September- Mid October

Narrative

(Realistic Fiction)

How do we develop stories and characters that feel real?

How can we draft realistic stories?

How can we revise realistic stories?

Elements of a narrative

 Aspects of a character

Authors apply author's craft to draft a realistic story. 

Authors revise to elaborate on events and experiences with descriptive language. 

Elements of narratives:

• Story arc
• Struggles/obstacles

 Aspects of characters

• Internal/external traits
• Actions, thoughts, and feelings
• Responses
• Motivations

Draft 

• storytelling (not reporting or summarizing)
• lead
• author's craft
• character development
• pace
• sensory details
• storytelling voice
• conclusion

Revision

• lenses (how to look at a piece to revise - e.g. to edit for mechanics, to revise for content - e.g.s ending serves purpose of story, character development)

Organize elements of a story using a story arc

Describe a character's thoughts, words, and actions to develop their struggles and motivations

Draft

• Construct a lead including setting and character motivation 
• Create dialogue
• Describe events in sequence, including transitional words and phrases
• Create a conclusion that matches the story

Revise

• Apply techniques from mentor texts to use develop author's craft in writing

Mentor Texts

• Fireflies! by Julie Brinkloe

Anchor Charts (from Units of Study)

• How to Find Ideas for a Fiction Story
• How to Write a Fiction Story

Checklists

• 3rd Grade

On- Demand Writing

Mentor Texts

• Fireflies! by Julie Brinkloe

Anchor Charts

Supplemental

Up the Ladder Narrative Unit

Possible resources for scaffolded instruction

- Ralph Tells A Story (mentor text)

- Story Arc graphic organizer

- Post its

-large white paper

- picture box paper

• Anecdotal Notes
• Checklists 
• On-Demand Assessment (Units of Study)
• Learning Progression for Narrative Writing (Units of Study)

Mid-October - End of November

Opinion (Argument) Writing

(Lucy Calkins Unit of Study: Boxes and Bullets)

How can we express a claim in writing?

How can support a claim with reasons and evidence?

Claims express an author's opinion.

Authors support a claim with organized reasons and evidence.

Claims

Organizing Reasons and Evidence

• Boxes and bullets to organize reasons
• Evidence (examples to support reasons)
• mini-stories
• lists
• facts
• details
• Transition words and phrases
• Conclusion related to argument/claim

Claims

• reflect on a topic and generate a claim
• write a claim

Reasons and Evidence

• identify and write reasons to support their claim
• elaborate on reasons using specific evidence
• organize reasons and evidence
• use transitional words and phrases to show relationships between ideas

Units of Study Writing Unit 2 - Boxes and Bullets: Personal and Persuasive Essays

Possible resources for UDL:

- Two pocket folders (opinion)

- 3 (or more) file folders (reasons)

- yellow lined paper (evidence or example story)

- index cards (tryingout leads and conslusions)

- sentence starters for leads and conclusions

- elaboration prompts

- boxes and bullets graphic organizer

- Up The Ladder: Opinion "How to Write an Opinion" anchor chart

• Anecdotal Notes
• Checklists 
• On-Demand Assessment (Units of Study)
• Learning Progression for Narrative Writing (Units of Study)

December - Mid-January

Argument Writing

(Lucy Calkins: Literary Essay)

How can we analyze a literary text using evidence?

How can we revise a literary analysis?

Authors use evidence to analyze literary texts

 Drafting Literary Essays

Literary

Analyze

Thesis/Claim

Evidence

Author's Craft

 Draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis and reflection

Refer to details as evidence

Utilize checklist to self-assess and revise

Mentor Texts:

Suppport for UDL:

-Baby Literary Essay

- Leveled reading books  

  Those Shoes

  Spaghetti

  Wilma Unlimited

  Snowy Day

   Peter's Chair

Literary Based, On-Demand Pre Assessment  

Literary Based, On-Demand Post Assessment

Mid-January - Mid-February 

Informational Writing 

(Lucy Calkins Unit of Study: Bringing History to Life)

How can I structure (format) informational writing?

