Week of February 23, 2009

All typed drafts of the realistic fiction stories are due this Thursday, February 26th. Everyone has been working hard and doing a wonderful job on this writing unit. We will be revising using a specific “lens” and typing this week. Writers, please be aware that you will only have two class days to type so you may need to work on it at home or stay after school to get it done. Keep up the good work!

Monday, February 23rd
Bell Work: Lens (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Revision: Rereading with a ‘Sound Check’ Lens”
2. Revision with a Partner: Reread your scenes out loud to your partner to see if you’ve missed words or to see if the language and rhythm of the sentences flow well and make sense. (We need to read with our ears as well as our eyes!) While reading make notes of things that need to be changed or revised. The listening partner needs to pay close attention to identify and write down what the medical condition is and how stem cells are used in the story.
3. Quiet Writing: Go back through your draft and revise those spots where you found errors or things that need to be changed.
Homework~ Continue this ‘Sound Check’ work by rereading your story to an adult but also using a ‘Punctuation” lens to make an additional changes. (Rereading with a Punctuation Lens)

Tuesday, February 24th
Bell Work: Revision (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Revision: Rereading with Various Lenses”
2. Revision Stations: Writers will choose and open their drafting booklet to one scene that needs some additional work. Then, lay a comment sheet next to it on the table. Writers will rotate from story to story, rereading the scene first looking for action, dialogue, and setting. The second time, writers will use the “Cardboard Character Alert” lens to be sure that the characters, especially the main character, looks and acts so real that the reader feels like the character could walk right off the pages. They will write a comment on each of those sheets.
3. Read your comment sheet and decide what you revise tonight.
Homework~ Revise your scene based on the comments you received. Remember: We only have two days for typing and all stories are due by the end of class this Thursday.

Wednesday, February 25th
Bell Work: Setting (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
Students will begin typing their realistic fiction stories.

Thursday, February 26th
Bell Work: What questions do you have about the Stem Cell Research Project?
Students will finish typing and turn in a printed copy of their realistic fiction story.

Friday, February 27th NO SCHOOL Mid-Winter Break
Have fun, be safe, and enjoy yourselves!

Week of February 16, 2009

Monday, February 16th
Bell Work: Lead (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Revising Leads”
2. Quiet Writing: Remember that the beginning of a piece of writing is called a lead because these sentences are the way an author leads readers into the text. Here are a few ways to write leads…
a. Begin with a small action, and this can be an action in the setting.
b. Begin by creating a mood and a place, and only afterwards does the sequence of actions begin.
c. Setting (time & place) are revealed slowly, bit by bit, as the character sees or moves into the setting.
3. Share Time: Read your top two leads to your partner and decide which one should be used because it is more inviting.
Homework~ Writing Realistic Dialogue

Tuesday, February 17th
Bell Work: Setting (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Adding Action & Setting”
2. Quiet Writing: Developing setting can help convey tone, and can hint at a character’s mood, feelings, and insights. Reread your draft and revise your writing by adding setting and action.
a. Ask: Will this make sense to readers? Is this clear? Can you picture what is going on? Can you see the place?
b. Consider adding: 1) Places, like living rooms and forests 2) Weather, like heat waves, fog or lightly falling snow 3) Times, like midnight, sunrise, and lazy afternoons
3. Share Time: Students will share a scene with their partner that could use more setting added to it and provide feedback on ways/places to do this.
Homework~ Noticing Setting on Television

Wednesday, February 18th
Bell Work: Evolution (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding
1. Mini Lesson: “Writing Powerful Conclusions”
2. Quiet Writing: Reread and revise your ending. Make sure that your story’s ending ties up loose ends, resolves the unresolved difficulties, answers questions, and brings home the story’s meaning.
3. Share Time: Use the key questions to evaluate and provide feedback on your partners’ conclusion/ending.
Homework~ Explore Endings

Thursday, February 19th
Bell Work: What are three of the behavior expectations when there is a guest teacher?
1. Read aloud “Reading Skills & Strategies-Drawing Inferences: Understanding Character” page 138. Next, create a two column table to identify the following information: What he thinks, what he says, what he does, and how others react to him.
2. Then, use this table to take notes on the main character, Mike, and his characteristics, while reading the story.
3. Read along with the audio: “The Moustache” pages 139-146 in the Elements of Literature textbook.
4. After reading the story, summarize it by using the “Somebody Wanted But So” strategy.
Homework~ Discovery Draft checklist

Friday, February 20th
Bell Work: What did you do last and what is your next step in the writing of your realistic fiction story?
1. Students will turn in their Story Mountain, discovery draft checklist, and drafting booklet.
2. Students will work with a partner to revise one of the scenes from “The Moustache.” Choose between the lead or ending of the story. Focus on adding action, setting, or internal dialogue where it does not currently exist.
3. Each partner pair will share out with their table group. Next, each table will decide which scene should be shared with the entire class. Then, one spokesperson per table will present/share the scene.

