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Draft of Lesson Due 10/23 (3 points) Lesson Taught and Reflection Due 11/13 (7
points)
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
UNDERSTAND – The students will understand how mentor texts can help them as
writers.
KNOW - The students will know how the author in the mentor text used a topic sentence
to add clarity to his writing. They will know what a topic sentence and supporting details
are and how they can help them as writers.
DO – The students will use topic sentences and supporting details to start a new piece of
writing.
D. ASSESSING LEARNING
I will assess student learning through observations that will take place during the reading of the
mentor text, by listening to their buddy conversations of what topic sentences and supporting
details look like, and by reading their writing and conferencing with them as they write. My
observations will specifically help me assess student understanding of how the author of the
mentor text uses topic sentences and supporting details to enhance their writing. I will also assess
the students on their knowledge of how mentor texts can help improve their writing by asking
questions following the lesson. I will also assess the impact of this lesson by examining their
new piece of writing for clear topic sentences and supporting details. I will provide a rubric that
will help guide the students in their writing and I will assess all students who participated in the
lesson. I will be collecting and photocopying the students’ new piece of writing to examine their
use of topic sentences and supporting details.
A. CONTEXT OF LESSON
I will be teaching students about topic sentences and supporting details by using the mentor text
A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea. T his lesson will be a whole group mini lesson before a writer’s
workshop. The students have already learned about having a topic sentence with supporting
details in their writing and this lesson will help further support the students with this skill. The
end result of this lesson will be the student successfully including a topic sentence and
supporting details in their writing.
I will read the section of the mentor text to the students that focuses on the topic sentence and
supporting details, specifically drawing the students attention to those parts of the text. As a
class, we will complete an anchor chart of the topic sentence and supporting details from the
mentor text. I will allow time for the students to share their understanding on topic sentences and
supporting details where they can make a plan (graphic organizer) of how they will use them in
their writing before they start on the first draft. After the students have time to write, I will have
several students share their topic sentence and supporting details.
The idea for this lesson came from Missing Tooth Grins
(http://www.missingtoothgrins.com/2015/01/mentor-texts-opinion-writing-topic.html ). I am
making this lesson different by having students write about anything that they believe is a bad
idea and having the students practice using graphic organizers to plan their writing. I am also
making sure that the students will have time to share their writing with their peers to gain
inspiration for future writings.
. MATERIALS NEEDED
B
A Pig Parade Is a Terrible Idea written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Graphic organizer worksheet
Observation Chart
Rubric
Students will need notebook paper for their writing
Pencils
C. PROCEDURE
Discuss how you will address the topics below. Provide specifics about what you plan to say,
questions you may ask, and strategies you will use to make the lesson a success.
CONNECT Have students sit at their desks with everything put
Students learn why today’s away. “Who remembers reading this book a few
instruction is important to weeks ago?” While holding up the book for the
them as writers and how the students to see the cover. “Who can remind me of
lesson relates to their prior what happens in the story?” Call on a few students
work (if applicable). The to share what they remember from the story. “We
teaching point is stated. are going to learn a strategy today that will help
Before
transform your writing. This is a strategy that
Michael Ian Black (the author) uses in this book
but others use it too. We are going to be focusing
on writing a topic sentence and supporting details.
I am going to model how you will fill out your
graphic organizer for your paragraph. For example,
if I was going to write a story about how dogs are
wonderful pets, I could start with the topic
sentence of “Dogs are wonderful pets because they
make you happy.” (Write this in the center
bubble). I could then add supporting details by
explaining how dogs make you happy. “Dogs
make you happy by licking your face when you get
home from school. Dogs also make you happy
when they wag their tails in excitement. My dog
makes me really happy when she cuddles with me
on the couch. (Write each of these in individual
bubbles on the organizer.) Turn and talk to your
partner and tell them what my topic sentence was.”
Allow students to talk and share with their partners
and then share out.
D. DIFFERENTIATION
Since the students are working independently on their writing and using the strategy of topic
sentences and supporting details, I will monitor and support students who need additional help
during writing. One way I will help the students is to assist students with placing the correct
aspect (topic or detail) in the correct bubble on the planning sheet. Students who finish early can
continue adding details to that piece of work or finish another piece of writing by adding topic
sentences and supporting details.
E. WHAT COULD GO WRONG WITH THIS LESSON AND WHAT WILL YOU DO
ABOUT IT? The students may struggle to implement a topic sentence and supporting details
into their writing. I will conference with individual students as they are writing to make sure they
are on the right path. Students may get off task during the mini lesson instruction but this can be
alleviated by rotating around the room and asking for student participation.
OBSERVATION FORM
Student’s Names Observations of and understanding of topic sentences and supporting details
Paragraph Writing Rubric
Main Theme One topic sentence Topic sentence Lacks a central topic
per paragraph attempted but is sentence
unclear
Paragraph clearly Paragraph does not Paragraph does not
supports the topic support topic support topic
sentence sentence idea sentence idea