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Overview
and Background: Unit: Sensory Bridge from Literature to Writing |
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Name: Meg Rice |
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Cheney
Elementary : Grades 1 |
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Title: |
Sensory Bridge from Literature to Writing |
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Topics: |
Descriptive
language in reading & writing |
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Time Frame: |
3 weeks |
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Start Date: |
- April,
coincide with rainy season |
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Other Designers: |
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Summary: Literature loaded with vivid sensory images,
closely linked to student life experiences, will springboard class
discussion, pre-writing, and the writing process. Students will publish a
piece of descriptive writing utilizing the five senses. |
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Print Materials Needed: Just A Thunderstorm by Gina
and Mercer Mayer (Golden) ISBN0-307-11540-2/ISBN: 0-307-67540-8 (LIB. BDG.) Once When I Was Scared by Helena Clare Pittman
(Pittman/Rand-Golden) ISBN 0-14-054932-3 |
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Resources: |
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Resource Attachments: |
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Internet Resource Links: Mr. Potato Head image found at http://winnie.acsu.buffalo.edu/potatoe/ The following project documents can be found at: URL 1. Printable Mr. Potato Head graphic organizer for
pre-writing 2. Writing prompts for 5 senses Just A Thunderstorm 3. sample Title Page Thunderstorm writing project 4. Descriptive sentence rubric 5. Completed book rubric |
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Notes: |
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Stage 1: Identify Desired Results |
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State: |
KS |
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Title: |
Descriptive writing |
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Standard(s): |
Reading: 1.1.4 use context clues to construct meaning from print 1.1.5 use syntax clues (sentence/ word structure) 1.1.7 use prediction, summarizing, cause-effect, compare
and contrast, drawing conclusions, sequencing, categorizing, making
inferences, close process, picture clues, and context clues to understand
basic meaning of text. 1.2.9 Reads
teacher directed materials orally or silently 1.2.10 Respond to reading in a variety of ways 1.2.11 Recognize literature as
fiction/non-fiction, reality/fantasy, alike/different, narrative/expository 1.3.14 Use of graphic organizer (sorting table) Writing: ALL OF THEM IN THE PROJECT PORTION 1.1.1
Use of graphic organizer, brainstorming and oral
discussion as part of the prewriting process. 1.1.2 Create
rough drafts to be edited and revised. 1.1.3 Use peer
editing and self-editing skills as part of the
editing process. 1.1.4 Use edited
copy to create a revised document. 1.1.5 Publish
writing in a variety of formats 1.1.6 Use legible
and neat manuscript handwriting 1.2.7
Use six-trait writing model focusing on content and
conventions. 1.2.9 Narrative
pieces have a beginning, middle and end. 1.2.10 Invented spelling is used. Periods
and question marks are used
as end punctuation. Capitalize beginnings of sentences
and proper names. 1.3.11 Use narrative writing style in a book response |
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Understandings: Descriptive language creates stronger
images and more powerful writers. |
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Essential Questions: How do writers and illustrators
use describing words and pictures to communicate strong feelings and powerful
events to their audience/readers? How do describing words relate to our five senses? How can I write describing sentences that will make clear
pictures in my readers and listeners minds? Can people listening to my sentences pick out the
describing words I have chosen to use? |
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Knowledge and Skills: |
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K: Students
will know: Books filled with powerfully descriptive language create stronger
mental images for them as listeners and readers. S: Students
will be able to: Identify descriptive words in sentences they hear and tell which
of the five senses are being used in that description. Students will write at
least five sentences using descriptive words that relate to the five senses. |
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Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence |
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Assessment Summary: Write and sequence five or more pages containing
descriptive sentences about events in a piece of shared literature. All five
of the senses must be referenced within. Each student will compare their own pre-test and post-test
sentences via the use of the sensory sorting chart and a conference with the
teacher, in which they identify the more powerfully descriptive sentences.
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Student Directions: You are an editor for a publishing company. You must compare two pieces of writing by the same author.
You will need to tell the author which piece uses more powerfully descriptive
words by identifying those words. You will use a sensory language, sorting table to evaluate
each piece of writing. |
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Rubric: Descriptive sentence rubric Completed book rubric |
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Other assessment evidence to be collected: 1.
Sensory language sorting tables 2. Pre-test- five descriptive sentences written in the
fall 3. Student copy of Mr. Potato Head graphic organizer for pre-writing 4. Student rough draft of 5 or more sentences generated from graphic
organizer or Writing prompts for 5 senses Just A
Thunderstorm class generated list 5. Descriptive sentence rubric 6. Completed book rubric |
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Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and
Instruction |
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Learning Activities: What
sequence of teaching and learning experiences will be used? 1. Hook: Read aloud the following
passages and discuss which one made clearer more powerful images in their
minds as they listened. He got free. He moved on his legs. His claws dug the
ground and his tail moved. Ask the same questions after each reading: 1.
