Teacher Name: Dawn Allison
Text page #s: 438-558, Writer’s Choice Grammar and Composition
Lesson step
1. Focus/hook and review
Review quickly previous
lesson and skills. Give
meanings if needed. Talk in
relative terms. Use as
opportunity to engage/excite
students (hook).
2. Statement of Objective
Let students know what they
will learn. Be specific. Set
minds (anticipatory set). Must working through the basic
align with SCOS.
3. Major instructional
sequence - may include:
A. Teacher input – “My
time”
Present content with accuracy
and clarity. Teacher must now Lecture topics will include
deliver the information.
Teacher is in control. Give
examples, definitions, and
show the process. Check for
understanding. Ask students
relevant questions.
B. Guided Practice - “Our
time”
Involve all. Teacher must
monitor the activity and
activity must be relevant to the
objective. Must be observable
and vital if learning is to take
place.
C. Independent practice –
“Their time” Involve all.
Must be relevant and can be
observable. Student words,
actions, products on his or her
own in class- or for
homework.
Subject English 1 Grade level: 9
Description of Activities and Setting Question script
Hook and Review: Were there any parts of speech
As a class, students will fill mentioned that you weren’t already
out Mad Libs, in which familiar with?
they will need to provide
the various parts of speech.
6.01, 6.02, 1.03, 4.03: What makes a paragraph a cohesive
Students will learn how to unit?
form a paragraph by first
How does organization affect a piece
parts of speech, then of literature?
moving on to sentences,
and finally to paragraphs to
prepare them to write their
own personal narratives.
Teacher input - include topics What is subject verb agreement? Can
to be covered you provide an example?
Students will be given a copy
of David Sedaris’ “Us and
Them” and asked to read the What is the difference between a
first three pages. subject and an object?
(with examples) What is verb tense agreement? Can
 Parts of speech you provide an example? A non-
 Basic sentence structure example?
 Punctuation
 Subject and verb
agreement
 Verb tense agreement
 Common Grammatical
errors
 The purpose of a
sentence within a
paragraph
Guided practice How is this sentence
 A sentence will be written on the incorrect? How can we
board without punctuation and fix it?
together we will punctuate it. Other
sentences will then be written on the
board. Students will find laminated Can you identify the
punctuation marks in various places in subject and the object?
the classroom and will get up to get
them to attach the punctuation to the How can this sentence be
sentences. Guidance will be provided reworded for clarity?
as needed by asking students to speak How does punctuation
sentences out loud, or by modeling
contribute to clarity?
correct punctuation with a similar, but
different, sentence.
 Incorrect sentences will be written on How many different
the board and together we will discuss sentences can you write
why they are incorrect with whatever to say the same thing?
probing and aid is necessary.
 Together we will craft correct
sentences and write them on the
board, then pick out their component
parts. Each student will be asked to
participate in one of these activities.

Teacher Input 2 How do

Lecture on paragraphs (with examples) sentence/paragraph order
 Order of sentences within a paragraph impact meaning within a
1. Topic/introductory text?
2. Supporting
3. Concluding Which method of
 Order of paragraphs within a text paragraph organization
1. Cause and effect would work best for a
2. Chronological order research paper? A story?
3. Definition A newspaper article? A
4. Classification personal essay? Why?
5. Compare/contrast
6. Description
7. Statement support
 Relationship between sentence order
in a paragraph and paragraph order in
a text

Guided Practice 2 What method of

 We will read portions of David organization does David
Sedaris’ essay aloud, playing Sedaris use in “Us and
paragraph tag—where one students Them”? Is there more
reads a paragraph and then gets up to than one?
tag another student to read the next
paragraph.
 Together we will examine the order of What do you find
Sedaris’ sentences within a selected particularly compelling
paragraph and the order of paragraphs about the essay? How
within the essay excerpt. We will does that relate to its
attempt to reorder sentences in a structure? (Can you
paragraph to see if it makes the imagine it being as
paragraph stronger or weaker. We effective if done a
will use sentences typed in a large different way?)
font, printed, and tacked up on the
board with safe adhesive that will
allow them to be moved. What makes a paragraph
 The students will answer directed a paragraph ? (Why is a
questions about the essay. paragraph a cohesive
 Students will each be given 4 or 5 unit?)
sentences on note cards, they will be
asked to organize them in the way that
makes the most sense and then read
the paragraphs aloud, explaining why
they chose to organize them that way,
with teacher help as needed (via
questioning, not by telling them the
right answer).

Independent practice How do you apply what

Students will be assigned a short essay 1 you have learned?
page: “In a world where all possibilities are
open to me, what do I want to do after high
school?” utilizing one of the methods of
organization discussed to structure their
work.
 6. Closure and/or
Evaluation
Have a summary of vital
aspects of the lesson, prepare
for next lesson- get the
students anticipating what is
next and check for
understanding. Must
ultimately answer “What did
they learn?” (Essential
questions to be listed below)
Lesson Essential questions:
Discussion of the When you write your upcoming short
importance of structure and personal narrative, how will you
organization in a written organize sentences within paragraphs?
work. (How will you make your paragraphs
cohesive units? What component parts
Tomorrow students will will they contain?)
examine the conventions of
literature as they prepare to What method of paragraph
write their own personal organization do you think you will use
narratives. They will open and why?
the creative nonfiction
toolbox and use that
knowledge to examine the
work of the gonzo
journalist, Hunter S.
Thompson.

1. What makes a paragraph a cohesive unit?

2. How does organization affect a piece of literature?

Lesson materials/reference list:

http://www.wordlibs.com/completed_story/view.php?completed_story=651307
http://mossenglish.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/paragraphorganization.pdf
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/paragraphs.html
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/ac_paper/write.shtml
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/02/
Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Writing
Strunk and White’s Elements of Style
Mad Libs
Laminated punctuation marks
Sentence note cards
David Sedaris’ “Us and Them”