ela common core state standards lesson plan...

Writing Unit of Study Kindergarten – Oral Language: Building a Talking Community, Unit 1

Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.

ELA Common Core State Standards Lesson Plan Packet

Kindergarten Oral Language: Building a Talking Community

Unit 1 8/11/13


Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.

Table of Contents

Background Section Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Unit Section

Why a Script? ............................................................................................................................................................. 2

Overview of Sessions – Teaching and Learning Points ............................................................................................... 3

Immersion Phase ........................................................................................................................................................ 4

Lesson Plans ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

Resource Materials

See Separate Resource Packet


Page 1 Copyright © 2010-2014 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and Oakland Schools.

Abstract

This is a foundational unit that lays the groundwork for writing workshop. This unit is based on the belief that writing begins with oral telling of stories. It begins with building on what children already know how to do: talk. Teachers begin with books and their own storytelling to give the message that authors, teachers and even students have a story to tell about something they know and can do. When students begin telling stories, they learn about each other and become members of a learning community. By creating a formal time for storytelling, teachers create opportunities to support young students’ storytelling. Through talk, writers can think about what to write and how to write. As students orally tell stories, they learn that talk can help you think your way through a story and lead to more detailed stories. This unit will have a different structure than typical writing workshop units. For example, this unit is centered on oral language, and may begin taking only ten minutes for the entire workshop. As the lessons progress, workshop time will lengthen. The teacher will need to build in time in this unit and throughout the year for oral storytelling. Much of this unit will consist of oral composing and whole group work. This unit was created in such a way that some noted lessons could be repeated over a few days to allow more practice and experience for students to orally storytell. The teacher’s role in this unit will be to develop and facilitate the students’ oral language. The teacher will model what a storyteller is, how storytelling can be about ordinary things we do, and that stories teachers tell are ones that students can tell as well. The teacher will need to model how to respond to storytellers, showing how listeners might ask questions about the story, organization, and sequence to clarify understanding. As additional stories are talked about, it will be important for the teacher to create classroom experiences to help students identify more story ideas. Lists of possible mentor text are included in the resource section. It is suggested that when selecting additional mentor text for this unit, the teacher should consider selecting text in which the characters are human and the topics are about ordinary things. Since students are being asked to talk about ordinary, everyday things they do and to tell stories of their lives, it will be important to read books that exhibit these characteristics as well.

Please note: This unit plan does not follow the typical writing workshop structure of mini lesson, independent writing and share. Due to the time of year and young students’ limited experiences with many aspects of writing workshop (and school); there is not an independent writing time. Students will practice the teaching point during active engagement while the teacher observes select students on each given day. Teachers may add an independent writing time if appropriate to their students’ needs.



Why a Script? Teachers, whether new to the profession, Writing Workshop, or to the Common Core Standards can benefit from scripted lesson plans. A script serves as a “writing coach” by guiding instruction to include routines, procedures, strategies, and academic vocabulary. The goal over time is that teachers will no longer need scripted lessons because they will have studied and gained procedural knowledge around writing workshop, the Common Core, and the units of instruction. The script is a framework from which teachers can work -- rewrite, revise, and reshape to align with their teaching style and the individualized needs of their students. Furthermore, the scripted lessons can also be easily utilized by student teachers or substitute teachers. Additional lesson information: Share Component – Each lesson includes a possible share option. Teachers may modify based on students’ needs. Other share options may include: follow-up on a mini-lesson to reinforce and/or clarify the teaching point, problem solve to build community, review to recall prior learning and build repertoire of strategies, preview tomorrow’s mini lesson, or celebrate learning via the work of a few students or partner/whole class share (source: Teachers College Reading and Writing Project). See Resource Materials Packet for more information – Some Possibilities for Purposeful Use of the Share Time. Mid-workshop Teaching Point – The purpose of a mid-workshop teaching point is to speak to the whole class, often halfway into the work time. Teachers may relay an observation from a conference, extend or reinforce the teaching point, highlight a particular example of good work, or steer children around a peer problem. Add or modify mid-workshop teaching points based on students’ needs. Assessment – Assessment is an essential component before, during and after a unit to determine teaching points and plan for individual and small group work. See Assessment link on Atlas Rubicon for more detailed information and options (e.g. on-demand procedures and analysis, proficiency checklists for product, behaviors and process, formative assessment strategies, writing continuums, see and hear observational sheets, etc.) Independent Writing and Conferring – Following the mini-lesson, students will be sent off to write independently. During independent writing time teachers will confer with individual or small groups of students. Balanced Literacy Program (BLP) – A Balanced Literacy Program which is necessary to support literacy acquisition includes: reading and writing workshop, word study, read-aloud with accountable talk, small group, shared reading and writing, and interactive writing. Teachers should make every effort to include all components of a balanced literacy program into their language arts block. Reading and Writing workshop are only one part of a balanced literacy program. The MAISA unit framework is based on a workshop approach. Therefore, teachers will also need to include the other components to support student learning.



Overview of Sessions – Teaching and Learning Points Alter this unit based on students’ needs, resources available, and your teaching style. Add and subtract according to what works for you and your students.

