Last revised 6.12.17 RSU 19, Grade 3 ELA Unit Plan Narrative Writing Unit Overview Unit Title Teacher Crafting True Stories Grade 3 Team Grade Level/Course Grade 3 Approximate length of unit Unit Summary Brief narrative comprised of 2-4 sentences discussing the unit. Approximately 6 weeks, 20 lessons Students will develop stories that are driven by characters experiences and their responses to those experiences. Emphasis will be placed on volume of writing as third graders should be able to write a page-long entry in one sitting. They will develop skills for writing personal narratives with independence and learn ways to develop their stories bit by bit. Stage 1: Desired Results Standard(s) List the Cross-Curricular Skills Standards and Graduation Standards this unit will address. Guiding Principles (21 st century cross-curricular skills) (1) Clear and Effective Communicator: Students will be able to consider format, audience, purpose, task and discipline to communicate clearly and precisely. Graduation Standards (content area standards of primary importance in this unit): (2) Writing: Students will write routinely, over extended and shorter time frames for a range of discipline specific tasks, purposes and audience. This work by Great Schools Partnership is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Adapted from work by Wiggins and McTighe's Understanding by Design.
Primary Performance Indicators List the Performance Indicators that will be assessed on the summative assessment for this unit. 2.2 Students will be able to compose narratives and apply narrative techniques. (3-4) 2.5 Students will be able to use the writing process to compose and strengthen writing.( K-2) Supporting Performance Indicators List any indicators that will be reviewed or introduced, but not formally assessed. 4.2 Students will be able to acquire, use, and determine the relationships between general academic and content-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking and listening. (3-4) 4.1 Students will adopt the conventions of standard English (3-4) Guiding Principle 1.4 Students will be able to articulate ideas in an organized and logical manner Guiding Principle 1.5 Students will be able to work independently and/or collaboratively to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information Understandings What are the big picture understandings that are transferable across contexts, places, and times? Essential Question(s) These questions are related to the enduring understandings and provide relevance for the learning in the unit. Narrative writing is a way to convey a personal story. How do writers tell personal stories? 2 of 8
Students will know Factual information, vocabulary, and basic concepts related to each indicator. Writers set writing goals Writers use different strategies to generate ideas Writers use transitional phrases to sequence events Writers use different ways to bring their stories to a close Writers develop characters who have their own voice Writers develop the most important part of the story Writers group related sentences into paragraphs Writers replay life events to let readers feel their experience Writers use conventions Writers use expression when they present their work Writers use techniques and checklists to improve their own writing Students will be able to Skills, processes, and/or knowledge that are related to each indicator and which students will be able to use in new contexts/with new material. Third Grade Narrative Checklist (Pictures included) Third Grade Narrative Checklist Tell a story bit by bit Write a beginning that reveals the setting Use sequencing transitional phrases End the story with action, talk, or feeling Use paragraphs to organize the story Show what happens to/in the characters Use writing techniques that help the readers picture what is happening and bring the story to life Use spelling patterns to spell and edit Seek help from others to check spelling and punctuation Punctuate dialogue correctly Use end punctuation consistently Use punctuation to help reader read parts of the story quickly, slowly, and/or with voice. Essential Content Vocabulary dialogue editing Ending express flash draft generate (ideas) Heart of the Story Story-teller s voice imagery lead narrative paragraph revising (revision) writer s notebook Essential Academic Vocabulary apply analyze understand 3 of 8
Stage 2: Evidence of Student Learning Scoring Criteria Define levels of performance for each indicator Indicator List performance indicators from Stage 1. Emerging Developing Proficient Distinguished Primary Performance Indicators with Scoring Criteria: Refer to the Lucy Calkins Learning Progression/Rubric Summative Assessment Task Describe what students will do and produce to develop evidence that will be evaluated using the scoring criteria. If an assessment has not been developed, the Summative Assessment Planning Template and Protocol might be helpful to guide this process. On-demand Performance Assessment Prompt Narrative Writing Say to students: I m really eager to understand what you can do as writers of narratives, of stories, so today, will you please write the best personal narrative, the Best Small Moment story, that you can write? Make this be a story of one time in your life. You might focus on just a scene or two. You ll have only forty-five minutes to write this true story, so you ll need to plan, draft, revise, and edit in one sitting. Write in a way that allows you to show off all you know about narrative writing. For students in grades 3-8, you will add: In your writing, make sure you: write a beginning for your story; use transition words to tell what happened in order; elaborate to help readers picture your story; show what your story is really about; write an ending for your story. Entry-level assessment Determines student strengths, weaknesses, and prior knowledge of the concepts and skills addressed in the unit. Beginning of the school year on-demand assessment 4 of 8
