ela michigan state standards resource materials...

Copyright © 2010-2017 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools

5th Grade Literary Non-Fiction: Extending Information Writing

08/17/15

Note: This unit is currently under pilot and review. Revisions will be made in the summer of 2016.

ELA Michigan State Standards Resource Materials Packet

Copyright © 2010-2017 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools

Writing Unit of Study 5th Grade – Literary Non-Fiction: Extending Information Writing, Unit 3 Table of Contents

General Resources Suggested Mentor Text and Criteria ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Writing Process Steps – Generic Poster ....................................................................................................................................... 4 On-demand Assessment and General Assessment Background Information (same sheet in Lesson Plan packet) ..................... 5

Some Possibilities for Purposeful Use of Share Time ................................................................................................................... 6 Rehearsing and Planning Bookmark ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Working With Your Partner .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Resources Specific to Unit of Study

Background Information on Journey Checklists: Process and Product ....................................................................................... 9 Process Journey Chart - Specific to the Unit ............................................................................................................................... 10

Draft paper templates.................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Table of contents template ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 Index template ............................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Glossary templates ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20

Boxes and bullets .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Web organizer ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23

Flow chart ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 Studying Sentence Patterns through Mentor Text ........................................................................................................................ 25 Ways to Elaborate or Say More: Details in Information Writing ................................................................................................... 28 HOW do you want to write? .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Text Features and their Purposes .................................................................................................................................................. 30 Editing Checklist ........................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Transition Word List ..................................................................................................................................................................... 32

Class Profile of Teaching and Learning Points ................................................................................................................................ 33 Student Reflection for Information Writing ................................................................................................................................. 35 Sample Teacher Demonstration Texts .......................................................................................................................................... 36 Please also review: Immersion Phase: Creating a Vision for Writing – located on Atlas under Resources Section This packet will give you information and samples for Immersion and subsequent lessons.

Copyright © 2010-2017 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools 1

Mentor Texts and Criteria – Literary Non-Fiction: Personal Expertise 5th Grade This is a suggested list to consider when collecting possible mentor text. Please review books you have available that also

meet the criteria. Replace or add to the list.

Titles in bold print are those referenced specifically in mini-lessons.

Criteria: 5th grade Literary Non-Fiction Mentor Text Criteria: 1) Readable independently and/or with teacher assistance, 2)

Students can relate to the topics, 3) Qualities of good information writing evident as effective introduction,

subtopics/chapters, text features, strong conclusion, etc., 4) Qualities of literary non-fiction writing as evident through use

of voice, craft, use of possible narrative elements., 5) Information Details, and 6) High interest level.

Literature – Trade Book Suggestions

Title Author Notes to Teacher A Handful of Dirt* Raymond Bial

(Walker & Company)

One Tiny Turtle* Nicola Davies (Candlewick Press)

See other titles in ‘Read and Wonder’ series

Chameleons are Cool*

Martin Jenkins (Candlewick Press)


Butternut Hollow Pond*

Brian J. Heinz (Millbrook Press)

This book is used primarily as a teaching text to demonstrate the use of a descriptive setting, changing through one day.

Walk with a Wolf* Janni Howker (Candlewick Press)


Marvels in the Muck: Life in the Salt Marshes*

Doug Wechsler (Boyds Mills Inc.)

Exploding Ants* Joanne Settel Ph.D (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)

Brain Surgery for Beginners*

Steve Parker (Scholastic)

Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal*

Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini (Dawn Publications)

Dawn Publications is dedicated to inspiring children to have an appreciate for all life on Earth. www.dawnpub.com

The Emperor’s Egg* Martin Jenkins (Scholastic)

Forces in Action* Forces in Action (Janine Scott)

Investigators Series: Informational Science in a Complex Informational Text Continuum http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classroombooks/investigators.htm See other titles in ‘Investigators Series’ 4th Grade

Cave* Diane Siebert (HarperCollins)

Oh, Rats: The Story of Rats and People+

Albert Marrin (Penguin Publishers)

www.penguin.com/youngreaders

Water and Food Programs from Around the World+

Vaishli Batra (Sundance, Macmillan)

Demonstrates Cause/Effect Contact Marlene Malkin for ordering info- [email protected]

English Colonies in America+

Rebecca Love Fishkin (Capstone Publishers)

This text is referenced in Session 3 to demonstrate the features of a ‘report like’ book. Any similar book on hand may be used.