Part One: Immersion Phase – Sample Lessons Concept I: Writers use mentor text to generate story ideas. Immersion Phase- See Immersion Explanation Part Two: Lesson Sequence Phase Concept II: Writers work effectively within a community of writers. Session 1 Writers tell a story about things they know and do. Session 2 Writers use a voice people can hear and look at the audience when they tell stories about things they

know and do. Session 3 Writers actively listen when others tell stories. Session 4 Writers take turns being a speaker and a listener. Session 5 Writers take turns being a speaker and a listener (repeat of lesson 4). Session 6 Writers listen and respond to the speaker. Concept III: Writers think about and choose meaningful experiences. Session 7 Writers use sources to generate story ideas. Session 8 Writers choose and think about a meaningful experience and share. Session 9 Writers plan their story by thinking about their story idea and orally rehearsing to self. Concept IV: Writers rehearse their stories to make them more meaningful for an audience. Session 10 Writers think, picture, and say their stories to themselves and partner.



Immersion Phase Concept 1: Writers use mentor text to generate story ideas. The purpose of the immersion phase is to help students develop an understanding that just like authors of their favorite texts, they can tell stories about everyday things they know and can do. The goal is to demonstrate that anyone can tell a story about something s/he knows and can do. Concept 1 is considered the immersion phase of the unit. The immersion phase should be completed before starting the mini-lesson sequence (Concepts II-IV). It is recommended that teachers spend several days on immersion activities. The writing unit is based on the assumption that students, through immersion, have been introduced to authors whose work they can use to generate story ideas. The following is a collection of immersion activities that teachers may do. Study Mentor Text [See Resource Packet: Suggested Mentor Text]

Through the study of mentor text, teachers:

Generate excitement and interest in reading and discussing stories about things people know and can do

Develop a list of characteristics of these stories, ‘Noticings and Naming’

Possible areas to explore using mentor texts: A. Story Elements/Noticings:

About things that have already happened

Stories about true events

Stories about things the author knows and can do

Other aspects as noticed



Immersion Phase, Continued

Lesson Plan Template for Immersion Phase

Session 1

Concept

Teaching Point

Materials

Outline immersion lesson:



Immersion Phase, Continued

Lesson Plan Template for Immersion Phase

Session 2

Concept

Teaching Point

Materials

Outline immersion lesson:



Lesson Plan

Session 1

Concept II Writers work effectively within a community of writers.

Teaching Point Writers tell a story about things they know and do.

Materials

Teacher prepared, age-appropriate oral story (see tips below)

Too Many Toys by David Shannon (or other similar text) – read and discuss prior to session

Mentor Text for Read Aloud [Resource Materials Packet]

Things We Know and Can Do- Anchor Chart

Marker

Tips The focus of this and subsequent lessons is to assist students in creating stories versus descriptive pieces (e.g. I have a dog. Her name is Miracle. She is a golden retriever. She has long, gold fur, etc.) Or attribute lists (e.g. I like my dog. I like my brother, etc.). Teacher talk is critical to establish story-like language. Emphasis is placed on the idea that we write about what we do and what we know. Writers first think of big things we want to write about and then later we zoom in and remember one particular thing we want to focus on for a story. For example, I like to do things with my sister. If I want to write about my sister, I’ll stop and think about one time with my sister. I write about a small moment with my sister. Perhaps the day I played beanie baby store with her.

It is important to have students think of things that have already happened in their lives, rather than future events

Begin a teacher observation notebook on day one, record as many students’ utterances or story attempts as possible; this will help identify students for small group work who may need more support with oral language

Teachers may want to begin collecting possible story ideas: things students know and can do. These ideas may be recorded on an anchor chart and serve as a reference for all students.

The intent of this lesson is to see if students can just begin to think of and tell a story. The focus is on the extent to which they can think of an idea and try it, not on the quality of the story. Subsequent lessons will focus on effective storytelling.

Although students have not practiced partnerships, this is just a quick turn to someone to try and tell a story. Each child may not wish to tell a story yet, however future lessons will support partnerships and turn taking.

Have a story ready to tell students – this does not have to be an elaborate story. More importantly, it should be a real, everyday story.

Choose a story that is accessible to students, one that they will be able to relate to. As they hear it they can say, Hey, I can tell a story like that, too! or I have a story about xxx, too.



Lesson Plan – Session 1, Continued

Tips, Continued

Intentionally tell a story to students that does not relate to the content of the read aloud. We want to model many different story ideas.

Make a connection between the read aloud story and teacher story; emphasize how the two stories have more to do with how writers work rather than content. Teacher says, Here’s someone telling a story about something s/he does, I have a story about something I do, too.

Conferring is a time to support and scaffold student storytelling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, teacher says, Oh, do you have a baby at home?

Teachers should have read 1-2 mentor text prior to this lesson

This lesson and the following lessons may only take about ten minutes

Connection Writers, today and every day we are going to meet at this carpet to do what writers do, talk about writing.

Writers, David Shannon wrote this book Too Many Toys because when he was little he had too many toys like Spencer. That’s what writers do, they tell stories about things they know and do, and then write them down. You are all storytellers, just like David Shannon; you know and do many things. This year, you are going to tell stories about things you know and do, and write them down.

Teach As we were reading David Shannon’s story, I was thinking about how I have stories to tell, too – But mine aren’t about toys, mine are about _______because I know a lot about _______. I can remember one time I ____.

