DesignforLearning

Instructor:EllenDeWitt
LessonTitle:ReflectiveNarrative
CurriculumArea:Writing

GradeLevel/CooperatingTeacher:3rd/Mrs.Morgan
Date:April15,2015
EstimatedTime:30minutes

StandardsConnection:
AL3rdEnglish/LanguageArts24.)Writenarrativestodeveloprealorimagined
experiencesoreventsusingeffectivetechnique,descriptivedetails,andclearevent
sequences.[W.3.3]
LearningObjective(s):
Afterdiscoveringwhatareflectivenarrativeis,thestudentswillusetheirbrainstorming
graphicorganizertocreateadraftaboutwhattheywanttobewhentheygrowupwithat
leasttencompletesentences.

LearningObjective(s)statedinkidfriendlylanguage:
Icancreateagraphicorganizeranddraftforareflectivenarrativewriting.

EvaluationofLearningObjective(s):
Thestudentswillthinkaboutwhattheywanttobewhentheygrowup.After
brainstorming,theywillwriteafirstdraftofareflectivenarrativepieceexplainingwhy
theywantthejob,whytheythinktheywillbegoodatthejob,whatneedstohappen
beforetheystarttheirjob,andskillsnecessarytobegoodatthejob.Thestudentsmust
includeatleasttencompletesentencesintheirdraftandincludeeverypartoftheirpre
writeactivityintheirdraft.Studentswhoincludetenormoresentencesandincludeevery
partoftheprewriteactivitywillbeconsideredinthegreen.Studentswhowriteseven
totensentencesandincludemostdetailsfromtheprewriteactivitywillbeconsideredin
theyellow.Studentswhowritefewerthansevensentencesanddonotincludedetails
fromtheprewriteactivitywillbeconsideredintheredandwillneedreteaching.
Engagement:
Thestudentsshouldhaveaworkingknowledgeofwhatreflectivenarrativewritingis.
ThisisthetypeofwritingthatwillbeontheACTAspiretest.Theteacherwillaskthe
studentstohelpherbrainstormsomepossiblejobstheymightwanttohaveoneday.If
youcanhearme,claponce.Ifyoucanhearme,claptwice.Ifyoucanhearme,clap
threetimes.Thankyou.Ilikethewaytablefiveissittingattentivelyandreadytolisten.
Boysandgirls,Iwantyoutotakeaminutetothinkaboutjobspeoplehave.Talktoyour
tablegroupandcomeupwithalisttogetherofasmanyjobsyoucanthinkof.The
teacherwillwalkaroundandlistentostudentconversations.Youhavefifteenmore
secondstotalkwithyourgroup.Five,four,three,two,one.Iheardsomegreat
conversationgoingon.Now,Iwantyoualltothinkaboutwhatyouwanttobewhenyou
growup.Thinkaboutwhatyouwanttobe,whoelseisinvolvedinyourjob?Wherewill
youdoyourjob?Atabank,ataschool,outside,inabigofficebuilding?Whenwillyou
doyourjob?Whatwillyoubedoingatyourjob?Whywillyoudoyourjob?Turnand
talktoyourneighborandtellthemaboutwhatyouwanttobewhenyougrowup.Answer

thewho,what,when,where,andwhyaboutyourfuturejob.Wearegoingtobedoinga
reflectivenarrativepieceaboutwhatyouwanttobewhenyougrowup.Iknowyouall
havebeenpracticingthiswithMrs.Morgan,forwhattest?Whatisthenameofthebig
testwearepreparingfor?Thatsright,theACTAspire.Beforewewriteaboutwhatwe
wanttobewhenwegrowup,weregoingtolookatanexampleofanotherthirdgraders
writingandtalkaboutwhatwelikeaboutit.Imgoingtoreaditoutloudandbethinking
aboutsomethingsyounoticeaboutreflectivenarrativesthatyouseethatyoulikedinthe
story.Noticethingsthatstickouttoyou.Theteacherwillreadthesamplewriting.She
willaskthestudentswhattheylikedaboutthesample.Thisisareallygoodexampleofa
reflectivenarrativepiece.Whofoundsomethingtheylikedaboutthiswriting?What
stoodout?Theteacherwilllistentostudentresponsesandhighlightthingstheynotice.If
thestudentsdonotmentionIreallylikehowthisauthorusedquotationmarkstoshow
usthatsomethinghewasthinkingwasfunny.Ialsolikedhowthisauthorreallyuseda
sequenceoforder.Doesanyoneknowwhatthatmeans?Letsreviewwhatreflective
narrativewritingis.