* = new favorites, + = included in reading unit, bold = specifically referenced in mini-lessons

http://www.dawnpub.com/

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classroombooks/investigators.htm

http://www.penguin.com/youngreaders

mailto:[email protected]


Student Authored Work Code: SW

Author Topic/Title Notes to Teacher

British Soldiers Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins

Teacher Authored Work


Common Core


Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College (www.readingandwritingproject.com)


Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins

Author Topic/Title Notes to Teacher Lucy Calkins English Bulldogs, Grade 5 Annotated Demonstration Text


Websites Code: WWW

Teacher’s College www.readingandwritingproject.com

Difference Between Nonfiction Narrative and Informational Text – Article for teachers http://classroom.synonym.com/difference-between-nonfiction-narrative-informational-text-2922.html

Informational Texts and the Common Core Standards: What are we talking about anyway? Beth Maloch & Randy Bomer http://www.literacyinlearningexchange.org/sites/default/files/informational-texts-and-the-common-core_lajuly2013.pdf

http://www.readingandwritingproject.com/

http://classroom.synonym.com/difference-between-nonfiction-narrative-informational-text-2922.html

http://www.literacyinlearningexchange.org/sites/default/files/informational-texts-and-the-common-core_lajuly2013.pdf

http://www.literacyinlearningexchange.org/sites/default/files/informational-texts-and-the-common-core_lajuly2013.pdf

5 Copyright © 2010-2017 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools

On-Demand Assessment and General Assessment Background Information On-Demand Writing Performance Assessment Explanation Each district should develop a comprehensive writing assessment plan that includes on-demand writing performance assessment tasks. Please follow district guidelines for the specifics of administering, scoring, and analyzing this task. It is highly recommended that teachers conduct on-demand writing assessments throughout the year. Data collected from analyzing this writing will allow teachers to begin to develop insight into what their young writers know and can do on their own, where they need additional help, and possible next teaching points. For more comprehensive information, please read: Calkins, Lucy. (2015.) Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. When to Conduct the On-Demand An On-Demand Writing Performance Assessment, if given, should be administered before the Immersion Phase begins. General Assessment Background Information Please note that assessments were not created for the MAISA 3-5 writing units of study. Instead, Oakland Schools highly recommends using Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8 by Lucy Calkins as an assessment resource. Writing Pathways was designed to work with any curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards. This toolkit has comprehensive resources available, as well as possible mentor text. Each 3rd through 5th grade MAISA unit is generally aligned with Writing Pathways’ learning progressions and teaching rubrics. Using Calkins’ assessment tools (versus developing your own), allows more time to be devoted to studying the assessment measures, analyzing data collected, and planning for future needs (e.g. student, class, grade level and district). The following are some of the components available in the Writing Pathways assessment resource. If districts choose not to utilize Writing Pathways, they should consider creating similar components to support their assessment of student writing and subsequent teaching.

A. Learning Progressions for each text type B. On-Demand Performance Assessment Prompts for each text type C. Teaching Rubrics D. Student Checklists E. Leveled Student Writing Samples F. Annotated Demonstration Texts G. Writing Process Learning Progressions

The text also includes an extensive background section on areas such as: Components of the Toolkit, Conducting On-Demand Performance Assessments, Norming Meetings and Subsequent Scoring, Using Results and Adapting Writing Curriculum, Self-Assessment Checklists, Tracking Data, Teaching Using Learning Progressions, Transference to Content Areas, Designing Reading-Writing Performance Assessments, etc. Source: Calkins, Lucy. (2015.) Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.


Each lesson has a share component. Modify based on students’ needs. The following are other share options.

Some Possibilities for Purposeful Use of the Share Time

Name Purpose Method

Follow-Up on Mini-Lesson

To reinforce and/or clarify the teaching point

Share an exemplar model (student or teacher)

Share a student who had difficulty and the way in which he/she solved the problem

Share the story of a conference from the independent work time

Provide another opportunity for active engagement

Provide a prompt to initiate student conversation, “Turn and tell your partner…”

Problem Solving To build community and solve a problem

Review To recall previous strategies /prior learning

To build repertoire of strategies

To contextualize learning

Pose a “review” question to the class: “Today we learned one revision strategy. What other revision strategies do you use?” These strategies may be listed on a chart.

