Grade Level: 3rd

School: Beulah Shoesmith Elementary

Mentor Teacher: Tracey Walker

Start date of Literacy CLT: 11/15

1. Purpose and Audience: The purpose of this writing lesson is for students will be able to
transform into reporters who write newspaper stories. They will be able to show their
understanding of the different parts that make up the article. The audience will be
residents of Chicago.

2. Genre and Mentor Texts: I will be using a few different mentor texts. There are three
articles and one book. The genre is non-fiction as well as biography/autobiography. The genres I
am using for this writing assignment are guides for the writing. They will provide the details and
information the students need. In addition, the book is an interview of eyewitnesses and the
students will be able to use that information to form a paragraph for their newspaper. This allows
students to take on the role of reporters and gather this information to write their own news
article. The first mentor text I will use is News Story Sample Paper, and I plan to use this text to
model the craft move, text features - headings. I will use The Great Chicago Fire as a mentor text,
I plan to use this text as a model for the craft move, precise words - vivid verbs. I will also be
using The Great Chicago Fire by Tria Smith as a mentor text. I plan to use this text as a model for
the craft move, back matter - historical note. The last mentor text I will use is Second City. I plan
to use this text as a model for the craft move, ending - The Way We Are Known.

3. Writing Sequence Goals (2-4 maximum): Consider what you want students to be able
to know and/or do by the end of the writing sequence and what will they need to know/learn to
accomplish that. Identify your intentions for student learning in your writing sequence by
developing a small, well-chosen set of goals. Be realistic—these goals should be attainable (and
measureable) by the end of a 10-lesson sequence. Your goals should address the following
characteristics:

 Performance: States what a learner is expected to be able to do

 Criterion: Clarifies how well the student must perform the task in order for the
performance to be acceptable
Be sure to indicate the range of performances that are acceptable for your group of
students. Note whether students will demonstrate their learning in oral, manipulative, or
written/pictorial form.

Writing Sequence Goals:

 Students will write an expository texts in which they introduce the Chicago fire, that
includes a creative title and three separate paragraphs. One focused on the 5w’s (who,
what, where, when, and why), one about an eyewitness (made up), and one about the
rebuilding of Chicago including 3 things they did.
 Students will identify the basic layouts of a newspaper in which they will be able to
identify what is the header, introduction, body, and the conclusion. They will able to show
this through their circle map on the first mentor text, as well as displaying this through
their own newspaper writing.

4. Success criteria: Define the criteria for success and then describe what it will look like if
students meet these criteria at the 3 different levels of success.

DEFINE Exceeds Target Meets Target Needs Support

ASSIGNMENT
CRITERIA

Organization *Groups related information *Groups most related *Related information is

together in sequence
*Shows detailed knowledge of
the subject and conveys that to
the reader
*Creative title
*Forms three separate
paragraphs
information together in not grouped together or
sequence there are few, or no
*Shows some detailed related facts or
knowledge of the subject information
and conveys it to the *Does not identify the
reader topic and lacks logical
*Creative title order or flow.
*Forms three separate *Has a title or no title at
paragraphs all
*Paragraphs are not
clear

Three  Student has three  Student has  Student does

separate clearly separate three separate not clearly show
paragraphs paragraphs paragraphs three separate
 Paragraph one  First paragraph, paragraphs
includes all 5W’s student includes  Student does
 Second paragraph all or most of the not include most
includes all parts of the 5W’s of the 5W’s or
eyewitness statement.  Second uses the
(Name, age, gender, paragraph information
two things they did student created correctly
during the event, and an eyewitness  Student
two feelings they had) report including eyewitness
all or most parts. statement does
 Third paragraph not clearly
connect with the
Chicago Fire
 Student

Creative title  Student creates a  Student creates  Student does

creative title that is an
attention getter
 Students title does not
include Chicago Fire
and uses other words
to show their
understanding of what
their article is about
a creative title create a unique
 Students title or creative title
includes either  Student uses
Chicago or Fire titles of readings
 Student shows  Title does not
understanding of grab readers
creating a title attention
that grabs
readers attention

