sample lesson
Teacher’s Manual | Volume 1
DSC Collaborative Literacy
Being a Writer
™
SECOND EDITION
2
GRADE
Being a Writer™ Sample Lesson, Grade 2
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Week 2
OVERVIEW
Beardream
by Will Hobbs, illustrated by Jill Kastner
A young Ute boy, worried that the Great Bear will starve if he hibernates too long, sets out to
wake him.
Ducky
by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Wisniewski
A crate of toys falls off a ship, and the toys disperse far and wide.
Online Resources
Visit the DSC Learning Hub (teach.devstu.org) to find your online resources for this week.
Whiteboard Activities
•
WA2–WA5
Assessment Forms
•
“Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA2)
•
“Conference Notes: Focus 1” record sheet (CN1)
Professional Development Media
230
•
“Adapting Lessons for English Language Learners” (AV31)
•
“Approximating Spelling of Polysyllabic Words” (AV64)
•
“Using DSC’s Whiteboard Activities” tutorial (AV73)
Being a Writer™ Teacher’s Manual, Grade 2
Being a Writer™ Sample Lesson, Grade 2 © Developmental Studies Center devstu.org
TEAchER AS WRITER
Writing Focus
Students read, discuss, and write fiction.
• Students choose writing topics.
• Students think and talk about story ideas before they write.
• Students reread their writing and tell more.
• Students approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words.
•
Social Development Focus
Students listen carefully to the thinking of others and share
their own.
• Students show interest in and appreciation for one another’s writing.
•
DO AheAD
“Don’t say the old lady
screamed—bring her on and let
her scream.”
— Mark Twain
Like most fiction writers, Twain
found ways to “show, not tell” a
story. What might happen in a
passage in which the old lady is
“brought on and screams”? How
might that compare to a passage
in which we’re simply told she
screams? This week, experiment
with writing a passage in which a
reader can see, hear, smell, taste,
and feel what’s happening.
✓ Prior to Day 1, consider previewing this week’s read-aloud selection,
Beardream, with your English Language Learners before you read it to
the whole class.
✓ Prior to Day 3, consider previewing this week’s read-aloud selection
Ducky with your English Language Learners before you read it to the
whole class.
✓ Prior to Day 4, make a copy of the “Class Assessment Record”
sheet (CA2) on page 33 of the Assessment Resource Book.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2
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Day 1
Exploring Fiction
Materials
•
•
Beardream
•
Contribute to a shared story
HONK! The Story of a Prima
Swanerina from Week 1
•
Think and talk before they write
•
Write endings to a story
•
Approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words
•
Brave Charlotte from Week 1
•
Dogzilla from Week 1
•
In this lesson, the students:
Lined writing chart (WA2) for
modeling
About ApproximAting the Spelling of
polySyllAbic WordS
It is important for students to have strategies for dealing with unfamiliar words
so their writing is not repeatedly interrupted with concerns about spelling.
While the students have learned to refer to the word wall to spell certain
high-frequency words and to sound out words using letter–sound relationships
gained in their regular phonics instruction, they need a different strategy to
help them when they want to write an unfamiliar, polysyllabic word (a word
with multiple syllables) that is not on the word wall.
In this unit, the students learn to approximate the spelling of polysyllabic
words by listening to and spelling syllables, rather than individual sounds. See
the “Syllables” list on page 249 for a list of syllables that students encounter
in their reading and commonly use in their writing. It is assumed that regular
phonics instruction in letter–sound relationships is happening in addition to the
instruction embedded within this program.
Whenever you model how to approximate the spelling of a word, try to model
with words containing letter–sound combinations your students have learned.
GETTInG READy TO WRITE
1 Briefly Discuss Fiction
Gather the class with partners sitting together, facing you. Show the
covers of Dogzilla, Brave Charlotte, and HONK! The Story of a Prima
Swanerina. Review that the students heard these fiction stories last week
and got ideas for their own writing from them. Ask:
Q What have you found out so far about fiction stories? Turn to your partner.
After a moment, signal for the students’ attention and have a few
volunteers share their thinking with the class.
Students might say:
“They are made up.”
“Fiction stories are about things that didn’t really happen.”
“They might have things in them that can happen in real life or things
you can only imagine.”
