Literacy Writing Unit Planning Template

Title of Unit: Human Body Systems Writing Unit

Grade Level: Fifth Grade
Designed by: Michele Zmich
Stage 1
Overview and Context
Brief
overview
paragrap
h,
describin
g the unit
in
narrative
format.
Include
descriptio
n of the
final
product,
the
audience
and the
purpose
of this
product.

Students will explore the human body through hands on

experiments and targeted research goals. They will then have
the opportunity to share the knowledge that they have
gained in a public form, through the creation of informational
posters. Students will hear from University of Michigan
Athletes and/or their coaches/trainers who will encourage
them create posters to inform fellow athletes about their
body systems. The class will examine model informational
texts to pull out the important features and format of these
texts. Then, students will move onto researching particular
body systems in small groups. Theyll work together to create
an informational poster about their body system,
conferencing with the teacher throughout the process. Once
the posters are created, they will be put up in athletic
training centers at the University of Michigan. The purpose of
these posters is to inform athletes about their body systems
and suggest what they can do to keep them healthy.

Grade
Level:

5th grade at Pattengill Elementary

Estimated
time for
unit:

Three to four weeks, depending if other activities take precedence

during allocated writing time. (Testing, assemblies, etc.)

Brief
The purpose of this project is not only for students to learn about the
Rationale: human body systems and how they work together, but also to teach
students how to organize informational text in a different, purposeful,
way with an audience in mind. We hope that students will see that
writing and organizing information can be flexible and is not
necessarily restricted to reports. The final product is an informational
posters about human body systems that will be posted in athletic
training facilities at the University of Michigan.
Key
mentor
texts that
will be
used to
model
aspects of
the
writing.

Three posters (one pop drinking informational, one food plate

informational, and one student-made volcano informational) will be
used as mentor texts, as students notice common features of
informational posters.
As we progress in the unit, well then look at the three food plate
informational posters as mentor texts to notice differences in layout
and graphics and how effective these differences are in
communicating information to the audience.
(All posters are at the bottom of this document.)

Written
Sources:
(full
citations,
including
internet
resources
)

Nell Duke - Inside Information

Human
sources:
Who did
you
consult
with about
this unit?
What did
they offer
you? List
names
and brief
descriptio
n of
nature of
resources
they
offered.

Dr. Cathy Reischl suggested specifying the audience for the posters
and narrowing the focus of the unit.

Human Body in Motion Teacher Lesson Manual from Science

Companion
Mentor Text Posters found from:
http://ateacherlookingglass.blogspot.com/2012/01/volcanoprojects.html
http://cdn2.collectiveevolution.com/assets/uploads/2014/11/imagesa-sip-ofsoda.png
http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/159240856.png
http://www.farmerscare.com/sites/default/files/rsz_myplate_poster13.jpg
http://www.sanefcs.com/catalog/images/7305%20US%20Food
%20Plate%20MyPlate%20Poster.jpg

Mentor teachers Mr. Hatt and Ms. Kimmey helped identify timeline and
shared past successful methods for teaching this unit.
Michele Madden discussed the unit plan with interns and mentor
teachers to help shape the unit and share materials. She has posted
the lesson materials online for interns and will continue to assist us in
our science unit planning and implementation.

Essential
question(s)

What do athletes need to know about their body systems

and how they work to stay healthy?
What do people in the community need to know about
how their bodies work to stay healthy?
How can I use text, graphics and labels to inform others of
important ideas?

Attending to the Learners

Anticipating
student ideas:

Many students have no experience with learning about

the human body. The accompanying science lessons
will help students to become experts about the
human body systems.
Some students will want to ask questions about
sex/reproductive organs. (This unit will take place after
our time in the classroom, so we can potentially provide
a parking lot for questions.)

Students may be grossed out by bodily details.