Looking Ahead to Tomorrow

Introduce a new teaching point – set-up for the next mini-lesson

Celebratory Celebration of learning

Boost student morale

Promote membership in the “literacy club”

Share the work of 2-3 students

Provide an opportunity for a whole class share: “You are all such amazing writers - you wrote so much today! Writers, hold up your open notebooks so that we can see all of the great work you have done.”

Source: Teachers College Reading and Writing Project


Working With Your Partner

o Listening Purpose - Tell partner what s/he should listen for in your piece. How can your partner help you?

1. Read/Listen

2. Talk/Discuss

3. Flag spot/s needing changes

4. Switch Roles

5. Revise or Edit – Make Changes


BACKGROUND ON JOURNEY CHECKLISTS – PROCESS AND PRODUCT

One of the primary goals of this unit, or instruction for that matter, is for students to successfully do this work independently. To that end, teachers must teach steps for writing a particular piece. These steps should be consistent within and across pieces, as well as text types. This unit is based on having students cycle through the writing process: Generating ideas for writing, rehearsing, planning, drafting, revising and editing. To guide students from beginning to end, we advocate two different journey checklists: a process checklist and a product-driven one. The process journey checklist encompasses generating ideas, rehearsing, planning and drafting. It is written specific to the unit. In contrast, the product checklist focuses more on revising and editing. This checklist aligns to either the text type of narrative, opinion, or Information. Also, it contains specific items included in Common Core State Standards for Writing. Process Journey Checklist – A sample one is included in each unit. Modify and change based on students’ background and experience with the writing process, as well as other items a teacher wants to emphasize. This checklist will help guide students as they navigate multiple times in writing a piece from start to finish. They will not have to rely on the teacher to tell them what to do next. Often the checklist is built one item at a time as it is introduced or reviewed in lessons. Once all steps have been taught, students are ready to try the process again without as much teacher direction. The checklist will serve as their guide through the journey of writing on their own. The student column is for them to list the date the step was completed. The teacher column is for when teachers’ cross-check student work. If grades are given, teachers often equate each step to a number of points that go toward a final grade for a piece. Please note: Checklists from grade level to grade level are aligned. Process is just as important as product in learning how to write! Therefore, we highly encourage teachers to monitor students’ growth in these areas. Product Journey Checklist (named Student Checklists in Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins) – Once students go through the initial steps of the process (i.e. generating ideas for writing, rehearsing, planning, and drafting), they shift to using a product-driven checklist to guide their revising and editing work. It is highly recommended that teachers have students use the Student Writing Checklists included in Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins to guide their revision and editing work. There is one checklist per text type. Use the same checklist for each unit teaching that text type. (Calkins, Lucy. (2015.) Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.) If a district has not adopted this assessment resource, they should develop a product-driven student checklist to correspond to each text type. After students discover many of these items during immersion, teachers often distribute the checklist as a summary of what was discovered and to guide future work. In addition to being used after immersion as a review of what that text type should include, the student checklists may also be used throughout the unit and prior to celebration to guide students’ thinking and self-monitoring. Also, the product checklists are excellent for assisting students in setting writing goals or noting areas they want to give special attention. Time should be devoted to teaching students how to effectively use these checklists. Follow the To, With and By model as needed: Model for students and with students how to use the checklists on sample text before expecting them to do it by themselves. Please note: These checklists are end-of-the-year expectations. Monitor student growth and provide additional instruction for the whole class, small groups, or individuals on areas needing improvement.


PROCESS JOURNEY CHECKLIST - Unit 5: Literary Non-Fiction: Extending Information Writing

Name: ______________________________ Insert date in student box when completed.

GENERATING IDEAS AND REHEARSING Student Teacher

Study published writing that resembles what I want to write - mentor texts (develop list or mark up text)

Gather a variety of entries

Select and develop my topic

Rehearse in a variety of ways: Self - Hand, Touch Pages,( 2 people), Picture Plan, etc.