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2 Read the First Part of Beardream Aloud
Show the cover of Beardream and read the names of the author and the
illustrator aloud. Invite the students to think, as they listen, about which
parts of the story could happen in real life and which parts could happen
only in the imagination. Explain that you will read part of the story
today and the rest of it tomorrow.
Read pages 4–19 of the story aloud slowly and clearly, showing the
illustrations and clarifying vocabulary as you read.
Suggested Vocabulary
bristling: angry (p. 16)
haunches: back legs (p. 19)
ELL Vocabulary
English Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional
vocabulary defined, including:
dens: homes (p. 4)
kneeling: sitting on his knees (p. 12)
After reading, ask and briefly discuss:
Q What has happened in the story so far?
3 Write a Shared ending to the Story and
Approximate Spelling
Ask the students to listen as you reread page 19, and then use “Think,
Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q What might happen next in the story? [pause] Turn to your partner.
After a moment, signal for the students’ attention. Display the lined
writing chart ( WA2) and explain that you would like their help
in writing a possible ending to this story. On the chart, write the
sentence I climbed onto the Great Bear’s back and held on. Then ask:
Q What might happen next? What sentence shall I write to tell about that?
Use the students’ suggestions to add several more sentences.
As you write, engage the students in thinking about how to spell some
unfamiliar, polysyllabic words (words with multiple syllables). Start by
modeling with words that have easily spelled (encodable) syllables, like
forest, wondered, secret, and hanging. Write the letters as the students
suggest them. Point out that you are trying to listen to and spell one
syllable at a time, rather than one sound at a time. Ask:
Q The first syllable of the word [forest] is [/for/]. What letters spell that?
Q The last syllable is [/est/]. What letters spell that?
Teacher note
Notice that you are asking the students
to listen to and spell syllables, rather
than individual sounds. This is a more
sophisticated and more efficient way for
students who have learned basic phonics to
approximate the spelling of longer words.
Keep in mind that your students
are approximating the spelling of
polysyllabic words. It is likely that they
will spell some, if not many, of these
words unconventionally.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 1
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WA2
IclimbedontotheGreatBear’sbackand
heldon.Hisfurfeltroughandticklishonmy
nose.HeheadedintothedarkforestandI
wonderedwherehewastakingme.
“Whatisthesecret?”Iaskedhim.
“Justhangon,”hereplied.
Hestoodandstartedclimbingupatree.I
feltdizzyandclosedmyeyes.Icouldheara
loudbuzzinginmyears.
“Look,”hesaid.
Iopenedmyeyesandsawthebiggest
beehiveI’veeverseenhangingfromabranch.
“Timeforbreakfast!”thebearsaidhungrily.
4 Think and Talk Before Writing
Explain that you would like the students to write their own endings to
Beardream today. They may write an ending that could happen in real
life or that could only happen in the imagination. Use “Think, Pair,
Share” to discuss:
Q If you were going to write an ending to Beardream, what might you write?
What might the bear’s secret be? [pause] Turn to your partner.
After a moment, signal for the students’ attention and have one or two
volunteers share their thinking with the class.
Students might say:
“In my ending there might be a secret river that has giant fish in it for
bears to eat.”
“Maybe Short Tail turns into a bear.”
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WRITInG TIME
5 Write endings to Beardream
Have the students return to their seats to begin to write their own
endings for Beardream. Encourage them to use their imaginations to tell
more in their endings. Remind them to write longer words by listening
to and spelling their syllables.
Give the students about 5 minutes to settle into their writing; then
signal for the students to begin writing silently for 20–25 minutes.
Join them in writing for a few minutes, and then confer with individual
students.
T EAc hER cOn FER En c E n OT E
Continue to confer with individual students to get an idea of their thinking
as they write fiction drafts. Ask each student to show you a piece of her
writing and read some of it aloud to you. As you listen, ask yourself:
• Is this student making up a story using her imagination?
• Is this student able to write about something that happens to a character
or about something that makes a character unique?
• Is this student able to sustain her focus on her writing?
• Is this student’s writing readable? Does it make sense?
• Is this student able to add to her writing to tell more?
• Does this student add dialogue to her writing?
Encourage the student to tell more by asking her questions such as:
Q What is this story about?
Q Who [is/are] the character(s)? What’s interesting about [him/her/them]?
Q What interesting thing happens to [him/her/them] in this story?
Q What makes your character(s) unique?
Q What do your characters say to each other?