Insert teacher prepared oral story and say, David Shannon wrote a story about something he knows and likes to do, and I told a story about something I do.

Active Engagement

Give me a thumb up if you noticed how I told a story about something I do.

Now I want you to think of something you know and do, and then tell the person next to you.

Have students turn to someone next to them, and tell that person a story as best as they can

Link Telling our stories is what we do and this is a safe place to do it. Kindergarteners all have stories to tell. We tell stories about things we know and do.

Independent Writing and Conferring

After-the-Workshop Share

Tomorrow, writers, we will learn ways to share stories about things we do, with an audience.

Start, Things We Know and Can Do chart. Add a few things you heard from students (e.g. pet stories, younger brother or sister stories, etc. - emphasize things you like to do with your pet or your sister- taking a walk with your dog or playing tug rope with your sister, etc.

See Resource Materials Packet for other share options



Lesson Plan

Session 2


Teaching Point Writers use a voice people can hear and look at the audience when they tell stories about things they know and do.

Materials


Speaker/Listener T-Chart


Teacher notebook or paper to record student stories

Tips Have a story ready to tell students – this does not have to be an elaborate story. More importantly, it should be a real, everyday story that is accessible to students; one that they will be able to relate to. As they hear it they can say, Hey, I can tell a story like that, too!

While creating the anchor chart, be sure to include visuals of hand gestures introduced in the session

Begin a teacher observation notebook on day one, record as many students’ utterances or story attempts as possible; this will help with identifying students for small group work who may need more support with oral language

Record possible story ideas, as gleaned from students, in an observation notebook and on chart paper (e.g. Johnny wrote a story about going for ice cream)

The focus of this and subsequent lessons is to assist students in creating stories versus descriptive pieces (e.g. I have a dog. Her name is Miracle. She is a golden retriever. She has long, gold fur, etc.) Or attribute lists (e.g. I like my dog. I like my brother, etc.). Teacher talk is critical to establish story-like language. The emphasis is on writing about what we do and what we know. Writers first think of big things we want to write about, and then later we zoom in…and remember…one particular thing we want to focus on for a story. For example, I like to do things with my sister. If I want to write about my sister, I’ll stop and think about one time with my sister. I write about a small moment with my sister. Perhaps, the day I played beanie baby store with her.


Although students have not practiced partnerships yet, this is just a quick, Turn to someone and try to tell a story. Each child may not wish to tell a story yet. Future lessons will support partnerships and turn taking.

Conferring is a time to support and scaffold student storytelling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, teacher says, Oh, do you have a baby at home? What do you like to do with your brother? Can you think of a special moment with him?



Connection Writers, yesterday I told you that writers tell about things they know and do. Today I am going to show you how we use a loud voice and look at the audience when we tell our listeners about the things we know how to do.

Teach Writers, yesterday when I told my story about _______ (teacher story from previous session), I was the speaker. A speaker is someone who is talking or in this case is telling a story. The speaker uses a voice that is loud enough for the listener to hear while looking at an audience. The audience is the person/people who are listening to the story. Watch me as I tell a story about something I know and, when I do, I look at the audience and speak in a voice loud enough for them to hear me.

(Insert teacher prepared story) Emphasize that your story idea is something you do. I think I will tell about my dog. I love to do things with my dog. Hmmm what is one thing I like to do with my dog? Oh, I love to take walks with my dog. I will tell a story about one day when I was taking a walk with my dog, One day…. Tell story.

Did you notice that when I was speaking, I used a voice that was loud enough for everyone to hear (teacher uses hand gesture, cup hands around mouth) and my eyes were looking at you (teacher uses hand gesture, finger around eyes)? That’s what speakers do. They use a loud enough voice for everyone to hear and they look at the audience.

Teacher begins to create anchor T-chart about qualities of a speaker. Teacher draws a picture of gesture to match words

Anchor Chart #1

Speaker Listener

Uses a voice people can hear

Looks at the audience

Tells about something they know and can do

Active Engagement

I bet all of you can be a speaker and can tell a story about something you know and do.

Yesterday we told the person next to us a story about something we know and can do. Today, when you tell your story to the person next to you, use a voice loud enough for them to hear and look at them.

Link Did you notice that the writers who spoke today about things they know and do use a loud enough voice for everyone to hear and looked at the audience (gestures)? Give me thumbs up if you used a voice that your listener could hear today? Give me thumbs up if you looked at the person you told your story to? This is what speakers do every time they tell a story.



Tomorrow, writers, we are going to talk about more things we do when we tell stories.

Continue, Things We Know and Can Do chart. Add a few things you heard from students (e.g. pet stories, younger brother or sister stories, etc. – emphasize things you like to do with your pet or your sister- taking a walk with your dog or playing tug rope with your sister, etc.




Lesson Plan

Session 3


Teaching Point Writers actively listen when others tell stories.

Materials



Things We Know and Can Do - Anchor Chart


Student to model lesson with teacher – have student practice story ahead of time

Marker

Tips The focus of this and subsequent lessons is to assist students in creating stories versus descriptive pieces (e.g. I have a dog. Her name is Miracle. She is a golden retriever. She has long, gold fur, etc.) Or attribute lists (e.g. I like my dog. I like my brother, etc.). Teacher talk is critical to establish story-like language. Emphasis is placed on the idea that we write about what we do and what we know. Writers first think of big things we want to write about and then later we zoom in and remember one particular thing we want to focus on for a story. For example, I like to do things with my sister. If I want to write about my sister, I’ll stop and think about one time with my sister. I write about a small moment with my sister. Perhaps the day I played beanie baby store with her.


