Trait: Word Choice

Developed By:   Art Finocchiaro

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Content Area: Language Arts  

Genre:  

Materials and Resources Needed:

Thesaurus; Various objects that students can touch, i.e. a sponge, top, toy car, etc. (1 per student); Index cards (for alternative plan).

Lesson Objectives:

Students will create a 1-2 paragraph writing piece that describes and object without using the object's name.  This is an introductory piece to be used prior to a lengthy writing assignment.

GLEs Covered:

W-4-8.2 In informational writing students include sufficient details or facts for appropriate depth of information: naming, describing, explaining, and comparing.

Content Standards:

Prior Knowledge:

Students need to know how to use a thesaurus.

Instructional Sequence:

1) Introduction:Comparison of sentences that use limited descriptives and use extensive descriptives.Ex.: The red truck drove down the road.The dented and rusty red pick-up truck drove down the bumpy, dirt road.;Discussion on how word choice affects a writing piece.;2) Lesson: (Prior to independent writing, the teacher will model an example of what is expected.) Students will be given a small object that can be held and put on the student's desk.Students will create their writing piece by using descriptive sentences that do not name the object.;Students will be encouraged to use their five senses to create descriptions for the object. (Example:This object feels cold, sleek, and smooth when it is touched.I noticed a glittering design that seemed to dance when I moved the object under the light.);Special attention is made to the student's word choice.;Students may use the thesaurus. ;3) Conclusion: Students will share their pieces by reading aloud and having each other guess what object is being described.

Assessment Reflections:

There is no formal assessment for this piece.  Students will share their pieces and reflect with one another.

Extensions:

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Accommodations:Students may create a description in list form. Students may work in small groups.;Challenge: In addition to creating the writing piece, students can create a list of alternative adjectives that they could have used.

Comments and/or Tips:

An alternative to using actual items is to list things on index cards.

Trait:   Organization

Developed By:   M. Monti

Grade Level: 4

Content Area: Language Arts/About Me

Genre:   Descriptive Writing

Materials and Resources Needed:

All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan;Sensory Language Chart*;Descriptive Writing Rubric*

Lesson Objectives:

Students will create a descriptive writing piece about a place they love and care about.

GLEs Covered:

W 4-4 In written narratives, students organize and relate a story line/plot/series of events by (W4-4.1) Creating a clear, understandable story line with a beginning, middle and end (state). ;W 4-5 Students demonstrate use of effective narrative strategies by (W 4-5.1) Using relevant and descriptive details (state).

Content Standards:

EC2: The student produces a narrative account that:;Engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a point of view and otherwise developing reader interest; Creates an organizing structure;;Includes sensory details and concrete langauges to develop plot and character;;Excludes extraneous details and inconsistencies;;Provides a sense of closure to the writing

Prior Knowledge:

Creating a web as a pre-writing tool

Instructional Sequence:

1. Read and enjoy All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan;

2. Have students brainstorm places they love;

3. Choose one of these places to write about.;

4. Pre-writing: Model using a web to brainstorm information about their place;

5. Developing Strong Leads: Have students ask each other questions about their places. Model how to answer the questions in a complete sentence. Then have students choose an interesting one as a lead for their story.;

6. Planning and Organizing: Have students continue adding more detail to their webs. Model how to plan the order of their story in a way that makes sense to them. Discuss chronological order, order of importance, etc. Their lead should determine where they begin, and effect where they end up. This is also a time to discuss whether every part of their web is important enough to include in their actual story.;

7. Model Paragraph Structure: Model how to write a cohesive paragraph for each section of their web. Each section should include clear, specific details and sensory language (see word choice activities).;

8. Closing: Connecting your closing to your opening--What are you trying to say? What idea, thought, or feeling do you want your reader to come away with?

Assessment Reflections:

See All the Places to Love Rubric;All students should check for:;Interesting lead; paragraphs in an order that makes sense; Smooth transitions, conclusion (ending);

Extensions:

Have students illustrate their places and write up their descriptions neatly. Then wrap the picture and writing together as a scroll, wrap in a ribbon, and give as a gift to a person who also cares about that place.

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Comments and/or Tips:

See student finished work on website:;http://www.westwarwickpublicschools.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=10589&sc_id=1170883776

Trait:   Voice

Developed By:   Brenda Dausco

Grade Level: third

Content Area: Language Arts  

Genre:  

Materials and Resources Needed:

The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald;Overhead projector transparencies;a web -graphic organizer for eachstudent;writing paper

Lesson Objectives:

Through the use of explicit modeling via Wendy' Ewald's Best Part of Me and a personal sample of the teacher's writing on an overhead, students will produce a piece of writing that exemplifies their own voice.

GLEs Covered:

W-3-5- Students demonstrate use of narrative strategies by writing about observations and experiences

Content Standards:

Prior Knowledge:

Proper sentence structure and composition of a paragragh with a topic sentence and supporting details.

Instructional Sequence:

Read aloud the book entitled The Best Part of Me. Construct a personal web on the overhead.( I chose my right wrist. ) Exhibit teacher's personal essay connected to the web on the overhead. Distribute graphic organizers for students to fill out.  Students compose their own essays.

Assessment Reflections:

Students need additional support in embelleshing their ideas so that they do not jump from one idea to another without developing it first.

