Why: In this unit of study students are writing a narrative, this time shifting away from writing personal narrative to realistic fiction.
Immersion: ***Lessons for this unit begin right away. There are no “Immersion” lessons for writing. Writing lessons 1-3 (Collecting and Choosing) correlate with Reading Immersions 1-3
Structure: 19 Days
- 17 Lesson/ Instructional Days
- 2 Quick Writes
- QUICK WRITES:
5 Minutes (Max)- Planning
20 Minutes- Drafting
5 Minutes- Editing and Revising
- ****One out of every three Quick Writes should be typed on the computer****(WHOLE PROCESS)
Glossary of Terms:
Key Words / Definition
External Characteristics / The character’s physical appearance including height, weight, race, age, eye and hair color, how they move, any mannerisms
Internal Characteristics / The Character’s personality—hopes, dreams, fears, wishes, how the character views others and the world, etc
Story Mountain / The story mountain is an organizing tool that acts as a timeline or an outline. “The shape of the mountain (as opposed to a timeline) can help writers visualize that in a story characters journey uphill against obstacles…Instead of planning a story which involves just a string of episodes children will plan a story in which a character reaches toward a goal then meets and overcomes difficulty.” Calkins and Cruz
Exposition / The start of the story. The way things are before the action starts
Rising Action / The series of events that lead to the climax of the story—usually the conflicts or struggles of the protagonist
Climax / The turning point. The most intense moment, either mentally or in action.
Falling Action / All of the action which follows the climax.
Resolution / The conclusion. The tying together of all of the threads.
Scene / There can be many scenes that can unfold within one setting. Setting vs Scene can be compared to a home—the house represents the setting where the rooms within the house represent various scenes. Eg- you may be at the park (setting) and one setting would be playing the on the swings, another scene is playing the sandbox and yet another scene is playing on the slide
Secondary Characters / Characters that play a minor role in a story compared to the main character compared to the main character and are developed to be more “flat” so that the main character will stand out for readers.
Setting / “The setting is the time and place in which the story occurs. We learn about setting through stories and pictures” Guiding Readers and Writers, Grade 3-6
Plot Structure Types: There are 6 Basic Plots for most fiction stories
- Lost and Found
Ex: The incredible Journey and Home Alone
- Character vs Nature
Ex: Brave Irene or Hatchet or Volcano
- Character with a personal problem or goal
Ex: Freckle Juice or Rudy or Rocky
- Good Guys vs Bad Guys
Ex: The Three Little Pigs or most westerns
- Crime and Punishment or Mystery and Solution
Ex: Matlock or Murder She Wrote
- Boy meets Girl
Ex: Romeo and Juliet
Websites:
Assessments:
Performance Task: Published Realistic Fiction writing piece
Essential Questions:
Writing:
- What are the characteristics of realistic fiction?
- How does a writer develop a plot that makes the reader want to keep reading?
- How does the development of a character enhance a writer’s story?
- How can I use everything I know from reading mentor texts to create my own realistic fiction story drawn from my personal experiences?
Indicators of Understanding:
Writing:
- Writers develop realistic fiction stories based on experiences and observations of every day moments in their own lives, the lives of people around them, or from mentor texts.
- Writers will develop primary and secondary characters with realistic internal and external traits who face and overcome challenges.
- Writers structure their story using a story mountain developing rising action, turning point, and resolution to the story.
- Writers will create a progression of small moment scenes that not only tell a sequential, fictional story, but that also reveal the characters’ wants and the problems they face in achieving these wants.
- Writers use mentor text to shape dialogue, make paragraphing decisions, and accurately use punctuation including quotation marks, commas, questions marks, periods, exclamation points, ellipses and apostrophes.
- Writers will revise their stories with emphasis on specific areas to enhance the complexity of their text throughout the writing process.