PLANNING AND DRAFTING

Plan my subtopic – Use tool to rehearse again

Write draft with each subtopic as a separate chapter.

Make a plan for which text features will work best in each chapter.

Decide HOW you want to write.

Study published introductions. Pay attention to WHAT the author did and HOW the author did it.

Study published conclusions. Pay attention to WHAT the author did and HOW the author did it.

REVISING (shift to a product checklist)

Refer to Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins, “Information Student Checklists” Grade 5 - sections of Structure and Development to guide your revision work.*

Additional Items to check: (See ‘Ways to Elaborate or Say More’ Resource for ideas)

EDITING (shift to a product checklist)

Refer to Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins, “Information Student Checklists” Grade 5 – Language Convention.*

Additional Items to check:

PUBLISHING *It is highly recommended that teachers have students use the Student Writing Checklists included in Writing Pathways by Lucy Calkins to guide their revision and editing work. If a district has not adopted this assessment resource, they should develop a product-driven student checklist to correspond to each text type. Calkins, Lucy. (2015.) Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.


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Draft Paper

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Table of Contents ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________


Index ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________ ____________________________________ _______________


Glossary ____________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

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Glossary Option #2 Source: Barbara Gurian


Name: __________________________________________

Boxes and Bullets


Web Organizer


Flow Chart


Studying Sentence Patterns through Mentor Text

Mentor Text: Chameleons are Cool by Martin Jenkins

HYPHEN

1. Notice:

“Some lizards eat bananas---chameleons don’t. Some lizards walk upside down on the ceiling—chameleons can’t. There’s even a lizard that glides from tree to tree—a chameleon certainly wouldn’t do that!”

2. Name: Dash (or any name the class chooses)

3. Try It – Select any topic. Write that type of sentence.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

INTERRUPTER PATTERN 1. Notice:

“Chameleons, wrinkly and bumpy, aren’t exactly beautiful.”

2. Name: Interrupter Pattern (or any name the class chooses)

“Shifts the adjective after the noun causing them to be set off with commas” (Anderson, 2005, p. 11)


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


SERIAL PATTERN

1. Notice:

“They change color when they’re angry, or when they’re too cold or too hot, or when they’re sick.”

2. Name: Serial Pattern (or any name the class chooses)

“Describes three actions that take place in a series” (Anderson, 2005, p. 21).


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CLOSER PATTERN

4. Notice:

“Just over half of all the types of chameleons come from Madagascar, a big island off the east coast of Africa.”

5. Name: Closer Pattern (or any name the class chooses) “Starts with an independent clause, which is followed by descriptions that tell about that sentence” (Anderson, 2005, p. 21).


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


OPENER SENTENCE

7. Notice:

“But of all the different kinds of lizards, I still think chameleons are the best.”

8. Name: Opener Sentence (or any name the class chooses) “Use a comma after a long introduction” (Anderson, 2005, p. 21).


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: Anderson, J. (2005). Mechanically Inclined: Building grammar, usage, and style into writer’s workshop. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse Publishers.


Ways to Elaborate or Say

More…Details in Information Writing

Write partner sentences

Define topic specific words

Use numbers, names, examples

Use text features

Consider setting: place, time, and season*

Use physical descriptions*

Add quotes based on research*

Cites sources from research**

4th grade skill*

5th grade skill**

Ways to Elaborate or Say

More…Details in Information Writing

Write partner sentences

Define topic specific words

Use numbers, names, examples

Use text features

Consider setting: place, time, and season*

Use physical descriptions*

Add quotes based on research*

Cites sources from research**

4th grade skill*

5th grade skill**


Name: ______________________________

HOW Do You Want to Teach?

Writers write information texts in many different ways. How do you want to

teach? Use the chart to help you.

Structure – How I want to teach. I want to try this structure!

(Check the boxes of structures that will

work in your writing.)

I did it! I added this structure to my writing today!

Description (Boxes & Bullets)

Chronological (Flow Chart)

Compare/Contrast

Pros & Cons

Cause & Effect

Compare/contrast


Text Features and their Purposes

Find information that shows the following:

Text Feature Example Purpose

Caption This is a zebra. To tell the reader more about a picture

or photograph.

