Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Lesson Topic/Lesson Length: Writing Organization and

Name: Elena Alba
Writer’s Workshop (60 minutes)
Content Area: ELA Grade Level(s): 6-8
Class Context: This particular small group is about 8-9 students and is comprised of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Some of the
students have been given special permission to compose their pieces on laptops, but the others are required to write
their first drafts by hand. 2 students with specific learning disabilities in reading and writing. None are English Language
Learners. These students have been in a small Writing Workshop group together for first quarter, and will continue on
together into the second quarter.

Lesson Content
Background Information/ Relevance/ Context/ Rationale (Purpose) – Please be clear about how this particular lesson is situated within
the current instructional sequence (i.e., unit), why this content important for students to learn, and how you will convey the relevance and significance of
this lesson to students.

Each week, CPCS students have two Writing Workshop sessions. Originally modeled for both students and teachers by
Mr. Worzobyt from Burley Middle School, the format of the Writing Workshop includes a 10-minute mini-lesson at the
beginning of each session, hitting various topics that teachers have noticed need some discussion and instruction,
followed by 30 minutes of free-writing time. During the free-writing time, teachers circulate amongst students, having
individual writing conferences with those in the ‘editing’ stage of the process, and checking in on other students’
progress. Students are asked to work through all five stages (we use five, rather than four) of the writing process over
and over again, publishing pieces as they go, but they receive mini-lessons on specific aspects of each stage of the writing
process throughout the school year. The mini-lessons are primarily focused on skills and concepts that teachers have
noticed students are missing during writing conferences, or are directly related to skills they’ll need to complete their
current project. Over the past several months, students have learned about simple, compound, and complex sentences;
how to use FANBOY and AWWUBISS words to create sentence variety; where commas go in a given paragraph and
sentence; and about concrete vs. abstract nouns.

While many of them have mastered or made progress with these skills, most neglect or don’t understand how to
organize and revise their writing for clarity. They tend not to use paragraphs, outlines, or transition sentences. In order to
help them clarify their own writing and teach them how to create polished pieces that flow well, this mini-lesson and
writing workshop will be on strategies for improving organization in writing. Students are now used to creating products
for authentic audiences, so emphasizing that improving organization will help them create the best possible final
products to show others should be an effective and familiar rationale for them.

Relevant VSOLs/CCSSs – Include only the standards addressed by this particular lesson
VSOLs:
8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms, including narrative, expository, persuasive, and
informational.
a) Use prewriting strategies to generate and organize ideas.
b) Organize details to elaborate the central idea.
c) Select specific vocabulary and information.
d) Revise writing for word choice, sentence variety, and transitions among paragraphs.
CCSSs:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience
have been addressed.

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 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

Learning Targets -- Please reference these learning targets throughout your lesson plan.
As a result of this lesson, students will…

Understand
1. Students will understand that communicating effectively through writing requires clear organization.
2. Students will understand that paragraphs and transition sentences help improve writing quality.

Know
3. Students will know how to use paragraphs to improve their written pieces.
4. Students will know how to use transition sentences to improve the flow of ideas in their writing.

Do
5. Students will be able to write clear, well-organized paragraphs.
6. Students will be able to compose effective transition sentences.
Assessments: – How will you know if students have met/made progress towards the learning targets? Be sure these assessments are integrated
throughout the procedures and steps in the lesson outlined below.

Diagnostic Formative Summative

Method of assessment: Method of assessment: Informal Formative Method of assessment:
Assessment via Individual Writing
Description of assessment: Conferences Description of assessment:

Aligned with which Learning Target(s): Description of assessment: Since we don’t

do formal formative or summative Aligned with which Learning Target(s):
Criteria for assessment: assessments in Writing Workshop
generally, the main way in which I will Criteria for assessment:
How data will be used: assess students’ understanding of the
concepts (clear paragraphs and transition How data will be used:
sentences) introduced in the mini-lesson
will be by circulating among students and
conducting individual conferences with
students while going over their current
pieces of writing. As I do this, I will be
taking notes on who is still confused about
the concepts and brainstorm strategies to
help them.