Extensions:

Digital photographs of  the students' favorite body parts chosen e.g. eyes, hair, arm etc.  can accompany their essays .

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Younger children can draw pictures in lieu of essay writing.

Comments and/or Tips:

Children need to be reminded that they are writing about one body part only.

Trait:   Word Choice

Developed By:   Hollie Irving

Grade Level: Second grade

Content Area: Language Arts  

Genre:  

Materials and Resources Needed:

Paper, crayons, Kid Pix Computer program

Lesson Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use descriptive writing to express oppositites.;2. Students will be able to create their own sayings, modeled after an old adage.;3. Students will be albe to illustrate their sayings.

GLEs Covered:

W1-2;W2-1;W2-9

Content Standards:

Prior Knowledge:

Prior to beginning the lesson, students should have knowlege about specific sayings such as "Look both ways before crossing the street", "Don't count your chickens before they hatch"

Instructional Sequence:

Start the activity with a discussion of the saying  "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb". Disucss the meaning and its connection to weather predicitions along with characteristics of lambs and lions. Emphasize the opposites between the two animals. The lion being a ferocious animal and a lamb being timid. Have students brainstorm a list of animals that are similar to a lion and write them on the board. (ex. tiger, bear, pig) Encourage students to provide descriptive phrases that describe the animal. (ex. growling black and white tiger). Do the same for the lamb and have students provide phrases of things that are similar to a lamb. This could be anything that students may see in March (ex. soft green grass, sleeping baby. Next, have students create their own version of the saying and then they can illustrate thier ideas. You can have studnets either create thier sayings using the KidPix program or they may use paper.

Assessment Reflections:

Extensions:

The sayings could be put together as a class book.

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Oral discussion of ideas before stduents write thier own versions of the saying.

Comments and/or Tips:

Trait:   Word Choice

Developed By:   Tricia Lanni

Grade Level: Grade 4

Content Area: Language Arts - Writing  

Genre:  

Materials and Resources Needed:

Time For Kids "Traits of Good Writing" (Grades 3-4) by Jennifer Overend Prior, M. Ed. (Teacher Created Materials)

Lesson Objectives:

Students will identify adjectives in a given text and use adjectives in their writing.

GLEs Covered:

W-4.5.1 Using relevant and descriptive details. ;W-4-5.6 Selecting and elaborating important ideas.

Content Standards:

Prior Knowledge:

Prior Lesson: Students can create an adjective dictionary to introduce the concept of adjectives. Each child chooses a noun (ex. apple) and develops 6 to 8 describing words for that noun. Children can fold a piece of paper into 6 or 8 pieces and write a describing word in each and illustrate. (EX. Noun- APPLE. Describing words - green, hard, juicy, mouthwatering, delicious, tasty, and sour). When they are finished they can create a detailed sentence about their noun using the adjectives they have come up with. Children can share their papers and sentence. When all is through the childrens' papers can be put together to make a class adjective dictionary. Be sure to explain how adjectives and one's choice of words add to a piece of writing and creates a clear picture in the reader's mind.

Instructional Sequence:

Review how adjectives hold the reader's attention and create a clear picture in their mind.;Read to the children "Horsing Around" from the "Traits of Good writing". Have them listen for the adjectives in the story. Pass out a copy of the story and have children highlight adjectives in the story. Let the class share what they have highlighted. Discuss how these adjectives created metal images in in their minds. ;Display short sentences on the board. Ask children to add more detail to the sentence by including adjectives. Pass out the Word Choice (Adjectives) practice sheet. (see attatchment) Let the children expand on these sentences by using adjectives. Children can share when they are finished. Let children choose their favorite sentence which they have created and rerwrite the sentence and illustrate it. Hang on a Bulletind Board for a wonderful display of "Juicy Words".

Assessment Reflections:

Assess students through class discussion and by observing their sentences.

Extensions:

Children can choose an object at home and make a list of describing words for that object. For additional practice children can  practice with adjectives from pages 83 and 84 of the "Traits of Good Writing" book.

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Comments and/or Tips:

Trait:   Word Choice

Developed By:   Jill LePage

Grade Level: Primary

Content Area: Language Arts  

Genre:  

Materials and Resources Needed:

Four preselected worn out words typed onto a piece of paper;scissors;glue sticks;Pencils;Light colored construction paper;Thesaurus

Lesson Objectives:

Through the use of a thesaurus, students will retire old worn out words and replace them with fresh new words.

GLEs Covered:

W-3-3.3:  Using details of references to text to support focus.

Content Standards:

Prior Knowledge:

Students need a basic understanding of dictionary/thesaurus skills.

Instructional Sequence:

1.Pass out construction paper and have the students fold it so that they have four boxes.;

2.Pass out the words and have the students glue one word per box.;

3.Using a thesaurus, have the students write the fresh new words in the same box as the old worn out word.;

4.If there is room, the students can write a sentence in the box using the fresh new word.

Assessment Reflections:

Students can share to see if they all came up with the same word choices.

Extensions:

Students can create posters with old worn out words.  As students discover new words, they can be added to the poster.

Accommodations and Differentiated Instruction:

Students can work independently, in pairs or in small groups.

Comments and/or Tips: