This is my first draft that I created last semester and never submitted. It could probably use some work, but it is divided into many small and managable chunks.
Outline for Unit Plan- 7th-8th Blogging and Creative writing.
Location- Green Central Elementary, Minneapolis. 60 minutes a day for 10 days.
Subject area(s)- Language Arts and Literature/Sub-topic(s)- Online Publishing
Description- Students will use blogger.com as a vehicle to publish original creative writing. Students will fulfill both writing standards and technology/media integration standards. End goal will to have a finished website with both journal writing and creative writing in the form of poetry and short stories.
Because students will be writing daily both journaling and creative writing, they will fulfill (7.7.10.10) Writing routinely over extended time frames.
Daily long-term plan
Part 1 Poetry
Day 1- Introduction to online publishing, internet ethics and making first posting about themselves. (7.7.6.6) Use technology to publish. (7.9.7.7c) recognize ethical practices in social and media communication.
Day 2- Introduction to writing poetry and theme. (7.4.2.2) Determine central theme.
Day 3- Poetry and Alliteration. (7.7.3.3c) using rhythm and rhyme.
Day 4- Poetry and End Rhyme. (7.7.3.3c) using rhythm and rhyme.
Day 5- Poetry, free verse and other forms, finishing up poetry and week (7.4.5.5) Analyze how form or structure contributes to meaning.
Part 2 Short Story
Day 6- Introduction to short stories, character and setting. Writing a quick story about yourself, but with changes such as special abilities. (7.7.3.3a & b) Develop characters and events through dialog and description.
Day 7- Short stories continued, thinking of story ideas to write about for the week. (7.7.3.3 c & d) Use transition words to convey sequence and use sensory words and other descriptive details.
Day 8- Have 1st draft done by today. (7.7.3.3e) Provide conclusion. (7.7.4.4) Produce clear and coherent writing.
Day 9- Finished edits and finalize story. (7.7.6.6) Editing and revising.
Day 10- Last day of unit, share websites and at least 1 finished piece of work. (7.9.8.8) Publish and share work.
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in and blogging (journal writing) about day.
5 min- Student sharing time and/or important news.
5 min- Presenting an example and goals of the day.
5 min- Instructing and demonstrating.
35 min- Free writing time for students, time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, logging out and reflection
Pre-existing knowledge- Community is built, so minimal maintenance of community is needed. Students will have developed strong self-motivated strategies to self-teach vocabulary and ask questions when needed. Minimal computer knowledge and MPS email that is tied into blogger.com through Google. Every student has a computer and internet at home and absolutely loves homework.
Blog Unit Part 1 Poetry (Reading and Writing)
Day 1- Blog Unit- Introduction to online publishing, internet ethics and making first posting about themselves.
Standard(s)- (7.7.6.6) Use technology to publish. (7.9.7.7c) recognize ethical practices in social and media communication.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can publish original writing online that I will demonstrate through my first published blog. I can recognize ethical practices in social and media communication through respectful blog postings.
Other skills/knowledge learned and assessment- I can sign up for a blogger account which I can demonstrate through the existence of my account.
Tangible Product- Website.
Media materials- My personal blog and students will search for a blog online.
Other Materials needed- Access to students' email addresses and pass-codes in case they forget them in order to assure that students can sign up for an account the first.
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in and blogging (journal writing) about day. --- Students will log into computers and use this time to fill out surveys on blogs.
5 min- Students will search for a blog and share what they found.
5 min- Show personal blog and present goals of the day on blog.
5 min- Show how to sign up a blogger account.
35 min- Students will try to sign up for blogger account and then make their first post. Teacher will circulate at this time to assist students having troubles or who are off-track.
5 min- Finishing up, logging out and reflection.
Homework- Read the poem For My Sister by Jennifer Traig.
Homework Question- 1)What is the main idea of the poem? 2) How does the main idea change?
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Day 2-Blog Unit- Introduction to writing poetry, symbolism and theme.