Established Goals: Common Core Standards
Writing / Speaking and Listening / Language
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3aOrient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3bUse dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3cUse a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3dUse concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3eProvide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.4Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.5With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 4here.)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.6With 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.ELA-Literacy.W.4.10Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. / CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners ongrade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1bFollow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles. / CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2aUse correct capitalization.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2bUse commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2dSpell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1aUse relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) and relative adverbs (where, when, why).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1bForm and use the progressive (e.g.,I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1cUse modal auxiliaries (e.g.,can, may, must) to convey various conditions.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1dOrder adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns (e.g.,a small red bagrather thana red small bag).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1eForm and use prepositional phrases.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1fProduce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.*
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1gCorrectly use frequently confused words (e.g.,to, too, two; there, their).*
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.3aChoose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.3bChoose punctuation for effect.*
Balanced Literacy Key (Components)
Occurring Outside of the Workshop Time:
OS=Oral Storytelling, RA=Read Aloud, SR=Shared Writing, MW= Modeled Writing, SW=Shared Writing and IW=Interactive Writing
Occurring Within the Workshop Time:
(SGI= Small Group Instruction, ML= Minilesson Teaching points)
***where a mini lesson is not suggested teaching points are not expected to be mastered independently at this grade level.
Indicator One
Writing / Writers develop realistic fiction stories based on experiences and observations of every day moments in their own lives, the lives of people around them, or from mentor texts
COLLECTING AND CHOOSING
Lesson 1 / Lesson 2 / Lesson 3
Writers learn #1, 2, and 3 of the 6 Basic Plot Structures (see glossary of terms and chart).
Writers independently generate story ideas that fall into each of those categories in their Writer’s notebooks. Writers may write short on one of their ideas.
ML-SGI / Writers learn #4, 5, and 6 of the 6 Basic Plot Structures (see glossary of terms and chart).
Writers independently generate story ideas that fall into each of those categories in their Writer’s notebooks. Writers may write short on one of their ideas.
ML-SGI / Writers brainstorm and jot events that are going on in their lives imagining “What if?” and making small, realistic changes. (see possible charts) Then writers choose one real life event and turn it into a “what if?” entry—using one of the 6 basic plot structures. Writers may orally story tell before writing.
ML-SGI
Conferring Questions- Indicator One
- What is happening in your life that could be interesting to write about in a realistic fiction story?
- What are some issues that you or people you know have faced that may be interesting to write about?
- What are some issues that you have recently read about in a book?
- What has happened in your life that you could alter by saying “What if?” How might you write entries about this that could lead to a possible story idea?
Possible Charts – Indicator One
Plot Structure Types: There are 6 Basic Plots for most fiction stories / Examples
1.Lost and Found / Person or object is lost and recovered
Ex: The incredible Journey and Home Alone
2.Character vs Nature / Character survives a natural calamity
Ex: Brave Irene or Hatchet or Volcano
3.Character with a personal problem or goal / Character solves the problem/conflict and reaches goal or changes attitude and/or feelings
Ex: Freckle Juice or Rudy or Rocky
4.Good Guys vs Bad Guys / Good guys usually win
Ex: The Three Little Pigs or most westerns
5.Crime and Punishment or Mystery and Solution / Character solves a mystery or crime and the culprit is caught or punished
Ex: Matlock or Murder She Wrote
6.Boy meets Girl / Problems or misunderstandings arise—characters resolve differences or clear up misunderstandings
Ex: Romeo and Juliet
My Life / What if?
- Soccer Tournament in West Milford
- I went Christmas shopping with my mom and little sister
- I brought my soccer trophy to school to share
- The other team was cheating and we had to come together and win
- My sister wandered off and got lost
- I went to get my trophy out of my back pack and it was missing
Indicator Two
Writing / Writers will develop primary and secondary characters with realistic internal and external traits who face and overcome challenges
PLANNING/ DEVELOPING
Lesson 4 / Lesson 5 / Lesson 6
Writers develop their main character by creating a T-chart that lists the external and internal characteristics of their main character.
These charts are to help with bringing the character to life in the writer’s mind
ML-SGI / Show Don’t Tell
Writers develop their characters internal traits by choosing actions that show their characters personality traits.
