304 Mini-Lesson Plan Template

Fall 2018

Names: Jenna Lambert and Josie Brewster

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Common Core State Standards:

● CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.3
○ Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event​ ​or several
loosely linked events, ​tell about the events in the order in which they occurred​, and
provide a reaction to what happened.

Mode of Lesson:

● The mode is writing a personal narrative.

● The genre is the small moments of a specific event.

Teaching Point:

When writers plan their stories during prewriting, something they do is think about what
happened in the beginning, the middle, and then the end. They do a basic sketch for each
section and then go back and add more details with writing and more detailed pictures. We
are sketching the ideas to get the order of our stories correct. This will be done through
the beginning, middle, and end sketching strategy.

● The What, How, and Why of the Teaching Point

○ What: They are breaking their idea down into the beginning, middle, and end
○ How: By filling in the graphic organizers, students will show that their idea has a
beginning, middle, and end. This shows that they are writing about a full event in the
order in which it occurred.
○ Why: To make sure their idea has clear, chronological organization.

Formative & Summative Assessments:

Include one formative assessment statement that answers the questions:

○ Over-the-Shoulder Comments as a form of formative assessment during this specific mini
lesson as they work on their picture chart.
○ When (within the mini-lesson) will formative assessment will occur?
■ It will occur during the active engagement portion of the mini lesson
■ After the mini lesson when they are working independently on their picture chart
○ How will you pay attention?
 ■ Walk around the room and check in with each student
■ Listen to what the students are saying when talking in partnerships
■ Over-the-Shoulder Comments
○ For what (specifically) will you be looking and listening?
■ If they are able to identify the beginning, middle, and end to their story
■ If they are able to draw a quick sketch of each part of the story.
■ If the order of their parts is logical.
○ How will you record what you notice?
■ Record keeping checklist
■ Example attached below

Include one summative assessment statement that answers the questions:

○ How you will determine whether objectives are met by the end of the unit?
■ Assessing if students can label a story as the parts to an event. Have them sketch
the beginning, middle, and end of a story/book they have read. Or find a book in
the library and sketch the beginning, middle, and end of the main event in the
book.
○ What evidence will you have?
■ The students will be sketching their labeled parts of the story/book in the picture
chart.
■ They will have a final chart filled out to show that they know how to figure out
the order of the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
○ For what specifically will you be looking?
■ If they have the three boxes on the picture chart filled out with a simple sketch.
■ If they have the story parts in the right order.

Materials:
● Book ​I am invited to a Party
○ Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems
● Picture Chart for Each Student
○ Example attached below
● Pencils for Each Student
● Record Keeping Checklist
○ Pencil for teacher
○ Example attached below

Mini-lesson:
Connection/Anticipatory Set​​: ​(activate prior knowledge and focus student attention on the
lesson)

How many of you have had a birthday party? Do you remember how much fun it was? The different activities you
did? Or do you remember the presents? During that part, there was a specific order that everything happened. Your
family and friends showed up. Then you maybe played some games, ate cake, or opened presents. Finally, when the
party ended your guests left. What would happen if that order changed? What if you played games and ate the
birthday cake before your guests arrived? Would that make sense? No it would not. I want you to think back to the
last class where we learned about how to break a story up into the beginning, middle, and end. We used the book ​I
Am Invited to a Party! ​By Mo Willems, where elephant and piggy went to a birthday party. Now, we are going to
learn a specific writing tool to help us find the beginning, middle, and end in our own stories.

Teach & Demonstration​​: (​ demonstrate the teaching point as if you were working independently)

Something I want to teach you today is how to order your stories. When writers plan their stories something they do
is think about what happened in the beginning, the middle, and then the end. They do a basic sketch for each section
and then go back and add more details with writing and more detailed pictures. Sketching the ideas is a way to get
the order figured out. Today we are going to work on ordering our stories into beginning, middle, and end (the three
box gesture). We are going to use the beginning, middle, and end writing tool to help us do this. To do this, you
need to think in your head about what happened in the beginning, middle, and end to my story. Then you need to
decide what is the most important part of each part of the story. This important part is going to be sketched out on
our paper.

