Writing Lesson Template

Reading, Writing, and Oral Language

2007 ACEI Standards
READINESS
I.
Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)Unit (broad terms)
The students will be able to use voice in their writing.
B. Objective(s)(specific terms)
After completing the entire writing activity, the students will be able to
apply the writing process to write a story.
After the students participate in the mini lesson, they will be able to use
the voice of a detective and the voice of another character to provide
facts and details in a given writing prompt.
C.
Standard(s): Professional Society/State/District
2.W.3.2 Write a paragraph or paragraphs on a topic that introduce a
topic, provide facts and details about the topic, and provide a concluding
statement.
2.W.4 Apply the writing process to Generate a draft by developing,
selecting and organizing ideas relevant to topic, purpose, and genre;
revise writing, using appropriate reference materials, by adding details
(e.g., organization, sentence structure, word choice); edit writing for
format and conventions (e.g., spelling, capitalization, usage,
punctuation); and provide feedback to other writers.
II.
Materials
What Really Happened to Humpty? Book by Jeanie Franz Ransom
Magnifying glasses and lab coats for each group of students
Adult detective costume for anticipatory set
Crime scene set-up (three bears, footprints, caution tape, other items of
choice)
White board and markers
First Page of Story (one per group)
1 Prewriting Character Diagram per student
1 Story Draft Paper per student
1 Story Final Copy Paper per student
1 piece of construction paper per group
Markers/pencils/crayons
Staples to put the books together
III.

Management
a. Time
This lesson will take place over multiple days.
I will teach the anticipatory set to the brainstorming activity the
first day.

Over the next 5 days, the students will work on their writing piece
at their own pace (they will go through the writing process) and I
will conference with each student at least twice.
On the last day, the groups will present their final writing pieces to
the class.
We will spend 30 minutes per day after the initial lesson to work on
our writing/conferencing (for at least 5 days).
Anticipatory set: 3 minutes
Introduce the topic: 5 minutes
Share Examples read aloud and post read aloud activity: 30
minutes
Provide information: 20 minutes
b. Space
Anticipatory Set: Students at desks
Introduce the topic: Students on the carpet
Read Aloud/Share Examples: Students on the carpet
Provide information: Students at desks
Writing Conferences: Teachers back table
When students are writing they will sit in their seats
c. Students
Students will be grouped with their table groups
Students will be expected to stay quiet as they are writing. They
will be allowed to discuss an idea with a peer at their table for brief
moments (no side conversations unrelated to writing though)
Positive/negative reinforcement with one second parties and
mighty groans on the board
Students will receive a warm fuzzy in the jar if they all work hard
during each writing time
I will be monitoring students to see if they are reaching their goals.
If they are, I will add a sticker to their goal card.
When a student is ready to conference with me, they may put their
name on my list of people who are waiting to conference with me.
I will call up the names in order.
PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
IV.
Adaptation to Diverse Students
Brison He cannot read or spell words. He is at a kindergarten level. I will
conference with him first while the other students are working on their
prewriting diagrams. I will go through each step in the diagram with him
and write down his ideas and what he says to me.
Mary A volunteer student from another class (she comes in some days to
work one-on-one with Mary when I am not there) will come in to sit with
Mary while she works on her writing. Once she completes her work for 20

minutes each day she will be rewarded with play dough time or
iPad/computer time
Jaelyn Jaelyn typically finishes her work more quickly and accurately
than other students. She is a quick learner and loves to teach other students.
Once she is finished, she will be paired with a struggling student to assist
him/her
(ACEI 3.2)

V.

Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

(ACEI 3.3)
o

Minilesson: (Whole Group)

Anticipatory Set
o Have a crime scene set up in one corner of the classroom. Lay down
three stuffed animal bears on top of a giant white sheet of paper. Put
black footprints all around the bears. Have a few items scattered across
the scene. Put up Caution tape around the scene of the crime. Come
into the classroom dressed up like a detective and use a giant
magnifying glass. Elaborately tell the class: I walked into the
classroom this morning and found the three bears laying on the ground.
I ran over to the bears to try to figure out what happened, but I am
stuck! I have no idea what could have happened! When I looked
around, I noticed there were footprints all around the scene of the
crime, yet nobody else was to be found. I think I may need some student
detectives to help me solve this mystery.
Purpose
o Today we are going to grow in our writing skills. We are going to use
what we already learned about observing and researching as a scientist
to help us solve the mystery. Then, we will practice writing using a
particular voice. When we use specific voices when we write, it helps
our audience know how to read what we write.
Introduce the Topic - Speaking
o Say, Today we are going to learn about how to use an entertaining
voice in our writing. Each person can have different and unique voices.
That is what makes reading everyones different writings so interesting!
There are many different types of voice. You use a different voice when
you talk to your friends, when you talk to your parents, when you talk to
a teacher, or when you are trying to explain a complicated topic. Its
not only what you say, but HOW you say it.
o Discuss different types of voices. Ask (have the students demonstrate),
How might an angry person ask for an ice cream cone (ex. GIVE ME
THE ICE CREAM!)? How might a shy person ask for an ice cream
cone (ex. Umm, could I have some ice cream?)? How might a kind
person ask for an ice cream cone (ex. May I please have an ice cream
cone? Thank you!)?
o Ask the students to explain the differences in the different voices. How
did they know what kind of voice to use for each person?

Share Examples Reading, Listening, and Speaking

o Say, Today I am going to read you the story What Really Happened to
Humpty? By Jeanie Franz Ransom. This book tells how Humpty
Dumptys brother went about solving the mystery of how Humpty
Dumpty fell off the wall. As I read, I want you to think about the voices
that are used. What kind of language is each character using? How do
the characters speak to one another?
o Read the story
o Allow the students to respond to the story. Ask, What did you think?
What did you like? What did you not like?
o Ask the students what they noticed about the different character voices
in the story. Probe them to answer that there was a lot of dialogue and
that many different characters talked in different ways. The descriptions
of what the characters said also helped us understand the voice (ex.
Sniffled, stuttered, yawning). Point out that Humpty Dumptys brother
was the detective. He asked lots of questions and demanded answers.
Reread quotes from the story that help us learn the characters different
voices (The students will use these same character voices later on in
their writing).
Examples to Reread:
Chicken Little: Chicken Little answered the door looking more
nervous than usual. Am I in t-t-trouble?
Detective: OK, guys, hand it over, I said. Whose phone is this?
Wolf: Sorry, doll, plans changed, growled Wolf. Sweet, Wolf
snarled.
Spider: I made Humpty fall, said a small voice out of nowhere.
Hold it, shrieked Spider. I zipped home but I knew I had to fess
up. Humpty was my friend.
Little Red Riding Hood: The Muffin Mans scrambling to fill a
big order, Red said. I cant even buy one lousy muffin for my
grandmother! She sniffed loudly and stomped off in a huff.
Goldilocks: Im house-sitting, she said, yawning. Early
morning. Some dog started howling and woke me up. Nine AM,
she said. But now that Im awake, want to come in for some
porridge?
o Ask, What did the different voices tell us about some of the different
characters (ex. Chicken Little nervous, unsure; Wolf mean, harsh,
sarcastic; Spider innocent, honest; Little Red Riding Hood In a rush,
angry, short-tempered; Goldilocks friendly, tired)
Provide Information (Model) Listening
o Say, We are going to go through the writing process to write a piece
that describes the mystery in our classroom with the three bears. In just
a minute, I want each table to come up and observe the crime scene. We
already learned how to think like a scientist. We learned that part of the
scientific method is to observe and investigate. We need to act like a