5. Rationale: Students will be able to pull information from texts and use this information to
restate in their own words to retell the story. This will help students overall comprehension when
reading a text. The students will be able to outline an article and grasp the underlying meaning of
a text. The students will also be able to use their creative thinking by creating their own
eyewitness statement. This is important for students to improve on their writing skills and become
writers. They are starting to learn to create their own style and develop the skills needed to create
an essay that is made up of multiple parts. They can also use their understanding of sequence of
events to retell a story.
6. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language
standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.A
Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding
comprehension.

7. Differentiated Instruction: During the lesson I will differentiate each part by including a
more detailed outline for students who need it. Some students struggle getting everything written
down in the time given. For those students they will have an outline or worksheet printed to help
keep them paced with the class as a whole. Some students will have those worksheets with some
information already filled in. Along with that, I will also give them extra sheets with information to
help guide their thinking when creating an eyewitness report. This will help them understand what
it is asking and give them ideas to work with. Students will receive extra one on one instruction to
help with the writing portion of the essay. I will include sheets with some of the words they might
be using in their essay to help with the spelling portion and to allow for more independence when
working on their own. Students who might be exceeding expectations will be partnered with
students who might need more assistance to help them work through the assignment. They will
receive a writing buddy to help keep the student on task and on goal.

8. Provide a Teaching Outline Chart: A two-week (or 10 day) lesson sequence that will
help your students meet your goals for the writing sequence. This is a tentative sketch—it may
change along the way—of the writing sequence that you will likely adjust once you begin to teach
your lessons and formatively assess students’ progress each day. For each lesson on your
planning chart, include the following information (see template below for format and copy/paste
into your own document).
 Date:
 Daily Objective: What key skill/strategy will students learn today to help them
move toward meeting your writing sequence goal/s?
 Minilesson Focus: What writer’s craft move, genre feature, or teaching point are
you focusing on?
 Mentor Text: What text will you use to help illustrate the writer’s craft move,
genre feature, or teaching point?
 Instruction: Briefly describe how you plan to teach the day’s skill/strategy. How
are you using the gradual release of responsibility to scaffold learning (e.g.,
modeling, guided practice, independent practice)?
 Plan for conferring: List names of kids with whom you plan to confer. Meet with
each student at least once each week.
 Formative/summative assessment: What will students do during the lesson to
provide evidence of learning? List what student work would contain to show their
progress toward meeting the objective. Think about what a model example would
look like, including the criteria you will specifically look for. How will you use that
information to plan your next lesson?
 Teaching Notes (as needed): Jot down topics, resources, or tasks you want to
remember to incorporate into your lesson as you develop your plans (e.g.,
students you will want to provide additional support for, extra sample texts of the
genre, an online resource kids could use).
 Resources: Cite the resources you used to develop each lesson sketch.
 Reflection (this part of the outline will be added throughout CLT of literacy,
day by day): After every lesson you teach, write a BRIEF reflection. Your
reflection can be just a few sentences on days where things went as expected
and you plan to make no changes to the next day’s lesson. However, if you are
 making changes to the lesson, please provide a bit more information to explain
your changes. Be sure to include the following your reflection:
 What students learned and how you know they learned it?
 What students didn’t yet fully learn and how you know they didn’t learn
it? (Reminder: Different students may have learned different things, that
is fine and you should include both generalizations about the class, and
individual students in your reflection. Additionally, students might not
have learned something because you ran out of time to teach it. That is a
good thing to include in this section as well.)
 What will you do tomorrow based on what you learned from teaching
today? (again, think both about whole class instruction, and also what
individual students might need)

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Date: 11/15 Date: 11/15 Date: 11/16 Date: 11/19 Date: 11/20

Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective:
Students will be Students will be Students will Students will create Students will begin
able to identify the able to create a tree begin writing their a circle map writing the second
different parts of map with 5W’s first paragraph paragraph on the
the News Story (who, what, where, and creating a eye witness.
Sample Paper. when, and why) on title.
the Fire Article
Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson
Focus: Identifying Focus: Focus: Focus: Focus:
and being able to Creating a circle Students will
point out and map that includes Anchor chart on identify key points Anchor chart on
name the different who, what, where, capitalization of an eye witness to finger spacing.
parts of a when, and why on letters. include in their Quick mini lesson
newsletter. They the Chicago Fire Capitalizing the paper using a circle going over how to
will be able to article. start of a map. properly space
create a circle sentence and words.
map on what they nouns.
notice.
Students will
have to come up
with a creative
title for the
newspaper.
Students will
begin creating
their first
paragraph using
the Fire article.
Mentor Text: Mentor Text: The Mentor Text: N/A Mentor Text: The Mentor Text: N/A
News Story Great Chicago Fire Great Chicago Fire
Sample Paper by Tria Smith
from Time for Kids
Mini Lesson Instruction: Instruction: Instruction: Instruction:
Instruction: Read The Great Read The Great
What do you Chicago Fire. I do: Go over the Chicago Fire by I do: Go over the
know about a I do: Read the anchor chart with Tria Smith. anchor chart with
newspaper article out loud. them before I do: Read aloud them before doing
article? We do: Identify the doing an the story. an example. Do an
Read News Story 5W’s as a whole example. An We do: Identifying example on proper
Sample Paper. group on the board. example of a what an eyewitness finger spacing with
I do: Read You do: Complete sentence with statement includes a sentence and one
sample story out circle map, and proper using a circle map. with improper
loud. As I read making sure they punctuation on In the center write spacing.
point out and read have each part. the board. “eyewitness.” We do: I will give
side notes We do: I will give You do: Students them a sentence
identifying and them a sentence will make sure they strip and as a class
explaining each strip and as a have everything on I will have students
part of the article. class we will fix it the board spelled come up as a time
We do: Create and write it on the and copied and write a word
the outline for the board with proper correctly. from the sentence
circle map. In the punctuation. by using their
center write - You do: Students fingers on the board
“What I notice.” will read through to show proper
We will complete their work and fix understanding of
it as a class. any punctuation spacing.
Students will be that needs to be You do: Students
called on if they fixed before will look over their
raise their hand to turning it back in work for correct
share. to be checked. finger spacing and
You do: Students adjust it
will make sure accordingly.
they have
everything on the
board spelled and
copied correctly.
Planning for Planning for Planning for Planning for Planning for
Conferring: Conferring: Conferring: Conferring: Conferring:
Lai’lonni Miracle De’Kiya Huzaifa Lai’lonni
Ameer Carlton Mariah Ginelle Ameer
Taylor Victoria Ka’Niyah Crystal Taylor
Lawrence Da’Marcus Ayden Ashton Lawrence
Danica Ryan Amina Alonna Danica
Jaiden Morgan Dalana Cameron Jaiden
Josiah Kayden Josiah
Assessment: Assessment: Assessment: Assessment: Assessment:
Notebook for Notebook for taking Notebook for Notebook for taking Notebook for taking
taking anecdotal anecdotal notes on taking anecdotal anecdotal notes on anecdotal notes on
notes on students students notes on students students students
understanding of understanding of understanding of understanding of an understanding of
what parts make identifying the 5w’s. forming a eyewitness. writing about an
up a newspaper paragraph with eyewitness.
article. the information
they have
collected.
Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes:
Will need sample Will need sample Will need sample Will need sample Will need sample
paper. paper. paper. paper. paper.
Giant sticky note Giant sticky note Giant sticky note Giant sticky note Giant sticky note
Markers Markers Markers Markers Markers
Notebook for Notebook for taking Notebook for Notebook for taking Notebook for taking
taking notes notes taking notes notes notes
Resources: Resources: Resources: Resources: Resources:
Newspaper Chicago Fire Article Anchor chart Great Chicago Fire FInger spacing
Sample story (provided by found on pintrest by Tria Smith anchor chart (found
(provided by mentor) Line paper for Packet made on pintrest)
mentor) 5W’s chart printed paragraph before outlining the
Line paper for for students. parts needed for
circle map. 5W’s Anchor chart eyewitness
found on pintrest statement.
Reflection: Reflection: Reflection: Reflection: Reflection:
Today went well, Students loved Students had to We read the With a constant
students were working in small finish copying eyewitness story struggle of time
able to identify the groups to find the down from last and the students students still
different parts of a answers. It went class, so no one were able to start needed extra time
newspaper. Time very well. They got the chance to on their packets to work on their
was a little short, were a little chatty, start their writing creating their own eyewitness
but students were but this was the first on this day, eyewitness statements. Those
able to complete time giving this a instead it was a statements. Many students continued
their circle maps. try. At the end I had catch up day. students like having to work. While
Due to struggle on some from each Almost all this outline. It some students
time I decided to group share out so students were encouraged the began their first
split students into students could fill in caught up. Time lower students to paragraph or two.
groups to identify each category. was also very work, because the Before they began
each of the 5W’s Time was short so limited so this outlined helped we went over the
and to encourage students did not get was the best them. I reminded anchor chart. It
active everything written solution to the students that we went well, but I
participation. down. I took the time we had. want to use could still see
information each complete sentences students not really
group collected and so that it will be focusing on their
made a giant chart easy to transfer this finger spacing in
for students who over into their writing. This has
did not finish to paragraphs. Many become a constant
copy down next students were able reminder. Almost all
class. This is to to complete this students are
help students who quickly and wanted finished with their
struggle with to move forward. eyewitness so we
listening and writing will move forward
at the same time. with the tree map
for the final
paragraph so
students who are
ahead can move
forward.