Bold Print

Comparison

Table of contents

Headings

Photograph

Diagram

Labels

Close-up

Cutaway

Map

Flow chart

Sidebars

Glossary

Index


Name ________________________________________________ Date _________________ # ______

Unit 3: Information Writing, 5th Grade – Editing Checklist

Title _____________________________________________

I checked that…. My partner checked that…

I used what I knew about words patterns to spell correctly and I used references to help me spell words.

I made sure to correctly spell words that were important to my topic.

I used commas to set off introductory parts of sentences.

I used a variety of punctuation and fixed run-on sentences.

I used punctuation to cite my sources.

Based on Calkins, Lucy. (2015.) Writing pathways: Performance assessments and learning progressions, grade K-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. P.280: Language Conventions for 5th Grade


Class Profile of Teaching and Learning Points – 5th Grade Unit 3: Information Writing Optional Assessment/Conferring

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Class Profile of Teaching and Learning Points – 5th Grade Unit: Information Writing Optional Assessment/Conferring

Student Names W

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5th Grade

Student Reflection for Information Writing

Name _________________________________________Date __________________________ We have just completed our first information writing unit in fifth grade. What did you like most about information writing? Which mentor text(s) guided you the best when writing literary non-fiction? What did your writing project have in common with our mentor text book(s)? What do you feel you do well as an information writer? What do you need to work on? If your intended audience has read this already, what was the response? If not, what are your plans for getting this to your audience? Based on: Katie Wood Ray (2001). The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (And They’re All Hard Parts), NCTE.


Sample Teacher Demonstration Texts

It is helpful for teachers to demonstrate new writing strategies during minilessons, using their own notebook entries and drafts. When teachers write in front of their students, it provides a model and guides instruction. MAISA has provided ‘sample teacher demonstration texts’ as teacher writing examples for specific lessons. Teachers may, however, wish to develop their own writing examples using their own personal areas of expertise. Sample teacher demonstration texts are usually written by the teacher, before or during a minilesson. Session 1: Writers consider potential topic ideas by writing flash drafts to discover what they know. Topics I Already Know Well

Trees

Flowers

Cats

Baseball players Trees (writing long about the topic - sample) Trees are an important part of our world. They have lived on earth longer than any other organism. Trees keep our air clean and provide materials to us, such as wood and paper. Many people think trees are beautiful, especially when they change over different seasons. Trees also provide shade for both people and animals…

Session 2: Writers narrow their topic selections to create an angle. List from yesterday - Topics I Already Know Well

Trees

Flowers

Cats

Baseball players Topics I Already Know Well – Possible Ways to Zoom In

Trees benefits of trees, apple trees, life cycle of trees

Flowers annuals, perennials, geraniums

Cats domestic cats, wild cats, American White Hair cats

Baseball players Miguel Cabrera, Tigers, Little League Session 4: Writers use planning tools to develop subtopics

What an apple tree looks like

Types of apple trees

Why people like apple trees

Why animals like apple trees

How apple trees Change

How to plant an apple tree

Places apple trees grow

Taking care of an apple tree

Apple blossoms

Apple Trees


Session 4; continued: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The Seasons of an Apple Tree Chapter 3: All Kinds of Apples Chapter 4: The Beautiful Apple Blossom Chapter 5: Where to Find Them! Chapter 6: How to Care for an Apple Tree Chapter 7: Conclusion Session 6: Writers outline what information to write in each chapter. Boxes & Bullets

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Summer Flow Chart Session 8: Writers form paragraphs within their chapters.

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Summer One sentence per ‘bullet point.” An apple tree experiences seasonal changes during autumn, winter, spring, and summer. In autumn, an apple tree has ripe apples that are ready to be harvested. In winter, an apple tree rests. Its branches are practically bare and only contain very tiny buds. As time goes on, it becomes spring and the leaf buds unfold showing tiny apple blossoms. In the summer, the apple tree begins to grow apples that become bigger and sweeter with each passing day.

