Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade – Expository/Explanatory ...

Week 1

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

Planning Calendar

Immersion-Doing the work of writers

What is expository writing? Idea Development

Immersion-Doing the work of writers

Idea Development

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher; Breathing Life into Essays by Lucy Calkins

Resource: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Immersion-Doing the work of writers

Immersion-Doing the work of writers

Immersion-Doing the work of writers

Idea Development Choosing Mentor Text

Idea Development Organization

Resources: Breathing Life into Essays by Lucy Calkins; Crunch time by Gretchen Bernabei

Idea Development Organization

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher; Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli

Organization Writing a lead

Idea Development Organization

Writing a lead

Idea Development Organization

Conclusions

Idea Development Organization

Conclusions

Voice

Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts

by Dorfman and Cappelli

by Dorfman and Cappelli

by Dorfman and Cappelli

by Dorfman and Cappelli

by Dorfman and Cappelli

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Word Choice

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher; Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli; Creating

Young Writers by Vicki Spandel

Organization/Word Choice Text Structures

Organization Text Features

Resource: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher; Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli

Idea Development Examples and Explanations

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher; Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli

Idea Development Using Expert Quotes

Resource: Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli

Week 5

Organization Paragraphs

Resources: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Revision Word Choice

Revision Word Choice

Revision Voice

Revision Build a Cohesive Draft

Resources: The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard; Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Resource: The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard

Resource: Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Resource: Breathing Life into Essays by Lucy Calkins

Week 6

Revision Build a Cohesive Draft

Resource: Breathing Life into Essays by Lucy Calkins

Revision Sentence Fluency

Resource: The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard

Editing

Resource: Writing Workshop-The Essential Guide by Portalupi and Fletcher

Publishing

Reflection Celebration

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 1 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings

Genre Characteristics/Attributes Expository writing is written to explain something It can be an identification, a definition, a classification, an illustration, a comparison, or an analysis Explains how something happens, how something works Organized by ideas Held together by an idea that is developed across the whole text Written so the reader can think about the topic May cite expert sources to support their topic sentence Use a variety of organizational structures and modes

Craft Expository writers get ideas from their lives, their passions, and topics they have expertise in Expository writers write about a variety of self-selected topics They use interesting word choice, topic-specific vocabulary, various text structures and text features to convey their ideas Use voice to convey a unique perspective on their topic and make their writing interesting Expository writers use strong verbs, sensory images, and precise descriptive language Use captivating leads and strong conclusions Use an "expert tone" to convey a sense of authority on their topic

Writing Process Expository writers examine and model their writing after mentor texts Expository writers brainstorm topics and use expert lists to choose a topic They determine an audience and purpose for writing Use graphic organizers to plan their writing They write a topic sentence that expresses the big idea Expository writers write drafts, using their plan to organize their ideas into paragraphs Expository writers include supporting sentences with facts, details, and explanations Expository writers revise and edit their writing They publish their writing using a variety of formats

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Essential Questions

How will I choose a topic for my expository writing?

What will be my central idea?

How will I include supporting sentences with facts, details and explanations? How can I identify nonfiction writing?

What nonfiction text features will I use to support my writing?

How will I use mentor texts to guide my writing?

How can I use graphic organizers to plan and organize my writing?

How can I use voice to bring life to my writing?

What descriptive words can I use that paints a picture for my reader?

Who is my audience and what is my purpose?

What will I learn from reading and talking about my writing with others?

What conventions will I use in my writing?

How can I revise and edit my writing?

How will I publish and share my work with others?