Who or what is he? 2.
Where is he? 3.
What is he doing? 4.
What words told you those things? But suddenly he broke free. Now he moved easily over the
roots, springing gracefully off the rocks with his strong back legs. His
sharp claws dug into the leaves. Behind him a silvery tail bounced on the
wind, its white tip a bright flicker in the shadows. Ask the same questions after each reading: 1.
Who or what is he? 2.
Where is he? 3.
What is he doing? 4.
What words told you those things? In order to build the needed background knowledge, at
minimum, once a week throughout the school year, students will be asked to
identify sensory images and descriptive language in the “read alouds” and big
book shared reading literature presented by the teacher. 2. Overview and Expectation: A pre-test, to be given in the fall, will follow
practice identifying five senses. Given five illustrations depicting sensory
events, students will write a descriptive sentence for each. Spanning two to three weeks in late March or early April,
students will practice identifying sensory language in multiple literature
selections, first orally, then using the sorting table. Following numerous guided reading lessons with the book Just
A Thunderstorm by Gina and Mercer Mayer, students will post-test using
the same five illustrations for which they wrote descriptive sentences in the
fall. As editor, they will evaluate their own pre and post samples, using a
sorting table, and justify their selection of more powerful descriptive
language to the teacher or another adult. Use of the sensory language sorting
table will be modeled by the teacher, and completed as a shared writing
literature response as the year progresses. The goal being, that by the time
the formal unit begins, students will be able to complete sorting tables
independently. 3.
Teaching Activities, Assessments & Rethinking opportunities in
order: How to
properly count a line.
Guided reading group activity #1: standard 1.1.7- focus on picture reading: Students cover the text and picture walk through the book
telling what they think is happening on each page. Also discuss the details
the artist used in each illustration, to give clues about the actions and
feelings of characters and events. 4. Guided reading group activity
#2: standard 1.1.5- focus on word structure: Students word walk through the text with pictures covered,
listing all compound
words: ·
thunderstorm, clothesline, forgot, fireplace, hot dog,
camp-out, weatherman, nothing, anything, outside, and words with the following suffixes: s, es, ed,
ing: ·
clothes, toys, candles, marshmallows, hot dogs,
thunderstorms, plants, boats, puddles ·
helped, picked, scared, started, soaked, roasted, tried,
called, climbed, screamed ·
coming, blowing, rumbling, pouring, making, interrupting,
thundering, listening, crying, shining 5. Guided reading group activity
#3: standard 1.1.4- focus on use of context clues to construct
meaning from print standard 1.2.9
Reads teacher directed materials orally or silently standard 1.3.14- focus on using QAR strategies Students are directed to silently read paired pages with
the following prompts: ·
Silently read pages 1 & 2. When finished, point to the
word that tells what Mom said was coming. ·
How did mom and the kids know that was coming? Read the
sentence that proves it aloud together. Touch, ready, read. ·
Look at page 1 & 2. Which is more powerful at
communicating what is happening on those pages, the words or the picture?
Why? ·
Silently read pages 3 & 4 to find out who is speaking
and telling the story. ·
Who is speaking and where are the words to prove it? ·
What did each child do to help mom and where are the words
to prove it? ·
What caused brother to call, “Here Kitty!” out the front
door. ·
What did sister say about how she was feeling? Talk about
how her words and fact match or don’t match. ·
Silently read pages 5 & 6 to find out what mom forgot. ·
Why does it say, “We got soaked.” ·
How did the illustrator show that the rain is coming down
hard and windswept? ·
Silently read pages 7 & 8 to learn 2 things that
happened during dinner. ·
Look at the pictures on 7 & 8. Which is more powerful
at communicating what happened, the words or the picture? ·
What kinds of problems will they have now that the lights
have gone out? ·
Turn to your neighbor and exchange stories about a time
when the lights went out on you. First let’s number off 1,2,1,2, until we all
have a number. 1’s speak first to tell your story. 2’s listen because you
must retell the 1’s story and have them tell you, “Good listening”, or
correct what you said, before it is your turn to talk. Then 2’s talk and 1’s
listen. 1’s must repeat the 2’s story and have them say, ”Good listening”, or
correct what 1’s said, before 1’s can speak again. ·
Silently read pages 9 & 10 to find out how the family
solved the problem of having no electricity. ·
Silently read pages 11 & 12 to find out why it was
hard to watch their favorite TV show and why they didn’t want to go to bed. ·
Silently read pages 13 & 14. List the things sister
tried to help her sleep. ·
Silently read page 15 & 16 List the things that Dad
said are good about thunderstorms. Can you think of other good things about
thunderstorms? ·
In worried, scared voices read pages 17 & 18 aloud
with me so we sound like the kids. ·
Look at page 18. Which is more powerful at communicating
the meaning on that page, the words or the picture? ·
Silently read pages 19 & 20 and decide how your voice
should sound on each page. When you are finished, lay your hand flat on the
tabletop as a signal, and when everyone’s done, we’ll read aloud together. ·
Repeat this process for the final 3 pages. Now, let’s enjoy rereading the entire story, aloud as a
group, with feeling and expression in our voices to match what the characters
are feeling or thinking. 6. Guided reading activity # 4: standard 1.2.10 Respond to reading in a variety of ways standard 1.2.11 Recognize literature as
fiction/non-fiction, reality/fantasy, alike/different, narrative/expository ·
Remind students that literature can portray reality by
being realistic and true to life in the real world. Remind them that it can also be fantastically imaginary and
make-believe. Ask which type of literature they think this story might be and
why. (Clarify that despite the many realistic qualities and activities of the
family, the characters are “Critters” or animals like beings, which are
imaginary in that they speak to one another, and are therefore fantasy
characters.) ·
Discuss also whether the story is fiction or non-fiction,
narrative or expository. 7. Guided Reading activity #5: may
need several days standard 1.2.10 Respond to reading in a variety of ways standard 1.3.14 Use of graphic organizer (sorting chart,
table or T chart) standard 1.2.7 Use
six-trait writing model focusing on content and conventions. ·
Review with students the names of the 5 senses and the
organs on Mr. Potato Head and our own bodies providing these senses for us.