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

Date: 11/26 Date: 11/27 Date: 22/28 Date: 11/30 Date: 12/1

Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective: Daily Objective:
Students will create a Students will Students will be Students will be Students will
circle map identifying begin writing the able to check focused sequence, complete their
different things they did third paragraph. their sentences making sure their final of their
to rebuild Chicago. for SWAG to help writing is in writing if not yet
improve their sequential order finished, and for
writing. and they are using those who are
sequence words. complete will
work on their
drawing.
Mini-Lesson Focus: Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson Mini-Lesson
Identifying what positive Focus: Focus: Focus: Focus:
outcomes have resulted
from the Chicago Fire. Anchor chart Anchor chart on Sequence anchor N/A this day will
focusing on SWAG. Does chart. Words to be focused on
periods. Many of your sentence show beginning, finishing touches
the students are have SWAG? middle and end. as many of the
forgetting to put Starts with a students need
them or put them capital. Written the full 30
in the wrong neatly. A space minutes to finish.
place. between words.
Given
punctuation.
Mentor Text: Second Mentor Text: Mentor Text: Mentor Text: N/A Mentor Text:
City N/A N/A N/A
Instruction: Instruction: Instruction: Instruction: Instruction:
Read Aloud Second I do: I will go
City I do: Go over the over the SWAG I do: I will go over Students will be
I do: Read the article anchor chart anchor chart. the sequence allowed to meet
out loud. before going over Then I will write words on the with teachers to
We do: Identify what examples with an example anchor chart. This ask questions to
some of the positive the students. sentence on the is a review of what help with
results are from the Emphasize that board and show they have been finishing up their
rebuilding of the city. you don’t need a how I check for learning in writing. I work.
You do: Complete tree, period at the end SWAG. will write three
and making sure they of every line. We do: I will sentences on the
have each part. We do: I will write three board and show
write three sentences on the how to incorporate
sentences on the board and have sequence words.
board and have students work as We do: I will write
the students a class to check three events from
properly place if they have the Chicago Fire
the periods. SWAG and if not and have the
You do: how to fix it. students
Students will read You do: incorporate
through their Students will sequence words to
work and read through the tell me the order of
properly place writing they have events.
their periods and done so far and You do: Read
fix their check for SWAG through their
punctuation and fix what writing and see
before turning it needs to be where they can put
in to get fixed. in a sequence
rechecked again. word to help
organize their
writing.
Planning for Planning for Planning for Planning for Planning for
Conferring: Conferring: Conferring: Conferring: Conferring:
Miracle Lai’lonni De’Kiya Miracle Lai’lonni
Carlton Ameer Mariah Carlton Ameer
Victoria Taylor Ka’Niyah Victoria Taylor
Da’Marcus Lawrence Ayden Da’Marcus Lawrence
Ryan Danica Amina Ryan Danica
Morgan Jaiden Dalana Morgan Jaiden
Kayden Josiah Kayden Josiah

