Ohio Standards Connections:

ELA Standards Gr. 4:  Writing Applications Benchmark A: Write narrative accounts that develop character, setting and plot.

Indicator 1: Write narratives that sequence events, including descriptive details and vivid language to develop plot, characters and setting and to establish a point of view.

Library Guidelines:  Information Literacy Guidelines: 

Benchmark E:  Students explore various forms of literature for schoolwork and personal enjoyment.

Indicator 4:  Participate in choral speaking, creative dramatics and other literary enrichment activities. (Gr. 4)

Lesson Summary:

Given a story starter, students will write their own stories developing the characters, setting, plot, and theme.


Estimated Duration:

45 min. instruction

5 days to complete original stories and make books.

 

Commentary:

This is the culminating lesson developed to help students incorporate setting, plot, characters, and theme into an original story.

Pre-Assessment:

As a group, students will discuss the format of picture books, including the title page, cover, author, illustrator, page numbers, sequence, and picture/word positions.

Scoring Guidelines:

Through discussion, students will show awareness and understanding of the parts of a picture book.

Post-Assessment:

Students will use a self-scoring rubric to make sure they have included all requirements in their book.

Scoring Guidelines:

Students will self evaluate and peer evaluate their original books using the rubric.

Instructional Procedures:

Media Specialist will:

  1. Show students a picture book.
  2. Discuss parts of the book:  cover, title page, author, illustrator, number sequence, placement of pictures and words, and sequence of story.
  3. Tell story starter.
  4. Talk about the characters, setting, plot, and theme in the story starter.
  5. Students will retell this part of the story in written form.

Classroom Teacher will:

  1. Students will then complete the story.
  2. Over 5 days, students will finish writing, proofread, edit, make final copy, and illustrate.
  3. Finished books will be shared with peers.

Differentiated Instructional Support

More capable students will add dialog with quotation marks, word process their story, and perhaps have more pages.

Extension

An author party with parents in attendance may be held.  Students may take a field trip to the primary building to read their books to kindergarten children.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Work on independent writing can be done at home.

Proofreading and editing will be done with an adult at home.

Interdisciplinary Connections

English sentence structure will be important.

Students will write invitations to parents if author party is planned.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers

Copy of one of the picture books read aloud

For students

Notebook paper for 1st draft

Good paper for final copy

Heavy paper for cover

Alphabet stickers for cover

Pencils, crayons, markers

Binding materials

Key Vocabulary

Title page, illustrator, dialog

Technology Connections

Some students may use word processing.

Research Connections

See previous lesson.