unit of study: reading response

Unit of Study: Reading Response

Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Elementary Language Arts Department, Grade 2

Cy-Fair ISD Curriculum Department Grade 2 Reading Response DRAFT – June 2014 Writing Workshop Unit of Study

Reading Response Writing Unit of Study TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE Overview of Lessons ...............................................................................................ii

MINI-LESSONS Writing Letters to Share Ideas about Characters ................................................. 1 Generating Energy for Writing by Talking, Days 1 & 2...................................... 2 Developing New Opinions by Looking at Pictures............................................. 3 Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better, Day 1............................. 4 Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better, Day 2............................. 5 Keeping the Audience in Mind .............................................................................. 6 Using a Checklist to Set Goals for Ourselves as Writers (Revision) ................. 7 Using a Checklist to Set Goal for Ourselves as Writers (Editing) ..................... 8 Sharing Our Letter Writing with Others............................................................... 9


LESSONS INCLUDED IN THE UNIT OF STUDY: The following is a list of lessons that are included in the Grade 2 Reading Response unit. Each lesson has been assigned a number that correlates to a number found in the upper right corner of each lesson card, which signifies a suggested sequence or progression of the lessons. After analyzing the grade level expectations, district curriculum, and student needs, teachers should customize the mini-lessons for their students. The mini-lessons are based upon the grade-level expectations found in the English Language Arts and Reading TEKS objectives.

Lesson Title Purpose

1

Writing Letters to share Ideas about Characters

Writers are often inspired by their reading and reach out to others to share their ideas about characters.

2

Getting Energy for Writing by Talking, Days 1 and 2

Writers use conversations as rehearsals for writing while being mindful of their writing energy.

3

Developing New Opinions by Looking at Pictures

Writers look closely at the pictures in their books to help them develop opinions.

4

Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better, Day 1

Writers who write about books often need to retell part of the story in order to help their audience fully understand their opinion.

5

Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better, Day 2

Writers who write about books often need to retell part of the story in order to help their readers fully understand their opinion.

6

Keeping the Audience In Mind Writers write with a specific audience in mind, angling their writing toward their readers and writing as if they are talking to them.

7 Using a Checklist to Set Goals for Ourselves as Writers (Revision)

Writers use checklists to make sure they are doing everything they know to do to make their opinion pieces the best they can be, and they set goals for themselves to become even better opinion writers.

8 Using a Checklist to Set Goals for Ourselves as Writers (Editing)

Writers use checklists to make sure that they are doing everything they know to do to make their opinion pieces the best they can be, editing for capitalization of book titles, names, and the use of quotation marks.

9 Publishing our Opinions for All to Read

Writers often add fun little extras to fancy up their writing and to draw in and entertain their readers.


PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT This unit of study provides students with the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions about the books they are reading using the friendly letter. Throughout the unit, it is important that students have time to use oral language to construct knowledge, generate new ideas, clarify their thinking, and rehearse their thoughts for writing about the texts they are reading. Teachers should select and use an engaging fiction mentor text to model reading, thinking, and writing processes for students. Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo and Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant are recommended texts to consider. During this unit, students will learn to introduce the book they are writing about, supply reasons that support their opinion about the book, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect their opinion with the reasons, and to provide a concluding statement expressing their big idea about the text. Furthermore, students will write letters about the characters they’ve met in their books, formulating opinions and supporting their ideas, providing reasons, and using details and examples from the text to support their claims. Students will write about favorite scenes from a text, illustrations across the text, and the lessons they have learned from the text. Not only will this unit help students develop opinions about their reading, but it will also energize them for writing about their books. Students will learn to state their opinions clearly, retell their stories so that their opinions make sense to readers, and revise their letters before sending them out into the world. Enduring Understandings

Thoughtful readers engage in conversations about texts with other readers using oral language, representing ideas with visual images, and dialoguing with a friendly letter.

Thoughtful readers collect and organize thinking for themselves and to share with others. Thoughtful readers reflect on the text in a focused way. Thoughtful readers reconstruct the meaning of a text and present it in new ways. Thoughtful readers compose language or draw images to express their thoughts about text. Thoughtful readers ask questions, receive feedback, and explore new thinking about texts.