Aligned with which Learning Target(s): 1-6

Criteria for assessment: I will be looking for

hallmarks of organized writing, specifically
including clear paragraphs and effective
transition sentences. Paragraphs will be
assessed based on:
 Whether there is a topic
sentence
 Whether the details support the
topic sentence
 Whether the ideas move
naturally from one to the other
 Whether the student has put
transition sentences at the end
of each paragraph
Transition sentences will be assessed
based on:
 Whether they reference both the
previous topic and following
topic

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Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

 Effectiveness in leading reader

from one main idea to the next

How data will be used: Data from the

individual writing conferences will be used
to assess whether additional review of
mini-lesson concepts is necessary during
the following Writing Workshop lesson.
Based on how many (or which) students
seem to be confused or unclear about how
to employ organized paragraphs and
transition sentences, I will make notes
about who needs additional instruction
during writing conference time or during
the free-writing segment of Writing
Workshop.

Method of Assessment: Paired Restaurant

Review

Description of Assessment: Students will

divide into pairs, choose a restaurant to
review, and write a two-paragraph review
of that restaurant. Each pair is responsible
for making sure that their two paragraphs
include topic sentences, supporting details
and information, and a transition sentence
between paragraphs one and two.
Students will have the opportunity to
potentially finish their restaurant reviews
in the next Writing Workshop if they do
not finish by the end of the period.

Aligned with which Learning Targets: 1-6

Criteria for Assessment: Students’ work

will be assessed based on whether their
review demonstrates effective use of:
 Topic sentences
 Interesting and relevant
supporting details, evidence,
and/or information
 At least one transition sentence
linking the ideas from paragraph
one to those in paragraph two

How data will be used: While the paired

nature of this assignment complicates the
use of data somewhat, I think there are so
few students in this small writing group
that I will be able to use the finished
restaurant reviews to be able to assess the
areas of paragraph organization and
transition sentences about which
individual students are still confused. I will
use the reviews to help inform my future
instruction with these students, revisiting
whichever concepts are proving to the
most challenging for students. Student
reviews will also serve as good data

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regarding whether these students have a

good grasp on how to connect one idea to
another via transition sentences, or
whether their ideas connect to one
another at all.
Materials/ Supplies/ Sources/ Digital and Interactive Instructional Technology (if appropriate): – Please list all necessary
instructional supplies, materials, and sources. Make sure that these are clearly labeled and referenced throughout the lesson plan to enhance clarity.

 Appendix A: Giant T-shirt Image to Label

 Appendix B: Google Slides with Paired Restaurant Review Directions

Beginning Room Set Up: -How is the room set up when the students enter? Is there anything written on the board or projected on the screen? Are
their handouts, books, etc. that are laid out for students to pick up as they enter?

The Lab is not our usual writing space and is often better situated to science experiments and math work than to writing,
but we will make do. Students will be seated three or four to a table, and will be asked to take out their writing binders as
usual. On the board at the front of the room will be projected the day’s mini-lesson in Google Slides, featuring the
introductory slide, “Writing Organization.” Students will not need to pick up any books or handouts as they enter.

Proactive Planning for Learning Differences: – What planned supports have you included to make the content accessible for all learners (i.e.,
groups of students and/or specific students) and to build upon learners’ diversity? Be sure any modifications are explicitly explained in the procedures/steps
outlined below.

Usually, since we have so few students during this Writing Workshop time, proactive planning for learning differences
primarily includes letting certain students, like Miles and Gavin, write on their laptops during free-writing time, as well as
making sure there is at least one teacher standing by the table where Jackson and Mae sit, as they tend to irritate and
talk to one another. In terms of proactive planning for learning differences during the actual lesson, I will be using the T-
shirt diagram to help students brainstorm how to organize their writing before they are asked to do so. I will be calling on
students who struggle to stay attentive to come write up on the board (in a low-risk setting), so that they can participate
and remain engaged. The paired writing activity will also allow students to work with peers who will, hopefully, have a
positive impact on their work and understanding. I will also be sure to check in with our students who need more
instruction during writing conference time, so as to ensure they have a firm grasp of the concepts.

