Pre-service Teacher: Grade(s): School/Mentor Teacher (if

Alex Novak 4th applicable):

Lakeview Elementary/ Mrs. Rasberry

Subject area(s): ELA Unit Lesson Title: Fall into Better Writing
Topic/Theme:
Descriptive Details
Relevant TEKS: Relevant ELPS: Relevant TX CCRS:
(15) Writing/Writing (5) Cross-curricular Writing:
Process. Students use second language
elements of the writing acquisition/writing 4. Recognize the importance of revision
process (planning, as the key ideas and organize them
drafting, revising, (G) narrate, more logically effectively, and draw the
editing, and publishing) describe, and reader to the authors purpose.
to compose text. explain with
Students are expected increasing Reading:
to: specificity and
detail to fulfill 10. Identify and analyze how an authors
(C) revise drafts for content area use of language appeals to the senses,
coherence, organization, writing needs as creates imagery, and suggests mood.
use of simple and more English is
compound sentences, acquired.
and audience

Lesson Objective(s)/Performance Outcomes

Students will be able to:
Use descriptive details appropriately in their writing.
Answer the detail generated questions in their writing through the use of details.

Assessment (Description/Criteria)
Students will show their understanding through a formal assessment by:

Using the strategies learned in class to improve their piers sentences by adding
descriptive details.

Materials and Resources

Writing worksheet
Descriptive Words worksheet
Pencils
Sensory items/images relating to fall (leaves, pumpkins, spices, pictures)
Elmo/ overhead projector
 Tigress by Nick Dowson

Management of the Instructional Environment

Attention grabber that is used in the school is a time out sign shown with hands and the
phrase Time Out.
Students are to put up their time out signs with their hands and turn their voices off
while giving their full attention to the teacher.

Technology Integration
The Elmo and overhead projector will be used to show examples.

Fall background noise used for sensory of sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmxtQuHhmtk

Diversity and Equity (Accommodations, Modifications, Adaptations)

Provide a word bank and sentence stems to students who struggle with writing.

Some students may correct 1 less sentence than the rest of the class, allowing more
time for them to work on each section.

Activities/Procedures

Essential questions:
How can descriptive details improve your writing?
What types of questions do you answer when using details?

Anticipatory Set (2-3 minutes):

Read an interesting passage or paragraph from Tigress by Nick Dowson and talk about
what makes the writing interesting.
Have students close their eyes to visualize what the author was describing
Was his writing effective?
What stood out to them? (Paws as big as plates was a good example from the
book)

Input (5 minutes):
Talk about the detail generated questions and why they are important to your writing, or
when you can use them.
What does it look like?
(sound like? Feel like? Taste like? Smell like? Seem like?)
Why is it important?
 (why is it important to the main idea?)
Is each detail in a separate sentence?
(Separate the Grocery List!)
Did you give a specific example?
(avoid general language such as stuff things nice ect.)

Hold up a simple object, such as a dry erase board marker, and ask students to describe
the marker by asking the detail generated questions. Ask others to improve the
sentence and invite the class to notice which questions are being answered.

Modeling (5 minutes):
Good/Better sentences
Use the Elmo and overhead projector to review the Good.and Better! Worksheet.
Go through the sentence sets one at a time and discuss with the students which
sentence is good and which one is better. Use visual cues such as, Thumbs up if you
think the first sentence is the better sentence.
Have students volunteer to underline some details in a few of the great sentences.

Checking for understanding (1 minute):

Ask students to compare the two sentences and the details underlined. How are the
better sentences better?

Guided practice (7 minutes):

Rewrite a sentence or two as a class using the detail generated questions.
Examples:
-I love summer because I love to swim.
-My dog is the cutest dog in the whole world.
Complete the Descriptive words worksheet within table groups.
Have students think of descriptive words they can use to describe fall.
Have each table group share one or two words that they wrote.

Independent practice (20 minutes):

Creating detailed sentences in groups.
Set out sensory manipulatives (such as pictures, leaves, scents like pumpkin spice)
that relate to the fall theme
Instruct students to write their name in the left hand corner of the writing worksheet,
at the top of the first box.
Have students number the boxes 1-4
Have students practice pointing to their left to insure they pass it in the right direction.
Point out the directions which should be written on the board (explain it step by step,
only focusing on the directions needed for the time):
In the first box, use the sensory manipulatives to write a good sentence like I
 demonstrated to you before.
Then you will pass it clockwise to the person on your left.
Once you receive someone elses paper, you will write your own sentence in the next
box. Add descriptive details to their sentence to take it from being good, to better.
Use the detail generated questions to guide you.
Feel free to pull some words off of your Descriptive words worksheet that you just
completed.
Make sure to write your name in each box that you write in.

Closure (5 minutes):
Ask students to share with their table members some of the sentences that were
writing.
Pick 2 or 3 of the ones with the most detail to share with the class.
Talk about what they did well, what was challenging, and how this will help their
writing.

Reflections and Documentation/Evidence of Lesson Effectiveness

The lesson topic was provided to me by my mentor teacher to teach a whole class
instruction to both the morning and afternoon classes. With the help of her recourses, I
designed a lesson plan that would be engaging and meaningful for the students. Several
teachers at Lakeview looked over the lesson to assist in making minor changes that
would help me teach the class better. After the lesson, I graded student work and had a
conference with five selected students who were chosen by my mentor teacher.