Guiding/Essential Questions

What inspires writers to write? How do writers share ideas about characters? How does letter writing help share what you are passionate about with others? Why is it important for writers to support their opinions with reasons? How can retelling be used as a form of text evidence? How can talking help you get energy for writing? Why is it important to learn from others’ writing? Why is it important to think about your reader in different ways?


Materials: High interest, just-right books at their fingertips

throughout the unit. Two or three texts with which to model your

own writing about reading, such as Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo, Pinky and Rex and the Bully by James Howe, or Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House by Cynthia Rylant, for example.

Chart Paper to model writing a letter about your mentor text.

Blank business sized envelopes (optional) Note: Before you begin, you may want to collect some data to support your planning. An on-demand writing assessment, prompting students to construct an opinion piece, will help you assess your students’ grasp of this new genre. Purpose: Writers are often inspired by their reading and reach out to others to share their ideas about characters. TEKS: 2.9, 2.9 B, 2.19 B, 2.19 C, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, let’s begin by remembering the kinds of letters you’ve written. As I say a few kinds, nod if you’ve written persuasive letters, thank you letters, notes to say you’re sorry, letters to grandparents, letters to your teacher, friends, or principal! Today I want to teach you that writers who love stories often write letters to each other about favorite characters. One thing writers often do in these letters is to explain their opinions about these characters.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Demonstrate one way to get started writing a letter, by recalling opinions you have about a character. Tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point using a mentor text such as Mercy Watson to the Rescue, or other text you’ve already shared with your class. Using chart paper, demonstrate how you might begin a letter, recalling what students already know about letter writing. Prompt students to explain ideas and have them join you as you think of some examples to support the idea you’ve grown about your character. Debrief about your steps. Writers, did you see what I did as a letter writer? I flipped through my book for a moment and reminded myself of some of my opinions. Then I started off my letter by introducing my reader to the book and character. Then, I said my opinion. Next, I explained myself by giving a bunch of examples of how (Mercy is so funny). Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Involve students by asking them to turn and talk: by asking them to share opinions about characters from their own books.

Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers often share opinions about favorite characters through letter writing. The conversations you’ve just had are really your writing plans and you’re clearly going to have a lot to write about. Remember that whenever you write a letter about a book you can introduce your ideas to your reader and then give some examples to explain yourself. Ask students to return to their tables to write a letter to their writing buddy about a favorite character in their book. Possible Conference Questions: Some of you may like a reminder of how letters

go on the page and what special things are that you put on the page to make it a letter (greeting, capitalize first letter of greeting, commas, etc.).

Can you describe more about the character in your letter?

Are there other characters you might write about, as well?

Share: Teachers may opt to have envelopes ready to pass out to the students. Writers, bring your letters to the floor, please. Writers whenever you write a letter, you need to make sure that readers get to read them. Today we wrote letters for the readers in our classroom. So let’s put our letters in envelopes and tuck them inside the books where the characters live. Pass your book and letter to your writing buddy so they can read your letter. If time does not permit for sharing today, make an effort to share at the beginning of tomorrow’s lesson.

2 Minilesson:

Writing Letters to Share Ideas About Characters Minilesson: 1


Materials: A student to model with for the demonstration,

prepped beforehand (see teaching) Mercy Watson to the Rescue (or other mentor text) Class shared writing, started on day 1