With Mrs. English With Mrs. English With Mrs. English With Mrs.
Huzaifa Lai’lonni Miracle English
Ginelle Ameer Carlton De’Kiya
Crystal Taylor Victoria Mariah
Ashton Lawrence Da’Marcus Ka’Niyah
Alonna Danica Ryan Ayden
Cameron Jaiden Morgan Amina
Josiah Kayden Dalana

Assessment: Assessment: Assessment: Assessment: Assessment:

Notebook for taking Notebook for Notebook for Notebook for Notebook for
anecdotal notes on taking anecdotal taking anecdotal taking anecdotal taking anecdotal
students understanding notes on students notes on notes on students notes on
of identifying key understanding of students understanding of students
events. concluding the understanding of writing the news understanding of
article writing the paper. completing a
newspaper. final writing with
neatness and
layout.
Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching Notes: Teaching
Will need sample paper. Will need sample Will need sample Will need sample Notes:
Giant sticky note paper. paper. paper. Will need sample
Markers Giant sticky note Giant sticky note Giant sticky note paper.
Notebook for taking Markers Markers Markers Giant sticky note
notes Notebook for Notebook for Notebook for Markers
taking notes taking notes taking notes Notebook for
taking notes
Resources: Resources: Resources: Resources: Resources:
Second City article Anchor chart on SWAG anchor Sequence words N/A
(provided by mentor) periods (found on chart (found on anchor chart
Line paper to make tree pintrest) pintrest) (found on pintrest)
map.
Reflection: This was Reflection: Reflection: Reflection: Reflection:
stretched out from the
other parts of the
lesson. Although, this
being the case students
did a good job of
picking up from where
we left off. Students
were able to
independently pull out
the information needed
for the thinking map.
Although, some
students struggle to
identify the differences
between actions and
feelings. They were not
able to seperate the two
ideas.
First: Analyze Student Work

DEFINE Exceeds Target Meets Target Needs Support

ASSIGN
MENT
CRITER
IA

Before Students identify two Student identifies Student is unable to

sorting ways people reacted two ways people reacted identify two ways
work: to the fire and two and to people reacted to the
ways they rebuilt ways they rebuilt fire
the city. Showed clear the fire but ideas and two ways they
understanding of four might be the same rebuilt the fire.
different points. or written differently. Student might only
have one idea
for each.

After Student is able to Student identifies Student is unable to

sorting identify two ways two ways people reacted identify two ways
work people reacted to and two people reacted to
(revised the fire and two ways ways they rebuilt the fire and two ways
criteria) they rebuilt the city. the fire. Student they rebuilt the fire.
: Shows clear does not show clear Student does not
understanding of the difference between have clear
difference between the two or does not show ideas. Student writing
the two. Identifies what understanding is not understandable or
actions people took. of differences make connections.
between actions
and feelings that occured.

Sample
student
writing
for
each
level