Acknowledging from the start that students may have
differing reactions to the things we will be learning, and
setting an expectation that all reactions will be
appropriate to a science classroom will help avoid this
issue.
ELL students may have difficulty learning subject
specific words so it will be important to use many
visuals, repetition and opportunities to use the
language in both oral and written forms in meaningful
contexts. A word wall and the glossary at the end of the
students science notebooks will also assist with this.
In general, the science unit is very vocabulary heavy,
so students who require more time to pick up new
terms, may struggle. Again the glossary and word wall
will help with this. Also, limiting new vocabulary to only
those terms needed for each lesson may make the
cognitive load more manageable.
Students may not have seen an informational poster
before or know how they differentiate from other
posters theyve previously seen. Utilizing mentor texts
(other informational posters will support students and
familiarize them with the format.
Students may feel that they are not artistic enough to
create a meaningful poster. Thoughtful grouping so that
every group has some students who are comfortable
with their artistic skills will allow those who are less
confident support and the ability to shine in other
areas. (research, organization, text box creation etc.
Making the
content
accessible to all
students:

Groups will be carefully planned to pair students who have

more experience with prior poster creation with those who have
less. This allows students to bounce ideas off each other.
To support ELL (and all) students with vocabulary, theyll be
provided with a vocabulary word bank that pertains to each
body system. There is also a glossary in their student science
notebooks.
For researching assistance, each human body group will be
given a handout, listing which experiments and pages from their
student science notebook contain pertinent information for their
research. This will be modeled for them and they will have an
opportunity to do this as a whole class activity prior to working
on it in small groups.
Students will use a student generated graphic organizer to
organize their research, helping them to identify what is most
important to pay attention to.
Students will help generate the grading rubric so theyll know

exactly how their posters will be assessed.

Students will participate in writing conferences with the teacher
and other students, to help them solve poster problems before
being asked to turn in a final product. Teacher conferences will
take place twice, to assure students are meeting checkpoints
and not floundering.
Students may assign different aspects of the project to group
members, so that students can work from their strengths.
Information is presented multimodally, to address multiple
methods of learning.
Learning Goals
Learning Goals

Connection to Standards

Central Learning Goal:

1) SWBAT synthesize their
collected data and research
about a single human body
system and represent it on
an informational poster.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.b
Develop the topic with facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples related to the
topic.

Sub-Learning Goals:
2) SWBAT use domain
specific vocabulary to
communicate information
about specific body
systems.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.d
Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.

3) SWBAT produce clear

writing to communicate
information about body
systems to a specific
audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development and organization are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1-3 above.)

4) SWBAT represent their

topic and message on an
informational poster in a
clear, concise, and well
organized manner.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.a
Introduce a topic clearly, provide a
general observation and focus, and group
related information logically; include
formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations,
and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension

5) SWBAT refer to mentor

texts to determine useful
ways to represent
information visually.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational
texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.

6) SWBAT name and notice key

features of informational texts
and explain their purpose within

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.5
Know and use various text features (e.g.,
captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries,

a text.

indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key

facts or information in a text efficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or
digital sources, demonstrating the ability to
locate an answer to a question quickly or to
solve a problem efficiently.
Stage 2

Assessments
Type of
Assessment

Criteria/Means of Evaluation

Connection to Learning
Goals

Summative:
Informational
Poster

Rubric
Are students posters
neat/organized
Do they include: name of body
system, what it dos, how it does it,
and how to maintain it
Do they use domain specific
vocabulary (from student
reference book/student workbook)

6) SWBAT name and notice

key features of informational
texts and explain their
purpose within a text.
(Does their poster include
key features, such as Titles,
headings, and Graphics with
Captions)

This rubric will assess whether or

not students are able to organize
and format information on a poster
so that it is accessible, clear, and
concise for a specific audience.
They will have to use domainspecific vocabulary to
communicate information. It will
assess whether or not students
are able to pull out important
information from research,
synthesize, and organize it.