Note: On the first day, students can focus on talking about two just right books with their partner and selecting one to write about. On the second day, students can focus on talking in more detail about the selected book. Purpose: Writers use conversations as rehearsals for writing while being mindful of their writing energy. TEKS: 2.9, 2.17 A, 2.21 Avii, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Recount for your students the conversations you’ve heard them have across the day about books. Give students feedback on how often they talk but then don’t really get to write. Invite them to think about how to get better at getting to writing. Writers, today I want to teach you that writers often rehearse their writing with a partner by talking through big ideas about their books. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Today, I will show you how to get better at truly rehearsing for writing. To save energy for your writing, you will need to talk about big ideas and save the smaller details for writing. That means as soon as you have some big ideas and are energized to write, stop talking and get to writing. Give a demonstration to show what it looks like to

lose energy by continuing to talk even after you come up with an idea for writing. (See Fig. 2.1). Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Involve students by asking them to turn and talk with their writing partner about a favorite part in their book. Tell them that when their partner seems excited about his or her ideas, stop him or her, and tell their partner to go write! Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers rehearse their writing with a partner by talking through big ideas about their books. Yesterday, you wrote letters to your partner about your favorite character. Share that letter with your partner now. Today, when you begin writing, plan to keep your letter in your folder so you will have a chance to continue writing and revising your letters, making them the best they can be before sharing them with your partner. Possible Conference Questions: As you approach students who seem stuck, think

about what you know they know. Encourage them by playing the role of their partner. Say something like, “I’m stuck and don’t know what else to write. You know what? I think I’ll draw something because sometimes that helps me get un-stuck.”

Another strategy to suggest is to use their partner when writing slows down, without slowing down their partner. Turn and talk to your partner and say something like this, “Can I talk to you about another part of my book? I think it would help me, but if you want to wait, that’s okay. I don’t want to use up all

your energy!”

Figure 2.1

Do a quick demonstration of talking through an idea with a partner, and then of being mindful of stopping while you have energy to write, using a student with whom you’ve rehearsed.

“I’m going to rehearse my writing with Sam. Watch for how I talk with my partner about favorite parts. And watch for how Sam helps me maximize my energy for writing. Here goes!”

“Sam, I’m thinking of writing about my favorite parts of Mercy Watson to the Rescue. Pick up the book and use an energetic tone. “Well, my most favorite part is when the bed falls through the ceiling. I love that part because it’s Mercy’s fault that the bed falls, and because she snuck onto it in the middle of the night. And I LOVE how it starts to fall all the way through the ceiling and then the Watsons are stuck. That really made me laugh.”

Let your voice begin to flag and drag. “Hmmm, I guess another favorite part was… maybe… well I liked the Watsons’ faces when the bed begins to fall and I like her bed, too…

As planned, Sam interrupts and says, “Wait a second, it seems like you were ready to write. You know, like about the part you love where the bed fell through the ceiling. You seemed really excited about that part. Write it down while you’re still excited!”

Share: Invite students to share reasons for their opinions about characters, highlighting the word because as a linking word. Writers, when you rehearse with a partner, asking your partner to explain reasons is really helpful. So if your partner says that Annie is really brave, then there should be a “because” to explain the reasons for their thinking.

Getting Energy for Writing by Talking – 2 Days Minilesson: 2


Materials: Mercy Watson to the Rescue or other mentor

text Chart paper and markers A basket of favorite class texts or the books the

students have chosen to write about, including any picture books you’ve shared with the class (Active Engagement)

“Uncovering Our Opinions about Books” teacher-made chart (Link) Fig. 4.1

Sticky notes for chart (optional) Opinion Writing Checklist (Small-group work) –

see Fig. 4.2 for directions A piece of student writing that includes the use

of parts of a book to get ideas for writing (for Sharing at the end of the lesson)

Note: It is helpful to reinforce prior teaching, such as opinion writers include reasons to support their thinking. You are also modeling that writers gather many bits of thinking so they have more to write about. Purpose: Writers use conversations as rehearsals for writing, and they need to be mindful of their writing energy. TEKS: 2.3 A, 2.3 B, 2.9, 2.17 A, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, paying attention to the pictures is another way that writers find more to say about their books. Today, I want to teach you that when you are writing about books, often there are parts that are told through pictures. Writers, therefore, are always looking closely at the pictures in their books.

Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Writers often tell parts of their stories through pictures. Writers, let’s look closely at a picture in Mercy Watson and see if there are parts that are told through the pictures not words. Let’s also see if there are secrets or tiny details that are only told in the picture that give us new ideas. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Now it’s your turn. Sit with your partner and one of the books you might want to write about and look at the pictures, or some of you might want to look at the picture books we’ve read so far this year. Listen, observe, and coach active involvement by modeling how to grow their thinking into opinions. Share an example of what you heard or observed. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers, we have learned a bunch of ways to get ideas for our writing, let’s make a chart to help remind us of ways to uncover our opinions about books. (Fig. 4.1) You may want to pick one of these topics to write about today, or you might have some other important opinions to share in a letter. You may also want to pick a new book to write about. Take one minute and tell your partner what you will be working on as a writer today. The more you notice in the pictures, the more you will have to write about.

Possible Conference Questions: Assess your student’s progress using the

Opinion Writing Checklist. (Fig. 4.2) Coach students as they write by pointing out

other features of a book, such as titles, to find more to write about.

Figure 4.1: Uncovering Our Opinions about Books

Writers can study…

Characters Favorite parts Pictures

Figure 4.2: Using the Opinion Writing Checklist

Using the checklist during writing time is a

great way to see just what it is that children doing, without getting lost in the details. The clear language of the checklists can give you concrete ways of naming what you see and then providing you with ideas about what might come next.

Assess quickly by choosing one category from the checklist and then peek over the students’ shoulders as they write, quickly looking to see what children are doing with this.

You might then decide to choose another category, to assess today, or another day, and so on.

Share: Writers, I’m so proud of you for finding all these secret details today, and because you are not waiting for me to teach you everything. For instance, some of you used the picture on the cover of your book as a way to form a new opinion about your character. Let’s add to our chart, two more ways we can uncover our opinions about books. (e.g., titles and covers)

Writers Generate More Letters – Developing New Opinions by Looking at Pictures Minilesson: 3


Materials: Poppleton by Cynthia Ryland or another text that

your students might not all be familiar with Note: You will want to gather from students (or make up from “another second grade class”) sample sentences that leave out a needed retelling. Purpose: Writers who write about books often need to retell part of the story in order to help their audience fully understand their opinion. TEKS: 2.9, 2.17 B, 2.19 C, 2.21 A, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, I’ve been reading some of your letters. They have me dying of curiosity. Listen to some of these sentences. Read a few lines from letters that leave the reader curious of confused. Share some examples like those below about Poppleton. Annie is really brave, especially when that

Tyrannosaurus Rex is about to eat her! If it was me I’d hide under a rock.

Poppleton is mean and angry. I can’t believe he pointed the hose at Cherry Sue. It was awful what he did.

The best part is when the talking toilets begin to chase the kids because it is so funny. “Yum, yum, eat ‘em up!” I hope my toilet doesn’t do that.

If you’re like me, writers, I bet you’re dying of curiosity—and maybe a little confused, too. A Tyrannosaurus Rex? Talking toilets? What’s going on here? (Pause to allow students to ponder the thought.) Writer’s, today I want to teach you that writers who write about books often need to retell part of the story to help their readers understand their opinion. If you don’t do a little bit

of retelling, your readers might be confused. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Let’s go back to those sentences we just read, writers. They are such teasers! This time, let’s try to do more explaining, so the reader will understand what we are talking about. While I demonstrate, you can think about what questions you have and see how I answer them by retelling part of the story. Let’s do this one, from Poppleton. I found it really confusing because Poppleton is usually not mean. And yet, this writer says he does something bad to Cherry Sue! I found that book and read that part again. Think out loud as you slow down your reading of that part, explaining to students why Poppleton was angry at Cherry Sue in the first place. If I added a short retelling of what happened in that part of the story, it would make more sense to the reader of my letter. Now, even if my reader has never read Poppleton, he or she will know enough about the story to understand my opinion. Model adding a retelling to your letter, using the words “for example” to begin. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Writers, I’m going to give you a chance to do this work. You can practice explaining really important information to your reader. Take a moment now and think about what you will be writing a letter about today: an opinion about a character, about a favorite part, about a picture, or the title? Put your thumb up when you are ready to say an opinion that you will write about in a letter today. Prompt your writers to rehearse the part of the story