Have a story ready to tell your students – this does not have to be an elaborate story. More importantly, it should be a real, everyday story that is accessible to students; one that they will be able to relate to. As they hear it they can say, Hey, I can tell a story like that, too!

While creating the anchor chart, be sure to include visuals of hand gestures introduced in the session

Continue recording as many students’ utterances or story attempts as possible; this will help with identifying students for small group work who may need more support with oral language

Also record possible story ideas, as gleaned from students, in observation notebook and on chart paper (e.g. Johnny wrote a story about going for ice cream.); story idea notes will be used in future sessions

Connection Writers, yesterday I told you that speakers use a loud enough voice and look at the audience when they tell about things they know and do (refer to anchor chart). Today, I am going to show you how an audience listens to a speaker tell about the things they know and do.




Teach Writers, yesterday when I told my story about _______, I was the speaker and you were the audience. The audience is the person/people who listens to the speaker. You were the listeners. A listener is someone who looks at the speaker (teacher uses hand gesture, fingers around eyes) and uses their ears (teacher uses hand gestures, cups hands around ears) to hear a story. In order to use our ears to hear a story, our voices have to be turned off.

Teacher uses hand gestures to zip lips

Teacher needs to arrange children into a circle

Teacher and chosen student will sit in the center

Watch me as I listen to Jamal tell his story. I am going to look at Jamal and listen with my ears, with my voice turned off (child tells story). Did you see how I kept my eyes on Jamal, listened with my ears, and kept my voice turned off? That’s what listeners do; they look with their eyes, listen with their ears, and keep their voices turned off.

Repeat hand gestures

Teacher adds to the anchor T-chart about qualities of a listener

Anchor Chart #1

Speaker Listener

Uses a voice people can hear



Looks at speaker (Repeat hand gesture)

Listens with ears (Repeat hand gesture)

Voices turned off (Repeat hand gesture)

Active Engagement

Now you will have the chance to look (practice look with gesture), listen (practice listen with gesture), and keep your voices turned off (practice mouth closed with gesture), while we listen to others share their stories about things they know and do.

Students turn and tell the person next to them their stories

Link Writers are not only speakers, they are listeners, too. I noticed that as you were listening, you looked, listened, and turned your voices off. This is what listeners do every time they listen to a speaker.






Writers, we heard more great stories today. We’ve learned how to be speakers and listeners. Speakers use a loud enough voice and look at the audience. Listeners look at the speaker, listen with their ears, and keep their voices turned off (refer to anchor chart). Tomorrow, we are going to talk about other things listeners can do.

Continue, Story Ideas chart. Add a few things you heard from students (e.g. pet stories, younger brother or sister stories, etc.) Emphasize things you like to do with your pet or your sister- you could write about taking a walk with your dog or playing tug rope…


Things We Know and Can Do Chart

Story Ideas (add visuals to along with words) Student Name

Pet stories – favorite things to do with pets

Brother or sister stories – things you like to do with them

Favorite sport – one time when you were playing that sport

Favorite activity

Special time with special person

This chart should be co-constructed with students based on how they would describe things, mentor text read, and immersion activities completed.



Lesson Plan

Session 4


Teaching Point Writers take turns being a speaker and a listener.

Materials



Things We Know and Can Do – Anchor Chart

Chart paper

Marker

Student to model lesson with teacher


Tips Although students have already been turning to the person next to them to tell their stories, teacher may want to formally create partnerships. A chart with students’ pictures and partners may help with organization. Guide students in knowing when to switch roles.

Teacher may use After-the-Workshop Share as an opportunity to problem-solve speaking and listening partnerships

Have a story ready to tell students – this does not have to be an elaborate story. More importantly, it should be a real, everyday story that is accessible to students; one that they will be able to relate to. As they hear it they can say, Hey, I can tell a story like that, too!

This is the time to support and scaffold student story telling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, and teacher says Oh, do you have a baby at home? What do you like to do with your brother? Can you think of a special moment with him?

Throughout the sessions, teacher will be sure to record story ideas/observations of each child in a notebook, i.e. Johnny told a story about ice cream, this will be used in future sessions

Connection Writers we have been taking turns telling and listening to stories. When you tell a story, you are speaking and when you hear a story you are listening (teacher pulls out anchor chart created during sessions 2 and 3). A speaker uses a loud enough voice and looks at their audience. A listener looks at the speaker, listens with their ears, and keeps their voices turned off (teacher uses the hand gestures). Today we are going to practice how to be a speaker and a listener with a partner.

Teach We have been practicing telling stories. Today I am going to show you how we are going to take turns being a speaker and listener.

Teacher arranges students into a circle and selects a student to model speaker/listener role play

Watch as Jose and I are speaking and listening partners. Jose will be the listener and I will be the speaker. When we are speaking and listening partners we sit down knee to knee, eye to eye.