Standard(s)- (7.4.2.2) Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can describe the main idea of the poem and how the main idea changes from the beginning to the end which I can demonstrate through a summary the entire poem. In their reflection, students will describe the main idea of the poem and how the main idea changes from the beginning to the end and summarize the entire poem. Students will be expected to answer that the poem was about a sister to reach lowest level; to reach a higher level students will have to say it was about the relationship between two sisters and to reach highest level students will also have to add that the tone and the relationship changes by the end.
Tangible product- Published summary.
Pre-reading Strategies Used- Predicting (What is the poem about?) Preteaching Vocab (tyranny, truce, swagger, usurped, mugged, extorted)
During Reading Strategies Used-Silent reading (while marking things that they liked or confused them) guided reading
Post Reading Strategies Used- Discussion and Building Connections (Students will write a reflection on something in their own life that this poem reminds them of).
Media materials- The poem For My Sister by Jennifer Traig
Schedule
5 min- Logging in and blogging (journal writing) about day.
5 min- Pre-reading strategies activities (predicting and preteaching vocabulary).
Students would do text preview to guess the main idea of the poem. I would first ask the class if they knew the vocabulary terms and I would help them figure out the definitions.
10 min- Silent reading (during reading strategy).
Students would be asked to underline difficult parts and circle important parts that relate to lesson’s goal.
10 minutes of discussion (after reading strategy).
Students would discuss the guiding questions with each other before answering on their own.
5 min-Guided reading (during reading strategy).
This would allow students to hear poem be read after discussing to deepen understanding.
20 min- Question response and reflection (after reading strategy).
This time would allow students to work on the end goal so that I may assess their understanding.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog and logging out.
For My Sister worksheet
Lesson Goal- I can describe the main idea of the poem and how the main idea changes from the beginning to the end and summarize the entire poem.
Vocabulary
Tyranny-
Truce-
Swagger-
Usurped-
Mugged-
Extorted-
Guiding Questions
What is the main idea of the poem?
How does this main idea change during the poem?
Summarize the poem and its changing main idea in a paragraph (Do this on Blogger, on a new tab, and publish when complete.
Reflection
Reflect on something in your own life that the poem reminds you of. (Do this on Blogger in blog section).
Homework- Read excerpts from Elemental Journey: Anniversary Gift. 4 and 5 by Alicia Gaspar De Alba (From Totems to Hip Hop, P. 16-20).
Homework Question- Find nearby words in the poem that have the same sound at the beginning of the word (alliteration). (IE Crazy Cat, Friday Fun, Laughing Leopard)
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Day 3-Blog Unit- Poetry, Alliteration.
Standard(s)- (7.7.3.3c) Using rhythm and rhyme.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can demonstrate my knowledge of using rhyme and rhythm through 1) underlining alliteration in a poem and 2) writing a poem using alliteration.
Tangible Product- A published poem, at least 10 lines longs that uses alliteration at least 5 times (IE b-b, g-g, k-k, t-t and wh-wh).
Media materials- Excerpts from Elemental Journey: Anniversary Gift. 4 and 5 by Alicia Gaspar De Alba (From Totems to Hip Hop, P. 16-20)
Schedule
5 min- Logging in and blogging about warm up questions- Do you know any tongue-twisters? (pause in between questions to share) Can you make a rhyme that sounds like a tongue-twister?
5 min- Think-pair-share--- What examples did you find of alliteration in the reading?
10 min- Guided reading day's poem.
5 min- Instruct students to make a poem, 10 lines longs that uses alliteration at least 5 times (IE b-b, g-g, k-k, t-t and wh-wh).
25 min- Free writing time for students to make alliteration poem. Time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Have volunteers share poems.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection (Do you feel like you understand alliteration and how can you prove this?) through blog and logging out.
Homework- Read That God Made by Will Heford (From Totems to Hip Hop, P. 16).
Homework Question- 1) Find two examples of alliteration. 2) Find as many examples of end rhyme as you can. (ie oil/soil)
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Day 4-Blog Unit- Poetry, End rhyme.
Standard(s)- (7.7.3.3c) Using rhythm and rhyme.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can demonstrate my knowledge of end rhyme through 1) Underlining end rhyme in That God Made 2) Writing and publishing a poem that uses end rhyme.