Q What in your story can happen only in the imagination? What can
happen in real life?
Q What part of your story are you going to work on next?
Document your observations for each student on a “Conference Notes: Focus 1”
record sheet (CN1); see page 36 of the Assessment Resource Book.
Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 1
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ShARInG AnD REFLEcTInG
6 Share Writing and Reflect
Have the students bring their notebooks and gather with partners
sitting together, facing you. Have them review their writing and consider
the following question:
Teacher note
Q What words did you spell by listening to their syllables today? Choose one
of those words and tell us what you did to spell that word.
You may wish to put polysyllabic words
that have common syllables on the word
wall. Students can use these words to
help them spell other words that share
one or more of the same syllables. The
word forest, for example, could help
students spell words like forgive, forget,
biggest, and contest.
Ask a few volunteers to read aloud the ending they wrote for Beardream.
After each volunteer has shared, have pairs briefly discuss the following
question:
Q What’s interesting to you about [David’s] ending? Turn to your partner.
Ask and briefly discuss:
Q What did you enjoy about writing your own ending to someone
else’s story?
Explain that they will hear the actual ending to Beardream tomorrow.
Day 2
Exploring Fiction
Materials
•
•
Beardream from Day 1
•
Contribute to a shared story
HONK! The Story of a Prima
Swanerina from Week 1
•
Think and talk before they write
•
Write about something that happens in a dream
•
Approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words
•
Brave Charlotte from Week 1
•
Dogzilla from Week 1
•
In this lesson, the students:
GETTInG READy TO WRITE
Lined writing chart (WA3) for
modeling
1 Briefly Review the First half of Beardream
Gather the class with partners sitting together, facing you. Remind them
that yesterday they heard the first half of Beardream and wrote their own
endings. Ask:
Q What happens in the first half of the story?
Explain that you will read the rest of the story aloud so they can hear
how the author, Will Hobbs, ended the story.
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2 Read the Rest of Beardream Aloud and Discuss
Facilitation Tip
Reread the last paragraph on page 19 aloud, and then continue reading
to the end of the story. Show the illustrations and clarify vocabulary as
you read.
Suggested Vocabulary
ceased: stopped (p. 25)
Continue to focus on pacing class
discussions so they are neither too
short nor too long. Scan the whole
class (not just the students who are
responding) and use techniques such as
the following:
•
ELL Vocabulary
•
English Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional
vocabulary defined, including:
glimpsed: saw for just a little while (p. 21)
clearing: space without trees (p. 21)
disappeared into: went into (p. 30)
•
•
After reading, ask and briefly discuss:
Call on just a few students to respond
to each question, even if others have
their hands up.
Use “Turn to Your Partner” if many
students want to speak, and then call
on just two or three students to share
with the whole class.
Restate the question if the discussion
strays from the original topic.
Use wait-time before calling on anyone
to respond.
Q What is the bear’s secret?
Show the covers of Dogzilla, Brave Charlotte, and HONK! The Story of
a Prima Swanerina, and point out that all three of these stories could
happen only in the imagination. Show the cover of Beardream and ask:
Q What events in Beardream could happen in real life? What events could
happen only in the imagination? Turn to your partner.
If necessary, point out that some of the events in Beardream could
happen in real life, while some of the events, like what happened in the
boy’s dream, were imaginary.
3 Write a Shared Story and Approximate Spelling
Point out that fiction authors sometimes write about characters that
have dreams. Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q If you were to write a story that ended with the sentence It was just a
dream, what might you write? [pause] Turn to your partner.
After a moment, signal for the students’ attention. Display the lined
writing chart ( WA3). Write the sentence It was just a dream at the
bottom of the chart, and explain that you would like their help in writing
a short story that ends with this sentence. Ask:
Q What sentence shall we write to begin our story? What sentence shall we
write next?
Use the students’ suggestions to write a brief story (see the diagram on
the next page for an example). As you write, look for opportunities to
include dialogue and to engage the students in thinking about how to spell
unfamiliar polysyllabic words by asking the questions that follow. Write
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 2
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the syllables as the students suggest them. Remind them that you are
trying to listen to and spell one syllable at a time, rather than one sound
at a time. Ask:
Teacher note
Some polysyllabic words in the diagram
that lend themselves to modeling
approximated spellings include started,
expected, water, happened, bedroom,
and suddenly.