Both classes seemed to love the activity and the manipulatives provided to assist them
with their writing. The morning lesson went almost perfectly, with hardly any
misunderstandings. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the afternoon class, who
struggled with the independent work. The second group started off by writing
paragraphs instead of a sentence. Although they were told to make a simple, good
sentence, their attention spans were effected by the time of day and I should have been
more specific. Due to this, the students found it difficult to add on to their piers previous
sentences because it was taking them the entire time to just copy the sentence
(especially the low achieving students). I was constantly having to modify and change
my plans on the spot. I have to admit that it was quite stressful and left me feeling
defeated and frustrated. During the closing, I realized that the students clearly did not
understand the point of the lesson. Due to this I redirected their attention to detailed
writing and examples of detail writing. I revisited the purpose and when they should use
it in their paper.

After the lessons, I did my best to reflect on what I did right and wrong. The issue with
the afternoon class, is that it includes completely different types of learners compared to
the first class. My mentor teacher informed me afterwards that they are much lower in
academic performance than the first class. Not only that but towards the afternoon,
many students begin to loose focus and have trouble retaining information. In addition, I
had done the instruction part of the lesson right before they had lunch and recess. I
should have reviewed what we were talking about before jumping into the activity and
then maybe the students writing would have reflected the information that they had just
learned.

Going back to the first lesson that I taught, one of my first and only issues was that I
forgot to bring the book that we were going to read aloud. I found a voice recording
online and played this instead. It actually worked out better because I had the students
close their eyes and try to visualize what the author was talking about. We then went
back and talked about the authors words and what they caused the students to see.
Another improvisation was during the input. Originally I just had the students giving me
an example of what a detailed sentence would look like. I picked up a dry erase marker
that was on the desk and had them describe the marker to me using the detail oriented
questions. I think this really helped the students understand but think it could even be
extended further by having students describe an object that the rest of the class
couldnt see and figure out if the class was able to guess the object correctly.

I know the lesson was successful for the first class because many of my students writing
improved. I loved seeing the detail that they added and looking at sentences from start
to finish. It was amazing seeing the transformation in their group writing. I looked
specifically at the students I chosen to do a strengths and needs chart and discovered
that although some could still use more practice with using descriptive details, they all
had improved. For feedback, I highlighted the details that they had added to their piers
writing. I wanted them to be able to visualize the changes that they made. During our
individual conferences we looked at previous writing, and the writing they did in their
lessons. I incorporated Booms Level of Questioning by having the students talk about
how they thought their writing improved and the impact that the lesson had on their
writing. Most agreed that they were proud of their writing. The overall conscious was
that the lesson helped the reader better understand their (the students) thoughts. We
then picked out a few parts of their old writing and practiced adding details to it. This
also incorporated blooms because the students were applying what they had already
learned. The students informed me that they liked being able to feel and smell the
objects and that it helped in their writing. One student told me that she enjoyed building
off of other sentences. Part of my feedback was also given to the class during our
closing. I had students pick out items that they liked about their piers work. I then used
my knowledge from Choice Words to encourage the writers because I was specific with
my praise and made them feel proud of themselves. Based on my conferences, I can
conclude that the lesson plan was beneficial and engaging. To improve conferences for
next time, I would like to bring a copy of student work that did not have feed back
already on it and have them grade their work themselves so that they could identify
their strengths and needs for themselves.

My mentor pointed out my strong classroom management, my ability to pull from prior
knowledge, my use of non verbal cues, my questioning, and specific feed back. Her
recommendations for improvement were to make my expectations clearer when
choosing the paper with the best descriptive details, and keeping a better eye out to
make sure that all students are on task and not doodling on their paper. She believes
that my lesson went amazing and was way les critical than I was on myself. She also
noted that my adjustments for the second group were great because I stopped and had
a little mini lesson to ensure they understood. I also walked around to check that they
were understanding.

During this lesson I learned them importance of knowing your class and being
considerate of the students schedule and how it effects their learning. I figured out that
not all classes learn the same and it is my job to determine how to meet their needs. I
found that students really enjoy having props and working with their classmates. Finally,
I learned that writing can be purposeful and fun at the same time.
(This is a scanned image. The real page is clear.)
 Grading Rubric
Score Outstanding 4 Just Right 3 Almost There Developing 1
2
Details Students used Students used Students used Students did
four or more three two or less not include
descriptive descriptive descriptive any
details in their details in their details in their descriptive
writing. writing writing. details.
Answering the Students Students Students Students did
questions answered four answered answered two not answer
or more of the three of the or less of the any of the
detail oriented detail oriented detail oriented detail oriented
questions questions questions questions.
appropriately. appropriately. appropriately.
Sentence Students used Students used Students used Students did
structure complete complete complete not use
sentences, sentences sentences punctuation at
followed by followed by followed by the end of
punctuation. punctuation punctuation their
The work did with only one for the most sentences.
not include run-on part, with a
fragments or sentence or few run-on
run-on sentence sentences or
sentences. fragment. sentence
fragments.