TEKS

17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, 18Aiiv, 20Ai-iii, 20B, 20C, 22Aviii

Resources

Professional Books

Breathing Life into Essays by Lucy Calkins

Nonfiction Mentor Texts by Dorfman and Cappelli

Crunchtime by Gretchen Bernabei

The Reviser's Toolbox by Barry Lane

ELPS

1C, 1E, 3E, 5F, 5D, 3E, 1A, 5G

The Revision Toolbox by Georgia Heard

Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Portalupi and Fletcher

Writing Workshop The Essential Guide by Portalupi and Fletcher

Creating Young Writers by Vicki Spandel

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 2 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

Third grade students bring particular strengths to the world of nonfiction writing. Like younger children, they continue to show interest in the world around them. But unlike their younger brothers and sisters, they are often armed with more than what they have learned from experience. They don't gather everything they know from firsthand experience. They learn from watching television, looking at pictures in books and magazines, and reading about them. This era of content confidence makes nonfiction writing a natural for many students this age. (Fletcher & Portalupi; Nonfiction Craft Lessons)

When composing nonfiction, writers often have more than one purpose in a given text. What young writers always need to be aware of is who their audience is and what information they are trying to convey. Keeping these things in mind will enable them to make wise decisions about what information they should include and help them avoid simply writing down everything that comes to mind. We need to help children discover that they can write for the purpose of instruction, the purpose of scientific explanation-why something happens, or to simply describe. As teachers, we must help students discover what the types of nonfiction writing look like and the structures and features that competent writers use when writing for specific purposes. Students need to be introduced to the different purposes of writing. They need to know how to plan, compose, revise, and publish text types apart from narrative. (Stead; Is That a Fact?)

Before we can write expository text well, we must first read, study, and name the characteristics that we notice about expository texts. If possible, begin reading many different examples of expository texts a couple of weeks before starting the unit of study. At the beginning of the study, the students and teacher(s) spend the first part of writing workshop reading, talking, noticing, and then sharing their observations about expository texts. It is essential for children to develop the ability to read and name their understandings of or characteristics of the genre they wish to write.

Considerations: Create opportunities for students to hear and read expository texts. Encourage small group and partner reading of the texts, and offer independent reading time with plenty of expository texts available to read. Such exposure and immersion encourages students to enjoy expository texts, observe what writers do, and see possibilities for their own writing.

About the Unit: This unit of study is designed to help students with the challenge of learning to write well within an expository structure. As teachers, we must highlight the essential moves a good writer makes, and show all students that these moves are within their reach. Children will profit by our scaffolding and support. We can teach students to write thesis-driven statements that are supported with main ideas and details. This will create writing that takes a reader on a journey of thought. This unit will develop a repertoire of strategies for collecting ideas, idea development, organization, word choice and voice. Finally, we will help students write rough drafts and do lots of revision and editing while learning as much as possible about logical thought.

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 3 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

FRAMEWORK FOR WRITING WORKSHOP

TIME TO TEACH

Ongoing demonstrations are necessary to ensure that students have ideas for writing, expectations for quality, and an understanding of the elements the genre so

they apply them to their own work, and the knowledge and confidence to write independently.

Mini-Lesson

10 to 15 minutes

Demonstrations/modeling may involve one or more of the following, or any combination of these, depending on your purposes:

Students are gathered up close and on the floor. The way we start the workshop should set the tone for the rest of that block of time.

New focus lesson on one aspect of the genre

Teacher thinking aloud and writing in front of students, modeling what the students are expected to do

Reviewing a previous lesson from the previous day or days before

Sharing a piece of children's writing that supports the lesson or work we've been doing in the genre

Reading and discussing a genre and its characteristics

Reviewing workshop routines or ways to use materials

TIME TO PRACTICE Independent writing: time for children to think, write, and talk about their writing either with classmates or with the teacher in individual conferences or

Work & Practice Time

guided writing groups

30 to 40 minutes

TIME TO SHARE

At the end of the workshop, children gather to share their work. Typically, children who share are the ones the teacher has had individual conferences with

Sharing and Celebrating 5 to 10 minutes

that particular day. These children share the teaching points and teach the class what they learned. Students may share completed work with peers.