How can authors defend an opposing claim using evidence and reasons?

Structures (formats) for informational writing

Connect claim, reason, and evidence

Structures (Formats) of Informational Writing

• narrative nonfiction
• journal
• letter writing
• essay

Subtopics

Essential

Summarize

Perspective

Claim

Evidence

Reason

Debate

Explore a topic through print and digital resources to write an informational piece about history in a variety of structures (formats)

Gather information on a topic

Identify subtopics

Plan to use text features to convey information on a topic

Create a defensible argument connecting reasons and evidence

Lucy Calkins Unit of Study for Writing: Bringing History to Life (Bends 1 and 2, omitting 4 lessons)

Mentor Text

• The Revolutionary War by Josh Gregory

American Revolution Nonfiction texts

Video Resources (Heinemann suggestions)

On Demand Pre-Assessment

On Demand Post Assessment

End of February - Mid-April

Test Prep

How can readers annotate to better understand texts?

How can I answer questions about a text in writing using evidence from a text?

Test Reading and Writing Practices

Test Reading and Writing

• stamina
• perseverance
• annotating text
• answer
• text evidence
• details
• support

Annotate texts while reading

Read a question and determine what it's asking

Write an answer to a question (an inference-based answer)

Use details from a text to support your answer

Explain the difference between short answer questions and extended response questions (what is asked, the length/depth of the answer required)

Lucy Calkins: Test Prep (available online on The Reading and Writing Project website, select Member Dashboard, select Treasure Chest)

Engageny.org released test questions and scoring materials

Pre-Assessment (On Demand)

Post-Assessment (On Demand)

Mid-April - Early May

Narrative Writing

(Lucy Calkins If...Then...Writing Historical Fiction: Tackling Complex Texts

How do writers plan a historical fiction piece?

How do writers apply author's craft to write engaging historical fiction narratives?

Generating ideas for historical fiction

Planning historical fiction

Author's Craft

Generating Ideas

• present day problems
• personal struggles
• time period struggles

Planning Historical Fiction 

• story arc
• timeline
• story booklet
• character sketches
• setting sketches

Author's Craft

• character development
• pace
• sensory details
• storytelling voice

Collect ideas for historical fiction topics related to present day problems

Choose idea 

Organize elements of a story using a story arc, timeline, or story booklet

Describe a character's thoughts, words, and actions to develop their struggles and motivations

Draft

• Construct a lead including setting and character motivation 
• Create dialogue
• Describe events in sequence, including transitional words and phrases
• Create a conclusion that matches the story

Revise

• Apply techniques from mentor texts to use develop author's craft in writing

Lucy Calkins Unit of Study for Writing If...Then... Writing Historical Fiction: Tackling Complex Texts

Mentor Text Options:

The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander

The All I'll Ever Want Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack and Jerry Pinkney

The Rose Blanche by Christopher Gallaz and Roberto Innocenti 

story arc

timeline

story booklet

Pre-Assessment (On Demand)

Post-Assessment (On Demand)

Mid-May - June

Narrative Writing

(Graphic Novels)

How does anaylzing mentor texts enhance your writing? 

How does making a plan improve your writing?

Why are narrative techniques critical to include in graphic novels?

How does grammar impact your writing?

Mentor Texts

Story Ideas & Planning

Narrative Writing Techniques (please see  Sept/Oct unit)

Writing Process

Edit and Revision 

Graphic Novels

Mentor Texts

Story Map 

- Compare various graphic novels as mentor texts to analyze this format

- Generate story ideas

- Determine plot of a story, establish a situation and introduce characters

- Include narrative techniques such as dialogue and description

- Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events

- Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely 

Suggested Mentor Texts: 

-Stinky by Elanor Davis

- Novels by Raina Telgemeier

- El Deafo by Cece Bells 

- Amulet and Mighty Jack series 

- This One Summer, Grand Theft Horse, and Bloom 

Bins of Graphic Novels  

Media:

How to Draw Cartoon Facial Expressions Video 

Add Dynamic Actions to Your Figures Video 

Quick Pose Gesture Sketches Video 

Published graphic novels