ because...." on the second line.
3.) Model how a web is used giving an example on chart paper. Explain that the lines of the web need to be filled in
with reasons why they are thankful for the item in the circle.
4.) Have students go back to their desks and begin to brainstorm ideas and work on their webs. (20 min)
5.) Have students raise their hands when they are finished with their web. Teacher will check that they have reasons
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4. Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing http://livetext.com/doc/2050727?review=1562756&print=1
listed on their web and give them a lined piece of paper to start their rough draft.
6.) When students are finished with their rough draft they will hand them in to the teacher to be edited.
DAY TWO
1.) Teacher will hand back rough drafts with corrections to be edited.
2.) Students will be given (20 min) to edit the corrections.
3.) Students will then use the Apple laptops to word process their paper and add pictures and clip art using kidpix.(40
min)
4.) Students will print their paper to take home and read on Thanksgiving or for fun!
Assessment
Describe how you will assess student learning. Refer to your Hill, Ruptic and Norwick text for specific tools you will
use. If desired, attach the specific file for the assessment tool. You could also create your own assessment tool/sheet
and attach it. If you'd like to create your own rubric for assessment, see the following section.
Rubric
This assessment is fair and detailed. It allows for the writing to be graded effectively and efficiently. Check the spelling of "complete".
3 (3 pts) 2 (2 pts) 1 (1 pt)
Web (1, 33%) Web is complete with three items you Web is complete with three items you Web is not vomplete with two or less
are thankful for, supportive details are thankful for, some supportive things you are thankful for, only a
and reasons are complete details and reasoning are completed couple of supportive details and
reasoning are completed.
Writing (1, 33%) Paper is error free, Complete Paper is mostly error free, complete Paper has many errors, lacks
sentences and includes a lot of sentences are mostly used, and complete sentences, lacks detail
detail some detail
Final paper Paper is word processed, has Paper is word processed with some Paper is not word processed, has no
(1, 33%) pictures and creative detail to pictures and detail to support text pictures or detail to support text
support text
Accommodations
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5. Expanding, Describing and Adding Detail to Writing http://livetext.com/doc/2050727?review=1562756&print=1
Specific accommodations that will need to be made for this lesson are the following:
There is one student that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving in my classroom. I will make sure to read a book that's
primary focus is not on Thanksgiving. I will also make sure to address the class that this lesson is not just about
Thanksgiving, but its about what we are thankful for. I will also talk to this student before class about the lesson I have
created to make sure he is comfortable with it.
Students' with behavioral disabilities will be placed at the teacher's table for extra help and so they do not disrupt
others.
Students' with learning disabilities will also be able to sit at the teacher's table for extra help. They will also get more
time to work on the assignment if needed.
Follow-up
A follow up lesson that would check for understanding of adding details to writing would be to assign the students a topic
to write about. I would have them write about a hero or someone they look up to. I would then be able to see if they
are adding details to their writing that will provide the reader with the necessary information.
Technology
These turned out great! A seemless integration of technology. I hope that you hung these up in the hallway; you should be proud of
their outstanding work!
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This lesson will use Kidpix to creatively word process and add pictures!
Software
Internet Resources & Tools Description
No resources added.
Reflection
Your reflection is so practical and sounded like typical teaching to me! The day before a break is always interesting, and especially if
there is program practice. Only in teaching would one have to haul computers to a trailer! It sounded like you had a positive, "go with
the flow" attitude and did not get too rustled for your lesson. One trick that I have seen teachers use when using the technology is so
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tell students that this is an oridinary lesson, just like math or reading. It helps eliminate some of the nuance of using the computer.
Nice reflection! I enjoyed reading it.
This lesson started was suppose to happen after lunch because the students were practicing for their music program all
morning, but the teachers realized that there were some technical difficulties that they would need to fix before they
could practice. So I ended up doing my lesson in the morning which was a little earlier than I had planned but I was
prepared and ready to go. I started by reading the story, T'was the night before Thanksgiving. Many students
commented about the word "T'was" and so I had to take about two minutes to explain that it meant "It was." I also
had to take another two minutes to do some explaining because I had a student who doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving so
we talked about how the book was really a funny book about turkeys and that it is okay to learn about different culture's
beliefs and traditions. When I finished the book I asked the students if they liked it. I then asked them to tell me what
Thanksgiving was really about. Many students had something to add about what they thought it was. I then explained
to them that Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and that was what we will be doing today. I then proceeded to give
them the directions to this writing assignment. Many of them knew how to make and use a web, but I went over it so
that they would have something that they could refer back to if they were struggling. The students first wrote down 5 or
more ideas of things they are thankful for and then circled the top three to five. When they had picked out their three
they raised their hands so I could give them a worksheet with the webs. After each different phase of the assignment
they raised their hands so I could check that they were understanding. At the end of Language Arts most everyone had
a rough draft done for me to correct. The next day I handed back the corrected papers and had them take out a new
piece of paper to make the revisions. They again had to raise their hands when finished and if all revisions were made I
gave them a computer. For each student I opened the kidpix program and told them to type their writing first and then
add pictures that go along with the text. When students were done they printed their page and went to pick them up in
the library. Before I left that day I reminded the students to read their papers on Thanksgiving or just for fun to their
family.
I learned that technology really needs to be planned out ahead of time! I had the cart checked out and knew what
program I was going to use, however my classroom was an outside trailer where the cart could not go! It was already a
chaotic day because it was the day before Thanksgiving break and my teacher left me alone with them prior to the
lesson so I could not go and get the computers! I had to carry 16 computers and their cords down the the trailer which
took at least 15 minutes! I also learned that as a teacher you must be very patient when having students do a project
that includes technology. There are many questions that you have to answer and sometimes even do yourself. I also
learned that student's writing is very diverse with the abilities, creativity, and fluency.
My students learned that when writing, they must use supporting details so that their audience will know the "who, what,
why, how." Many of them had one-on-one help from me when adding these supportive details. I would always have to
prompt them with why, because, how, in order for them to understand that they couldn't just write, " I am thankful for
my family." I know that they learned how to add supportive details because their final papers all had these details in
them! To help students who were not getting the concept I would work one-on-one with them using prompts to question
them. I also had to help a few students to think of things they are thankful for by listing things for them.
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If I taught this same lesson again I would have my students go to the computer lab in the library which would solve the
cart issue. I would also explain more about kidpix and what their task is using the program.
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