Independent Work: Explain to students that when it's time for independent writing, the first thing they should do is reread a little bit of what you already wrote the day

before. Then you have two choices. You can keep writing on the same piece or you can start a new piece. If you want to continue with the same pieces, just write the date in the

margins. Model this on chart paper. Have a poster ready to remind students what they need to do.

Conferencing: Affirming Writers' Efforts

Circulate the room, stopping to briefly talk with students. The following are typical comments: Why did you choose this topic? Tell me the story. What is the important part you want to focus on? Capture and celebrate the writing "gems." Listen and look for writings "gems" ? those words or phrases that are especially powerful. When a child says or writes one, may stop and draw everyone's attention to what the writer has done well. This should continue every day.

Assessment: What students/teacher will complete as documentation of growth

What We Know About Writing

(genre) chart (pre-and post study)

Student work samples from beginning, middle, and end of study with anecdotal notes

Rough and final draft work

Reflection

End of unit rubric

25 minutes for reading aloud and discussion 15 minutes independent or small group work

10 minutes for a share

Writing Workshop Structure During Immersion

(Framework is ONLY for Immersion) Read mentor texts to the class. Stop periodically to share thoughts, observations, or inquiries about text.

Optional activities can be done at the meeting area or students' desks. Share work that was done or ideas that were discussed.

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 4 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

Suggestions for Mentor Text

Choose a selection of texts from the extensive list below to use as mentor texts throughout the unit. The texts you choose will be studied during the immersion week. Read through the lessons before determining which texts you will choose for the immersion week to use as mentor texts.

Hummingbirds: Tiny but Mighty by Julianne Gehman Soccer Counts by Barbara Barbieri McGrath Quilt Counting by Lesa Cline-Ransome Avalanche by Stephen Kramer

Texts that highlight idea development and organization: Poison Dart Frogs- by Jennifer Owlings Dewey A Caribou Journey by Debbie S. Miller Arlene Sardine by Christopher Raschka Weird Friends: Unlikely Allies in the Animal Kingdom by Jose Aruego & Ariane

Dewey Water by Cassie Mayer Yellow by Lisa Bruce What Lays Eggs by Katherine Gracestone Bears by Amy Algie Chameleons Are Cool by Martin Jenkins Living Color by Steve Jenkins Animal Acrostics David Hummon Super Swimmers: Whales, Dolphins and Other Mammals of the Sea by Caroline

Arnold Whales and Dolphins by Susanna Davidson Volcanoes by Judith Bauer Stamper Let's Go Home by Cynthia Rylant How to Lose All Your Friends by Nancy Carlson

Organization: Into the Sea by Brenda Z. Guiberson All About Rattlesnakes by Jim Arnosky Are You a Snail? by Judy Allen Walk On! A Guide for Babies of All Ages by Marla Frazee Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies Cactus Caf?- The Story of the Sonoran Desert by Kathleen Weider Zoehfeld All About Frogs by Jim Arnosky Honeybees by Deborah Heiligman The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! by Jean Fritz Babe Ruth Saves Baseball! by Fran Murphy Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Beacons of Light: Lighthouses by Gail Gibbons Lightning by Stephen Kramer Everglades by Jean Craigheah George Penny: The Forgotten Corn by Denise Brennan Nelson The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies Teammates by Peter Golenbock Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman by

Kathleen Krull The Legend of the Teddy Bear by Frank Murphy Edna by Robert Burleigh Fireboat: The Hurricane Adventure of the John J Harvey by Maria Kalman Always Inventing: The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Frank Murphy It's True! We Came From Slime by Ken Mc Namara Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins Are You a Spider? by Judy Allen The Snail's Spell by Joanne Ryder Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone Vote! by Eileen Christelow Owls by Sandra Markle Stars Beneath Your Bed: The Surprising Story of Dust by April Pulley Syrea The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles Micucci When Marian Sang by Pan Munoz Ryan The Great Houdini: World Famous Magician and Escape Artist by Monica Kulling Out of Sight: Pictures of Hidden Worlds by Seymour Simon Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon by Jeannine Atkins Behold...The Universe! by Gail Gibbons