5) SWBAT refer to mentor

texts to determine useful
ways to represent
information visually.
(Is their poster organized
in such a way as to make
reading easy, referring
to specific aspects from
mentor texts)
4) SWBAT represent their
topic and message on an
informational poster in a
clear, concise, and well
organized manner.
(Is the poster complete,
neat, and well formatted.
Does it reflect changes
suggested in
conferences and a
carefully planned
outline)
2) SWBAT use domain
specific vocabulary to
communicate
information about
specific body systems.
(Do the students highlight
their specific body system,
using vocabulary learned in
research and from the

student reference book.

Does the poster show how
the body system works)
1) SWBAT synthesize
their collected data and
research about a single
human body system and
represent it on an
informational poster.
(Do students summarize
their body system in an
easily approachable
organization. Do they use
specific details to show how
the system works, and how
to care for it. Is the poster
visually appealing, or clearly
carefully planned and
executed)
Formative:
Collected
throughout
writing unit

1) SWBAT synthesize
their collected data and
research about a single
human body system and
represent it on an
informational poster.
(have students created a
clear organization for
Students will observe
their poster, using a
informational posters with text
graphic organizer. Have
features, dissect the components, they edited their plan for
and generate lists of texts features to include suggestions
that they can create for their own
from teachers and peers.
posters. This will help determine
Have they used text
whether students are aware
features from mini
of/able to name features and
lessons to format their
understand how to apply them to
posters)
their own writing with support.
3) SWBAT produce clear
The compilation of lists about
writing to communicate
effective informational posters will information about body
give evidence of students ability
systems to a specific
to refer to mentor texts to
audience.
determine useful ways to
(Through editing and
represent information visually. conferencing, have
students shown that
Their group lists about text
they understand how
features will be used to develop
best to represent
graphic organizers for the creation
information in a poster. )
of their poster. This will show that
students can apply their
5) SWBAT refer to mentor
knowledge of how to represent
texts to determine useful
their topic and message on an
ways to represent
Graphic organizer, notes from
conferences with teacher, lists
collected from groups about text
features, good poster creation,
etc., comparing the draft poster to
final poster, anecdotal notes from
class

informational poster in a
clear, concise, and well
organized manner.

information visually.
(Have students shown in
their graphic organizers
that they are accounting
for the organization
methods used for
posters in mentor texts)
6) SWBAT name and notice
key features of informational
texts and explain their
purpose within a text.
(Have students recorded
key information from
reference texts and mini
lessons on appropriate
workbook pages, including
vocabulary and Text Feature
definitions)

Stage 3
Lesson Title

One or two sentence description of this lesson

(For more information about the previous human
body system lessons, take a look at the human body
systems folder. This should provide a better idea of
the structure of the science lessons. )

Launch

The lesson will begin as one on informational texts.

As we are learning about different types of
informational texts, (books, brochures, posters, etc.)
the class will be interrupted by a request from either
a coach or University of Michigan athletes who need
help from the students. (this could be a phone call,
email or preferably a skype call or visit.) The students
are learning about body systems in science and are
becoming experts who can share what they have
learned to help athletes understand about their body
systems and stay healthy. (If these connections
cannot be made, there is a student in Emily
Kimmeys class whose mom works for Ypsilanti Hope
Medical Clinic whos agreed to ask students to make
posters for her clinic to share information with
patients about their body systems.)

Viewing mentor texts- Mini

lessons text features

Types of text features- titles, headers, graphics with

labels, captions, text boxes, bolded/italicized font,
informational facts. How can we best share
information with audience? Posters! What kind of
features best communicate information?
Assign groups.

Mentor texts- What makes

a good poster

Examples and nonexamples- separate into groups

and share findings. How much information should be

included? How many types of text features? How

should information be organized? Group document
with ideas. (This will help with rubric creation later
on.)
What information do we
need to share?

Using source text (student science notebook)Generate a list of what is important to share about
body systems on posters. Model this process with the
nervous system. This info will be used to develop
graphic organizer, given to students in the following
lesson (include the best way to communicate specific
ideas through specific text features).

Research

Introduce graphic organizers and discuss using it.