LearningDesign:
I.
Teaching:
Theteacherwilldisplayareflectivenarrativechecklistontheboard.Iknowyouall
knowwhatreflectivenarrativewritingis.Iknowtheweekbeforeyourspringbreak,you
werewritingareflectivenarrativeaboutyourmostproudmoment.Someofyouwrote
abouttripsyouwenton,gettingonhonorroll,experiencesyouhadwithasibling,and
lotsofothergreatproudmoments.ButletsthinkaboutthesampleIjustreadtoyou.
Letslookatthischecklistandreviewsomeofthethingsthatneedtobeincludedin
narrativewriting.Letsseeifthisauthorincludedeverythingnecessary.Didthisauthor
haveanattentiongrabbingintroduction?Letssee.Ithinkhedid.Hetriedtorelatehis
experiencetohisreadersbyaskingusaquestion.Letsseeifthisauthordescribedhis
setting.Whocantellmewhatthesettingis?Great,thesettingiswheresomethingtakes
placewhereithappens.Whocanreadtheexactplaceinhisstorywherehetellsus
wherethestorytakesplace.Yep,hereitis!Theauthortellsusithappenedathisschool
inhisclassroom.Letsseeiftheauthorintroducedcharactersinhisstory.Itlookslike
hetalksabouthimselfandtheotherstudentsinhisclass,soIwouldsayhedoestalk
aboutthecharacters.Didthisauthorincludeaction?Didhetelluswhathappened?Yes,
hedoes.Whatdoeshetellusabout,K?Thankyou.Hetellsusaboutwhathappenedat
hisclassHalloweenparty.Letsseeifthisauthorsstorywentinorder.Doeshehavea
correctsequenceofevents?Hedid.Hetolduswhatpeoplebroughtandwhathappened
attheparty.Doesthisauthorusecorrectspellingandpunctuation?Hedid,forthemost
part.Itwasntperfect,butthatsokay.Arethirdgradersgoingtohaveasgoodgrammar
asagrownupwriter?Ofcoursenot!Perfectlyfine.Andlastly,letsseeifthisauthor
usespowerfulverbsandadjectives.Cananyonepointanyout?Iseeafew.Thewords
queasy,tasty,andextraordinaryreallystuckouttome.Doyouseehowhe
describedhispartyasextraordinaryratherthanjustgreatorfun?Doesntit
makethewritingcomealivemoreandsoundmoreexciting?Remembertousethese
powerfulwordswhenwritingyournarrativepiece.Iwillgiveyouacopyofthischecklist
sowheneveryouwritesomething,youcanalwaysremembertocheckandmakesureyou
haveallofthesethings.Okay,nowItoldyouwhatyouallaregoingtobegettingready
towriteabout.Wearegoingtobewritingaboutwhatwewanttobewhenwegrowup.I
madeyouallagraphicorganizertobrainstorminbeforeyoubeginwritingaboutwhat
youwanttobe.Thatway,youwillknowwhatIwantyoutoincludeinyourdraft.The
teacherwilldisplaythebrainstorminggraphicorganizerontheboardusingthedocument