Teacher models with student for the class



Lesson Plan - Session 4, Continued

Teach – Continued

Teacher models telling a story to Jose about something s/he knows and can do; emphasizing why s/he selected that story (e.g. Today I want to tell a story about baseball. It is my favorite sport to play. I want to think about one time I played baseball. I once caught a fly ball. I will tell you that story. When I was at my baseball game…)

Did you see how we sat eye to eye, knee to knee? As a speaker, did I look at Johnny and use a loud enough voice (use hand gestures)? Did you also see how Jose was a listener by looking at me, listening with his ears, and turning off his voice (use hand gestures again)?

Now we are going to switch roles. Jose is going to be the speaker and I will be the listener.

Teacher models how to be a listener as Jose tells his story about something he knows and can do

Did you see how we sat eye to eye, knee to knee? As a speaker, did José look at me and use a voice that I could hear (use hand gestures)? Did you also see how I was a listener by looking at Jose, listening with my ears, and turning off my voice (use hand gestures again)?

Active Engagement

I bet all of you have a story to tell about something you know and do. Today you are going to do what Jose and I did. You will have a chance to be the speaker and a chance to be the listener. You are going to tell your partner a story about something you know and do.

Teacher will need to physically arrange the students into speaking/listening partnerships and assign speaker/listener roles

Teacher should be walking around, supporting conversations while taking notes on student story ideas

After students practice speaker/listener roles, bring students back together into a whole group

All of you were speakers and listeners with your partners today. When you were the listener, you looked at the speaker, listened with your ears and turned your voice off.

Link It is important for a speaker to look at their partner and use a loud enough voice. It is important for a listener to look at the speaker, listen with their ears, and turn their voice off.

Refer to anchor chart

Have students share why this is important



Today, we learned how to work with a partner and share our stories. We sat knee to knee and eye to eye. We took turns being the speaker and then being the listener.

Continue, Things We Know and Can Do chart




Lesson Plan

Session 5


Teaching Point Writers take turns being a speaker and a listener (repeat of session 4).

Materials





Things We Know and Can Do – Anchor Chart

Marker

Tips Teacher may need to repeat this session over several days to allow for extra practice and opportunities for students to talk and listen


Have a story ready to tell students – this does not have to be an elaborate story. More importantly, it should be a real, everyday story that is accessible to students; one that they will be able to relate to. As they hear it they can say, Hey, I can tell a story like that too!

This is the time to support and scaffold student storytelling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, and teacher says Oh, do you have a baby at home? What do you like to do with your brother? Can you think of a special moment with him?

Throughout the sessions, the teacher will be sure to record story ideas/observations of each child in a notebook (e.g. Johnny told a story about ice cream.); these story ideas will be used in future sessions

Connection Writers, we have been taking turns hearing and telling stories. When you tell a story you are speaking and when you hear a story you are listening.

Teacher pulls out anchor chart created during sessions 2 - 4 and says, A speaker uses a loud enough voice and looks at his/her audience. A listener looks at the speaker, listens with his/her ears, and keeps his/her voices turned off (teacher uses the hand gestures). Yesterday, we practiced how to be a speaker and a listener with a partner. Today, we will practice being speakers and listeners again.

Teach We have been practicing telling stories to a partner. Today we are going to practice taking turns being a speaker and listener again.

Teacher arranges students into a circle and selects a student to model speaker/listener role play

Teacher picks a new student and says, Watch as Louisa and I are speaker and listener partners. Louisa will be the listener and I will be the speaker. When we are speaker and listener partners, we sit down knee to knee, eye to eye.




Teach - Continued

Teacher models with student for the class

Teacher models telling a story to Louisa about something she knows and can do, emphasizing the story is about something she likes to do.

Did you see how we sat eye to eye, knee to knee? As a speaker, I looked at Louisa and used my storyteller voice (use hand gestures)? Did you also see how Louisa was a listener by looking at me, listening with her ears, and turning off her voice (use hand gestures again)?

Now we will switch roles. Louisa is going to be the speaker, and I will be the listener.

Teacher models how to be a listener as Louisa tells her story about something she knows and can do.

Did you see how we sat eye to eye, knee to knee? As a speaker, Louisa looked at me and used her storyteller voice (use hand gestures). Did you also see how I was a listener by looking at Louisa, listening with my ears, and turning off my voice (use hand gestures again)?

Active Engagement

I bet all of you have a story to tell about something you know and do. Today you are going to do what Louisa and I did. You will have a chance to be the speaker and a chance to be the listener. You are going to tell your partner a story about something you know and do.

Teacher will need to physically arrange the students into speaker/listener partnerships and assign speaker/listener roles

Teacher should be walking around supporting conversations while taking notes on student story ideas


All of you were speakers and listeners with your partners today. When you were the listener, you looked at the speaker, listened with your ears and turned your voice off.

Link It is important for a speaker to look at their partner and use a loud enough voice. It is important for a listener to look at the speaker, listen with their ears, and turn their voice off (refer to anchor chart).



Today we learned how to work with a partner and share our stories. We sat knee to knee and eye to eye. We took turns being the speaker and then being the listener.

Continue adding to the, Things We Know and Can Do chart




Lesson Plan

Session 6


Teaching Point Writers listen and respond to the speaker.

Materials





Tips By the end of session 6, you will need to have recorded a story idea from every student in order to complete a Things We Know and Can Do chart

Teacher may need to repeat this session over several days to allow for extra practice and opportunities for students to talk and listen. Each day select a new student to model the lesson with, this will allow you the opportunity to observe all children in this context.


