Kaitlynn Gilbert
Informational Writing Unit OverviewName: Kaitlynn Gilbert Grade Level: 3rd GradeSchool: Scott School MT: Monique ZarotneyDescribe your target area for guided lead teaching:My target area for guided lead teaching is writing. I will specifically be focusing on informational writing. My class will be participating in the Big Zoo Lesson during the unit, in which we are at the Potter Park Zoo all day for one week. While at the zoo, there are designated times I will be teaching writing lessons. Throughout the zoo week, students will be observing one animal for an hour each day. From their observations they will create an informational report about their animal in order to teach an audience about that animal. My unit will specifically focus on students learning to write in the informational genre, including creating strong research questions, organizing research, writing drafts, and revising. My goal is that all students will learn how to successfully write, organize, and revise a draft that keeps an authentic audience in mind. List the main Common Core State Standard(s) that this unit will work toward.The Common Core Standards I will work towards are:W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. Including W.3.2 a, b, cW.3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. W.3.5: With guidance and support from adults and peers, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.W.3.10: Write 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 disciplines—specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.List a small set of well-chosen objectives for the unit. Label each objective with a number so you can easily list the objective(s) for each day in the table below Objective #1: Students will generate at least 5 thoughtful research questions and gather information to answer these questions by observing their animal for one hour each day for five days.Objective #2: Students will organize and write a well-developed draft of an informational report that can teach an audience about their animal using at least 3 subtopics. Objective #3: Students will revise and reflect on their draft by using at least 2 different organizational structures and incorporating at least 1 example of elaboration as modeled from a non-fiction mentor text. Provide a rationale for why your overall goals and your specific objectives are important and worthwhile content or skills to learn, and how they are relevant to your students’ lives.Writing informational text is a skill that will carry students throughout their entire life. Students need to be comfortable using writing as a tool to organize, reflect, and teach knowledge to others. It is important to give third graders the foundational skills needed to write an informational text. Students will need to know how to write informational texts for high school, college, and the job market. Most of the writing that lies ahead of these students is not writing personal narratives or fairy tales, but rather, an informational piece. Information writing is a wide genre in that it can include newspaper articles, nonfiction books, websites, textbooks, research articles, blogs, etc. To give students the foundational skills necessary to write in this genre will be crucial for their future. Researching and creating open-ended questions are tricky skills, but they need to be taught at a young age so that students are more comfortable as they reach higher-grade levels. Writing to an authentic audience of their parents and classmates will also allow students to take ownership of their writing, and it also serves as a purpose for revision. List the main assessment(s) you will use to determine if your students meet your unit objectives for the unit Draft at the end of the unit (use draft-in-process rubric from Writer’s Essentials & Lucy Calkins informational writing checklist for Grade 3)Writer’s notebooks for evidence of research questions, information from observations, and attempts to try different organizational structuresStudent’s verbal responses during active engagement/guided teaching lessons.Anecdotal notes from observing and conferencing with students during independent work timeIndicate with an asterisk (*) which lessons will require your explicit attention in planning and teaching to develop the core practice you identified for your professional learning.Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 5, Day 8, Day 10 (see below)Core practice: Mini-lessonsDescribe what you will do to provide differentiated instruction in one area (content, processes or products), and explain how that choice appropriately meets some of your students’ learning needs:The differentiated instruction I will be focusing on is processes. Many of my lessons have a variety of participation structures: independent work, small group work, writing partners, and whole group. This allows students with different comfort levels to participate. Some students work better and are more focused when working individually, while others may learn best when collaborating with their classmates. Providing a selection of these structures throughout one lesson will meet the needs of most learners in my class. I will also be stressing freedom of choice throughout my lessons. The students will be introduced to many organizational structures and suggestions for revisions, but they will be able to choose the best that work for them, and the structures they are most comfortable with. Since the writing abilities and skills in my class is so diverse this will allow students to challenge themselves or work with a structure that is at their level. I have also varied the pacing of the lessons I will be teaching. Some lessons will be jam-packed with mini-lessons, active engagement, independent time, and sharing; however, other lessons will allow time for students to work independently, confer with me, or work in small need-based groups. This allows for flexibility in those students who may need more time to develop their drafts. I also will provide many visuals throughout my lessons, including mentor picture book texts, anchor charts, and students’ writing samples. This will help to meet the learning styles of those visual learners. Most of my lessons also include some type of movement (from whole group to partners to individual work). This will help those students