Informative/Explanatory Informative Article Unit Introduction

[Pages:66]Informative/Explanatory Informative Article Unit Introduction

NOTE

Common Core State Standards are listed in Table of Contents after each lesson title as well as on actual lesson pages. Sometimes, in the process of revising, original lessons were deleted or moved and new lessons added. Lesson numbers were not changed, but the pages were renumbered to be sequential in each unit.

These lessons fulfill expectations for CCSS although certain words need to be added or changed to strengthen the alignment. For example, CCSS refers to "informative text" as "informative/explanatory." In this unit students will write an Informative Article about an "expert topic" using an informative/explanatory structure. The "expert topic" refers to a topic they already know well and do not need to research. The informative/explanatory structure consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion.

Student Goals:

1. Students will write an informative text to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

2. Students will introduce a topic and group related information together. 3. Students will develop the topic with facts, definitions and details.

4. Students will use linking words and phrases to connect ideas.

5. Students will provide a concluding statement or section.

6. Students will use reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, to check and correct spelling.

To incorporate the Common Core State Standard 3.W.6, to "use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing," you may choose to:

? Take digital photographs of shared experiences. ? Create a PowerPoint of writing with voice recordings. ? Use story-making applications from iPads or other tablets. ? Type final projects-use WORD publishing forms such as postcards and

brochures. ? Share writing over school announcement system. ? Have students project the written pieces using a document camera.

Grade 3 Writing !Informative Article

PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Celebration at the end of the publishing process is an important way to let students know we value their writing. It is something to look forward to and can motivate students to do their best work while publishing. Celebrations can be as simple as sharing writing with a partner or as elaborate as an author's tea with parents. It is entirely up to you. Try different ways to celebrate at the end of each unit and have a marvelous time with your students as you write together through the year.

Unit Overview:

Students will write an Informative Article about an "expert topic" using an informative organizational structure. The "expert topic" refers to a topic they already know well and do not need to research. The informative organizational structure consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion which distinguishes itself from the beginning, middle and end of the narrative organizational structure.

Teachers may want to modify this assignment to address individual class/student needs. Suggestions for modifying include:

? Rather than leaving the topic open to student choice, pick a shared experience (a field trip, a unit of study, a familiar location as a setting) that allows you to build common vocabulary.

? Allow motivated (could be TAG) students to research more information

? Several lessons ask student to share with a partner. You may want to predetermine partners for the entire unit.

The lessons follow the steps in the writing process and call on the teacher to model an "expert topic" for students throughout the unit. Feel free to use the model topic of ? `Our Classroom' with examples in the lessons. Or use another "expert topic" of your choice, which will be used throughout the unit.

The mentor texts chosen for this informative article unit, a student sample of an informative article, "Ballet," and a Scott Foresman passage, follow the simple informative structure of introduction, body and conclusion. It is important to note whether other informative texts you may read follow this same structure.

At the end of the unit, there are two culminating lessons. One is to publish the Informative Article. The other is to write a cinquain poem.

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PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Informative Writing: Informative Article

Table of Contents

Unit Introduction ....................................................................................................... IA- 1 Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... IA- 3 IA1. What is Informative Writing? (W.3.4; W.3.5) .................................................... IA- 5

Student Sample ? Ballet .............................................................................................................IA- 7 IA2. Expert List (W.3.4; W.3.5) .................................................................................. IA- 9

Expert List Brainstorm................................................................................... IA-11 IA3. Selecting an Expert Topic (W.3.4; W.3.5) .......................................................... IA-13

Web - Our Classroom ...................................................................................... IA-15 Web ? Ballet .................................................................................................... IA-16 IA4. The Graphic Organizer (W.3.4; W.3.5)............................................................... IA-17 Simple Informative Organizer ....................................................................... IA-19 Simple Informative Organizer, Teacher Model ............................................. IA-20 Student Sample - Ballet ................................................................................. IA-21 IA5A. Drafting (W.3.4; W.3.5; W.3.2.a; W.3.2.b; W.3.2.d) .................................................. IA-23 IA5B. Checking your Organization (W.3.4; W.3.2)....................................................... IA-25 Teacher Example Draft ? Our Classroom ..................................................... IA-27 IA6. Leading with a Question (W.3.5; W.3.2.a) .......................................................... IA-29 IA7. Revising the Body (W.3.5)................................................................................. IA-33 IA8. Conclusion Paragraph with Linking Words & Phrases (W.3.2.c; W.3.4; W.3.5).... IA-35 Linking Words and Phrases ........................................................................... IA-37 IA9. Ending Punctuation (W.3.5) ............................................................................. IA-39 Teacher Model with Punctuation ................................................................... IA-42 Teacher Model without Punctuation .................................................................... IA-43 IA10. Using an Editing Checklist (W.3.5) .................................................................. IA-45 Editing Checklist............................................................................................. IA-47 IA11. Guide Words in the Dictionary (L.3.2.g) ........................................................... IA-49 Guide Words Practice Page #1 ....................................................................... IA-51 IA11a.Checking for Spelling Errors (W.3.5; L.3.2.e; L.3.2.f) ......................................... IA-53 Teacher Model with Misspellings................................................................... IA-55 Fixing Spelling Errors.......................................................................................IA-56 IA12. Publishing (W.3.6) ............................................................................................ IA-57 Published Teacher Model ............................................................................... IA-59 IA13. Poetry-Cinquain (L.3.3.a) ................................................................................. IA-61 Cinquain Structure ......................................................................................... IA-63 End of Unit Checklist ................................................................................................ IA-65 Teacher Resources: Scott Foresman Third Grade Resources TQW ? Teaching the Qualities of Writing by JoAnn Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher

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Informative Writing: Informative Article (IA1)

What is Informative Writing?

Writing Teaching Point(s): ? Students will be introduced to informative texts. ? Students will understand that the purpose of an informative article is to inform and that it contains factual information. ? Students will identify main ideas and details in several informative articles.

Standard(s): W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the

development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (Gradespecific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1?3 above.) W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

Materials: ? Mentor Text-Looking At Rocks Scott Foresman Student Edition 3.2 page 61 ? Student Model Text ?Ballet (attached at end of lesson) ? Anchor chart on Informative Writing (example attached at end of lesson)

Connection:

"Recently we wrote personal narratives. Remember writers, a narrative tells about an event in our lives and has a beginning, middle and an end. This week we will begin a different type of writing called informative writing."

(Post and point to chart as you explain informative writing).

"Informative writing always informs the reader. There are lots of different types of informative such as a biography, a report, and a how to. We have read some informative pieces this year such as..."

(Explain to students that each one of these authors (of the informative texts) they have read wrote to inform the reader about a particular topic using factual information.)

"The type of informative we will write is an informative article. Have you heard the word `article' before? (Make connection to newspaper or magazine articles.) In this unit, we are going to find a topic you know about and write an article to inform our aAucdtiivenecEe.n" gagement (guided practice): Teacher and student read examples of an informative article. "I have two articles, one from our Scott Foresman Reading Street (3.2 p. 61) and one written by a third grade student. Let's read the Scott Foresman piece. While reading, think about the author's purpose and the information he or she has given the reader."

Active Engagement (guided practice): After reading, ask students to think about the author's purpose and the information explained. Discuss in partners. Then with whole class. "Now partners, share what you think is the author's purpose and tell the factual information explained.".

Grade 3 Writing !Informative Article

PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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So you can see that in an informative article the author has a main idea and gives details to support his main ideas." Connect for students how the author has a main idea related to the topic as well as details to illustrate the main idea.

Repeat process with student example. Continue using the language of `main idea' and `details' to prepare students for the graphic organizer they will use in lesson 5.

Link to Independent Practice: "As writers, it is important to understand the structure of an information article. Today, I want you to find some examples of informative texts in your Scott Foresman Anthology. After you have found one, share at your table:

? The title ? How you know it is informative? ? The information shared. Everyone at your table find an example of an informative text. See if you can all find a different one, there are plenty of examples in Scott Foresman."

Closure: Summarize informative chart. Reteach the idea that factual information in an informative article contains at least one main idea and the details that support it.

"Tomorrow we will begin to think about possible topics for our informative articles. Writers, be thinking today and tonight about what topics you know well and which topic you might choose for an informative article.

Notes:

Resources & References: (adapted from, acknowledgments) Scott Foresman Reading Street 3.2 Informative Article from third grade student.

Types

Informative Writing

Purpose

Organization

Features

? Biography ? Reports ? Recipe ? "How to" Article ? Informative

Article

? To Inform

? Introduction ? Captions

with clear focus ? Illustrations

statement

? Diagrams

? Body with main ? Charts

ideas and details

? Conclusion

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PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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Ballet

By 3rd grader from Capitol Hill Elementary, Portland, OR

Imagine yourself in a quiet peaceful theater with a crowd of people

staring at an empty stage. Then a dancer comes on. You are at a Ballet.

You will learn much about Ballet if you read this article.

There are many things that make Ballet so cool. One is that the

dancers mostly dance to classical music. The dancers wear tight clothing

because they can stretch. If you were in jeans you couldn't stretch. You

have to stay healthy and get lots of sleep and exercise.

Are you planning to come see a Ballet, well, come in the winter you

might catch the Nutcracker! It's worth seeing.

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