Connection We have been working with a partner in the past few sessions. We’ve been practicing sitting eye to eye, knee to knee, and taking turns being the speaker and listener (use hand gestures). The listener has an important job: to keep his or her voice turned off so they can think about their partner’s story.

Teach After listening to a story, it may have made you want to say something or respond to your partner. Today you will get a chance to say something or respond to your partner about his/her story.

Teacher arranges students into a circle and selects a student to model speaker/listener role play.

Watch as Keshawn tells me a story about something he knows and can do. I am going to be the listener. I am going to look, listen with my ears, and turn my voice off until he is done telling his story (Keshawn tells story).

As Keshawn was telling his story, I was thinking (gesture to head)… A teacher could respond in various ways. For example, I liked the part in your story when you got your new bike. or, I have a bike, too. or, I went on a bike ride yesterday.

Did you see how I looked at Keshawn, listened to his story, had my voice turned off until he was done, and then I responded to him about his story? Because my voice was turned off while Keshawn was speaking, I was able to think about his story, and respond to him when he was done.

The listener has an important job to keep his or her voice turned off because, as you are listening, you are also thinking (gesture to head) about your partner’s story so you can respond when your partner’s story is done.




Teach - Continued

Now it is Keshawn’s turn to be the listener and respond to my story when it is done. Keshawn will look at me as I speak, listen with his ears, and turn his voice off until I am done telling my story. Doing these things will help him so he can think about my story (teacher tells story).

Teacher looks to Keshawn after telling story and waits for a response. If no response, teacher prompts Keshawn and says, What were you thinking about while I was telling my story?

Did you see how Keshawn looked at me, listened to my story, and had his voice turned off until I was done so he could think about and respond to my story? Because his voice was turned off while I was speaking, he was able to think about my story and respond to me when I was done.

Active Engagement

Today, you will all have the important job of being the listener. You will look at the speaker, listen with your ears, keep your voice turned off, then think and respond when your partner’s story is done.


Students will take turns practicing speaker/listener roles including a response

Teacher will monitor and listen for responses



All of you were speakers and listeners with your partners today. When you were the listener you looked at the speaker, listened with your ears, turned your voice off, and responded when your partner’s story was done.

Link The listener has an important job to keep his or her voice turned off because, as you are listening, you are thinking about your partner’s story so you can respond when your partner’s story is done.



Today we learned the reason why it is important for the listener to look, listen, and keep their voices turned off. The reason we look, listen, and keep our voices turned off is because we need to think about the story and respond to the speaker.

Teacher refers to the speaking/listening anchor chart and adds:

Anchor Chart #1

Speaker Listener

Uses a storytelling voice



Looks at speaker

Listens with ears

Voices turned off

Thinks about story

Responds to story at the end




Lesson Plan

Session 7

Concept III Writers think about and choose meaningful experiences.

Teaching Point Writers use sources to generate story ideas.

Materials

Where Writers Get Ideas- Anchor Chart (teacher’s name and ideas should be included on this chart)


Collection of familiar read aloud

Markers

Tips Be mindful of finding students who have demonstrated how to use the idea chart

This is the time to support and scaffold student storytelling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, and teacher says Oh, do you have a baby at home? What do you like to do with your baby brother? Can you think of a special moment with him?

Throughout the sessions, the teacher will be sure to record in a notebook story ideas/observation of each child, i.e. Johnny told a story about going for ice cream. This will be used in future sessions.

Connection This morning when I was driving to school, I was thinking, ‘Gosh I don’t have a story to tell today!’ But then I thought, ‘Wait! There are ways to help myself think of a story idea.’ Today I am going to show you what writers do when they can’t think of a story idea, because sometimes this happens to writers.

Teach I am going to teach you some ways you can help yourself when you can’t think of a story idea. I have been keeping track of all the ideas that you have been telling over the past week on this chart (teacher brings out Story Ideas - Things We Know and Can Do” chart; read a few student story ideas). Sometimes we forget about the stories that we have told, so I created this chart as a place to keep track of our story ideas. If Samir was thinking, hmmm, I can’t think of a story to tell today, he could look up on the chart and see that he knows and can do sports - karate or baseball, and he has a chore to do, too - feed his fish. This will help him think about a story to tell.

Begin creating Idea anchor chart, add Things We Know and Can Do chart

Idea Chart Where Writers Get Ideas

1. Things we know and can do chart




Teach - Continued

Another way writers get story ideas is from books we have read. Remember when we read David Shannon’s book Too Many Toys? This book was about Spencer having too many toys and it made me think about a story I could tell about my toy race car. I like to play with my car and my cousin, Will.

Add to anchor chart - Books

A third way writers get story ideas is from their friends. I remember when Johnny was telling me his story about riding his bike. It made me think about riding to the ice cream store on my bike with my son.

Add to anchor chart- Friends

TEACHER SHOULD ADD GRAPHICS


1. Things we know and can do chart 2. Books 3. Friends

Sometimes writers need help coming up with storytelling ideas. When you need help coming up with a storytelling idea, you can use the Things We Know and Can Do chart, books, or your friends.


1. Things we know and can do chart 2. Books

Active Engagement

Now you are going to have a chance to be speakers and listeners again. Remember, if you can’t think of a story to tell, we have ways to help ourselves.