Stage 3: Instructional Design Initial Event or Hook Encourages students to access prior knowledge; sparks student interest and engagement, and answers the question, Why do we need to learn this? Unit Hook: Starting the Writing Workshop: Visualizing Possibilities Learning Target: I can explain what third grade notebook writers do and don t do. Learning Experiences: Class discussion, recording ideas around What Third-Grade Notebook Writers Do and Don t. Formative Assessment: You have a writing goal to share. Learning Targets Identify what students should know and do in the course of the specific learning experience. LC 1: I can set a writing goal. (If this LT has been completed with the Unit Hook, go to session 2) LC 2: I can think of someone who matters, then brainstorm small moments spent with that person. Formative Assessment Provide clear, descriptive, actionable feedback for students and provide feedback to teachers in order to adjust instruction. Class discussion, recording ideas around What Third-Grade Notebook Writers Do and Don t. Pair discussion of a small moment spent with someone who matters. Learning Experiences Differentiated experiences that provide opportunities for students to engage in active learning around the learning target(s). You have a writing goal to share.... You have a list of small moments about someone. LC 3: I can think of a place, map small moments that happened there, and write about one of these moments. Draw a map of a place and indicate where three small moments happened. You have written a small moment story about a place. LC 4: I can tell a story in scenes rather than summaries. Pairs retell a story bit by bit. You have retold a scene from your story to a partner. LC 5: I can pause to consider what is going well in my writing and what I might try next to take my writing to the next level. Class discussion of grade 3 checklist using a class story. Individuals use the checklist to assess their own writing and write 1-2 goals to focus on. You have used a strategy to fix your writing. 5 of 8
LC 6: I can make sure my writing is spelled and punctuated correctly. Pairs discuss strategies to meet spelling and editing goals. You have edited your writing for correct spelling and punctuation. LC 7: I can organize my story chronologically by rehearsing across pages. (SHARE) I can try out different leads to rehearse for writing. (action, dialogue, character trait) LC 8: Once I have a lead, I can write a fast-write draft to capture the mental movie of my true story. LC 9: I can use a story teller s voice in my writing. Pairs share story across pages using a storyteller s voice, small steps, providing details of the character s actions. Pairs reflect on effective leads of mentor writers and try different leads and rehearse the story. Writers will restate the lead and tell the story bit by bit each page of the booklet as fast as they can. As a small/whole group, collect effective strategies from mentor texts that demonstrate voice. you have organized your story across pages rehearsing to add character s actions and a storyteller s voice. you have tried different leads and rehearsed the story. you can write a discovery/flash draft bit by bit over the pages of a booklet. you can use a strategy to add a storytelling voice to my writing. LC 10: I can slow the story down to add more detail about the character or event at the most important part of the story (heart of the story). LC 11: I can write using paragraphs in my story. LC 12: I can use the guide sheet or checklist to determine my next step or goal. LC 13: I can show all I know as I revise and edit throughout the writing process. Students will use a mentor text to recognize the heart of the story and share details that could be added about the character or event to slow the story down. Students will use a mentor text to decide when a new paragraph should be used. Students will reread their writing notebook and select a new story and use the guide sheet or checklist to determine the next step. Class discussion about revision and editing strategies....you can identify the heart of the story and share details to enhance your characters or events....you can share where you started a new paragraph....you can share your next step or goal for your writing....you can show a revision you made in your writing. 6 of 8
LC 14: I can show what happened rather than tell. LC 15: I can balance dialogue with actions, thoughts, and details about the setting. LC 16: I can correctly punctuate dialogue. LC 17: I can revise to be able to identify who and what I am writing about. LC 18: I can use published writing to help craft endings for my stories. LC 19: I can use editing checklists to make my writing exactly how I intend it to be for readers. LC 20: I can appreciate and celebrate my narrative writing. Class modeling about how to relive what happened in my mind. Class discussion, using mentor text to model using internal (in) and external (to) stories. Using the mentor text to show how to correctly punctuate dialogue. Pairs conferences to revise writing. Using mentor text to craft endings for their own stories. Pair conferences to focus on an item from the editing checklist. Students will share their writing piece with the public....you can give an example of showing rather than telling....you can show an action, thought, or detail about the setting....you can show an example of correctly punctuated dialogue....you can share a point where you revised....you can share an ending you crafted....you can show how you revised your writing using the editing checklist...you can share a completed narrative story. 7 of 8
Stage 4: Resources and Reflection Resources Support varied student needs and learning styles and include a range of media and print materials. Necessary: Chart Paper Writer s Notebook (student) Teacher Notebook Come On, Rain! By Karen Hesse Various mentor texts CD-rom or online resources Optional: Document Camera Quick Words Spelling Book Handwriting Without Tears Paper Highlighters Student Reflection Provides an opportunity for students to reflect on learning and progress toward indicators; occurs throughout and at the end of a unit; incorporates goal setting. Editing checklist Rubric Mentor texts Comparison of on-demand writing Analysis of student exemplars Partner discussions Teacher Reflection Provides an opportunity for teachers to reflect on instruction and student progress toward indicators; occurs throughout and at the end of the unit; is based on student learning and engagement data; can result in changes to the unit, to instructional practice, or both. Comparison of pre and post writing Drop-in conferences Notes from drop-ins 8 of 8