Prepared Graduate Competency Implement the writing process successfully to plan, revise, and edit written work Apply standard English conventions to effectively communicate with written language Big Idea : Writers understand we write memoirs to record thoughts or actions for future reference or reflection (Mooney pg. 62) to help them view themselves and how they make sense of their lives. Concept/ 1. The recursive writing process is used to create a variety of literary genres for an intended audience b. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. (CCSS: W.4.3) i. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. (CCSS: W.4.3a) ii. Choose planning strategies to support text structure and intended outcome Concept/ iii. iv. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. (CCSS: W.4.3b) Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. (CCSS: W.4.3c) v. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. (CCSS: W.4.3d) vi. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.(ccss: W.4.3e) Enduring Understandings Writers write to explore the significance of their emerging focus (life topic), a certain time period, a special relationship, a particular theme or angle on life. (Boomer, pg. 4) Writers use a variety of strategies to help them write with depth, honesty and reflection. Writers study memoir structures and craft techniques in order to make decisions as they work through the writing process. With guidance and support, writers apply what they ve learned to craft a memoir. Possible Essential Questions What are the topics, experiences and themes that are significant within my life? How does writing help me explore my life and who I am? How do writers use the writing process to craft a memoir? What has the author done that I d like to emulate in my own writing? Page 1 of 7
Standards Colorado Academic Standards http://www.cde.state.co.us/scripts/allstandards/costandards.asp?glid=6&stid2=6 &glid2=0 Standard: 3. Writing and Composition 1. The recursive writing process is used to create a variety of literary genres for an intended audience b. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. (CCSS: W.4.3) i. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. (CCSS: W.4.3a) ii. Choose planning strategies to support text structure and intended outcome iii. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations. (CCSS: W.4.3b) iv. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events. (CCSS: W.4.3c) v. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. (CCSS: W.4.3d) vi. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events. (CCSS: W.4.3e) 3. Correct sentence formation, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling are applied to make the meaning clear to the reader a. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (CCSS: W.4.4) b. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (CCSS: W.4.5) c. With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. (CCSS: W.4.6) d. Use correct format (indenting paragraphs, parts of a letter, poem, etc.) for Page 2 of 7
intended purpose e. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. (CCSS: L.4.3) f. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (CCSS: L.4.1) g. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (CCSS: L.4.2) Standard 4: Research and Reasoning 1. Comprehending new information for research is a process undertaken with discipline both alone and within groups a. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (CCSS: W.4.9) i. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions]."). (CCSS: W.4.9.a) ii. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text"). (CCSS: W.4.9.b) 2. Identifying implications, concepts, and ideas enriches reasoning skills a. Consider negative as well as positive implications of their own thinking or behavior, or others thinking or behavior b. State, elaborate, and give an example of a concept (for example, state, elaborate, and give an example of friendship or conflict) c. Identify the key concepts and ideas they and others use d. Ask primary questions of clarity, significance, relevance, accuracy, depth, and breadth *See more detailed evidence outcomes by clicking the link below http://www.cde.state.co.us/scripts/allstandards/costandards.asp?glid=6&stid2=6 &glid2=0 Page 3 of 7
Stages of the Writer Connections: 21st Century Skills Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Learner Outcomes http://instruction.aurorak12.org/files/2010/06/stages-of-a-writer-6-3-10.pdf Big Ideas: Writers understand we write memoirs to record thoughts or actions for future reference or reflection (Mooney pg. 62) to help them view themselves and how they make sense of their lives. Writers understand by writing a memoir they are exploring the significance of their life events/moments and how they add up to reveal their life as a whole (Calkins, pg. 168). When writing a memoir, writers find the intensity of the feelings behind the moments to write through them with honesty and emotion. (Boomer, pg. 10) Writers understand by writing a memoir, they pay attention to detail, surprise and delight the viewers with their unique perspective and touch us with an honesty that reminds we are human. (Boomer, pg. 11) Enduring Understandings/Essential Questions/Learner Outcomes: Writers write to explore the significance of their emerging focus (life topic), a certain time period, a special relationship, a particular theme or angle on life. (Boomer, pg. 4) Writers use a variety of strategies to help them write with depth, honesty and reflection. Writers study memoir structures and craft techniques in order to make decisions as they work through the writing process. Writers apply what they ve learned to craft a memoir, with guidance and support Essential Questions: What are the topics, experiences and themes that are significant within my life? How does writing help me explore my life and who I am? How do writers use the writing process to craft a memoir? What has the author done that I d like to emulate in my own writing? Assessment: Assessment For and Learner Outcomes: Writers generate writing by studying previous writing to determine life topics. Writers identify significant topics, themes and/or experiences to grow provocative ideas for their memoir. Writers craft their memoir using various memoir structures to help them reveal their life as a whole. Writers study memoir mentor texts to uncover the craft/techniques used throughout the writing process. Formative assessment in the writer s workshop is ongoing, based on the Teaching/Learning Cycle, and supports decision-making in standards-based Page 4 of 7
Of Learning education. Opportunities to gather formative assessment data that show growth toward and movement beyond the standards are threaded throughout the workshop. Regular monitoring is essential within a standards-based educational system. Students self assessment Teachers create opportunities for students to self-assess and to set goals for their writing. Throughout the study, students are asking themselves questions, making adjustments to their writing throughout the process using their growing repertoire of strategies. How am I approximating techniques, structures, topics, experiences, and themes? How am I using what I ve learned from other memoirists (topics, structures, techniques, and publishing formats mentor texts)? How am I cycling through the writing process to develop a memoir? Monitoring Teachers use a daily monitoring system as evidence about each student s growth as a writer. Teachers use the monitoring notes to develop instructional next steps. Monitor students for: Their use of the writing process Their use of mentor texts to inform their personal writing decisions with guidance and support Their use of techniques, structures, topics, experiences, and themes Immersion Conferring Conferring provides an opportunity to differentiate instruction and teach at the student s point of need. ***Use monitoring notes to support conferring. Immersion: Read several memoir texts to the children before starting this unit. Allow students to read and explore several memoir texts. Provide opportunities for students to reflect back on their writing experiences from this year. Use these experiences to generate topics and explore possible craft techniques, which can become used to develop their memoirs. Teacher and students think about the process writers go through to craft writing. Teacher identifies the language demands within memoir to plan for scaffolds as needed. Demonstrate your own memoir each day make sure you are Page 5 of 7
Planning for Instruction: demonstrating some of the foci from below. Process Outcomes: Topic Selection Explore abstract topics and themes to widen authentic purposes for writing Audience Adjust style, point of view and biases to suit different purposes and to impact audiences Drafting Use a mentor text to expand my ideas about how to write Use relevant details and descriptive/figurative language to create interest, enhance meaning, and engage the audience Write a well-organized text Write in first person Use strong, active verbs, figurative language and dialogue to develop voice Use a variety of sentence structures Use transitions to link ideas Product Outcomes: Structure the memoir one of two ways: o In a list-like structure of small moments linked by a theme or scenes linked by a common element o As a hybrid text with some exposition and sets a related story or two alongside this Include a main character who is the author Develop topics that are focused, significant big ideas from the author s life Develop topics with depth Include external and internal story external events move the story forward, the character s responses to the events constitutes the internal story line Include details that are emblematic and convey bigger meaning Use metaphors to enhance the big idea or meaning of the story Revision Use knowledge of the writing process to formulate own questions for revision Add, cut, reword, and rearrange as needed to create a fluid text Share draft with others to receive feedback and make adjustments Reread to determine if text is expressive and engaging for intended audience. Page 6 of 7
References/Professional Resources: Proofreading Check and correct writing based on learned grammatical structures, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and complete sentences. Calkins, L.M. & Chiarella, M. (2006). Memoir: The Art of Writing Well. New Hampshire: Heinemann. Anderson, B. (2004). Daily Language Instruction. Morrison, CO: Hogback Press. Bomer, R. & Bomer, K. (2001). For A Better World Reading and Writing for Social Action. New Hampshire: Heinemann. Bomer, K. (2005). Writing A Life: Teaching Memoir. New Hampshire: Heinemann. Calkins, L.M. & Harwayne, S. (1991). Living Between the Lines. New Hampshire: Heinemann. Mooney, M.E. (2001). Text Forms & Features: A Resource for Intentional Teaching. Katonah, NY: Richard C. Owens Publishers, Inc. Learning Media. (Ed.). (1992). Dancing with the pen: The learner as a writer. New Zealand: Learning Media Limited. Page 7 of 7