Concept Unit Lesson Plan Template Unit Working Title: Expect the Unexpected Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme):

Surprise! Unit Primary Skill focus: writing memoirs Week 4 of 4; Plan # 10 of 12; [90 mins.] Plan type: Summary Content Requirement Satisfied: Language concept, modeling, embedded technology Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson: SWBAT: Cognitive (know/understand): Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive: 2. The student will cultivate a level of comfort with uncertainty a. The student will be able to rely on himself or other students for answers, instead of asking the teacher immediately. Performance (do): 5. The student will be able to write a memoir incorporating cause and effect and surprise a. The student will be able to establish a central idea and organization SOLs: 6.7 The student will write narration, description, exposition, and persuasion. d) Establish a central idea and organization. i) Revise sentences for clarity of content including specific vocabulary and information. j) Use computer technology to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing. CCSs: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies [Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]

Beginning Room Arrangement: desks will be arranged in clusters so that students are sitting in groups of four, facing eachother. [ 10 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson: Greet students as they enter the classroom. Begin the lesson by showing pictures of houses and buildings with cracked foundations. Explain the concept of structural integrity and explain that the parts of a buildings structure might include foundation, walls, columns, steel beams, etc. Explain that like a building, a story must have a strong structure. Ask students to give some ideas of what might be part of a storys structure. Students will likely talk about the introduction and conclusion of the story and perhaps the outline. Then explain that there are lots of different ways to see how a story is built, but an easy one is studying the cause-and-effect chain, as we have been doing. [ 20 mins.] Step 1: Model Revising for Structure Next, model revising the James and Carly story for structure. Identify the storys unexpected moment and study (out loud) how it was set up. Then talk through finding the storys cause-andeffect chain and evaluating if it properly emphasizes the main moment/ point of the story. Show how the story could be reordered and discuss whether or not it should be. [ 10 25 mins.] Step 2: Structural Analysis Have students fill out a worksheet to examine the structural integrity of their story. The worksheet will ask the following questions: What were the main points of the feedback your partner gave you yesterday? How will you address them (or if you dont agree with them, then use the space below to explain your reasoning for not changing that element)? What do you think is the big so what? of your story? Do you think the current structure of your story works with that so what (Hint: it might be helpful to draw a cause-and-effect chain to study the structure)? Does your storys unexpected moment work with what you have learned about the context and timing of surprise? Based on your answers above, make a plan to improve your story. Write it down and then show it to Ms. Aldridge. [ 5 mins.] Step 3: Conference Conference with students as they complete their structural analyses. Ensure that they completed a first draft of their memoir last night and that they have a plan for improving the structure of their story. When done conferencing, tell students to get a laptop from the class cart and start working on their revisions. [ 10 25 mins.] Step 4: Structural Revision Continue to conference and circulate as students revise the structure of their story. When the first few students finish revising, announce to the class that they should continue revising until they are satisfied with the structure, but then to grab one of the classroom computers and follow the instructions on the board. On the board, write the directions for logging in, opening Windows Media Player, and watching a video I have made. [ Until the end of class] Step 5: Watching Revision Video Since all students will be working at a different pace to analyze and change the structure of their story, I have created a video so that those who finish sooner can continue working without me

having to disrupt everyone to give whole-class instruction or repeat the instruction over and over to small groups or individuals. In the video, I show a picture of a homes exterior makeover and discuss the transformation. Then I show Gary Gallaghers RADaR chart (from Write Like This, page 206) and walk students through it. Finally, I model using the RADaR to revise a paragraph of the James & Carly story. Tell students to write down any questions they might have while they watch this video. After the video, they can clarify with their classmates and then their teacher, if needed. [ 5 mins] Closure: Verbal Check-in In the last few minutes of class, remind students that their final drafts of their perfected six word memoirs are due at the beginning of our next class. Then have them hold their thumbs up to show how theyre feeling about their currently feeling about memoir story. Tell them to have a great day and not to forget their six word memoirs tomorrow!

Methods of Assessment: [How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and the related lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating. Formative: Structural analysis conference (5, 5a, 6.7.d) Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students: (This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated in order to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by name) This lesson differentiates by readiness by having students make their own plans for revising their stories based on their own needs. It also differentiates for students who may be working at different speeds for various reasons by providing the video instruction so that all students can use this entire lesson time productively. If Mark is working quickly, he will have the instructional video to watch so that he can use the entire lesson time productively, instead of waiting for me to give the whole class instructions. The teacher conference on structure will be beneficial to all students. For example, Mark may be rushing through the writing process and the teacher conference is a chance to slow him down and keep him working and thinking deeply. Materials Needed: Revision Video Structural Analysis Worksheet Laptops