Teacher points to Idea Chart and reviews each item


Students will take turns practicing speaker/listener roles including a response

Teacher will monitor and listen for responses


At this time teacher should also be asking, Where did you get your storytelling idea from? Search and select several students who may have used the Idea Chart to get started with their storytelling.

After students practice speaker/listener roles, bring students back together into a whole group.




Active Engagement - Continued

As I was walking around today, I asked some of you where you got your storytelling ideas from. Kiera told me that when she heard her friend tell a story about her dog, it reminded her of taking her dog for a walk. Joe looked at the Things We Know and Can Do chart, and remembered he could talk more about karate.

Link Sometimes writers need help coming up with a storytelling idea. When you need help coming up with a storytelling idea, you can look at our Idea chart (teacher reviews idea anchor chart again).



Writers, you have all been working hard on becoming speakers and listeners. Give me a thumbs up if you told a story today. Give me another thumb up if you listened to a story today.




Lesson Plan

Session 8


Teaching Point Writers choose and think about a meaningful experience and share.

Materials

How to Write a Story - Anchor Chart [Resource Materials Packet]

Record students story ideas for session 9

Pre-selected student to model lesson with teacher

Tips This is the time to support and scaffold student story telling by asking clarifying questions and prompting for more detailed information, i.e. student says, Baby, and Teacher says Oh, do you have a baby at home? What do you like to do with your brother? Can you think of a special moment with him?

Throughout the Share, teacher will be sure to record students’ chosen meaningful ideas (from this lesson) into a notebook. These will be used in session 9.

Teacher may want to begin immersion sessions for Launching during reading time or other time throughout the day

Teacher may need to remove the Sketch and Write steps from the How to Write a Story anchor chart. (See resource packet) The complete chart will be used in later units.

Connection Yesterday we created some charts to help us remember where writers get ideas. Sometimes, when writers have trouble thinking of a story idea, they know ways to help themselves. Yesterday we said that we can get ideas from our Story Ideas chart, the Things We Know and Can Do chart, from books, or from friends (teacher rereads chart at this time). Today, we are going to pick one idea and think about why that idea is meaningful to us.

Teach I have been telling lots of stories about my sons and all the things we do together (teacher refers to her name on the Idea chart). We went on vacation, played games, rode our bikes, and ran errands. When I think about all these stories, there is one story that I really want to pick that is meaningful to me. I am going to pick the story of when Joe got lost at Target. That is a meaningful story for me because I can remember everything that happened, and the way it made me feel. Now that I have picked my story, I have to think about it.

Teacher refers to the first bullet on the anchor chart and says, How to write a story? When writers want to tell a story, the first thing they do is think about their story. They need to think about what happened.

Watch me as I think about my story, ‘Hmm, when I think about Joe getting lost, first I try and remember what happened. What happened first? Next? After that? I also think about the feelings I had… I remember I was so scared because I couldn’t find Joe. I am thinking about how I walked in the store going down aisles, then I looked around, and Joe wasn’t with me anymore, and I kept calling his name…




Teach - Continued

Did you see how I picked my story and really thought about what happened? Writers start by thinking about their story.

Today you are going to think about and choose your meaningful story. Then you will share it with your partner. Remember that a meaningful story is one that you can remember what happened and remember how it made you feel.

Active Engagement

Teacher will move students into partnerships

Teacher should model with a student, Here is Julie’s list of things she can do. Julie, can you pick something from the list that you will think more about?

Students in partnerships talk about stories they have told in the past. They may look back at Idea Chart to decide on one meaningful story idea and discuss how it made them feel.

Link Referring to chart, teacher says, We know that when writers want to tell a story, the first thing they do is think about their story.

Today we decided on one meaningful story that we are going to share. Writers sometimes have a lot of stories to tell, but they usually write about stories that are meaningful to them. A meaningful story is one that you can remember what happened and the way it made you feel.



Students report out one story idea, as teacher takes notes

Have some share why they selected that story of all those on the list

Students should be arranged in a circle

See Resource Materials Packet for other share options.



Lesson Plan

Session 9


Teaching Point Writers plan their story by thinking about their story idea and orally rehearsing to self.

Materials

How to Write a Story- Anchor Chart [Resource Materials Packet]

Ways to Practice My Story – Anchor Chart [Resource Materials Packet]

Teacher prepared story

Tips Teacher may need to remind students of their stories from Session 8

This is the first time students have tried telling a story to themselves, it is okay if they are not all there yet

Students could use hear themselves phones (tubaloo) to support saying the story to themselves

Students should practice telling stories in order throughout the day (coming in from recess, after lunch, PE, etc.) and at home

Teacher can model telling the story across fingers to help guide sequencing. For some students, using a story hand helps them when telling the story to self. Additional practice will be needed.

.

Connection Yesterday I showed you how writers have lots of stories to tell and how they choose stories that are meaningful to them. A meaningful story is one that you can remember what happened and how it made you feel. Yesterday we all picked one story that we wanted to think about.

Teacher refers to anchor chart and says, How to write a story?

Today I am going to show you how to picture that story to help you plan and say your story to an audience.

Teach When writers want to tell a story, the first thing they do is think of a story (refer to How to Write a Story anchor chart).