Record these on chart paper or the board in a T chart
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Provide students with the “5 Senses bridge from reading to
writing” worksheet with the image of Mr. Potato Head in the center. ·
Reread the words and pictures of Just A Thunderstorm,
locating any words or images that match to the 5 senses on the graphic
organizer. ·
As information in the story is matched to a sense,
students will write a phrase from the book or pictures under the correct
organ/sense on the graphic organizer. (Independent readers can manage this in
small groups and alone. Other less independent first graders may need this to
be a teacher guided and supported activity.) ·
Each student should record their own ideas onto their own
page. These pages will become the source for compiling a group or class list
of Writing Prompts in the pre-writing phase of this project. 8. Whole class activity # 6: standard 1.3.14 Use of graphic organizer (sorting chart, T
chart) ·
When all groups have completed their graphic organizers, a
class listing or chart can be compiled similar to the “Writing prompts for 5
senses Just A Thunderstorm” doc. found in the Internet links portion
of this unit. This can be generated as a Word doc. using a large screen
monitor for student viewing, or it can be handwritten onto chart paper by an
adult scribe or by students in turn as a small group center activity. 9. Guided writing activity # 7: standard 1.1.2
Create rough drafts to be edited and revised. standard 1.2.10 Respond to reading in a variety of ways standard 1.3.14 Use of graphic organizer (sorting chart or
T chart) ·
Having seen the writing prompts, students with independent
reading and writing skills can use the prompt page to plan the writing of
each of their own 5 pages. ·
Students needing more support in the writing process may
need support to select one idea for each of the senses. Revisiting the book
and its pictures may be helpful in that process. They may need further
support to record each idea in sentence form either on a new graphic organizer,
or rough draft writing paper. 10. Editing activity # 8: standard 1.1.3
Use peer editing and self-editing skills as
part of the editing process standard 1.1.4
Use edited copy to create a revised
document. When a rough draft of each sentence is completed, the editor (peer, teacher, volunteer or aid) will need to conference with each student to make any necessary corrections on the rough draft or a new copy. 11.
Publishing activity # 9: Standard 1.1.5
Publish writing in a variety of formats Standard 1.1.6
Use legible and neat manuscript handwriting ·
Students will then be free to publish in their own
handwriting or in a Word doc. as best suits the teacher and classroom. An
accompanying illustration, which clearly reflects the meaning of the
sentence, should be added. The medium used for illustration is a matter of
teacher/student choice. 12. Final proofing and sequencing
pages activity #10: Standard 1.2.9 Narrative
pieces have a beginning, middle and end. Standard 1.2.10
Invented spelling is used. Periods and question marks are used as end punctuation. Capitalize
beginnings of sentences and proper names. Standard 1.3.11 Use narrative writing in a book
response ·
A final proofing
conference will be held with an adult and the writer. Pages will be read
aloud by the student and sequenced into the order that most closely matches
the order of events in Just A Thunderstorm. ·
A title page will be attached and pages bound together at
this time. (A sample
Title Page for this 5 page Thunderstorm writing
project is linked in the Internet links portion of this
unit.) 13. Share and identify descriptive
language in students’ books. Activity # 11 Guided Reading groups or whole class Standard 1.2.9
Reads teacher directed materials orally or silently Standard 1.2.10 Respond to reading in a variety of ways ·
Each author will, in turn, read aloud from their book,
stopping after each sentence to allow classmates to identify the descriptive
word or words used and the sense/or sensory organ referred to by the use of
that language. ·
This piece of writing may be held in the student
portfolio, shared with parents in a conference or at an “Authors’ Open House
Evening” later in the spring. |
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