Idea Development/ Word Choice: Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner Animal Dads- by Sneed B Collard III The Moon and You by E.C. Krupp It's Disgusting & We Ate It! True Food Facts from around the World and throughout

History by James Solheim Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts About How Animals Adapt by Joanne Settel Gold: The Story of Why People Search for It, Mine It, Hoard It, Shape It, Wear It,

Fight and Kill for It by Milton Meltzer The Top of the World: Climbing Mt. Everest by Steve Jenkins (sub titles) A Medieval Feast by Aliki

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 5 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012

Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

Idea Development/ Word Choice: (cont) Spiders by Cullen The Great Fire by Jim Murphy Meet the Octopus by Sylvia James From Egg to Butterfly by David Drew The Key to Maps by Harley Chan Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan The Wonder in Water by David Swanson Arctic Lights Arctic Nights by Debbie S. Miller Everglades by Jean Craighead George My River by Shari Halpern Where the River Begins by Thomas Locker A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry River of Life by Debbie S. Miller The Goodbye Walk by Joanne Ryder A True-or-False Book of Horses by Patricia Lauber The Inventor's Times Real-Life Stories of 30 Amazing Creations by Dan Driscoll &

James Zigarelli In November by Cynthia Rylant Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus by Barbara Bash How Many Legs? Learning to Multiply Using Repeated Addition by Kristine Lalley Frog Life Cycle by Justin McCory Martin One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies Who Would Win? Polar Bear vs. Grizzly Bear by Jerry Pallotta Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies Fantastic Feeders by Tim Knight Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals by Kelly MacAulay and Bobbie Kalman Wolves by Seymor Simon Gentle Giant Octopus by Karen Wallace One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan The Wonder in Water by Diane Swanson Arctic Lights Arctic Nights- Debbie S. Miller Everglades by Jean Craighead George My River by Shari Halpern Where the River Begins by Thomas Locker A River Ran Wild- by Lynne Cherry The Goodbye Walk by Joanne Ryder Just Me and 6,000 Rats: A Tale of Conjunctions by Rick Walton If You Were a Conjunction by Nancy Loewen Colonial Times From A to Z by Bobby Kalman How To Talk To Your Cat by Jean Craighead George How Baseball Works- by Keltie Thomas Lacrosse in Action by John Crossingham The Sky Boys: How They Build the Empire State Building by Deborah Hopkinson Burp: The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read by Diane Swanson

Descriptive language: Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan Fantastic Feeders by Tim Knight (The writer describes the world's largest flower by

including its measurements for length and weight in both metric and standard units) Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies (The writer uses a series of comparisons to other animals so the reader can visualize the size of the whale) The Moon and You by E.C. Krupp (Uses comparisons to describe the moon) The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies (vivid verbs) Hummingbirds: Tiny but Mighty by J. Gehman

Uses examples and explanations: Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals by Kelly MacAulay and Bobbie Kalman (Commas

are used by writers to include definitions or explanations in their writing)

2nd person point of view: Are You a Spider? Are You An Ant? both by Judy Allen Take a Backyard Bird Walk by Jane Kirkland The Snail's Spell by Joanne Ryder.

Texts about the same subject but different focus-Extended titles/subtitles: Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books (Winters), Abe Lincoln's Hat (Brenner),

Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln: The Story of the Gettysburg Address (Fritz) Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars (Brenner), From

Beans to Chocolate (Snyder), How Monkeys Make Chocolate (Forsyth), Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History (Markle).

Use expert quotes as supporting details to liven up writing "Is Your Backpack a Backbreaker?"#46905 from ; "Kiss a Frog?

