Grade 5, Unit 4 Writing Unpacked


/ Lesson 16: Friendly Letter and Focus Trait: Voice / Lesson 17: Character Description and Focus Trait: Word Choice
Day 1
Introduce the Model /
  • Using Projectable 16.7: Discuss “What is a Friendly Letter?”
  • Point out words that reveal the writer’s thoughts and feelings. Explain where closing and signature should be.
  • Work with students to identify the heading, the body, and words that show the writer’s thoughts and feelings, and the concluding statement
/ Day 1
Introduce the Model /
  • Using Projectable 17.7: Read aloud the Writing Model prompt.
  • Discuss “What is Character Description” and read Writing Model 1 aloud pointing out the use of concrete words, sensory details, and dialogue
  • Using Writing Model 2, work with students to label use of concrete words, sensory details, and dialogue then identify where to insert dialogue.

Day 2
Voice, Informal Language /
  • Explain that voice allows writer’s feelings to come through in their words. Informal language expresses a writer’s voice because it is friendly and casual.Refer to the excerptfrom Student Book p.484
  • Use a chart to identify the cause and effect
Option: Writing Handbook L.31: Keeping the Reader Interested / Day 2
Concrete Words, Sensory Details /
  • Good writers carefully choose words to clearly express their ideas and help the reader visualize what they describe. Review example by referring to excerpt from Student Book p.513 pointing out that the vivid description helps the reader imagine exactly how the character appears.
  • Students use Reader’s Notebook p.240 to insert sensory details.
Option: Writing Handbook L.33: Using Imagery
Day 3
Prewrite /
  • Friendly letters recall past experiences in order to share them with the reader.Explain that an Idea-Support Map can help plan writing.
  • Complete Projectable 16.8 with students (prewrite)
  • Students choose an achievement they want to write about for a friendly letter using graphic organizer 7
/ Day 3
Prewrite
Planning a Character Description /
  • Good writers use concrete words and sensory details to make their writing more interesting.Using projectable 17.8, explain that a Column Chart can help them plan their writing; complete it together (prewrite)
  • Studentsthen choose a person for their character description using Graphic Organizer 1.

Day 4
Draft /
  • Students begin draft of their friendly letters using the correct format
  • Emphasize the importance of using the Idea-Support Maps they completed for prewriting
Option: Writing Handbook L.32: Drafting a Friendly Letter / Day 4
Draft /
  • Students begin draft of their character descriptions using their Column Charts. Discussthe components to emphasize using the graphic in the Teacher’s Edition p. T134
  • Option: Writing Handbook L.34: Drafting a Character Description

Day 5
Revise, Edit /
  • Good writers consider their audience when writing a friendly letter and establish voice using informal language
  • Discuss revisions on student example on Student Book p.504
  • Use Projectable 16.9 to see and discuss more revisions
  • Students revise their letters using Writing Traits Checklist on Student Book p.504
/ Day 5
Revise,
Edit /
  • Good writers use vivid descriptive details and dialogue to create pictures of their characters.
  • Discuss revisions on student example on Student Book p.536
  • Use Projectable 17.9 to see and discuss more revisions
  • Students revise and edit their descriptions using Writing Traits Checklist on Student Book p.536 and the4 Proofreading Checklist Blackline Master.