Week of February 9, 2009

Monday, February 9th
Bell Work: What are three of the behavior expectations when there is a guest teacher?
1. Read aloud and complete “Make the Connection” page 138 in Elements of Literature.
2. Read “Reading Skills & Strategies-Drawing Inferences: Understanding Character” page 138. Next, create a two column table to identify the following information: What he thinks, what he says, what he does, and how others react to him.
3. Then, use this table to take notes on the main character, Mike, and his characteristics, while reading the story.
4. Read: “The Moustache” pages 139-146 in the Elements of Literature textbook.
5. After reading the story, summarize it by using the “Somebody Wanted But So” strategy.

Tuesday, February 10th
Bell Work: Story Mountain (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Plotting With a Story Mountain”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. Draft a possible story mountain for your story.
i. Remember to keep giving the character something that makes it harder and harder to climb toward his/her goal.
ii. The starting scene (first two dots) shows what the main character yearns for, and shows the trouble
iii. The mountain gets steeper. So the problem gets worse and worse!
3. Share Time: Students will complete the checklist and share their story mountain with their partner.
Homework~ Complete the Building Story Mountains Checklist

Wednesday, February 11th
Bell Work: Scene (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Writing Scenes Like Small Moment Stories”
2. Quiet Writing: Transfer your story mountain onto a story booklet, and then use that booklet as a support for storytelling your story.
a. Write your scenes keeping in mind “Things Writers Include in Scenes”: 1) A beginning, middle, and end 2) A setting 3) Characters who wants things 4) Characters who feel and think 5) Obstacles that get in the way of what characters want 6) Action 7) Dialogue (most of the time)
b. Make sure that each scene you write sounds like a story. Create a kind of word-movie with dialogue (make a character talk) and action (or react physically to what is going on in the scene).
3. Share Time: Choose one of your scenes and read it to your partner. Give each other verbal feedback (1wish &/or 1 star).
Homework~ Getting More Acquainted with Secondary Characters

Thursday, February 12th
Bell Work: Heart of a Story (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Feeling & Drafting the Heart of Your Story”
2. Quiet Writing: Remember that writing is a lot like drama. Drafting is a form of acting on the page. Step right into the character’s skin, right into the story, watch, listen, and feel what is happening as the story unfolds. Reread your lead, then turn to page 2 of your story booklet and to the second dot on your story mountain, and act out – write out – that story. Zoom in on three key moments and continue writing until those moments have been drafted.
3. Share Time: A few students will share a scene from their story.
Homework~ Revising Story Mountains

Friday, February 13th
Bell Work: What did you do last and what is your next step in the writing of your realistic fiction story?
1. We will go to the library.
2. Return, renew, and check out books.
3. Students will continue gathering their outside source information.
4. Complete and turn in the draft of their realistic fiction story.
5. If finished early, students will read silently for the rest of the hour.

Week of February 2, 2009

Monday, February 2nd
Bell Work: Create a Venn diagram showing what is important to you, what is important to adults in your family, and what is important to both you and them.
1. One reporter per table will share out the bell work. We will create a class Venn diagram.
2. Read along with the audio version, “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” pages 93-101.
3. Students will complete a realistic fiction chart, identifying the realistic events and places while reading the story.
4. Table groups will share, in a round robin style, their chart information.
5. Students will turn in their chart at the end of class.
Homework: Identify as many internal and external characteristics of Greg or Lemon Brown as you can.

Tuesday, February 3rd
Bell Work: Complete “Somebody Wanted But So” chart with a partner for “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” story.
1. Discuss the answers for the “Somebody Wanted But So” information.
2. Students will individually reread “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” in order to complete the workbook pages.
3. Students will turn in all work done today.
Homework: Take home Quiz on “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”

Wednesday, February 4th
Bell Work: Motivation (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Giving Characters Struggles and Motivations” using The Treasure of Lemon Brown as the example of published text.
2. Quiet Writing:
a. Identify and write down what your main character wants (yearns for and struggles to have), and what gets in their way.
b. Then create (write) little scenes that show this.
c. You need to write three different scenes.
3. Share Time: Choose one of your scenes and read it to your partner. Give each other verbal feedback (1wish &/or 1 star).
Homework: Creating Characters’ Hopes, and Dreams

Thursday, February 5th
Bell Work: Story Mountain (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Plotting With a Story Mountain”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. Draft a possible story mountain for your story.
i. Remember to keep giving the character something that makes it harder and harder to climb toward his/her goal.
ii. The starting scene (first two dots) show what the main character yearns for, and show the trouble
iii. The mountain gets steeper. So the problem gets worse and worse!
3. Share Time: Students will complete the checklist and share their story mountain with their partner.

Friday, February 6th

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS – TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT