Nonfiction Unit

Informational Writing: Grades 3-5

· Generating
· Structure
· Craft- Elaboration/Details/Voice
· Revision/Editing

Interactive Read Aloud Plan: Conventions of nonfiction text- keep notebook of conventions

Generating
Day 1: Nonfiction writers select topics to share with an audience by generating a list of what they know and care a lot about.
MWTP: How you narrow down- by listing things you know about a topic

Day 2: Pick a topic by what you know most about
Think of audience
What do you want to tell/convince your audience
Develop Table of Contents (TOC)
MWTP: What if you get stuck?

Day 3: Try on another topic or two
MWTP (10 min before end): Select one seed idea to develop major piece of writing

Day 4: Develop Table of Contents- pick one subtopic and add details (Web form)
MWTP: Partner jobs (responsibilities) as talk through web- writer talks off details
Homework: Develop second table of contents

Day 5: Develop third table of contents
MWTP: Continue partner jobs to talk off details of TOC web (organize chapters into logical sequence)

Day 6: Put chapters in an order that flows well (write one chapter)
MWTP: Our partner can help us determine whether our work makes sense (share first chapter)
Homework-write another chapter

Day 7: Nonfiction writers include fun extra bits (write third chapter)
MWTP: Headings match what we write under it.

Day 8: Nonfiction writers use tools to teach about their topic (review of nonfiction features)




Choose 2 nonfiction mentor texts- read for craft and fill in chart
Example
What do you call it?
How do you do it?
“He measured 48 inches from nose to tail… Leo is as long as an 8 year old kid is tall.”
Comparing “new” fact to something the reader might already know
1. Write my first fact
2. Visualize the fact “happening”
3. Ask “What else looks like that?”
“It was a quiet day by the pond… Dragonflies are flying killers that eat and eat and eat.”
Use a small moment to illustrate a fact in order to provide mental image for the reader
1. Write my new fact/content
2. Visualize the fact or an experience that allowed me to know this information
3. Write this experience as a small moment including essential piece (snapshot)

Suggested nonfiction titles:
How Dogs Really Work- Alan Show
Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!- DK Kingsley
Oh, Rats!- Albert Mann
Know It All Series
Smart About Series
The Sweet History of Chocolate
A Boy Called Slow- Joseph Bruchac
Free at Last! The story of Martin Luther King, Jr- Angela Bull
Friendship in Nature- James Gary Hines
If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Highland- Ellen Levine
Looking at Maps and Globes- Carmen Bredson
Spies!- Richard Platt
The Story of Money- Betsy Maestro
Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City- Barbara Bash
Will We Miss Them?- Alexandra Wright

Revision Unit- 3 Weeks

The teaching points for the Revision Unit were created as a general guide for instruction throughout the unit. Teacher discretion can be used to determine which lessons are needed to meet individuals’ classroom needs.







Day 1

Writers imagine the possibilities for their writing.

Day 2

Writers imagine how they want their piece to be in the end by finding ways to revise their piece to reach that goal.
Day 3

Writers generate a list of things that good writers do by studying mentor texts.
Day 4

Writers create scenes not summaries by making movies in their mind and writing the story step by step.
Day 5

Writers develop believable characters by building up their internal and external characteristics.

Day 6

Writers identify the purpose of their writing by finding the heart and adding mental images (show, not tell).


Day 7

Writers develop their leads and endings by creating mental images and describing what the characters are doing, saying, or thinking.

Day 8

Writers revise by taking out parts of their writing that repeat or that don’t connect to the heart of the story.



Day 9

Writers revise by rereading their writing and editing their piece, focusing on capitalization and punctuation.



Day 10

Writers revise by rereading their writing and editing their piece, focusing on spelling.
Day 11

Writers find parts they love from favorite authors and revise their piece by trying imitate their craft.


Day 12

Partners meet together to help each other plan possible revision strategies and think more deeply about their pieces.

Day 13

Partners meet together to help each other plan strategies for editing their work for conventions.

Day 14
Writers finish their piece by choosing a draft they’ve revised and then re-writing it so that it is understandable for others to read.

Day 15
Writers reflect on how they have grown through the revision process and prepare to talk about specific revisions they have made.

Third/Fourth Grade: Writing Workshop Curriculum Calendar

 

Test as a Genre

These teaching points should be guidelines per calendar day. Teacher discretion should be used to determine the pacing and content to include per day. Content should flow from one day to the next.

