SarahBeth Barnosky ELD 308 Reading Mini Lesson Lesson Plan: Writing a Fictional Story Grade: 4 Time: 20 minutes

Standards: W.4.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Objective: Students will be able to write a fictional story about a trip to outer space as if it were reality through the use of description and facts. Materials: A Trip to Mars by Ruth Young Chart Paper Lesson Sequence: 1. Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set (Engagement): Boys and girls, do you remember the book that I read to you? A trip to Mars? Does anyone remember what was different about this book? Thats right; we cant actually go to Mars. Even though the book was fictional, there were some facts included in the story. 2. State Objective and Purpose Today, we are going to learn a new style of writing. As I mentioned, we cant actually go to Mars. But what if we could go into outer space. What would it be like? Where would you go? What would you like to see? We are going to learn how to write a fictional story and talk about our trip as if it is reality. 3. Teach and Model Pull out chart paper and first recall some characteristics of the story. The students should brainstorm and the ideas will be written on the chart. First, I would like us to take a minute and remember some of the characteristics of the story. You may remember that the main character of the book went on a trip to Mars. Obviously, this is not possible but she talked about it as if it were reality. What were some ways she was able to do this? Write down some of the ideas and discuss. Some of these should include the integration of fact into fiction, using concrete objects for emphasis on the factual statements, descriptive language, and memories of the trip. So boys and girls, here we have a great list of things that the author used to make the story feel like it was reality. You can do this in your writing too! Someone give me a sentence please

Have student give a sentence as an example. Now I am going to show you how we can use descriptive language and concrete examples in order to enhance this sentence and make it feel more real. Model for the students. Take ideas from the students and have them actively involved in giving input. Next, provide examples from the text and ask students what techniques the author used. Have students give sentences and explain how they can make it more detailed using the methods we are discussing from the mentor text.

4. Guided Practice Boys and girls, I see that you are getting the hang out it. What I would like you to do now is with write 10 plain sentences about a trip you have taken. Do NOT use the methods we have just discussed. Allow students to write the sentences. Now I would like you and a partner to switch papers and I would like you to use the methods we have discussed to enhance and change your partners sentences. Lets see what you can come up with! I will be walking around the room to see how youre doing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or discuss with your partner. Allow students to adjust sentences with a partner. When finished, the students should share a few examples of the sentences before and after with the group. (Take 4 examples). Address any mistakes or misunderstandings (if any). 5. Independent Practice/Assessment Now that you have had some practice with these sentences, I believe you are ready to write a bit more. Over the next few days, we are going to be writing our own stories about a trip into space, and I would like you to use these tools we have just learned. Students will begin to write stories. For today, we are just going to choose the planet or space location of our choice and write our introduction. I would like you to take a few moments and think about the place in space that you would like to write about. This could be a planet, a star, meteors, or the sun. Be creative and have fun with it! Once you have your location in mind, I would like you to start writing an introduction. Be sure to use these tools. Allow students to start writing. Walk around the room and conference with students about ideas they may have. 6. Closure Before for I let you get started, who can tell me some of the tools you should be using in this story? What effect do these tools have on the writing? How is our writing enhanced through the use of these tools?

Who can tell me what we will be doing during writers workshop? Great! We will be working on our own stories. Now I would like you to quietly get started. I will be walking around the room for conferences.

7. How will you know the lesson has been successful? I will know that the lesson was successful if the students are able to write their own short fictional story about a fictional trip. The trip should include factual details about the planet of their choice.