Model the process with the nervous system. Assign
body system groups. Share where to find information
for each group. Give students time to begin gathering
resources for research.

Research

Model how to answer questions with source materials

with the nervous system. Students will have looked at
the organizer the day before, but may still have
questions about connecting the organizer to data
from their experiments.

Research

Another class period for research. No mini-lesson,

just a quick pull together to remind kids about their
purpose.

Rubric creation

Rubric creation- review the lists of what makes a

good poster and possible informational poster
features. Students will help think of categories and
define those categories. Discuss the importance of a
rubric.

Poster rough draft/

storyboard

Model how to create mock up of poster using sticky

notes, manilla paper, the rubric, and info graphic
organizer with the nervous system. Discuss with
students which features might be more difficult to
write. (Writing and drawings will be done by hand
since standardized testing will be taking place in the
computer labs.)

Text Box Writing

Examine texts boxes from model sources. Discuss as

a group what students are noticing. Model writing a
text box for the nervous system. Write a second text
box, with input from students.

Working day/conferring/
Introduce associated
research paper

Introduce research paper as a way to represent

students individual knowledge and keep a record of
their knowledge (since posters are being given
away). Connect web graphic organizer to standard
five paragraph essay and discuss transitioning webs
to a traditional research paper organizer. Model this
transition with the nervous system web. Students will
make their research paper organizer and label the

headings.
Students meet with teachers group by group to revise
and edit their mock posters. (Groups that appear to
be having more difficulty will be asked to meet first to
keep them on track.)
Working
day/conferring/Introduce
associated paper

Continue modeling the research paper writing

process with the nervous system. Move from the
organizer to an actual paper. Review what is needed
in the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
(Students have previously written five paragraph,
informational papers-- this is review.) Give some
independent work time for students to finish their
organizers and transition to writing.
Students continue to meet with teachers group by
group to revise and edit their mock posters. (Groups
that appear to be having more difficulty will be asked
to meet first to keep them on track.)

Begin final drafts of poster

Continued writing

Rubric check- students will review, as a group, the

rubric and discuss what is going well vs. what is
difficult. Students are given materials to begin final
draft as they are approved in conferences. Theyll
work as a group, but on individual pieces of the
poster separately. As they finish their individual
pieces, they can continue writing their research
papers.

Conferring (placement) 1
or 2 days depending.

Students again conference with teacher to check on

final placement of items on poster. Theyll be asked
to review the rubric and verify that their poster meets
the criteria.
Theyll be given time to read their papers to their
science team and receive feedback. (Review
feedback process from previous papers.) Students
continue writing their research papers, based off
feedback. Students who still have much to write, will
be encouraged to either come in during recess or
take their writing notebooks home.

Discuss paper progress

with partner

Continued writing

Students continue writing. Those that finish early will

be editors and offer assistance to other writers as
wanted.

Final writing conference

Students complete writing. Time will be provided to

confer with others about any last questions. (Minor
issues such as spelling or phrasing questions.)

Poster Celebration

Gallery walk and handing over ceremony- students

will display their posters and associated research
papers around the room for a gallery walk. Athletes
will join if time, otherwise, theyll come to pick up the
posters. Students will describe their process,
highlighting the use of informational text features and
good poster qualities present in their posters.
Athletes will take the posters to hang up in University

of Michigan athletic buildings and interns will follow

up with pictures of the posted posters to share with
students.

Mentor Texts

http://ateacherlookingglass.blogspot.com/2012/01/volcano-projects.html

http://cdn2.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2014/11/imagesa-sip-ofsoda.png

http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/159240856.png

http://www.bjcschooloutreach.org/Portals/0/Printables/Images/2014-10-14Create_Your_Plate_with_MyPlate.jpg

http://www.farmers-care.com/sites/default/files/rsz_myplate_poster13.jpg

http://www.sanefcs.com/catalog/images/7305%20US%20Food%20Plate%20MyPlate
%20Poster.jpg