camera.Thefirstquestionasks,whenIgrowupIwanttobe.So,whenMiss.DeWitt
growsup,whatdoyouthinkIwanttobe?Thatsright!Iwanttobeateacher.Whatdo
youthinkMiss.Laatschwantstobewhenshegrowsup?Yes!Shealsowantstobea
teacher.Theteacherwillfillinthefirstbubbleofthegraphicorganizer.ThenextthingI
wantyoualltowriteaboutinyourreflectivenarrativesiswhyyouwantthisjob.Iwant
thisjobbecauseIwanttoeducateyoungchildrensotheyarepreparedfortheirfutures.
So,youallwillfillinwhyyouwantthejobthatyouwantwhenyouareolder.The
teacherwillfillinthesecondbubbleofthegraphicorganizer.Next,Iamgoingtothink
aboutwhoIwanttoincludeinmystory.IfIamateacherwritingaboutmyjob,what
kindofpeopledoyouthinkIamgoingtoinclude?Thatsright,D,Iamgoingtoinclude
probablymyselfandmystudents.Maybemyprincipalandcoteachers,butforthe
purposeofthisquickwrite,welljustsaymyselfandmystudents.Theteacherwillfillin
thewhosectionofthethirdbubbleonthegraphicorganizer.Okay,thenextthingyou
needtoincludeinyourstoryiswhatyouwillbedoinginyourjob.So,asateacher,
whatwillIbedoing?Thatsright,Iwillbeteachingmystudents.Theteacherwillfillin
thewhatsectionofthethirdbubbleinthegraphicorganizer.Okay,whenwillIbea
teacher?LetsthinkaboutMrs.Morgan.Howoftendoesshecometoschool?Whattime
doesshecometoschool?Thatsright,whenImateacher,illbeteachingfivedaysa
weekfrom7:30to3:00.Theteacherwillfillinthewhensectionofthegraphic
organizer.Okay,andIwantyoutoincludewhereyouwillbeperformingyourjob.Asa
teacher,wherewillIbedoingmyjob?Thatsright!Ataschool.Theteacherwillfillin
thewheresectionofthegraphicorganizer.ThenextthingIwantyoutofilloutiswhy
youthinkyouwouldbegoodatthisjob.IthinkIwouldbegoodatthisjobbecauseI
haveapassionforteaching,educating,andbetteringthelivesofchildren.Theteacher
willfillinthefourthbubbleofthegraphicorganizer.Okay,nextyouaregoingtothink
aboutwhatyouneedtodobeforeyoustartyourjob.CanIjustgofromthirdgradeto
beingateacher?No!Ihadtograduatehighschool,Iwillgraduatecollege,andIneed
topracticealot.ThatiswhatImdoingrightnow!Theteacherwillfillinthefifth
bubbleofthegraphicorganizer.Okay,andlastly,youaregoingtothinkaboutsome
skillstoworkontobegoodatyourjob.So,tobeagoodteacher,IthinkIwillneedto
workonmyflexibility,patience,andorganization.Ithinkthosearethreequalitiesthat
makeagoodteacher.Theteacherwillfillinthelastbubbleofthegraphicorganizer.
II.

OpportunityforPractice:

So,Ihopeyouallhavedecidedwhatyouwanttobewhenyougrowupandarereadyto
getwriting.Afteryoufilloutyourgraphicorganizerbrainstormingworksheet,thiswill
havesetyouuptogetstartedonyournarrative.Youwilluseeverythingyouknowabout
reflectivenarrativesthatwehavebeentalkingaboutandyourfilledoutgraphic
organizerprewritetowriteyourstory.Itisnowyourturntobrainstormaboutwhatyou
wanttobewhenyougrowup,whyyouwanttobethis,whatisnecessarytohavethe
particularjob,andeverythingelsethatisgoingtogoinyourgraphicorganizer.The
studentswillbrainstormandfillouttheirgraphicorganizersaboutwhattheywanttobe
whentheygrowupforpractice.Iamgoingtopassoutyourworksheet.Useapenciland
getstartedquietly.Theteacherwillpassoutthegraphicorganizersandthestudentswill
beginbrainstormingfortheirreflectivenarrativepiece.
III.