who have attention issues and strive for movement throughout the day.List the following for each lessonLesson Focus/Topic Objective # that is the focus of this lessonInstructional Format (e.g., mini-lesson followed by a group activity)Ongoing Assessment: What will you look for as you teach, and how will you use that information to plan your next lesson?Teaching Notes: jot down topics, resources or tasks you want to make sure you incorporate into your lesson as you develop your plans such as introducing centers that day, or making sure you provide an anchor chart on predictions, or what you will focus on to develop your ‘core practice’*Day 1: Generating questions to research by creating a list of 5 things they want to learn about their zoo animal. After modeling from the teacher, students will make a T-chart to create a list of what they already know about their animal and what they wonder about their animal. (W.3.8, W.3.5)Objective #1Mini-lesson: I will model creating a T-chart of what I already know & questions I wonder about a specific animal (grizzly bear).Writing Partners:Students brainstorm what they would like to learn about their animal & talk to a partner about this.Independent Work: Students create T-chart in their writer’s notebooks of things they want to learn and things they already know.Whole-Group Share: Students share in an inside-out circle what questions you will be looking to answer when you observe your animals.-Collect writer’s notebooks to check for completed T-charts & at least 5 questions they want to research -Observe & listen to students brainstorm ideas with writing partnersI will look to see that students have at least 5 questions they would like to research and explore during their observations. I will also look to see how many of the students’ questions are yes/no questions and how many are bigger questions. -Reiterate norms/expectations of writing partners-Focus on making mini-lesson only 10-15 minutes!-Gradual release of responsibility model (I do, we do, you do)-Need chart paper & markers-Make sure to have ideas in mind of what I know & want to learn about the grizzly bear (be sure to include a couple ‘thin’ questions for tomorrow’s lesson) *Day 2: Revising their research questions by changing at least 1 thin (answered with a yes or no) question into a thick (bigger, more puzzling) question. Students will look at the list of research questions from yesterday and work to revise any thin questions into thick questions. (W.3.8, W.3.5)Objective #1Mini-lesson: Review questions from yesterday on my T-chart, demonstrate thin questions, and rephrase them to be THICK questions. I will also discuss why we are changing their questions into THICK questions. Writing Partners: Students work with partners to discuss each other’s questions and put a checkmark next to the thin questions.Independent Work: Students re-word thin questions into THICK questions (remind students to think of the questions their readers will have)Whole-Group Share: Quick share around circle of one question you revised-Review students writer’s notebooks to be sure they revised their thin questions into THICK questions-If students struggled to do this, I may have to address this again tomorrow. It is important that students have strong questions to help guide them through their observations.-Students’ verbal responses when working with partners. What questions do they believe they need to revise? Are they giving suggestions for ways to revise?-Reinforce norms/expectations of writing partners-Reinforce importance of thinking about the audience of your report-Be sure to be clear on modifying thin questions into thick questions-Focus on connecting yesterday’s lesson to today’s lesson, as students benefit greatly from making these connections explicit*Day 3: Students will verbally teach about their animal to their writing partners while being sure to divide their topic into subtopics (appearance, diet, habitat, etc.). Their subtopics will correspond with the answers they have found to the 5 questions from the previous lessons. Students will verbally teach this by using their hands as graphic organizers. (Students will have had time to collect information and observations about their animal prior to this lesson)(W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.4, W.3.8)Objective #2Mini-Lesson: Model how to use my fingers as graphic organizers to help me structure a list of subtopics for my animalWriting Partners:Partners will teach each other about their animal, dividing their topic into subtopics.Small Groups:Groups will work in the four corners of the room, and each member will teach about his or her topic to the group. -I will actively listen & record observations of partners and small groups (coaching as needed) when they share their teaching plans with each other.-Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 1-Use the idea of a “symphony share” at the beginning of the mini-lesson-Practice “talking across my fingers” prior to this lesson-Remind students of norms/expectations for partners & small groups (responsible, respectful, safe)-Have several prompts in mind of ways their mind should be thinking: “Another I know is…”, “Another important idea is…”, “For example…”, “This is interesting because…”.Day 4: Creating a list of teacher moves that information writers should borrow and then continue drafting but keeping in mind students need to write to teach an audience. (W.3.2a., W.3.2b, W.3.4, W.3.8)Objective #2Whole-Group Lesson:Students will be reminded of the teaching they did yesterday. We will create an anchor chart of teaching moves that information writers should borrow. I will also briefly introduce the information-writing checklist at this time before students have begun working on their drafts so they are aware of what they are aiming for as they work.Independent Work:Students will begin working on their drafts of their animal reports, using the ideas we created in the anchor chart and keeping the “reader in mind”. -I will write students names next to the ideas they generate for the anchor chart.-I will conference briefly with students as they begin drafting: How are you organizing your draft? How are you making sure you are teaching your topic to the reader? I will have students highlight where they are using any of the ideas from the anchor chart. -Based on the drafts that students have at the end of the lesson, I will be able to determine the organization structure that students are using or not using (flows into tomorrow’s lesson).