Q The first syllable of the word [happened] is [/hap/]. What letters
spell that?
Q The next syllable is [/pened/]. What letters spell that?
WA3
Iwokeupandstartedtogetoutofbed.I
expectedtofeelmyfeettouchthefloor,but
insteadtheysplashedintowater.Igaspedand
lookeddown.
“Hey!”Icried.“What’smybeddoing
floatingontheocean?Whathappenedto
mybedroom?”
IwasreadytopanicwhensuddenlyIwoke
up.Itwasjustadream.
4 Think and Talk Before Writing
Explain that today the students will write their own fiction stories
that end with the sentence It was just a dream. Use “Think, Pair, Share”
to discuss:
Q What ideas do you have for a story that ends with the sentence It was just
a dream? [pause] Turn to your partner.
Encourage the students to use their imaginations as they write today,
and remind them to write longer words by listening to and spelling their
syllables.
WRITInG TIME
5 Write Fiction Stories
Have the students return to their seats and write independently
for 20–25 minutes. Join them in writing for a few minutes, and then
confer with individual students.
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T EAc hER cOn FER En c E n OT E
Continue to confer with individual students to get an idea of their thinking
as they write fiction drafts. Ask each student to show you a piece of his
writing and read some of it aloud to you. As you listen, ask yourself:
• Is this student making up a story using his imagination?
• Is this student able to write about something that happens to a character
or about something that makes a character unique?
• Is this student able to sustain his focus on his writing?
• Is this student’s writing readable? Does it make sense?
• Is this student able to add to his writing to tell more?
• Does this student add dialogue to his writing?
Encourage the student to tell more by asking him questions such as:
Q What is this story about?
Q Who [is/are] the character(s)? What’s interesting about [him/her/them]?
Q What interesting thing happens to [him/her/them] in this story?
Q What makes your character(s) unique?
Q What do your characters say to each other?
Q What in your story can happen only in the imagination? What can
happen in real life?
Q What part of your story are you going to work on next?
Document your observations for each student on a “Conference Notes: Focus 1”
record sheet (CN1); see page 36 of the Assessment Resource Book.
Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over.
ShARInG AnD REFLEcTInG
6 Share Writing and Reflect
Have the students bring their notebooks and gather with partners
sitting together, facing you. Have them review their writing and consider
the following question:
Q What words did you spell by listening to their syllables today? Choose one
of those words and tell us what you did to spell that word.
Then ask partners to share with each other what they have written so
far in their stories that end with It was just a dream. After partners have
shared their stories, call for the students’ attention and ask:
Q What is your partner’s story about?
Q How did you know that your partner was listening carefully when you
shared your writing?
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 2
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ExTEnSIOn
Realistic and Imaginary Fiction Stories
Give the students more experience with realistic fiction (stories that
could happen in real life) and imaginary fiction (stories that could
not happen in real life) by having them tell the class about fiction
stories they are reading or have read independently. As a class, discuss
questions such as:
Q What’s happening in your story that could happen in real life? Tell us
about it.
Q What’s happening in your story that could not happen in real life? Tell us
about it.
Day 3
Exploring Fiction
Materials
In this lesson, the students:
•
Ducky
•
Generate ideas for stories about toys
•
Chart paper and a marker
•
Write fiction stories of their own choosing
•
“Writing Time” chart (WA4)
•
Approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words
•
Express interest in one another’s writing
GETTInG READy TO WRITE
1 Read Ducky Aloud
Gather the class with partners sitting together, facing you. Review that
the students have heard several fiction stories and have thought about
what could and could not happen in real life.
Explain that today the students will hear another fiction story. Invite them
to think, as they listen, about which parts of the story could happen in real
life and which parts could happen only in the imagination.
Show the cover of Ducky and read the title and the names of the author
and the illustrator aloud. Read the story aloud, stopping at the end of
page 29. (You will read the Author’s Note on page 30 aloud tomorrow.)
Show the illustrations and clarify vocabulary as you read.
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Suggested Vocabulary
terrified: really, really scared (p. 9)
non-toxic: not poisonous (p. 10)
constellations: groups of stars that make pictures (p. 18)
fulfilling my destiny: doing what I was meant to do in life (p. 28)
ELL Vocabulary
English Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional
vocabulary defined, including:
crate: box (p. 2)
was washed overboard: went into the water (p. 2)
After reading, ask and briefly discuss:
Q Who is telling this story?
