Candidate Name:​ Ashley Roman Date: ​March 11th, 2020

Estimated Duration​: 30 minutes

Learning Experience 3 - Preliminary Information - “Answering the Big Questions About the
Story”
Subject:​ Language Arts - Writing Workshop Unit: ​Narrative Writing
Topic:​ Writers include who, where, and what happens in a story Grade: ​Kindergarten
Number of Students: ​17

New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

W.K.5. With guidance and support from adults, strengthen writing through
response and self- reflection using questions and suggestions from peers (e.g.,
adding details)

Objective:​ Students will be able to identify and include who is in their story, where the story
takes place, and what was done in the story.

Materials:
● Curriculum: ​Writing for Readers​ (Unit 2: Narrative) by Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis
● Letter Charts
● Writing Workshop Cards
● Anchor Chart: ​Who, Where, and​ ​What
● Differentiation: Who/Where/What Mini Anchor Charts
● Differentiation: Who/Where/What Graphic Organizer
● Pencils
● Narrative Writing Booklets
● Turn and Talk Popsicle Sticks

Lesson Sequence - Connect and Engage

1. Connection
● Teacher: “Writers, I need us all to put on our detective hats right now. Are you up
for the challenge? (pause for student response) Awesome! We need to solve the
case of story parts!”
● Teacher: “Okay, here is the story! (the teacher places a card of swings on the
board) I only have this clue. There is a swingset. I want you to think about a time
you played on the swings. (pause for a moment for student thoughts) Now, turn
and tell your partner!”
● Teacher: “Wow! Writers, I heard these amazing stories with friends swinging,
jumping, and more! You have solved the case of the missing story parts already,
but let’s lay out the full details of evidence!”

2. Teaching Point
● Teacher: “Writers, today I want to teach you that great writers will add who was
in their story, where you were in the story, and what happened, or what you did.
When we add who, what, and where into our stories, it helps us add details to
ensure the reader gets the whole story.”
 ● Teacher: “Our story earlier just had one clue, swings. You added who was in the
story, where it was, and what happened! Good for you writers, give yourselves a
pat on the back!!”

Lesson Sequence - Model

3. Teach
● Teacher: “When we know who is in the story, where the person or people are
going, and what happens, then we know almost the full story! When we answer
these questions, it helps the reader understand the story.”
● Teacher: (places card of two people on the board) “I have my picture card to
show that I have two people in my story. I am going to write the word “who” on
our anchor chart. To find out who is in the story, we can say to ourselves, “Who is
in my story?””
● Teacher: “So, who is in my story?”
○ Student: “Two people.”
● Teacher: “Yes, I have two people in my story. This is Evie and this is Jack. Let’s
see what Evie and Jack do today.”

4. Active Engagement
● The teacher will review the term “where” with the students.
○ Teacher: “Okay writers, are you ready for me to unveil where the two
people are going? Here is your clue.”
○ Teacher: (places card of playground) Think to yourself where Evie and
Jack are playing. (pause for thirty seconds) Turn and talk to the person
sitting next to you. (pause for thirty seconds) Wiggle your fingers if you
want to share where Evie and Jack are.”
■ Student: “The playground!”
○ Teacher: “Yes! The people are going to the playground. When we know
where someone is going, we can predict what they might do. Do you think
they will make a pizza on the playground?”
■ Students in unison: “No!”
○ Teacher: “When we add a location, or where the story takes place, then
the reader can adjust their predictions. We cannot make a pizza on the
playground, but we can play on the equipment!”
● The teacher will review the term “what happened” with the students.
○ The teacher takes out a picture of two swings.
○ Teacher: “Think to yourself for a moment about what Evie and Jack may
do. You can use the picture to say what happened.”
○ Teacher: “What happened in the story?”
■ Student: “Evie and Jack played on the swings!”
○ Teacher: “Yes, Evie and Jack went on the swings! They got to swing at
the playground and had a wonderful time!”
● The teacher will then address what the students will do during their independent
writing time.
○ Teacher: “Now, I want you to think about who is in your story, where it
takes place, and what happened. These details help us develop our ideas
into a full story just like an author does to write a book!”
 ○ Teacher: “When you go back to your seat, I want you to look at our
anchor chart and think: ‘Did I include who is in my story? Did I include
where the story took place? Did I include what happened in the story?’
Okay writers, you may write and go to your seats now!”

Lesson Sequence - Closure

5. Share
● The teacher will call the students to the carpet to complete writing workshop. The
teacher will then review who, what, and when and why they are important.
● Teacher: “Writers, I saw amazing writing habits forming today. I saw students
using a checklist to make sure they had who was in their story. I saw students
writing where their story took place. I also listened to writers share what
happened in their story. These are great writing habits!”
● Teacher: “When we use who, when, and where in our stories, it adds details that
help the reader know more about it! You are all great writers already as you are
adding these details in!”
● Teacher: “Now, I want you to think about the details you added into your story
today or had in your story already. (Pause for a minute) Now, move into your
writing partner share spots and talk about it!”

Differentiation/Extension:
● Differentiation: For the striving writers, the teacher will provide numerous supports to the
student. The teacher will provide letter charts for the students that are stretching out their
sounds; these charts allow for letter to sound correspondence with the aid of pictures.
Furthermore, the teacher will provide mini anchor charts for these students depicting
who, where, and what with pictures and words. Moreover, the teacher will provide a who,
where, and what graphic organizer to help students plan and include these in their
writing.
● Extension: For the students that are above-average in their writing, the teacher will
provide an additional task to add when the story took place. These students will need to
think back and reference a month, day of the week, or year the story took place.
 Reference:
Calkins, L., & Louis, N. (2013). ​Writing for Readers: Unit 2 Narrative.​ Firsthand Heinemann
Publishing: Portsmouth, NH.