Lesson plan - Study Island



|ELA Lesson: Supporting and Developing Topics |Grade Level: 6 |

|Lesson Summary: For pre-assessment, the teacher will ask students for examples of interesting articles and news programs. The teacher will ask for topics and |

|supporting information that make the pieces interesting. Posing as the editor-in-chief, the teacher will ask the class to imagine that they are in a story meeting |

|for a magazine. Students will write possible story topics on note cards. (The teacher may want to allow the students to brainstorm ideas and write a list for |

|homework.) In class, the teacher will tape the cards to the board for feedback. The teacher will explain that information is needed to develop these ideas into |

|stories and will suggest where and how to get this information. Students will submit supporting information on note cards, and the teacher will review and make |

|suggestions as needed. For guided practice, students will outline their articles. For independent practice, students will write the articles based on their |

|outlines. The teacher will gather the articles into thematically based magazines. Advanced learners will propose ideas for TV specials based on their articles. |

|Struggling learners will review each others’ articles and offer feedback. |

|Lesson Objectives: |

| |

|The students will know that… |

|topics and ideas require support and development. |

|relevant facts can provide support and development of topics and ideas. |

| |

|The students will be able to… |

|propose topics of interest. |

|support and develop topics with relevant information. |

|Learning Styles Targeted: |

| |

|x |

|Visual |

|x |

|Auditory |

|x |

|Kinesthetic/Tactile |

| |

|Pre-Assessment: Ask students to provide examples of recent news or magazine articles they have read or news stories they have watched on television. Ask them for |

|the main points of the articles/stories and the details that make the pieces memorable and interesting. |

|Whole-Class Instruction |

|Materials Needed: note cards; paper; pens/pencils |

|Procedure: |

|Ask the class to imagine that they are writers for a news magazine, specifically, a news magazine that is focused on the questions and interests of students their |

|age. Have a planning meeting for future articles, and you, as the editor-in-chief, are interested in the students’ ideas. They have to list topics for articles |

|that would be of interest to their readers. Some could deal with items that are in the news at the moment. Others might be more informational, like health, the |

|environment, or advances in a particular kind of technology. Some might deal with entertainment or human interest. |

| |

|Set up the scenario in the previous class so students will have a chance to think about it. Ask students to write down their ideas on note cards and be prepared to|

|explain them. Role play by pretending that you are the editor-in-chief. (Try to look enthused!) Explain that the magazine needs to keep sales up, “So, let’s be |

|creative, team!” |

| |

|Collect the note cards, and tape them to the board. Then ask students to explain their ideas. Encourage questions for clarification and suggestions. Ask the author|

|of each idea to take notes and consider the comments seriously. |

|Explain that each topic needs to be developed by information that will clarify and support it. Review the students’ ideas, and offer advice as to the kind of |

|information that they need and where they might find it. Direct them toward online and print resources. If appropriate, suggest that students conduct interviews |

|with relevant people to gather information. Explain that the information needs to develop their topics. |

| |

|Ask students to record their information on note cards and submit them. Offer comments and further suggestions if needed. |

| |

|For guided practice, ask students to outline their articles. Encourage them to use their research to develop their ideas, much as they would see in an actual |

|magazine. |

| |

|For independent practice, challenge each student to develop his or her idea into an article. Encourage students to use graphics or illustrations as appropriate. |

| |

|Have volunteers share their articles with the class. Collect the articles, and divide them into magazines with specific themes, such as local news, health, the |

|environment, or education. Put the magazines on display in the school library. |

|Advanced Learner |

|Materials Needed: paper; pens/pencils |

|Procedure: |

|Challenge each student to expand his or her article into an idea for a television special. Have each student list possible segments and/or prospective interviews. |

| |

|If time permits, have students exchange papers and comment on the writers’ ideas. |

|Struggling Learner |

|Materials Needed: paper; pens/pencils |

|Procedure: |

|Review with students the importance of supporting a topic with relevant details. |

| |

|Break students into pairs, and ask students to review each others’ articles. Have the reviewer draw up a list of questions for the author. |

| |

|Have students share their responses and revise their articles if necessary. Provide guidance and support as needed. |

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