The next thing they do is picture the story in their head. When I picture a story in my head this is how I do it. Teacher models, emphasizing how to picture the story by thinking about what happened.

Then writers say their story to themselves. (teacher models)

Yesterday we all thought about the story we wanted to talk more about. Now we are going to picture that story in our head.

Watch as I think and picture my story. When you picture your story, it is almost like you are playing a movie in your mind and you can see everything that happened right from the beginning to the very end. Yesterday I thought about the story when Joe was lost at Target. Now I am going to picture how my story will go, starting right from the beginning all the way to the end. Hmm...I can picture when we got to Target. I can see us walking into the store, and Joe didn’t want to go in the cart so I told him he had to hold onto the side of the cart with his hand instead… Model using story hand – one finger per event.



Lesson - Session 9, Continued

Teach - Continued

Teacher continues to model thinking and picturing the story and says, This story is much more detailed and it starts right from the beginning and goes to the very end.

Did you see how I thought about my story and pictured it in my head? I pictured my story right from the beginning when we got to Target all the way to the end when I found Joe. So first I thought about my story, then I pictured my story, and now I am going to say my story to myself, One day Joe and I went to Target… Model using story hand.

So, when writers want to tell a story they have to (refer to anchor chart) think of a story, picture the story, and say the story. This helps them remember all the important things that want to say to their audience.

Active Engagement

You have already thought about which story you are going to picture and say. Now I want you to picture your story in your mind, just like I did with going to Target with Joe. I want you to think about what happened right at the start of your story to the very end. Then I want you to say the story to yourself. So, you are going to think of your story, picture your story, and then say your story.

Students may stay at meeting place or move to seats to think, picture, and say their stories

Link Teacher refers to anchor chart

So when writers want to tell a story, they have to first think about a story, picture the story, and then say their story. This helps them remember all the important things in their story and gives them a chance to practice it”



Pick a few students to share how they thought about, pictured, and said their stories

Explain the importance of why they practice their stories – players practice before a game, actors and actresses practice before a play, etc.




Lesson Plan

Session 10

Concept IV Writers rehearse their stories to make them more meaningful for an audience.

Teaching Point Writers think, picture, and say their stories to themselves and partner.

Materials

How to Write a Story - Anchor Chart [Resource Materials Packet]


3-5 page blank paper booklet for modeling

Ways to Practice My Story [Resource Materials Packet]

Pre-selected student to model lesson with teacher

Tips Celebration: teacher could invite visitors or guests to hear the kindergarten storytellers

Anchor charts will be kept for future units

Share the importance of rehearsal or practice and connect to other events in their life (swimming, dance moves, musical notes, etc.)

Teacher will not give booklets to students at this time; this is only a snapshot of what is to come. The goal here is for students to begin to understand that storytelling is a part of something bigger.

Connection Yesterday we talked about the things writers do when they want to write/tell a story (refer to anchor chart): they think of their story, picture their story, and say their story. Writers do this because it helps them remember all the important things they want their audience to know about their story. It gives them a chance to practice their story lots of times.

Yesterday we thought about our stories, we pictured our stories, and we said our stories to ourselves. Today we are going to think, picture in our heads, say our stories to ourselves, and then we’re going to tell them to a partner or our audience.

Teach Watch me as I (refer to anchor chart) think, picture, and say my story to myself.

I am thinking about the story when Joe was lost at Target. Now I am going to picture this story starting right from the beginning all the way to the end. Hmm...I can picture when we got to Target. So, my story will go like this, ‘One day Joe and I went to Target. I said, Joe get into the cart….

Teacher continues to model thinking and picturing. Then repeats story again to self and says, Did you see how I thought about my story, pictured my story, and said the story to myself?

Now I am going to say my story to a partner or my audience. Let’s review how a speaker tells a story and how a listener sits quietly with their voice turned off (review anchor chart). Knee to knee and eye to eye.

Teacher picks a student (Susie) to share her story with and says, Now I am going to have Susie think, picture, and say her story to herself. Then she is going to tell her story to me.




Active Engagement

So writers need to think, picture, and say their stories to help them remember all the important things they want their audience to know about their story. You are going to think, picture, and say your story to yourself.

Give students time to rehearse to self

Now I will put you with a partner and you will say your story to your partner. Remember how to be a good speaker and listener. Partnership time.

Link So, every time a writer wants to tell a story, they need to think, picture, and say their story to themselves and someone else. This helps them remember all the important things they want to tell their audience. It gives the writer a chance to practice, practice, practice.



Teacher will have a few children share their stories with the class, after each child shares his/her story the teacher will bring the share session to a close by “planting a seed” for what is to come over the weeks and months ahead

Model the rehearsal technique of touching pages as a “sneak preview” of what is to come next in writing workshop: Using the students’ story, teacher says, So if the story Susie told us was in a book, it might go like this: on the front there would be the title just like David Shannon did in Too Many Toys”

Teacher models opening the cover of the booklet, and proceeds using Susie’s words to tell her story, using one part on each page and say, On this first page you tell the first part of your story. What was the first part of your story?

Teacher may need to guide students through this by reminding them of the parts of their story.

Teacher points to space for illustration and states, Maybe there will be a picture here of you… Teacher continues through the booklet supporting and modeling how each page is a different part.


ela common core state standards lesson plan...

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