Part 1 Tests are a genre that we must read as lifelong readers just like we read fiction and nonfiction. Tests have many unique and special characteristics.	Part 1: Continue – Day 1 by using a different test i.e. reading, math or science   Part 2 Tests have many unique and special characteristics including "test words" – words that we do not see in our day-to-day work as readers, writers, mathematicians, and researchers.	Tests have many unique and special characteristics including "test words". "Test words" can fall into different categories. One word can fall into multiple categories.	Test takers need to understand the language of tests.	Just like reading fiction and nonfiction, test takers maintain stamina when they take tests.	Test takers have a 'game plan' when tackling any test put on their desks.
Test takers know to look for and carefully analyze and interpret the directions.	Test takers know that various types of questions appear in on tests.	Optional Session: If students have learned to and experienced how to write questions, this lesson can be implemented. This lesson is based on the prior teaching point: Test takers know that various types of questions appear in on tests.	Test takers know that multiple choice questions involve strategies in their 'game plan.'   ** Eliminating Distractors	Test takers know to read the prompt prior to reading the selection so when reading the selection they using their 'game plan.' 3rd Grade Directions 4th Grade Directions	Test takers know that when responding to the prompt specific details from the text are used to support their answers.
Test takers need to understand how open ended responses are graded using a rubric. Test takers strive to produce an exemplary response.

 

Update on Grades 3-5

At our last meeting with teachers in grades 3-5, we adjusted our units of study calendar in order to allow for us to teach a unit we entitled, "Tests as a Genre." This unit will provide students with the thinking strategies needed to be prepared to take tests throughout their life- including the Reading and Math PSSA. We are really excited about the unit. The first two lessons will be available before the weekend. We will be using a wonderful resource entitled, "Put Thinking to the Test," and the Teachers College Reading Curriculum for grades 3-5. Please check back for the unit teaching point calendar and the mini-lessons.

Unit 2: Raising the Quality of Narrative

Third/Fourth Grade: Writing Workshop Curriculum Calendar

October/November

Focus
On-Demand Writing (See teaching point list) ***Prepare invitation for celebration *** MWTP=Mid-Workshop Teaching Point	Based on student need teacher will review specific teaching points from launching, as needed.	Writers make their writing more powerful by studying the writing of authors we admire. (Lessons from mentor personal narratives)	Writers make their writing more powerful by studying the writing of authors we admire. (Lessons from mentor personal narratives Extend lesson from previous day	Writers generate more powerful ideas for writing by thinking of turning point moments. Option 2: Lesson to teach in one day	Writers generate more powerful ideas for writing by thinking of turning point moments.
Writers generate more powerful ideas for writing by choosing a strong feeling and writing the story of one particular time they were feeling that feeling.	Writers chunk writing into paragraphs to give their readers a pause.	Like readers, good writers use all of the strategies and techniques they have learned while they are in the process of writing.	Writing partners help the writer find importance in a small moment. MWTP: Writers can be job captains for their own writing using charts to progress along a predictable course.	Writers need to pause and ask, "What am I really trying to say in this story?" ("What is my purpose?"), then revise and craft their stories to convey their purpose for writing.	Writers read published text and study authors' leads.
Writers stay inside the narrator's point of view.	Writers balance the internal responses and external actions of their stories. (mentor texts)	Writers balance the internal responses and external actions of their stories. (student texts)	Optional Lessons Writers use scenes from the past and future to bring out the internal story and add power to their narratives. (If taught, the lesson will take 2 days.) Day 1 Day 2	Writers use their knowledge of story structure to help them revise their work. (How stories tend to go anchor chart/ story mountain)	Writers craft endings that connect back to what is most important in their story.
Editing lesson based on student need. Using a study of mentor text to examine conventions. (p154 in Raising the Quality of Narrative Writing)	Editing lesson based on student need. Using a study of mentor text to examine conventions. (p154 in Raising the Quality of Narrative Writing)	Writers prepare for a formal celebration by creating a final draft. (Invite guests to celebration)	Celebration

Welcome to writer's workshop! This blog will be a resource to teachers who are taking part in the first phase of a writer's workshop initiative in our school district. You will find many resources and materials to support you in your teaching of writing.