Mystery Bag 5 Wh?

Lesson Plan

Elements of the Lesson

Standard
MDE grade level or CCSS or Essential Elements

Caitlin Eyestone

Evidence that Documents the Elements

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to
the sequence of events
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.4
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate
to task and purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and
clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.A
Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Objectives/Targets and I can statements

I can name all 5 Wh? words: Who, What, When, Where, Why
I can write a story that is in order and includes characters, setting, problem, and solution.
Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Engaging the students with a secret at the start, then building excitement by withholding knowledge will
What positive strategies, techniques and tools will you use?
prime students for eager learning. Reviewing the Wh question words and practicing asking/answering
What ideas for on task, active and focused student behavior?
these questions will promote student success while completing independently the writing organizer.
Allowing for creativity, while maintaining necessary structure, will engage students in writing. In order to
guide students in proper writing, we will discuss the importance of grammar, punctuation, and sentence
structure while writing the story, but also highlight that topic choice is creative. Have student reiterate
writing objectives after criteria is presented. During the independent practice times, background music will
play to keep students from off-track behaviors. Behavioral expectations will be outlined before students
are turned loose to write. Behavioral expectations include; signaling for assistance to instructor, minimal
talking, and flip over paper when finished. Also, possibly allow students to begin a quiet wiggle if they
finish before those students still working.
Introduction: Creating Excitement and Focus for the Using a Mystery Bag instead of a writing prompt will serve to capture student attention from the beginning
of the lesson. Rather than presenting the students with a topic upon which to write, having them choose a
Lesson Target
What will you do to generate interest?
mystery bag at random will stimulate intrigue and allow for a more creative writing experience.
What will the students be able to do at the end of the lesson?

How will you access prior knowledge?

What will you practice/review?

The students have worked with the 5 Wh? words all year so the language should still be familiar. We will
review the intended purpose of each word and model a question/answer for each of the 5 Wh? words
before beginning the organizational activity prior to writing.
We will review as well as practice Who, What, When, Where, and Why as related to the creation of the
story. This question and answer system is imperative for students in daily life as well as academics.

Mystery Bag 5 Wh? Lesson Plan

Caitlin Eyestone

Introduction: Creating Excitement and Focus for the Task Analysis:

Mystery Bags
Lesson Target
Students will be invited to choose a brown paper sack from the array of bags awaiting the students.
Task analysis:
DO
NOT
OPEN!!!!!
What information does the learner need? If needed how will it be
Really draw in students and create hype about the bags by saying, "Inside, you will find an item so
provided?
strange and so mysterious...your task is to decide how this item will be used. The item will create a story that
How is the lesson scaffolded?
the world has never before seen."
Step by step procedures
We will all open our bags in 3......2.....1.....
Depth of Knowledge: identify levels included
Present item to the group, taking time to clarify any confusion.
Recall/Reproduction
Wh? word Organizer
Skill/Concept
"We are going to use Wh question words to create a story that involves the item we found in our bag."
Strategic Thinking
"Who remembers what are the five Wh question words?
Extended Thinking
Accommodations: differentiating to meet student
Review and practice Wh question words.
needs
Model Wh question word example on sheet.
Intervention/ Remediation
Distribute sheet and turn loose students to complete Wh question word organizer for the item
Extension/enrichment
contained in the chosen bag.
Engaged learning (VAKT)
Share Wh question word organizer ideas.
Methods, Materials and Integrated Technology
Story
Instructional techniques
Model story writing based upon organizer. Establish guidelines for acceptable story. Sentences with
Engagement strategies
punctuation and capitals as well as including all elements of the five Wh question words.
Students write stories.
Materials and Integrated Technology list
Students share stories as a group.
Depth of Knowledge:
Recall/Reproduction- Retrieve prior knowledge of Wh? words.
Skill/Concept- Able to construct a story using necessary sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling,
and word usage skills.
Strategic Thinking- Create a new story and organize ideas, while also including outlined criteria.
Accommodations:
All students will be active participants at the individual functioning level of the student during the Wh question
review because the students are providing created examples, thus ensuring the example is at the student's
appropriate level. Ample examples of questions and answers will be provided in order to assist students with
the writing organizer. During independent practice times, individual instructor guidance and feedback is
available for students. The story writing portion of the lesson allows for extra flexibility because students will
write at personal length and level, extending and shortening as appropraite.
Engaged Learning:
Students will be engaged through the use of tactile materials, the kinesthetic engagement of their bodies
through the opening of bags. Auditory learners will benefit from discussion and verbal sharing of stories, while
visual learners will appreciate the use of a graphic organizer for writing.
Materials:
Paper bags, story starter items, 5 Wh question word organizer
Students will stay engaged through changes in activity, discussion, and a wiggle break throughout the lesson.
Instruction will incorporate elements of discovery, discussion, verbal review, independent skill practice, and
group sharing.

Mystery Bag 5 Wh? Lesson Plan

Modeling: I Do
SHOW/TELL (Visual/Verbal Input)
HOW/WHAT (Questioning and redirecting)

Checking for Understanding

Samples of questions to be asked
Ways in which students will respond and be engaged
Formative assessment strategies to be implemented

Caitlin Eyestone

Show item in my bag and demonstrate the 5 Wh? words and accompanying story elements that align with
my item. Write story while children are also working. Share story first before students share.
Students will be redirected as needed using verbal prompting. There will be time for students to ask
questions before transitioning from modeling portions to guided practice. While students are working, I
will visually check answers as well as ask specific students to share the 5 Wh? word answers they are
working on. The reminder, "Pretend as though you're writing for bucks." indicates to students their quality
of work must be high, capitals and punctuation is paramount, and all elements of the 5 Wh? organizer are
to be included.
What kind of response can we expect from the question word?
For what is the question work looking?
If I were to ask you a (insert Wh?), what kind of answer might you give?
Who will your story be about?
What will the character do?
When does the action happen?
Where will the story take place?
Why does the character do/think/feel/act like that in the story?
How will the story end?
Students will respond by completing organizer, answering written and verbal questions, as well as writing
a story.

Guided Practice: We Do
Collaborative (Your Do Together)
Independent Practice (You Do)

Closure
How will the I can statement(s) be reviewed? How will students be involved?
What connections to future learning will occur?

Students will share the answers to their 5 Wh? words as they relate to the story preparation.
Students will read aloud their finished story to the group.
Together we will unveil what is in our Mystery Bags, clarifying the name/function of any unfamiliar
items.
We will review the 5 Wh? words and types of responses elicited by each question word.
As a group, we will practice asking and answering the 5 Wh? words.
Students will then complete 5 Wh? word graphic organizer.
Students will share the details contained on the organizer intended to guide writing.
Example writing will be given.
Students will then write a short story.
Stories will be shared on an individual basis to the group.
To provide closure in the lesson, students will share the work of their stories by reading aloud to
classmates.
Instructor will point out the continued usefulness of the 5 Wh? words in life and relevance to use on the MStep and MAP testing happening in school life this month.

Mystery Bag 5 Wh? Lesson Plan

Assessment
What evidence supports that the objective(s) were met?
What do my students know, understand and are able to do?
What formative assessments will be used?

Caitlin Eyestone

The written story and graphical organization of the 5 Wh? word organizer will serve as evidence of student
work in the lesson. The correlation of Wh questions and written story should be evident and individual
student performance will serve to inform further instruction.