they will retell, with a partner. Now writers, you have your books at hand. Knowing what you want to write about, why don’t you take a moment to find and think about which part of your story might be important to retell. As soon as you are ready, turn and tell your partner what part you’ll really want to explain to your reader. As the children talk, gather some examples to share. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Reiterate that explaining information to readers is always one way to write better, and remind students that talking and listening to a writing partner really helps with this work. Then send them off to write. Writers, whenever you are writing, one way to write even better is to really explain things to your reader. You seem like you’re all energized to write, so off you go. But wait for one moment. I do want to give you one bit of feedback. I can tell your partner conversations are really helping you rehearse your writing. From now on, think about being a good listener as well as a good talker in those conversations. Just now, I saw you really listening for stuff that is confusing or that you’d like to know more about, and telling your writing partner to be sure to explain those parts. Keep it up! Possible Conference Questions: Read this section to me. Do you think your readers

would understand this if they’ve never read this book?

Did your partner understand everything in your letter clearly?

Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better by Retelling Important Parts, Part 1 Minilesson: 4


Materials: Any Magic Tree House text

Note: Today‘s purpose is the same as yesterday’s, with the addition of “setting readers up” for the explanation. You will want to have the modeled writing that you did yesterday available for editing during today’s teach. Purpose: Writers who write about books often need to retell part of the story in order to help their audience fully understand their opinion. TEKS: 2.9, 2.17 B, 2.19 B, 2.19 C, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, today we are going to continue using short retellings to explain confusing parts of our letters, as we learned about yesterday. You did a wonderful job talking your ideas through with your partner, and I want to give you a chance to really become an expert. In addition, sometimes readers need to be ‘set up’ to understand the big, important parts of your book. Let me teach you what I mean by ‘setting up’ your readers. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

What I mean by a ‘set up’ is to tell the reader a little bit about how the story starts or what it’s mostly about, right at the beginning of your letter. Let me give you an example. If you wanted to write an opinion about a Magic Tree House book, the reader of your letter might think, ‘Wait, I don’t get it. Why is that happening? What’s going on here? Why are these kids in a castle?’

The writer thought her readers would automatically know that the kids in Magic Tree House books time travel. But how would you know that if you hadn’t read the book? We couldn’t understand the letter because we needed to know just a little bit more about the whole book and what the story is about. You might start out your letter by adding ‘Dear, Reader, I’m reading a Magic Tree House book about a brother and sister called Jack and Annie. The story is about when they travel in their treehouse back in time to a castle. One of the most interesting things in the story is….’ Writers, can you see how just telling the reader a little bit about how the story starts or what it’s mostly about helps the reader make sense of the rest of your letter? That means that sometimes retelling just a part isn’t quite enough. You need to set up the book by introducing what it’s mostly about, too. So the reader needed to know that Jack and Annie time travel. If I wrote about Nate the Great, I might write a little bit about how he’s a detective who solves mysteries, or if I wrote a letter about Zack Files, I might add that Zack has weird things that happen to him with music. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Model adding a set up to the letter that you have been writing in front of the students on large chart paper. Writers, now that I know some letters need to be set up, I would like to look at my letter. Will you help me decide if I need to add some details right at the start of my letter, to help the readers make sense of the rest of my letter?’ Let’s read it together (chorally). Give me a thumbs-up if you feel that I need to add a bit of a set up. Add the set up to your letter, and then ask students to work with their partners to determine if a set-up is needed on their current letter.

Let’s find a letter that you have been working on lately, and work on it with your partner. Read it to each other and decide if a short ‘set up’ is needed at the beginning of the letter, to help the reader make sense of the rest of the letter. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Reiterate that setting up readers by introducing a book at the beginning of the letter is always one way to write better. A set up helps the reader make sense of the rest of the letter. Then send them off to write. Writers, whenever you are writing, one way to write even better is to really explain things to your reader. You can explain things in the middle of your letter, at confusing parts, like we learned yesterday. You can also explain things to your reader at the beginning of your letter, like we learned about today! Happy Writing! Possible Conference Questions: What text are you writing about? Do you think

readers know this book/series? Do you think a set -up is needed at the beginning of your letter?