Don't Even Touch It!" from #46905; "Elephants Help Autistic Kids in Thailand" by #46095

Articles articles

Spanish All the Colors We Are/Todos los colores de nuestra piel by Katie Kissinger Dolphins/Delfines by Kathleen Pohl Las patas del flamenco by Emma Romeu Mariposas/Butterflies by Jason Cooper Sea Horses/Caballitos de mar by Valerie J. Weber Those Mean Nasty Dirty Downright Disgusting but...Invisible Germs/Esos

desagradables detestables sucios completamente asquerosos pero...invisibles g?rmenes by Judith Anne Rice

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 6 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012

Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

WEEK ONE: IMMERSION This immersion lesson should span across the week, while the teacher continues to add to the anchor chart: Characteristics of Expository Writing Immersion- Doing the work of writers. Look for opportunities during this week to notice/discuss the structures found in expository text. You may find authors using more than one structure within one text to clarify their writing. It will be important to make students aware (not teach) of these structures and why the author may have used them. Be sure to mark in the mentor text (to access during the unit) and add to chart where these organizational patterns are noticed. Refer back to them during the unit. Common organizational patterns of expository text include:

Description -- features or characteristics of the topic are described. Some examples may be provided. Sequence -- events or items are listed or ordered chronologically. Comparison -- the subject or topic is compared and contrasted with other things or events. Cause and Effect -- the author explains the cause of an event and the result. Problem and Solution -- a problem is presented and solutions are proposed.

Mini-lesson 1. Introduce new unit of study. For the next few weeks we will be studying and writing expository or non-fiction texts. We will start by spending this week reading and talking

about expository/non-fiction texts like the ones we want to write. We are going to learn from the pros. 2. Read expository mentor texts aloud. 3. Discuss and chart the features and craft that students notice in the expository texts (see Genre Characteristics/Attributes, under Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings).

Sample Chart Expository Writing Characteristics

Expository writing is written differently than narrative and poetry. Uses facts to explain or describe Includes different structures such as descriptions, sequencing, cause/effect, compare/ contrast, problem/solution Uses descriptive words Includes text features such as life cycles, close-ups, cut-ways, timelines, table of contents, glossary (Create a chart of these text features with examples for students to use as a

reference throughout the study. This chart will be used during week three.) Diagrams/Lists Uses strong leads and conclusions Reflects author's voice (Consider listing mentor text and page number.) Uses a variety of sentence beginnings and transitions Uses supporting details that are clear, concise and focused on the selected topic Includes interesting word choice and text features to enhance writing Text structures may be embedded in the text. Structures include descriptive, sequencing, compare/contrast, cause and effect, and problem/solution.

Consider Class discussion comparing the differences between expository text and narrative text. Chart the differences. Begin a topics discussion about what/why the authors chose to write about. Begin a chart to add to

through-the unit.

Independent Work 4. Students will read a variety of expository texts to notice characteristics. Students may read with a partner

to discuss the characteristics and the topics in the texts they read and mark with a sticky note parts they find interesting and worth noting.

Differences Between Expository Texts and Narratives

Expository

Narrative

*Organized by ideas *Held together by ideas that are developed *Written to explain something *Written so the reader can think about the topic *Doesn't have characters

*Organized by a plot *Tells what happens in a sequence *Written to tell a story *Written to entertain *Has characters

Share 5. Students will share the characteristics and topics that they have found in their expository texts. Add to chart. This immersion lesson should span across the week, while the teacher continues to add to the anchor chart: Characteristics of Expository Writing

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 7 Revised 9/11

Humble ISD 2011-2012 Third Grade ? Expository/Explanatory - Unit of Study

WEEK TWO: IDEA DEVELOPMENT

Idea Development

Mini-lesson: Brainstorming Topics 1. Tell students that authors of non-fiction

are experts in their field. Refer back to mentor texts read last week. 2. Ask students to Think/Pair/Share about a topic that they know something about (ex. Dogs, Cats, Pets, Bicycle, Skateboard, Baseball, Football). 3. Teacher guides the class in making an Expert Topic List chart. 4. Class will choose a couple of topics from Expert Topic List and brainstorm everything they know about those general topics (creating separate lists for each). 5. Example: list of what we know about Dogs: grooming a dog, walking a dog, feeding a dog, playing with a dog, teaching a dog, different kinds of dogs, do some dogs make bad pets? Etc. 6. Teacher guides the class to decide which would make a better topic to write about, based on which expert list contains the most interesting information that other people might not know about. 7. Begin chart: Good Writers of Expository Non-fiction Writing... Add to this chart throughout the unit of study.

