Name of Teacher: Melanie Page Grade Level: 5th

Focus Genre: Narratives Focus Craft or Convention: Foreshadowing

Context (where in the writing process are your students?): Students have completed their first draft of their essay and are in the revising stage of writing.

Mini Lesson
Objective / Students will be able to add variation and depth to their narrative writing by utilizing the literary tool of foreshadowing.
Materials needed /
  • Brief Video clip of the movie “Lion King”
  • Chart paper and markers
  • Post-it
  • Student writing (ask students to bring their writing to their carpet or to have their writing on their desks)

Connection / On a piece of chart paper define the term foreshadowing. Tell the students that they see this in movies as well as books. Ask the students if they can think of any examples.
Teaching / Give the students a post-it note.
The teacher will tell the students to write one example of foreshadowing that they see in this in video clip.
The teacher will show the students a video clip of the movie “Lion King”
The teacher will restate the definition of foreshadowing and ask students turn and talk to their partners about the example they chose.
The teacher then will ask the students if anyone wants to share their examples.
Their sharing may be followed by these questions:
How does this part of the story let you know what is going to happen later on?
Does the example you have chosen add suspense or wonder to the story?
Does the example make you want to see/read more of the story?
Students will place these post-it on the chart paper that defines the term foreshadowing, so it can be used as a reference when writing.
Active Engagement / Now that students have a better understanding of the concept of foreshadowing, have the students turn and talk to their partners about a story they have written this year and how they can use foreshadowing to improve the style of their story and make it more interesting.
Link / Tell students that during their independent writing today, they shouldfind at least one narrative story they have written this year and add foreshadowing to this story to make it more interesting.
Independent Writing/Conferencing / As students are writing, look for students who arewho are adding foreshadowing or for students who may have done this in a narrative story already. Ask 2-3 students to share their revisions or original usage of foreshadowing.
Sharing / 2-3 students will share their newly revised or original foreshadowing and students will comment on or question their peers letting them know if the foreshadowingmakes them want to read more.