Lesson 18: Autobiography and Focus Trait: Voice / Lessons 19 and 20: Personal Narrative Published Piece and Focus Traits:Ideas and Voice
Day 1
Introduce the Model /
  • Using Projectable 18.7: Read aloud the Writing Model prompt and discuss “What is an Autobiography?”Discuss the structure of Writing Model 1: introduction, descriptive details, and concluding sentence.
  • Using Writing Model 2 work with students to label the elements of Writing Model 2.
/ Day 1
Prewrite a Personal Narrative /
  • Using Projectable 19.7: Tell students that they will plan a personal narrative.
  • Discuss “What is a Personal Narrative?”Use the projectable to note the main idea and other elements of the Writing Model.
  • Work with student to label additional thoughts, feelings, and descriptive details.
/ Day 1
Draft,
Strong Leads /
  • Good personal narrative establishes a situation for readers and introduces the writer. It uses transitional words, phrases, and clauses to make the sequence of events clear and has a satisfying conclusion.Use example from Student Book p.625, discuss how the author establishes the situation at the beginning of the story to grab the reader’s attention. Use flow charts and begin drafting.
Option: Writing Handbook L.39:Grabbing Your Reader’s Attention
Day 2
Voice Specific Words, Details /
  • A good autobiography has a strong writing voice that clearly conveys the writer’s personality and feelings.
  • Review exampleusing excerpt from Student Book p.546,emphasize that the specific words and descriptive details the writer usedshowed her love for the dog. Readers can see her actions and understand her feelings more fully.
  • Students use Reader’s Notebook p.252 to insert concrete words and sensory details to show how the narrator felt.
/ Day 2
Prewrite
Ideas /
  • A good narrative recalls details from the writer’s experience to help the reader understand why the writer feels a certain way.
  • Review example using excerpt from Student Book p.572, emphasize that the details and ideas are related to each other.Suggest a topic, i.e. getting good grades, work with students to brainstorm a list of related ideas and descriptive details.Students work with a partner to complete p. 264.
Option: Writing Handbook L.37:Brainstorming and Narrowing a Topic / Day 2
Draft, Voice /
  • Explain that voice is the way a writer engages readers in a story. Strong voice help the readers connect to the writer’s experiences. Use excerpt from Student Book p.106 to emphasize how the author uses description and internal thoughts to develop voice and that students can use these same techniques to develop voice in their piece.Students continue to draft their narratives using techniques to develop strong voice.
  • Option: Writing Handbook L.40: Drafting a Personal Narrative

Day 3
Prewrite Plan Auto-biography /
  • Using Projectable 18.8, explain that a Flow Chart can help them organize the sequence of events related to a topic; once the sequence of events are established, description is added to unfold the story at a natural pace and draw readers into the experience. Complete Projectable 18.8 with students. Students choose a topic for their autobiography; record events using Graphic Organizer 4.
Option: Writing Handbook L.35:Recalling Key Events / Day 3
Prewrite
Exploring a Topic /
  • One way to explore ideas for a personal narrative is to recall information from experience to create an events chart. Model process; think aloud.
  • Using a prompt, work with students to develop and strengthen their writing by recalling information from experiences and then brainstorm a list of ideas, events, and details (this will be used for Day 4)
Option: Writing Handbook L.38:Planning Events in Order / Day 3
Draft, Pacing /
  • Good writers use pacing to control the speed at which a story unfolds, create suspense or tension and to make the time span between events clear.
  • Share the example from “The Black Stallion” and discuss how the author created a good pace by using strong verbs, dialogue, descriptive details, varying sentence length, and language that shows the passing of time.
  • Have students complete the first draft, paying close attention to the opening.

Day 4
Draft /
  • Students begin drafting their autobiographies using their completed Flow Chart
  • Discuss components to emphasize using the graphic in the Teacher’s Edition p. T204; Review examples using the Day 1 Writing Model. Emphasize the use of transition words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events.
Option: Writing Handbook L.36: Drafting an Autobiography / Day 4
Prewrite /
  • Descriptive details in a story should relate to the story’s events and ideas.
  • Use “Darnell Rock Reporting” to emphasize how descriptive details relate to the main event; Review Day 3 brainstorming. Use projectable 19.8 to model using the Flow Chart. Students then use Graphic Organizer 4 to record information from their experiences.
/ Day 4
Revise /
  • Read together Student Book p.624 and discuss how this student revised his ideas. Students then read and revise their drafts using the questions in the Writing Process Checklist.
  • Students peer evaluate each other’s writing focusing on openings and pacing.

Day 5
Revise, Edit /
  • Writers bring their experiences and feelings to life by using concrete words and sensory details.Discuss revisions using example on Student Book p.562
  • Use Projectable 18.9, revise rest of the draft together and answer Reading as a Writer questions on SB p.563. Students then revise using Writing Traits Checklist.
/ Day 5
Prewrite /
  • Read together SB p.592, discuss how this student brainstormed ideas and organized his events chart so that it made sense.
  • Students then check their own events charts and make improvements as needed.
/ Day 5
Revise, Edit, Publish /
  • Read together SB p.625, discuss how this student revised his ideas; use Projectable 20.7 to see and discuss more revisions.
  • Students then revise their drafts and make a final copy of their personal narrative.