What could you say at the start of your letter, to give the reader just a little bit more information?

Tell me about the ideas that your partner gave you about your letter.

Can you think of a series, other than Magic Tree House, that definitely needs a set-up?

Writers Make Their Letters about Books Even Better by Retelling Important Parts, Part 2

Minilesson: 5


Materials: Mercy Watson read aloud

Note: Before starting this lesson, teachers might want to discuss with their principals, the management of getting letters mailed to homes. In addition, two model letters need to be prepared. Purpose: Writers write with a specific audience in mind, angling their writing toward their readers and writing as if they are talking to them. TEKS: 2.17 A, 2.17 B, 2.19 B, 2.19 C, 2.20 A, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, as I’ve been reading your letters, I’ve seen so many letters about so many books. These letters are really renewing my interest in books that I haven’t read in a while. And, I’ve seen you reading some books that the letters have been about. This made me think that, as we write more and more letters, we need to let these letters do their jobs in even bigger ways. We need to let the letters inspire other readers to read our favorite here should these letters live? After a quiet pause for thinking, continue. Tell your partner where you think your letters should live. Have students share out some ideas (mail, hand-deliver, on the wall, read to another class/grade). Those are great ideas. There’s one more thing, though, writers. Now that you are addressing your letters to a specific audience that means you can make your writing even better. Writers, today I want to teach you that you can write even stronger letters by picturing your audience and then writing with that person in mind. One way to do this is to think about whether your audience is a new reader or someone who has also

read the book. Then, you write as if you are talking to that person. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Let me show you what this looks like, writers. I think to myself, “Am I writing to someone who already knows Mercy Watson? Like a friend or reading partner who has read the book, too? Or am I writing to a new reader, who doesn’t know anything about Mercy?” Paused for a second, and then continue. I’m going to write a letter to my friend. I know she has read Mercy Watson many times. That means I don’t need to explain who Mercy is or what happens in the story. Since she’s read it so often too, it makes sense that I dive right into favorite parts. I know that’s what I would do if I were talking with her. I’d start off with ‘I think the best part is… Pick up your marker and flip to the chart paper on which the start of a letter is already recorded. It might sound like this. (Point to letter on chart paper.)

Dear (partner teacher), I know you’ve read Mercy Watson to the Rescue, too. I think my very favorite part is when the Watsons think that Mercy has rescued them, because she really didn’t go to the rescue. She was just looking for buttered toast, not the fire department! Wasn’t that funny? I’d love to know your most favorite part, too. Another favorite part of mine is…

I turned back to the children and reinforce the work by saying it again as a series of steps. Writers, do you see how I first thought about who I was writing to? Second, I thought about whether or not this reader

had read the book. Third, I pictured myself talking to this person, and explained the parts I would really talk about if we were together. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Give your students a chance to try this work. “I’m going to put up the start of the same letter about Mercy, but this time, let’s imagine I’m writing to my friend who teaches fourth grade and hasn’t read Mercy Watson and has never even heard about Mercy! On chart paper, begin a new letter.

Dear Fourth Grade Teacher, You should read Mercy Watson to the Rescue. My favorite part is when the Watsons think Mercy has rescued them.

Writers, think for a moment now. We’ve spent a lot of time the last few days talking about how important it is to retell important parts and the big ideas, to set up your reader to be able to understand your opinion. Think about what more we should say in this letter? When you have an idea, turn and tell your partner what to add so that a reader who doesn’t know this book would understand. Listen in to conversations and then pull students back together to add to the letter. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers, today when you write, please take a moment to think about who you are writing to and decide if you need to introduce the characters and the story at the start of your letter. Happy Writing!