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scientist and observe and investigate the crime scene. I want you to
observe every little detail. What do you think could have happened?
Give the students magnifying glasses and lab coats. Really let them
have fun with this part!
As a class, write down some observations the students had about the
crime scene.
Say, Now lets talk about our characters from our book again. We are
going to use these same characters in our writing. All of the fairytale
characters are friends. Either Chicken Little, Wolf, Spider, Little Red
Riding Hood, or Goldilocks committed the crime. Lets think like
scientists again. Lets reinvestigate each character. How could we
figure out which character could have committed the crime (based on
voice/characteristics)? Have a class discussion about what the
students noticed about each character (talk about voice again). Say,
Now think, which character do you think could have committed the
crime based on who they are?
Split the students into groups of 5. Give each student in each group a
different character (Chicken Little, Wolf, Spider, Little Red Riding
Hood, Goldilocks) Each group will put their writing pieces together at
the end to form their own story of what happened to the three bears
(based on the scientific evidence they observed/researched from the
crime scene and the characters).
To assign characters: Write the characters on small pieces of paper
and allow the students to draw one slip out of the hat
Say, As a group, decide which character committed the crime. If you
have the character who committed the crime, you will write the end of
the story.
Say, Think about what could have happened to the three bears at the
crime scene based on what we have seen at the crime scene and heard
about the characters. As a group, decide which character committed
the crime. If you have the character who committed the crime, you will
write the end of the story. Each of you will write as the detective. Make
up a story using your own character voice. How will you (the detective)
question your assigned character? How will your character respond?
You need to have one detective introduction. Model an introduction
sentence (ex. I am wondering what Little Red has to say about this).
Say, You must have the detective ask two questions and your character
answer two questions. Use some of the words and voices we
brainstormed earlier as a class. You will first fill out the prewriting
diagram that will help you get some ideas of what to write about.
Model an example diagram question.

Supervise Practice
o I will help students who are struggling with their character and
detective voices. I will help the students brainstorm what his/her
character might say and how he/she might say it.

o I will supervise through the use of writing conferences

Assess learning
o Formative How the students answer/act out different voices; Writing
conferences
o Summative Each students finished writing piece
Writing Writing and Speaking:
Each student in each group will be assigned to a different character. The
student must take on the voice of a detective, and create a voice for their
assigned character.
Each group will be given the same first page to their story. I will read this
page out loud.
Each student will be given a Prewriting Character Diagram to map out what
they want to write about for their part of the story (the detective must ask have
his/her own voice and ask the assigned character 2 questions, the character
must have his/her own voice and answer both questions).
After they finish the prewriting activity, they will bring their diagram to me
(unless I am conferencing with another student if I am conferencing they can
read silently/work on another writing piece until I am ready for the next
person). We will conference together to talk about their character and the
voice they are using/what the character is saying that makes sense. Each
student will receive about 5 minutes of conference time, unless they need
remediation.
After I conference with a student about prewriting, he/she may move on to the
draft (use the Story Draft Paper). After the student finishes the draft, he/she
will bring it to me for another 5 minute conference. We will revise and edit the
draft together. We will discuss details to add/word choices that enhance their
characters voices. Then, the student may write the final copy (Use the Story
Final Copy Paper).
When all of the students are finished, all of the groups stories will be
compiled to create one long story of what happened to the three bears.
If a student finishes the writing early, he/she can draw a picture of their
writing piece.
Each group of students will think of a creative title for their story. They will
write the title on a piece of construction paper. Then, we will staple the book
together (including the first page that was given to each group).
Sharing (Whole Group)
Before each group shares, I will read through the entire book on my own.
Each group will stand at the front of the classroom. Each student will read the
page he/she wrote, then pass the story on to the next persons page.
Each group will have the chance to share.

VII. Check for understanding. How do you know students have learned? What strategies
will you implement if all students have not met lesson outcomes? Employ one or more strategies
to determine student learning.

I will check for understanding throughout the mini lesson by having students answer
questions and give examples of different voices. They will also identify different types of
voices and how they know that voices are different.
I will check for understanding throughout the writing process by conferencing with my
students. I will clarify any misunderstandings at this point.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

We will have a class discussion: What did you learn about voice? What is voice? What
did you enjoy about this activity?
PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
o Formative How the students answer/act out different voices; Writing
conferences
o Summative Each students finished writing piece
(ACEI 4.0)
Reflection:
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Blooms Taxonomy
b. Gardners Multiple Intelligences
7. Did the students enjoy the mystery activity?
8. What could I change during the writing conferences?
9. What went well?
10. What would I do differently?