More advanced: One paragraph per ‘bullet point’

The Seasons of an Apple Tree


How to Care for an Apple Tree

First, you need to…

Next, you need to…

Last, you need to…



An apple tree experiences seasonal changes during autumn, winter, spring, and summer. In autumn, an apple tree has ripe apples that are ready to be harvested. Most often, apples are harvested by hand. In winter, an apple tree rests. Its branches are practically bare and only contain very tiny buds. It’s hard to even see the tiny buds, but they are there. As time goes on, it becomes spring and the leaf buds unfold showing tiny apple blossoms. Honeybees buzz around the blossoms, collecting nectar and picking up pollen. The apple tree is beginning to produce very tiny apples. In the summer, the apple tree begins to grow apples that become bigger and sweeter with each passing day. Each apples change color and ripen for prepare for the harvest in autumn.

Session 9: Writers how to write, not just what to write. Cause and Effect

Cause Effects

If an apple tree is planted in an area without Then, the apple tree will likely drown and not survive. adequate drainage… If an apple tree is not pruned… Then, the dead branches and limbs will not provide enough room for apples to grow. Pros and Cons Pros of Having an Apple Tree in Your Backyard

It is a pleasant part of the landscape

It provides shade to people and animals

It is enjoyable to observe the different stages of growth Cons of Having An Apple Tree in Your Backyard

They can often become invested with disease or pests

You need to prune and maintain them

They can be expensive to buy Compare-and-Contrast Apple Tree vs. Maple Tree Similarities: An apple tree is similar to a maple tree because they both provide a resource for humans. Apple trees provide fresh apples in the late summer to early fall and people can pick them by hand to enjoy. Maple trees provide a sap that can be processed into sweet syrup that can be used as a topping for pancakes and desserts. Differences: An apple tree is different than a maple tree because its resources are easier to harvest. Once the apples are ripe, in the late summer to early fall, people can pick them by hand. However, in order to harvest sap from a maple tree, you need to drill a hole, attach a sap container, and boil the sap, which takes much more time.


Session 11: Writers develop their writing through partner sentences. Add an observation In winter, an apple tree rests. Its branches are practically bare. The branches may have very tiny buds. It’s hard to even see the tiny buds, but they are there. If you see an apple tree in winter and think it has died, don’t worry! The apple tree is just dormant in the winter, which means it’s in a temporary deep sleep. Add new information In winter, an apple tree rests. Its branches are practically bare. The branches may have very tiny buds. It’s hard to even see the tiny buds, but they are there. The apple tree is preparing for the hard work ahead. If you see an apple tree in winter and think it has died, don’t worry! The apple tree is just dormant in the winter, which means it’s in a temporary deep sleep. Session 12: Writers captivate their readers through setting elaboration. It is a crisp autumn morning and an apple tree stands high upon a hill. A breeze hums through the air, rippling through its leaves and dancing among the fresh apples. Session 14: Writers use physical descriptions to write more. Precise adjectives and topic specific words It is a crisp autumn morning in September and an apple tree stands high upon a hill. A warm breeze hums through the air, rippling through its leaves and dancing among the fresh apples.

Speaking directly to reader Have you ever seen an apple tree in early autumn? If you have seen a tree with large, ripe apples hanging from its branches then you certainly have seen an apple tree! Session 15: Writers add quotations and cite their sources. Option 1: Quoting a Famous Person

How to Care for Your Apple Tree Many people are nervous to plant apple trees, because then they have to care for them. Most people worry their apple trees will become diseased or will just be too much work. But they’re not. An apple tree is not that hard to care for. Thomas Fuller once said, “He that plants trees loves others besides himself.” So do you love others? If so, let’s get started! All you need is a sunny spot, with not too much water, and some pruning shears. Option 2: Quoting a book or website According to the book: The Backyard Orchardist: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home Garden, Stella Otto claims that, “Growing fruit trees successfully is not really that difficult. Even a neophyte gardener can do it. You can too!” Session 21: Writers explore creative sentence patterns in their writing. Notice: Hyphen Some fruit tastes too sour --- not apples. Some fruit doesn’t go well in a pie – apples can. There’s even art projects that need fruit -- an apple would be perfect for that! Notice: Interrupter Pattern Apples, crisp and crunchy, make a great snack. Notice: Serial Pattern Apple trees should be pruned when they’re unhealthy, or when they’re too brown or too diseased, or when they’re ready for bigger apples. Notice: Closer Pattern Apples grow in Michigan, a large state in North America. Notice: Opener Sentence But of all the different kinds of fruits, I still think apples are the best.

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