Keeping the Audience In Mind Minilesson: 6


1

Materials: Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Note: You will need copies of the Reading Response Writing Checklist (revision section) for this lesson. Purpose: Writers use checklists to make sure they are doing everything they know to do to make their opinion pieces the best they can be, and they set goals for themselves to become even better opinion writers. TEKS: 2.17 C, 2.19 B, 2.19 C 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Start by praising the students for all of their hard work done over the last week or so. You might even give some examples of what you’ve seen and heard this week. Let them know that they are getting close to the end of their reading response letter writing unit, and that now you will be asking them to step back and think about their writing, making it the best they can. Remind the students that they have already done some self-assessing and using checklists, and that today will be using a checklist for revision. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Today I want to teach you that when writers are ready to share their writing, they reread it, looking for ways to make it even better. They use all they have EVER learned, to make their writing the best it can be! Show the students the checklist; then, go over it

with them, giving them the opportunity to turn, talk, and process the various criteria they’ll be self-assessing. Next, demonstrate how you read through your writing, looking for places where you have, and have not, done various things on the checklist. Remember to include the children, asking questions such as “Did I do that?” and then answer the questions yourself even as your students offer their thoughts, too. Model using revision strategies that you have previously taught, or try adding a flap or writing on a post-it to fit added writing. In addition, model “whisper reading” your piece repeatedly to yourself, as you make sure that your word choice, organization, etc. are exactly how you want them to be. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Give the children an opportunity to try this in their own writing. Set them up to read over the checklist, then, hold it side-by-side with one of their own letters. Perhaps you will even read the checklist to them and then ask, “Which of these do you think might help your writing?” Encourage students to “whisper read” their writing as they identify places that changes might want to be made. Have students share with a partner, some of the things they noticed as they reread their letters, and where/how they are going to make changes. Writers, turn and talk to your partners and see if you can find a spot to add to the piece or fix it up.

Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Before you send the children off to work, remind them that today they will want to work hard to make many of their letters better—fixing up one and then moving to the next. Remind them that, at the end of the week, these letters will go out to the world, and they want them to reflect their very best thinking. Possible Conference Questions: Tell me about the revision work that you did

today.

Using a Checklist to Set Goals for Ourselves as Writers (Revision) Minilesson: 7


Materials: Mercy Watson read aloud

Note: You will need copies of the Reading Response Editing Checklist for this lesson. Purpose: Writers use checklists to make sure that they are doing everything they know to do to make their opinion pieces the best they can be, editing for capitalization of book titles, names, and the use of quotation marks. TEKS: 2.17 D, 2.19 B, 2.19 C, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, I am amazed at how carefully you used the checklist yesterday, to make sure that your letters are the best that you can make them. I also noticed that, when you finished with one letter, you immediately began work on another! You know our saying: ‘a writer’s work is never done.’ Keep up the good work! Writers, we are just about to send our letters out into the world! Today is the day that, if others are going to read your writing, you need to make sure that it is easy to read. Once again, we are going to do some self-assessing using checklists. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Writers, today we are going to look at the second section of the Reading Response Writing Checklist—the section called conventions. We are going to make sure that our letters are easy for our audiences to read.

Show the students the checklist; then, go over it with them, giving them the opportunity to turn, talk, and process the various criteria they’ll be self-assessing. You might have to do some teaching regarding capitalization of book titles if you have not covered that yet in your revising/editing invitations. Next, model editing using your writing. Have the students help you determine where editing might need to occur, and do the editing. Tell students that, today, they will definitely be working in their partnerships as they edit. Writers always rely on others to help them with this process. Just as you were helping me edit my letter, I expect you to work with your writing partners today as you edit your letters. As a matter of fact, let’s move into our writing spots with our partners right now. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Partner 1, please share your first letter with partner 2. Partner 2, please look and listen for a spot that needs to be fixed up. As children work together, you might listen in, coaching partners to make suggestions for more edits. Then you can have partners switch roles, with Partner 2 now sharing their first letter and partner 1 looking and listening for a spot that needs to be fixed up. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers, I would like you to continue working in partnerships for the remainder of writer’s workshop,

helping each other fix up as many letters as possible. Tomorrow, we are going to do some fancying up of our writing and then send them out to the world, so make sure that your writing is easy for others to read. Possible Conference Questions: Tell me about the editing work that you did

today.