Procedures/Steps in the Lesson: -- May follow a specific model (i.e., Direct Instruction, Jigsaw) or be more open-ended. Be sure to think about
what students will be doing during each step, in addition to what you are doing. Scripting and/or estimated time frames may or may not be included, but the
plan should be clear and explicit enough that another person would be able to teach from it.

I. Introduction and Mini-Lesson (5-8 minutes)

“Ok, ladies and gentlemen, we have to get going on our mini-lesson for today because we want to have a good chunk of time
leftover for our free-writing time. Last week, we learned about how to use commas in paragraphs. Can anyone give us one
example of when you might use a comma? [Wait for replies, and offer examples if students are struggling to remember,
such as, “We can use commas before we make a complex sentence, like when we combine ‘I am hungry,’ with ‘there is
no food,’ by adding a comma and the word ‘but’ in between.”] That’s awesome. Commas are a great way to create clarity
in our writing and help us add interest and sentence variety.

Today, we’re going to be talking about another way to clarify our writing using two types of organizational strategies. What
is the point of organizing our writing? What does it help us do? [Wait for student responses.] Awesome, that’s right,
organizing our writing helps the audience or the reader follow our ideas. We can lead readers by the hand through our
writing, so that our ideas come across clearly and our points have impact.

II. Mini-Lesson: Organization (10-12 minutes)

“Please pull out a sheet of notepaper and turn your eyes to the board. [Either pass out printed blank paper t-shirts and/or
project the large t-shirt below (Appendix A) onto the board so students can annotate the shirt on their own papers as
you annotate the one on the board]. We’re going to be using this t-shirt diagram to help us learn how to organize a
paragraph and use transition sentences. I want you to draw the outline of this t-shirt on your paper as best you can [This

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 Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program

direction only applies if students do not have printed copies in front of them.] You won’t be showing this to anyone except
me, so it doesn’t need to be perfect. On the top collar, we’re going to write the topic sentence of our paragraph. In this
paragraph, we’re going to be talking about dogs versus cats. I am a dog person. Who else in here is a dog person? Awesome!
My topic sentence is going to be, “Dogs are better than cats because dogs are friendlier and more interactive.” Your topic
sentence doesn’t necessarily have to be a fact. It can be an opinion, but whatever it is, it should be the main idea of your
paragraph.

On the left and right sleeves, I want you to write two supporting details or ideas for your claim. On my sleeves, “I’m going to
write, ‘Cats usually nap most of the day and are active during the night, while dogs play fetch and are excited when you get
home,’ and, ‘Dogs like to play games like tug-of-war, which is a great way for you and your dog to get exercise, but most cats
sit around all day long.’” You can write whatever details you think will support your topic sentence on your sleeves. In the
body of the shirt, you can add more details and sentences to support your topic sentence, or some evidence and stories of
your own to add interest. You can practice incorporating imagery like we learned about last week, using your five senses to
describe your topic.

At the bottom of your shirt on the hemline, write your transition sentence. The next paragraph in my essay will be about
how dogs can help heal people who experience anxiety. What is an example of a sentence that helps me transition from the
main idea in my first paragraph to the main idea of my second paragraph? [Allow a student to write their transition
sentence idea on the bottom of the t-shirt projected on the board.] That’s a great example! I like the way you connected
the main idea of this paragraph to the main idea of the next one. Another sentence might also try is, “Not only are dogs more
fun and excited than cats, but they also have the ability to help those who suffer from illnesses like anxiety.” Thumbs up if
you can see that there are two ideas in this sentence and thumbs down if you need some clarification. [Wait for students’
responses and provide clarification if needed]. Do y’all have any questions about how to organize a paragraph or how to
construct a transition sentence? [Allow a few questions and then assure students that you will answer extra questions
during free-writing time.]