Ex:
Lizzie has a bad temper. (tell)
Lizzie stomped her feet all the way up the stairs, slamming her door as she ran into her room. (show)
ML-SGI / Show Don’t Tell
Writers develop their characters internal traits by choosing dialogue (internal and external) that show their characters personality traits.
Ex:
Lizzie has a bad temper. (tell)
“Fine!!” Lizzie yelled as she stomped up to her room. “This is so not fair!” she wailed while slamming the door to her bedroom. (show external)
“This is so unfair,” Lizzie thought as she stomped up the stairs. “My mom is the worst; I don’t even care if she doesn’t let me have dessert!” Lizzie slammed her door and plopped angrily down on her bed. (show internal)
***Note—merging of dialogue and description
ML-SGI
Conferring Questions- Indicator Two
- What are your character’s external traits? How do they look, dress and move?
- What are your character’s internal traits? What are their feelings, wants, hopes, dreams, fears, thoughts about others, thoughts about self?
- How do you know your characters are realistic?
- Could these characters exist in the real world?
Possible Charts- Indicator Two
External Traits (Outside) / Internal Traits (Inside)
Name: / Personality:
Age:
Hair Color: / Unique or special characteristics:
Eye Color: / Friends:
Clothing Style: / What he or she does for fun:
Outside: / Inside:
How the character feels about himself/herself: / How others view and treat the character:
Internal Traits / What kinds of things my character might do / What kinds of things my character might say / What kinds of things my character might think
bad temper / Lizzie stomped her feet all the way up the stairs, slamming her door as she ran into her room / “Fine!!” Lizzie yelled as she stomped up to her room. “This is so not fair!” she wailed while slamming the door to her bedroom. / “This is so unfair,” Lizzie thought as she stomped up the stairs. “My mom is the worst; I don’t even care if she doesn’t let me have dessert!” Lizzie slammed her door and plopped angrily down on her bed.
Indicator Three
Writing / Writers structure their story using a story mountain developing: rising action, turning point, and resolution to the story.
PLANNING/DEVELOPING
QUICK WRITE / Lesson 7 / Lesson 8
Students will get 30 minutes to respond to writing prompt. (See Teacher Note****)
ML-SGI / Writers will begin to sketch out a possible story outline using a story mountain.
The story mountain shows that something is going to happen, things will get tough, then something happens right at the top of the mountain that changes things or solves the character’s problem, and then things get easier for the character.
Writers will create their own story mountains in their writer’s notebooks or use a provided graphic organizer.(see possible charts)
ML-SGI / Writers will complete sketching out a possible story outline using a story mountain
Writers begin drafting their stories following their completed story mountain organizers
ML-SGI
Conferring Questions- Indicator Three
- What does your main character want? What are the challenges that are getting in the way?
- How are you making decisions about what to plot on your story mountain?
- What is going to be your character’s turning point?
- Is your story realistic?
Possible Charts- Indicator Three
Indicator Four
Writing / Writers will create a progression of small moment scenes that not only tell a sequential, fictional story, but that also reveal the characters’ wants and the problems they face in achieving these wants.
DRAFTING
Lesson 9 / Lesson 10 / Lesson 11 / Lesson 12 / Lesson 13
Writers draft using story booklets. They transfer each named section from their story mountain (i.e.-exposition, rising action, etc.) using a separate page for each section. There will be one page for each section (with the exception of the Rising Action that will have 2 pages)
**Writing focus—emphasis on introducing the setting of the story within the exposition.
ML-SGI / Writers draft using story booklets. They transfer each named section from their story mountain
**Writing Focus—writers introduce a secondary character that interacts with the main character, making their story more believable.
ML / Writers draft using story booklets. They transfer each named section from their story mountain
**Writing Focus—writers use transition words and transitional phrases to show the passage of time as events in their stories unfold.
ML-SGI / Writers draft using story booklets. They transfer each named section from their story mountain
**Writing Focus—writers revisit their stories to ensure that they are using dialogue
that reveals their characters feelings and actions and advances their plot as the story unfolds