Watch as I show you how to sketch the order of your stories. Remember how we had fire drill last week? (Show
visual to represent fire alarm)

(Draw in each of the boxes as I say this next part)

I am thinking back to the fire drill and remembering what happened and the order in which it happened. What
happened first? Oh I remember! We were all working in groups with our math blocks, when all of a sudden the fire
alarm went off. I think that the most important part of this beginning is the fire alarm going off, so I am going to
draw a picture of the fire alarm in my first box. I am going to make sure to make it a simple sketch, because we are
still in the planning stage of our writing. Now, what happened after the alarm went off? Oh I remember! The whole
class jumped out of our seats, because the loud noise of the fire alarm scared us a little bit. Then I told the class to
leave everything at their desks and go line up at the door in a single file line. Then, we all walked, silently, down the
hall and out the door to outside. Once outside, we stayed in our line. We waited in line for a little bit, quietly talking
to our classmates. The most important part of the middle is that we all lined up and walked outside as a class. To
sketch this in the middle box, I am going to draw our class walking down the hall in a single file line. Now, I need to
think about how the fire drill ended. What did our class do last? Oh I remember! The last thing we did was walk
back into the building after we were told it was safe to go inside. Mrs. Brandy came outside to tell us that there was
no fire, it was a drill so we could all head back to our classrooms. We walked in our line back inside to our room.
Once we got to our room, we talked about how well we listened and followed directions during the drill. I even gave
the whole class stickers for doing such a good job. To sketch this in the third and final box, I am going to draw our
class walking back into the school, because I think that is the most important part. I may have liked the part about
getting a sticker the most, but going back inside was more important information for my readers. Remember how we
talked about that a few weeks ago. A writer should write down what the reader needs to know to understand what
we are writing. I am going to draw us going inside by drawing us walking in the main door to the school. Now I
have all three parts sketched out.

Did you see, how I made a simple sketch for the beginning, middle, and end of the fire drill story?

I showed the beginning by drawing a fire alarm going off.

Then, I showed the middle by drawing a picture of our class lining up and walking outside.
Finally, I showed the end by drawing a picture of our class walking back inside the building once it was
safe.

Active Engagement/Guided Practice​​: ​(coach and assess students during this time, first with your support and then
with the support of a partner)

(We do)

Now I am going to use ​I Am Invited to a Party! ​By Mo Willems, to show how the story has a clear beginning,
middle, and end. When we start the book, Piggie has received a party invitation. He then invites Gerald, the
elephant, to come to the party with him. So this is the beginning of the story; it all sets up for the events in the rest of
the book.
After the beginning of the story, comes the middle. Gerald and Piggie mix and match various party theme outfits to
find the right fit. They try for a fancy party, then a fancy pool party, and finish with a fancy pool costume party
outfit. This is climax of the story, the middle of the story is where most of the action takes place.
Once they have found the perfect outfit, at the end of the story Gerald and Piggie go to the party to find themselves
dressed perfectly! The end of the story should wrap everything up and provide a clear solution. See how the story
has a clear beginning middle and end, and they all only make sense in the order they are in? They couldn’t pick a
perfect outfit before they got invited, or go to the party before finding an outfit.

(You do together)
Now it’s time for everyone to discuss with the person you’re sitting next to. I want you to take turns breaking down
your story idea into three pieces, a beginning, middle, and end, and brainstorm what you may draw in your picture
chart. If you are having trouble filling all three spots, you might need a story with more to it.

(Walk around the room and take notes in record keeping checklist about what the class is saying)
Link/Closure​​: ​(review and clarify key points, globalizing their utility from the now to the future)
Who can tell me what the beginning of the story should do? (Set up the events of the story). And where does most of
the action take place? (In the middle). Where does the solution come, where does the story get all wrapped up? (In
the end.)
Using a picture chart is a great strategy to see if an idea is good to continue with, that you can do with any story you
want to write. You want to be sure you can write a write the story, so it should have a beginning middle and end.
The picture chart also helps you make sure your story makes sense and is in the right order for the audience to
understand.
Now that you know how to break apart a story into the beginning, middle, and end, it is time for you to do it on your
own.
Record Keeping Checklist

Subject__________________ Strategy ___________________ Date___________________

Student Name Proficient Developing Beginning

Picture Chart