-Refer to: Teaching Moves that Information Writers Should Borrow (p. 10 Lucy Calkins) & make overhead/copies of this chart for students to put into their writer’s notebooks-Make copies of student work samples from previous years (ask MT about this) to show students*Day 5: Making plans to organize drafts by sharing and writing a table of contents that divides up their topic into at least 3 parts and follows a logical structure.(W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.5, W.3.10)Objective #2 & 3Mini-lesson: Model several ways my animal report about the grizzly bear could be structured using my hands as graphic organizers Writing Partners:Students share their different ways to divide or organize their animal report with a partner. Independent Work: Students will look at the examples of table of contents on their tables & write a table of contents in their writer’s notebooks dividing up their topic into sub-topics. I will suggest to students to make several different tables of contents. Whole-Group Share: Share a few examples of student work that shows logical structure.-I will listen to partners as they share to check on their comprehension and offer support. For example, if the partners are silent, I will share an example I heard from another pair and share it with the class. -I will collect students’ notebooks and look over the different tables of contents they created. -I will conference with students during independent work time by having them choose the best table of contents and answering, “Do my chapters follow a logical sequence?” and “How can I make sure that readers learn what they want to know, when they want to know it?”-If students are struggling to create a table of contents with a logical structure, I may need to continue this lesson the next day instead of moving into other organizational structures.-Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 2-Create a rough draft in my writer’s notebook written without any organizational structure-Make copies of table of contents pages from National Geographic magazines to put in the middle of each table (on CD)-Use Deadliest Animals mentor text to show table of contents-Create “Strong Tables of Contents” chart and make copies for students to tape into their writer’s notebook (on CD)-Mini-lesson: Stress to students the importance of revising early in the writing process. -Check to make sure that students know what a table of contents is before this lesson (pre-assessment)-Mid-workshop Teaching: Show students the table of contents for Deadliest Animals and determine if it has a logical structure…point out how author has jazzed up the chapter names (Deadly Surprises, Scary Snakes, Ferocious Fish, Deadliest of All). Day 6: Teacher models revision at the beginning of the writing process by applying different organizational structures (boxes and bullets, cause and effect, pros and cons, and compare and contrast) to a topic and its sub-topics. (W.3.2a, W.3.2b, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.8, W.3.10)Objective #3Whole-Group Lesson: I will model different structures (boxes and bullets, cause and effect, pros and cons, compare and contrast) based on topics and subtopics that lend themselves more naturally to each structure. Partner Work:Students will work with their writing partners to share the two or three structures they want to try. Individual Work:Students will write at the top of their page the 2 or 3 structures that they want to try. Students can choose to: revise their tables of contents with new ideas and structures or continue writing their drafts.-After I model a structure, I will observe and record anecdotal notes of what students are doing. If students are struggling with a particular structure, I will encourage them to go back to a previous structure. -I will give informal feedback to students, such as using thumbs up if I think they are on to something. -I will collect students’ writer’s notebooks to review the structures they used effectively. According to my objectives, students are required to only use 2 of these structures when revising, so I will highlight to students which structures they seem to be most comfortable with in order to provide them guidance for tomorrow’s lesson. -Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 3-Prep beforehand: my grizzly bear report organized into a variety of structures (look at models on p. 24-25)-Need chart paper and markers-Refer students to all of the anchor charts we have created and are in their writer’s notebook-Teaching Point: LET THE STUDENT SET THE AGENDA. Listen to the goals and structures that students have to support them. Day 7: Students will continue drafting their reports for 30 minutes.(W.3.2, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.10)Objective #2Quick Whole Group:I will fire up students to begin drafting. I will remind them to review their tables of contents and start with the chapter that feels easiest to them. Independent work: Students will work on their animal report drafts for this entire session. I will be stressing writing stamina and writing “fast and furious”. Goal: Write at least one page per chapter. Small-Group Share:Students will share with their group their favorite sentences they have written so far or their proudest achievement on this project.-I will be conferencing and working with small groups today. I will first move quickly around the room, using nonverbal cues to settle those kids down who have attention issues: tap on child’s notebook, a gesture, a firm thumbs up.-If students are struggling to get started, I will have prompts: “Your hand should be flying down the page”, “Pretend to be teaching someone in your mind. Hear the words, then write like all get-out to get them down.” -I may pull small groups of struggling writers to help them come up with a list of things information writers include: quotations, statistics, observations, descriptions, vocabulary words, labels, etc.-I will collect students’ drafts at the end of the session to determine how much students wrote & what organizational structures they attempted to use. This will help guide the lesson for tomorrow.-Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 4-Collect my animal report & any others to show students—highlight the information in the text-Review conference types from Writing Essentials text for ways to have effective conferences-Stress the norms of independent writing time: quiet, calm space, etc.*Day 8: Students will apply the organizational structures they have learned to their reports by drafting an alternative structure for the upcoming chapter or revising a previous chapter. (W.3.2.a, W.3.2b, W.3.4, W.3.5)Objective #2 & 3Mini-lesson: I will model and discuss the difference between novice and proficient tables of contents. I will explain and demonstrate quick planning for a text by linking that planning a strong table of contents is the same as planning the organization of any information writing.Writing Partners: Students will think about how they will organize a chapter to write it well. Students verbally practice their plans for one of the chapters in their report and write in the air the first line or two of their chapters with their partner. Independent Work:Students will either consider an alternative structure for the upcoming chapter or revise a previous chapter. -I will listen and observe partners as they practice their organization plans. I will listen for the ways in which they plan to organize a chapter. -I will also work with students during independent time & have them self-assess using the Informational Writing Checklist. This will give me a guide of any misconceptions that the whole group may have in tomorrow’s lesson. -I will work with small groups of students to scaffold them as they write/revise a chapter. I will have them look over their table of contents, create a table of contents for one chapter, and then draft that chapter. -I will again collect students’ drafts at the end of the lesson. I will determine which areas of the objectives students need to work on: using an organizational structure, using 3 sub-topics, and writing to teach the audience about the animal. -Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 5-Make overheads of two fictional tables of contents (pg. 37)-Hang up “Strong Tables of Contents” anchor chart-Make: sentence strip with the heading “Strong Information Writing” to place over “Strong Tables of Contents” on the chart-Make copy of my table of contents for one of my chapters to draft in front of students-Organizing an informational text anchor chartDay 9: We will introduce the informational writing checklist and review a piece of student work together using the checklist. (W.3.2.a,, W.3.2b, W.3.4, W.3.5)Objective #2 & 3Whole group lesson: Review information-writing checklist to students & read it through with students. Review a piece of student work together & use the checklist as you go along. I will first review the areas I will be looking for, and then the areas we will look for in their final reports.Independent Time:Students will be given a copy of the checklist. They will be able to give themselves a self-evaluation of what they have done. They will continue to draft their reports and revise to meet the checklist requirements I will be looking for: organization & overall.-I will listen to student responses as we score a student sample. I will listen to students share with their group mates the ways the sample is exemplar and needs improvements. -I will collect the students’ checklists and review the scores they gave themselves. I will use these checklists to determine areas that students believe they need improvement for the next lesson. I will also compare these checklists at the end of the unit with the scores I give them at the end of the unit.-Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 5-Make copies of Information Writing Checklist (on CD)-Print Jeremy’s turtle report (from CD) to model for students*Day 10: Students will revise their drafts by studying the mentor text, Deadliest Animals, for the ways the author elaborates (adds more details, examples, and explanations), and they will apply this strategy to their own drafts. (W.3.2a,b,c, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.8)Objective #3Mini-lesson: I will read part of the mentor text & point out ways the author elaborates (using facts and imagery). I will connect the elaboration in the mentor text to elaboration I could include in my animal report.Writing Partners:I will choose a different excerpt from the National Geographic magazines & students will pick out the elaboration techniques the author uses with their partner. Students will then work to revise my grizzly bear excerpt, naming some of the moves they made while elaborating.Independent Work: Students will revise a previously written chapter for more elaboration or draft a new chapter. Whole-Group Share: Share examples of students who revised to elaborate in their chapter.-I will listen and take anecdotal notes as partners work to identify elaboration techniques in the National Geographic magazines. I will ask students who have noticed great strategies to share these with the whole group. -I will ask students how they could revise my grizzly bear excerpt for more elaboration. I will compile their suggestions to share with the group. -I will conference with individual and/or small groups of students to show me where they are elaborating in their drafts. Students who have done this will work on using transition words (also, because, and, another reason, for example). Because this is the last day of my unit, I will try to reach every student and make sure they have elaborated at least one way in their draft.-At the end of the unit, I will make copies of the students’ drafts and assess using the information writing checklist and draft-in-process rubric. I will look to see that students have met objectives #2 and 3. -Refer to Lucy Calkins Unit 2, Session 6-Have copy of my animal report ready to go w/a section that needs more elaboration-Deadliest Animals mentor text (read book ahead of time)-Copies of National Geographic magazines (one for each pair)-During independent time: suggest to students to revise using a flap of paper over their draft in order to add a lot of elaboration. Also, warn students of repeating oneself when elaborating. It does not mean saying the same thing twice! ................
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