Q What is this story about?
If necessary, point out that the author wrote Ducky as if the toy duck is
telling the story.
2 Generate Ideas for Stories About Toys
Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q If you were to write a story in which a toy tells about something that
happens to it, what might you write? [pause] Turn to your partner.
After partners have talked, signal for the students’ attention. Write
the title “Toy Adventures” on a sheet of chart paper. Have a few
volunteers share their ideas with the class, and record the students’
ideas as they respond.
If the students have difficulty thinking of ideas, stimulate their thinking
by suggesting some ideas like those in the diagram below.
Toy Adventures
A toy racecar drives to the North Pole.
A teddy bear goes to the moon.
E ELL note
Frequent charting and modeling of
drawing and writing in this program
supports English Language Learners as
well as all beginning writers. You can use
chart paper or interactive whiteboard
charts (Whiteboard Activities) for
your modeling. For
more information,
view the “Using
DSC’s Whiteboard
Activities”
tutorial (AV73).
A yo-yo decides to jump off its string and
run away.
A bunch of toy dogs meet a pack of
mean dogs.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 3
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Explain that during Writing Time today the students may choose to
write stories about a toy that has an adventure, continue writing stories
they started earlier, or begin writing new fiction stories. Invite them to
look at the “Toy Adventures” chart to get ideas, if they wish. Remind
them to write longer words by listening to and spelling the words one
syllable at a time.
Teacher note
To see an example
of this technique,
view “Approximating
Spelling of
Polysyllabic
Words” (AV64).
E ELL note
English Language Learners may benefit
from drawing their ideas before they
write. Encourage them to draw what
they want to write about and to quietly
talk with you or a partner about their
drawing. If necessary, write down key
words and phrases they want to use
so they can copy the words into their
writing. For more
information, view
“Adapting Lessons
for English Language
Learners” (AV31).
WRITInG TIME
3 Write Fiction Stories
Display the “Writing Time” chart (
directions:
WA4) and explain the following
WA4
Writing Time
• Write
about a toy that has an adventure.
• Continue
• Begin
a story you started earlier.
a new story about something else.
Have the students return to their seats and write independently
for 20–25 minutes. Join them in writing for a few minutes, and then
confer with individual students.
TE Ac h E R cOn F E R E n c E n OT E
Continue to confer with individual students about their fiction drafts. Ask
yourself:
• Is this student making up a story using her imagination?
• Is this student able to write about something that happens to a character
or about something that makes a character unique?
• Is this student able to sustain her focus on her writing?
• Is this student’s writing readable? Does it make sense?
• Is this student able to add to her writing to tell more?
• Does this student add dialogue to her writing?
(continues)
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TE AchER cOnFER EncE nOTE (continued)
Encourage the student to tell more by asking her questions such as:
Q What is this story about?
Q Who [is/are] the character(s)? What’s interesting about [him/her/them]?
Q What interesting thing happens to [him/her/them] in this story?
Q What makes your character(s) unique?
Q What do your characters say to each other?
Q What in your story can happen only in the imagination? What can
happen in real life?
Q What part of your story are you going to work on next?
Document your observations for each student on a “Conference Notes: Focus 1”
record sheet (CN1); see page 36 of the Assessment Resource Book.
Beginning next week, the focus of the individual student conferences will
change. If you have not met with all of your students to discuss the questions
above, you may wish to do so before changing the conference focus.
Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over.
ShARInG AnD REFLEcTInG
4 Share Writing and Reflect
Have the students bring their notebooks and gather with partners
sitting together, facing you. Have them review their writing and consider
the following question:
Q What words did you spell by listening to their syllables today? Choose one
of those words and tell us what you did to spell that word.
Have the students underline one sentence in their stories that they
would really like to share with the class. After giving them a moment to
choose their sentences, go around the room and have each student read
his sentence aloud to the class, without comment.
After the students have shared their sentences, help them respond to
one another by asking questions such as:
Q What did you hear that got you interested in someone else’s writing?
Q What do you want to ask [Marvin] about his sentence?
Teacher note
Save the “Toy Adventures” chart to use
on Day 4.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 3
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WRITInG ABOUT READInG
Materials
•
Ducky from Day 3
Write Opinions About Ducky
Show the cover of Ducky and remind the students that they heard this
story earlier. Ask:
Q What do you remember about this book?