Assessment

Boysandgirls,wheneveryoufinishyourgraphicorganizer,youmaygetoutapieceof
notebookpaperandbeginwritingthefirstdraftofyourreflectivenarrative.Usewhat

youwroteaboutonyourbrainstormingworksheetandincludeeachsectioninyourdraft.
Iwantyoutoeachincludetensentencesinyourdraft.Youmustexplainwhyyouwant
thejob,whyyouthinkyouwillbegoodatthejob,whatneedstohappenbeforeyoustart
thejob,andskillsnecessarytobegoodatthejob.Iwantsilencewhileyouallare
writing.Thiswillbegraded.Thestudentswillwritetheirfirstdraftofthereflective
narrative.
IV.

Closure:

1,2,3,eyesonme.Boysandgirls,thankyouforlettingmetakeoverforMrs.Morgan
today.Letshearaboutafewofyourpiecesofwriting.C,whatdoyouwanttobewhen
yougrowup?Whatelementsofthereflectivenarrativedidyouinclude?Whydoyou
wanttobethiswhenyougrowup?Whatareyougoingtohavetodobeforeyouget
there?Whatskillsarenecessary?J,whataboutyou?Thankyou.
MaterialsandResources:
3rdgradesamplewriting
Documentcamera
Reflectivenarrativechecklist
Highlighter
Brainstorminggraphicorganizer
Notebookpaper
Pencils
DifferentiationStrategies(includingplansforindividuallearners):
HStudentswillbegivenatictactoeboardwheretheycanchooseanotherwriting
prompttoworkonwhentheyarefinishedwritingaboutwhattheywanttobewhenthey
growup.Studentsmustincludefifteensentencesintheirpieces.Studentswillgoonto
editandrevisetheirwritingwithapartnerbeforecompletingafinaldraft.
LStudentswillonlyhavetoincludesevensentencesforfullcreditonthewritingpiece.
Studentsmustonlyincludewho,what,when,where,andwhyintheirdrafts.
DataAnalysis:
Aftergradingthereflectivenarratives,themajorityofthestudentsmadeEs,orwerein
thegreen.Moststudentshadatleasttensentencesandincludedeverythinginthegraphic
organizer.StudentswhomadeanStypicallyhadtroubletransferringthewho,
what,when,where,andwhyfromthegraphicorganizertothedraft.These
studentsareintheyellow.FewstudentsscoredbelowanSandwereinthered.Italkedto
myteacheratTarrantandsheinformedmethattheseweremuchbetterthantheprevious
reflectivenarrativetopictheywroteon.IthinktofixtheissueIhad,Iwouldmodel
transferringthatsectionofthegraphicorganizertoadraft.Iwouldmodelhowtomake
themcompletesentences.IdidnotexpecttohavetheissuethatIhad.

Reflection:
Nexttime,Iwoulddefinitelymodelforthestudentshowtotransferportionsofthe
graphicorganizerontomyowndraft.IthinkIcouldhavealsowrittenmygraphic
organizerasIwentinsteadofhavingitprewritten.IwasscaredIwouldnothaveenough

time,butIwouldhave.Thestudentslikedthetopic.Iwasworriedtheywouldstruggle
sincemanyofthemcomefrombackgroundswherehavingajobisnotalwaysthecase.
Mostofthestudentswantedtobeprofessionalathleteswhentheygrowup.Ialsoshould
haveengagedthestudentsmore,perhapsbycomingupwithalistofpossiblejobs.The
hardestpartforthestudentswastransferringthewho,what,when,where,and
whysectionovertothedraft.Otherwise,itworkedwellandIthinkitwasbecauseI
modeledandexplainedwhatthestudentsweretodo.

SamfordUniversity
DesignforLearning