Y’all did an awesome job on this lesson today, guys. Please put away your t-shirt diagrams. We’re going to practice writing
with all of the elements we talked about on our t-shirts today. What were those elements? [Wait for student responses and
provide hints or prompts as necessary, such as, “What did we put on our sleeves?” and “What did we use to connect the
first paragraph to the second?”] Right, a topic sentence or claim, supporting details and evidence or stories, and a transition
sentence. Ok, you’re going to need to find a partner for the next activity. I’ll give you a minute to do that; please give me a
thumbs up when you’ve found your partner.

III. Paired Practice: Restaurant Review (Gallagher, pp. 76 – 12-15 minutes)

“Great, thank you for finding partners quickly. It’s super important to actually practice the concepts we learn so that our
brains have time to commit those ideas to memory, so we’re going to put our new knowledge about writing organization to
work. You and your partner are going to choose a restaurant to review together. It can be any restaurant—Wendy’s, Chick-
fil-a, Olive Garden—as long as it’s one you’ve actually been to. In the next 10-12 minutes, you and your partner are going to
write a two-paragraph restaurant review for the restaurant you’ve chosen. Your review paragraphs should have topic
sentences, supporting details, and include a transition sentence at the end of the first paragraph that helps connect the ideas
from that paragraph to your second paragraph. [Check for understanding by calling on students to recall the instructions
(i.e. “Maya, what are you and your partner going to be doing? What does your review need to include?”)] You should also
try to include some imagery in your paragraphs, using the five senses and details we talked about last week.

It sounds challenging to write two paragraphs for a restaurant review quickly, but I really think y’all are up to the challenge! If
you forget the directions and what needs to be included in your paragraphs, you can refer back to the directions on the
board. [Make sure to have Appendix B projected on the board for students to refer back to during their partner time.
Check for comprehension of the task before turning students loose.] I’ll be coming around while you write to check in and
answer any questions you have. You and your partner should spend the majority of the time writing together, so please only
take a minute or two to choose your restaurant. When you’re finished or we’re out of time, please share your Google docs
with me or hand in your restaurant review when you’re finished. I’ll let you know when you have three minutes left to work.
If you finish early, you can take out your Writing Workshop pieces and begin working on those individually. You have 15
minutes; get writing!

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[Circulate among student pairs as they work, answering questions, providing feedback, and clarifying as needed. Let
students know when they have three minutes left to work with their partners.] Alright, y’all, time’s up for this activity! If
you and your partner haven’t finished working, you can continue working on your review in the next Writing Workshop or
turn in what you have to me now. I’ll be using these restaurant reviews to help me figure out if we still need some more
instruction on the concepts we learned today. It’s now Writing Workshop time, so please take out the pieces you’re working
on if you haven’t already and begin writing. You have 25 minutes. I’ll put some music on while you work. Please begin writing
now.

IV. Free-Writing Time and Individual Conferences (25-30 minutes)

Circulate amongst students, checking in to see if they have any questions about the mini-lesson or activity, about how to
create clear paragraphs and transition sentences, and go over student writing using the PQR (praise, question,
recommendation) model when students are ready to turn in first drafts. Make sure to emphasize what students are
doing well and provide constructive feedback for how to improve other areas of their writing. Some helpful comments
might include asking students to read two paragraphs aloud and assess whether the ideas flow clearly from one to the
other, or having them underline their topic sentences, supporting details, and transition sentences in different colors on
their papers.

“Ok, y’all, free-writing time is up. You guys did great today. Please go take your five-minute brain break and then you can go
have lunch.”
Materials Appendix (if appropriate): Please include the slides, images, links to texts, handouts, etc. that are used in this lesson. They should be
“Student Ready”

Appendix A: Giant T-shirt Image to Label

Topic Sentence/Claim

Supporting Detail Supporting Detail

Evidence, Information, Stories

Transition Sentence

Appendix B: Google Slides with General Information and Paired Restaurant Review Directions

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Universal Lesson Plan Template – Curry Secondary Program