LESSON PLAN 1 WRITTEN CONVERSATIONS

Outcomes: CCSS L 8.1:

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Instructional Objective:

Students will be able to express their ideas and evidence that support them in written notes with a partner in order to comprehend the chapter of a story better. Assessment: I will collect their written conversation to informally evaluate their understanding of the chapter. I will look for their usage of evidence from the text to support their inferences and analysis of the chapter.

Materials Needed: Murder on the Iditarod Trail: An Alaska Mystery by Sue Henry. Each pair of students will have each a piece of paper to write their notes.

Total Time Needed: 40 minutes Procedures: Introduction (4 min): Raise your hand if you have ever pass notes with a friend during class to talk about anything or everything happening in your life? I have! Long time ago. I remember I used to do it, there was on time I got myself in trouble for not paying attention to the teacher. Guess what? Today, only for this hour, it is going to be legal to pass on notes in the classroom!

Steps for instruction (30 min): Our goal for today is to express our ideas giving evidence of our thinking from the text in written notes with a partner. This will help you to understand the chapter better.

We are reading chapter 9 for 9 minutes individually today. Every one of you is responsible to pay attention to what you are reading. I will give you a couple of post its so you can write any interesting facts, connections to your life, predictions, inferences, etc that you think are important in this chapter. GIVE EXAMPLE OF HOW I USED A POST IT

Remember to have evidence from the text to support what was interesting to you while reading the text, this will help you latter when you exchange notes with your partner. After reading the chapter, I will tell you what is going to happen next. o STUDENTS GO ON TO READ FOR NINE MINUTES I noticed you were doing a great job taking notes on your posts it. Now, it is time to break the law and write notes to a partner. Members of each pair will write, at the same time, notes to each other about the interesting ideas you had while reading chapter nine swapping them every three minutes at my signal, for a total of 9 minutes, and keeping quiet along the way. I know you do not talk when you pass notes around when you pass notes with friends, so I am expecting the same today. To make our notes fun, we are going to write them like informal correspondence. In other words, use greetings (Dear Amy), and dont worry about spelling and grammar, after all this are notes. Just remember that I am going to read your notes later so I want your best thinking on them. At the end of your notes sing you name Use the facts, connections, predictions, inferences, reactions etc. you did during your reading showing your partner the evidence of your thinking. Here is an example of a written conversation SHOW SAMPLE CONVERSATION ON OVERHEAD. See how they are responding to each other and using evidence to support their thinking. At the count of three, I want you to start writing to your partner. Remember I will give you the signal to stop and exchange notes. I will be walking around in case you have any questions. Raise your hand if you understand what we are doing. 1, 2, 3.. Start writing to your partner STUDENTS WRITE TO PARTNERS, WHILE I TAKE TIME AND WALK AROUND MAKING SURE EVERY ONE IS ON TASK.

I WILL OBSERVE GOOD EXAMPLES OF WRITTEN CONVERSATIONS TO SHARE WHEN WE COME BACK TO WHOLE GROUP. AFTER 9 MINUTES OF WRITING, I WILL ASK THE STUDENTS TOCOME BACK TO WHOLE GROUP WITHOUT MOVING. Closure (6 min): As I was walking around, I noticed all of you were doing a great job using evidence to support your thinking. I WILL ASK SOME OF THE STUDENTS TO SHARE WHAT THEY WROTE IN THE OVERHEAD AND GIVE FEEDBACK TO THOSE STUDENTS CONVERSATIONS So, how did you like writing notes to your partner? Did you find it helpful to write to someone about the chapter in order to understand it better? I am glad you enjoyed this activity, hopefully you can use this strategy of writing notes to someone about a text to share ideas and extend your learning. Just remember that you need to do it the legal way.

Strategies for students requiring additional assistance: The students that are reading a different, and easier book, will be group together. Name: Mrs. Rodriguez Date: March 23, 2012 Content Area: ELA Grade Level: 8th