2

Understanding the Expository Writing Rubric (4s and 3s) Minilesson: 2 Minilesson:

Using a Checklist to Set Goals for Ourselves as Writers (Editing) Minilesson: 8


Materials: Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Note: You will want to gather a few books that have “unique and fun” features, such as Stink and Geronimo Stilton to show to your students as examples. You will also need four or five bins to sort letters into at the end of the lesson. Purpose: Writers often add fun little extras to add meaning to their pieces and to draw in and entertain readers. TEKS: 2.17 E, 2.19 B, 2.19 C, 2.28 A, 2.29 A, 2.30 A Connection: connect today’s work with our ongoing work explicitly state my teaching point

Writers, today will be our last day writing letters about books. We will polish and publish the writing we wish to share. You have been using your checklists, your tools, and your classmates to help you make your writing the absolute best. There is one more think I’ve been meaning to share with you. When authors publish, they often add something to make their writing unique and fun. Take a look at this book. Show the students Geronimo Stilton, Stink, and even Mercy Watson and discuss the quirky little extras in these books. Today, I want to teach you that writers often add fun little extras to draw in and entertain the readers. They can study published books and ask themselves, ‘What did this author do to make this story more interesting and fun?’ And then they try the same things in their letters. Teach: restate my teaching point tell a personal or class story linked to teaching point think aloud & point out things for students to notice

Writers let’s start our study with Mercy Watson to the Rescue. I’m going to look through this book and try to find quirky and fun extras that Kate—the author, and Chris—the illustrator, included to entertain us or help add meaning to the story. Think out loud about what you see, noting not just the feature but why you think the author or illustrator included it. Hmmm, the cover has a great picture of Mercy running and the Watsons stuck upstairs in their bedroom. Great picture, but I wouldn’t call that an extra. I’ll keep going.” Turn the pages, looking for extras. “Oh! This is the dedication page and look, here is a little something extra. There is little decoration next to the dedication. Hmm, I wonder shy Kate and Chris put that there? Let the children answer. “Well, Mrs. Watson always shows her love for Mercy with buttered toast, so maybe Kate and Chris thought adding the toast here would let us know how important toast is to Mercy! Writers, let’s start a quick chart. Let’s make a list of all the extras we notice in our favorite books, and while we do, let’s think about why we think the authors and illustrators included them.” Flip to a piece of chart paper where it has the heading ‘Extras Writers Can Add.’ Add the first bullet, ‘Decorations that share a fun detail from the book.’ “Let’s study some more. Continue studying Mercy and letting the call out noticings and quickly discuss they were included. Active Engagement: involve students by asking them to turn and talk listen, observe, and coach active involvement share an example of what you heard or observed

Writers, you all have your books with you. Let’s open up this study and take a look at all of these books. Partner 2, will you pick up one of your books. Look carefully for the extras the author and illustrators include. And Partner 1, it will be your job to make sure you are both thinking

about why the extra is there. Go ahead and give it a try! Add to the anchor chart, based on what the children found out with their partners. The chart might include the following details.

Words written in fancy fonts or fonts that match what they mean

Words and letters made out of pictures Chapter titles that are jokes Maps that go with the story Pictures that go across pages.

Wow! Writers, our authors and illustrators sure do have fun adding lots of entertaining extras to their books. I bet you are already starting to imagine what you’ll add to your letter when you get back to your desk. Link: restate the teaching point explain how the learning can be used in the future

Writers, I can tell you have some fun ideas about extras you might put in your letters, to make them more fun! Once you finish a letter today, I would like to help sort them into piles, like a mailman would do. We decided that some of our letters would go into the hallway, some will live in our book tubs with books, others will be delivered around the school, and a few will be mailed. Here are four bins with labels for you to place your letters into when you finish them up. It’s time to get started fancying up your letters! At some point, you will want to celebrate the end of this unit by “delivering” all of the letters to their final homes. Possible Conference Questions: What fun extras did you add to your letters? Why did you add that extra? Where will the final copy of your letter live?

Minilesson:

Publishing our Opinions for All to Read Minilesson: 9

unit of study: reading response

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