Other skills/knowledge learned and assessment-
Tangible Product- Published 10 line or longer poem that uses at least 5 end rhymes ?couplets? (can be aa/bb/cc/dd/ee, ab/ab/cd/cd/ee, etc).
Media materials- That God Made by Will Heford (From Totems to Hip Hop, P. 16)
Schedule
5 min- Logging in and blogging (journal writing) about day. How many end rhymes did you find in the poem? What are some examples of words that show end rhyme from either the poem or from memory?
5 min- Think-pair-share--- What end rhymes did you find in the poem?
10 min- Guided reading, have students listen to poem looking for any rhymes they may have missed. Also have students pay attention to presence/lack of rhythm.
5 min- Show exemplar (not yet written) and give instructions.
30 min- Free writing time for students to write and publish a 10 line or longer poem that uses at least 5 end rhymes ?couplets? (can be aa/bb/cc/dd/ee, ab/ab/cd/cd/ee, etc). Time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection (Do you feel like you understand end rhyme? What is an example of end rhyme? Did you notice any use of rhythm in today's poem?) through blog and logging out.
Homework- Read The Execution by Walter Lowenfels (From Totems to Hip Hop, P. 232)
Homework Questions- Can you find any examples of alliteration or end rhyme in the poem? How does the use/non-use of alliteration/end rhyme effect how the poem is read?
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Day 5- Poetry, free verse and other forms, finishing up poetry and week
Standard(s)- (7.4.5.5) Analyze how form or structure contributes to meaning.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can demonstrate how form/structure contribute to meaning through either 1) Homework response 2) Writing a free-form or motion-form poem 3) Reflecting on form (see reflection section).
Tangible Product- A poem that uses either free-form (free-verse/blank-verse) and motion form (T.S. Elliot style).
Media materials- The Execution by Walter Lowenfels, Falling T.S. Elliot
Other Materials needed- For some students they may want to physically cut and paste motion form poems.
Schedule
5 min- Logging in and blogging about things that they either understood or were confused about from the homework.
5 min- Think-pair-share about homework. Discuss whether anyone found alliteration/end rhyme and how that may have effected the meaning of the poem.
5 min- Guided reading of Falling T.S. Elliot with short discussion. How did the form of this poem effect its meaning.
5 min- Present exemplar (not yet written) and instructions.
35 min- Free writing time for students to write a poem that uses either free-form (free-verse/blank-verse) and motion form (T.S. Elliot style). Time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog (How did form effect the meaning of one of the poems either read or written today?) and logging out.
Homework- Think of two original characters (Name,age, gender, hobbies, personality, etc). Also, think of at least 5 events that make a series of events (Baby in womb, baby born, baby grows to child and goes to school, child grows to adult and finds job, adult becomes old and dies).
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Blog Unit Part 2 Short Stories (Writing)
Day 6- Introduction to short stories, character and setting.
Standard(s)- (7.7.3.3a & b) Develop characters and events through dialog and description.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can develop characters and events through dialog and description which I can demonstrate through 1) Homework 2) In class writing 3) Reflection
Tangible Product- Beginnings of a short story.
Media materials- Exemplar writings (not yet created and/or found)
Other Materials needed- Graphic organizer for character traits and for event sequence (not yet created/found)
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in and blogging through writing a quick story about yourself (using ideas from homework), but with changes such as special abilities. Try to use both dialog and description.
5 min- Think-pair-share--- Did your story create characters and events through dialog or description?
10 min- Show exemplar writings (not yet created) of character development through dialog and event development through description
5 min- Instructions- Take ideas from homework, writing exercise, think-pair-share and exemplar writings to begin short story.
30 min- Free writing time for students to begin short story, time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog (Were today's end goals of “I can develop characters and events through dialog and description” accomplished? What needs to be done tomorrow to finish what was not done today? )and logging out.
Homework- Work on short story by ensuring that both character and events are present through both dialog and description. Begin to look at transition words that aid the flow of events (ie “on the other side of town”, “meanwhile”, “later that day”. Also add some sensory words and other descriptions. (Instead “She walked by the trash can” try “She quickly walked close by the large and smelly trash can”
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Day 7- Short stories continued, thinking of story ideas to write about for the week.