Independent Work 8. Students will create their own Expert

Topic List. Students will choose a few topics from their Expert Topic List and brainstorm everything they know about the chosen topics. Students may decide today which topic will work best for their first expository piece. 9. Teacher will confer with individual students as they create expert lists.

Share 10. Students will share their Expert Topic

List and their brainstorming ideas from their chosen topic.

Humble ISD 2011-2012 3rd Grade Writing

Idea Development/Organization

Mini-lesson: Select a topic and narrow the focus 1. Connect to previous lesson. The teacher shares that he/she

wants to write about a topic (outer space) from her expert list, but doesn't know where to begin. After all, outer space is very big! 2. Access prior knowledge: Ask students, What can I do about this problem as a writer? How can I possibly tell all there is to tell about outer space? 3. Model by leading students into a discussion on narrowing the focus of the writing. Make a graphic organizer (web, tree, or list) that demonstrates how to narrow the topics to focus on. (Example: Jupiter's moons, solar flares, asteroid belt, satellites.) Choose one that the teacher thinks will be interesting and easy to write about, because he/she knows a lot about it. Good writers select a topic and narrow the focus. 4. Explain: Many authors write about the same topic. For example, there are lots of books about sharks, bears, and Abraham Lincoln. But each book might focus on a different aspect of that animal, person, or things. Today I am going to show you how you can write an expository piece about the same topic as someone else but make different points. 5. Show students some different books about the same topic that have a different narrowed focus. Any mentor texts about the same subject will work. 6. Examples: Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books (Winters), Abe Lincoln's Hat (Brenner), Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln: The Story of the Gettysburg Address (Fritz) or Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars (Brenner), From Beans to Chocolate (Snyder), How Monkeys Make Chocolate (Forsyth), Smart About Chocolate: A Sweet History (Markle).

Independent Work 7. Students use their expert lists and choose a topic to write about.

They will create a list or graphic organizer to narrow the focus. Teacher will confer with students as they narrow their focus.

Share 8. Teacher identifies a few students to share their original (broad)

topic, their list of narrowed choices, and the one they chose to write about. Discuss: How does narrowing your focus help you as a writer? Why is it important to narrow your focus before you begin writing?

Idea Development- Some students will be ready to start writing within a day, while others may need more time to plan and organize their work.

Mini-Lesson: Choosing a Mentor Text "I want to write like that." 1. Teacher models/thinks aloud, creating own focused

list. Your thinking aloud and writing will model and inspire students to make their own list. 2. Reiterate what a mentor text is and how the students can/will use a mentor text to help them write. Model the process of choosing mentor books. "I want to write a piece like that." 3. With the students create a list of the qualities of a good mentor expository text. 4. Teacher models/thinking aloud choosing a mentor text to model writing from. Take the students through the specific points for choosing the mentor text.

Choosing an Expository Mentor Text You love it

-It is interesting to you

It has: -a strong lead -supporting details that relate to the topic -good word choice -strong conclusion -transitions -text features

Independent Work 5. If students have not chosen their topic from the lesson

yesterday, students will finish their lists and choose their topics before choosing a mentor text. 6. Give students the opportunity to look through the mentor texts as they choose a text to model their writing from. 7. How will students access their mentor/chosen expository books? Students can mark or copy. (The teacher can make a copy for students.) T conferences with students, guiding them in choosing a mentor text. I want to write a piece like that.

Share 8. Students volunteer to share their topic/idea list with the

class, as well as the mentor text they chose and tell why.

Expository Writing, Weeks 1-6 8 Revised 9/11

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