Checklist of expectations
Students continue the work they began in Booster Reading Lesson 2, finishing reading both the original and the fractured fairy tale, annotating, and taking notes. Some students will be ready to begin using a graphic organizer to plan their piece. Other students may even be ready to begin drafting their compare/contrast pieces (see next writing lesson for guidelines).
In my experience, students need me to gather small groups, confer one on one, and to keep modeling and talking through how to find and cite evidence that supports their opinion. In addition, the strongest model students can have is for me to write right alongside them and share my process and my writing. While student mentor texts are incredibly beneficial, so is writing done by the teacher!
Companion Writing Lesson: Planning and Drafting
Getting Ready
The materials:
Graphic organizer on persuasive writing (www.corwin.com/thecommoncorecompanion)
Chart paper
Checklist of expectations
Example of a co-constructed piece (www.corwin.com/thecommoncorecompanion)
Student mentor texts
Spend about 10 minutes modeling how to fill out a sample graphic organizer or to plan out how you write a persuasive or opinion piece. I even co-construct a piece with students so they not only see mentor texts but also help write one. Once students have self-selected topics on an opinion piece, provide them with options of graphic organizers to help them plan out their piece. Begin drafting.
Booster Reading Lesson: Compare/Contrast Writing
Getting Ready
The materials:
Class example of a compare/contrast piece
Highlighters
Text examples of two perspectives on the same topic (a perfect place to bring in sports columns from opposing teams’ cities—football, basketball, etc., to demonstrate POV and citing evidence)
Our goal for today is to continue to focus on POV and how we recognize it. To begin, I have students re-read their pieces with highlighters in hand, highlighting where they have added or cited evidence. (I can have them highlight for any purpose that I think would help!)
I use conferring notes from Booster Lesson 3 to guide my focus for Day 4. If students are working independently on drafting their pieces and need little instruction, then I touch base and allow them to work. If a glaring needs pops up (e.g., students not citing evidence, students having difficulty discerning the similarities or the differences), then I will turn that into a class mini-lesson, reteaching if necessary. As students work independently, I either work with small groups on a specific need, or I continue to confer.
Companion Writing Lesson: Revision Focus on Transition Words
Getting Ready
The materials:
Chart paper for starting anchor chart of transition words
Student drafts
Mentor texts that exemplify the use of transition words
Start a classroom chart of transition words for opinion writing, inviting input from students. Begin with the fourth-grade expectations (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). Lead a discussion about each word and how it might help a writer organize his or her thinking. This list can continue to grow as students have more experience with opinion and persuasion pieces. After, although, as, when, whereas—all these transition words really help students prioritize what they want to say. Going forward, you can do 3- to 5-minute mini-lessons on power words, during which you get students to define the word in different ways. The goal is to move students even beyond this and to use a variety of transitional words.
Have students choose and add transition words directly onto their graphic organizers and ultimately into their drafts. Continue drafting and revising.
Booster Reading Lesson: Complete Compare/Contrast Piece
Getting Ready
The materials:
Editing checklist (www.corwin.com/thecommoncorecompanion)
Student checklist
Reflection sheet
Students finalize their pieces. Before finalizing, they peer conference and edit.
If pieces are word processed, I have students print out two copies and on one copy highlight where they’ve cited evidence. This makes it very visual for the students. I also have them fill out their checklist and double check that they’ve included all aspects. Finally, they reflect on the process. Since they have a checklist to turn in, I have their reflection be simple this first time. I ask them to write a short paragraph about their process and how they did with citing evidence. I can also ask them to reflect on how their reading has changed and if they are asking the key questions as they read independently. I use these reflections to inform my instruction and what I may still need to teach.
As a celebration, students leave both the original and the fractured fairy tale and their pieces on their desks and we “walk the room.” Walking the room is a silent reading time. Students