Standard(s)- (7.7.3.3 c & d) Use transition words to convey sequence and use sensory words and other descriptive details.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can use transition words to convey sequence and use sensory words and other descriptive details which I can demonstrate through edits/additions in my short story.
Tangible Product- Further completed short stories.
Media materials- Exemplar Writing that shows sensory and description (not yet written/found)
Schedule
5 min- Logging in and blogging through a quick quite of being as descriptive as possible about the room (ie sensory, color, light, floors, walls, etc).
5 min- Group share-- Create a group list of room descriptions divided by sense.
5 min- Presenting an exemplar Writing that shows sensory and description (not yet written/found).
5 min- Give instructions for writing time
35 min- Free writing time for students to generally work on short story with a focus on sensory and desription, time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog (What was accomplished today? How much is left to finish story?) and logging out.
Homework- Work on story finishing previous days goals and thinking about 1) Making a memorable conclusion 2) Having someone at home read the story to ensure the writing is clear and coherent.
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Day 8- Have 1st draft done by today.
Standard(s)- (7.7.3.3e) Provide conclusion. (7.7.4.4) Produce clear and coherent writing.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can provide a conclusion for a story and produce clear and coherent writing which I can demonstrate through my 1st draft of story.
Tangible Product- 1st draft.
Media materials- Only students' short stories.
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in and blogging through writing about what is left to do in story.
10 min- Think-pair-share- Trade stories and determine if partner's story 1) has a conclusion 2) is clear and coherent.
40 min- Free writing time for students to work on peer advise from think-pair-share , time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog (What improvements did you make based on peer feedback? What is left to do?) and logging out.
Homework- Thinking about the entire week's goals and peer feedback, have story as close to done as possible.
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Day 9- Finishing edits and finalize story.
Standard(s)- (7.7.6.6) Editing and revising.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can edit and revise which I can demonstrate through 1) Showing various drafts of my short story 2) Showing how I edited/revised my work based on the feedback of others 3) Reflecting on the revision process
Other skills/knowledge learned and assessment- If students finish early, they can search for or create images that go along with their story.
Tangible Product- Finalized or nearly finalized story published on blogger.com.
Media materials- Only students' short stories.
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in and blogging through stating: What has been the hardest part of making the short story?
10 min- Pair/Small group work- Peer review stories for final drafts.
5 min- Presenting an example of a finished story (if anyone is finished).
35 min- Free writing time for students to finalize stories, time for teacher to differentiate those behind or struggling.
5 min- Finishing up, publishing, reflection through blog (What were things that I edited/revised in my short story based on feedback from others? What was the best part of editing revising? What was the hardest part of editing/revising?) and logging out.
Homework- Finishing anything from previous two weeks that has not been done. Also working on web page design for final presentation.
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Day 10- Last day of unit, share websites and at least 1 finished piece of work.
Standard(s)- (7.9.8.8) Publish and share work.
Standard Based End Goals and Assessment- I can publish and share work which I can demonstrate through sharing my favorite published work with the class.
Other skills/knowledge learned and assessment- How to post comments on other peoples' blogs.
Tangible Product- Finalized website with 3 poems and 1 short story published on blogger.com.
Media materials- Link list of entire class's blogs.
Daily schedule (subject to change)
5 min- Logging in, publishing anything unpublished and blogging through finding a classmate's blog a posting a comment about something they liked about that piece of writing.
5 min- Think-pair-share--- What was your favorite piece of writing and why?
10 min- Finishing up anything left from unit, cleaning up website, choosing what piece of writing to share and previewing blog for presentation..
5 min or less- Discussion of presentation rules: 1) Everyone will share their website showing their favorite piece of writing 2) Everyone will comment on at least 2 peoples' blogs (no more than 3 comments per blog).
25 min- Presentations of blogs.
5 min- Finishing up, reflection through blog (What was something that you learned during the unit? What was something that you did not get to or you wish you learned?) and logging out.
Homework- Happy End of Unit Happy Friday No Homework Happy Day (or at least until next unit is planned).
Things that need to be done
A few lessons are missing exemplars.
Writing prompts should be either in worksheet form or on a blogger website.
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