If necessary, remind the students that in this story, Ducky tells us that
he felt scared when he was floating in the sea. Use “Think, Pair, Share”
to discuss:
Q What do you think is the scariest thing that happens to Ducky? Why?
[pause] Turn to your partner.
After a moment, signal for the students’ attention and have a few
volunteers share their thinking with the class.
Students might say:
“I thought the scariest part was when the shark almost ate Ducky
and some of the other toys. It must have been really scary inside the
shark’s mouth!”
“I think the scariest part is when all the toys floated away. The toys
couldn’t really help each other, but I think Ducky felt safer having the
other toys nearby.”
“I think Ducky was the most scared when he washed up on the beach.
Ducky probably wondered if the boy was going to take care of him
or not.”
As the students respond, flip to the page in the book they are referring
to, show the illustration, and read the relevant passage aloud.
Explain that when the students tell what they think about a topic they
are giving an opinion. Explain that people might have different opinions
about something and that is fine. What is important is that they explain
their thinking and give reasons for their opinions. Ask the students to
watch as you think aloud and model writing an opinion about what you
think is the scariest thing that happened to Ducky.
you might say:
“I’ll start by writing the title of the book and telling what I think is the
scariest thing that happened to Ducky. I’ll write: In the book Ducky,
I think the scariest thing that happened was when Ducky floated in the
ocean all by himself. Next, I’ll give reasons for my opinion and I’ll use
the linking word because. I’ll write: I think this was the scariest part
because it must have been really frightening for Ducky to wonder if anyone
was going to find and rescue him or if he was just going to float in the
sea forever and ever. Now I need a closing sentence. I’ll write: I think
it would be really scary to be all alone and not know what is going to
happen next.”
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Explain that the students will write their own opinions about what they
think is the scariest thing that happens to Ducky. If time permits, invite
the students to share their opinions with the class.
Day 4
Exploring Fiction
In this lesson, the students:
Materials
•
Hear how an author got an idea for a fiction story
•
•
Write fiction stories of their own choosing
•
•
Approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words
•
Express interest in one another’s writing
•
GETTInG READy TO WRITE
•
1 Briefly Review Ducky
•
•
Gather the class with partners sitting together, facing you. Show the
cover of Ducky and remind the students that they heard this story
yesterday. Ask:
Ducky from Day 3
“Toy Adventures” chart from
Day 3
“Characters We Can Write About”
chart from Week 1
“Interesting Things That Could
Happen” chart from Week 1
“Writing Time” chart (WA5)
“Class Assessment Record”
sheet (CA2)
Q What do you remember about this story?
Q What happens in this story that could happen in real life?
Q What happens in this story that could happen only in the imagination?
As the students respond, flip to the page in the book they are referring
to, show the illustration, and read the relevant passage aloud.
2 Read the Author’s Note for Ducky Aloud
Show the “Author’s Note” on page 30 and explain that the author,
Eve Bunting, wrote a note about how she got the idea for this story.
Read the note aloud, clarifying vocabulary as you read.
Suggested Vocabulary
findings and sightings: where people have found and seen the toys (p. 30)
plot the track of the remaining toys: draw a map of where the toys may
float (p. 30)
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 4
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ELL Vocabulary
English Language Learners may benefit from hearing additional
vocabulary defined, including:
currents, winds, and tides: how the ocean and the air move (p. 30)
After reading, ask and briefly discuss:
Q Where did Eve Bunting get the idea for this story?
If necessary, tell the students that the author got the idea for the story
from something that really happened.
3 Generate Story Ideas from Own Lives
Point out that Ducky is a fiction story based on something that really
happened. The author imagined what it might have been like to be one
of the toys that fell off the ship. Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q If you were going to make up a story about something that really happened
in your own life, what might it be? [pause] Turn to your partner.
If the students have difficulty generating ideas, suggest some ideas from
your own life that might be similar to those in the “Students might say”
note, and then ask the students for other ideas.
Students might say:
“I might write a story about my pet hamster, Yolo. Maybe he gets lost
in the house and I have to find him.”
“One time I broke my arm and had to get a cast. I could make up a
story about that. Maybe the doctor accidentally puts the cast on the
arm that’s not broken!”
“We have a slide at home. Maybe it could be a magic slide that takes
me somewhere.”
Teacher note
Explain that during Writing Time today the students may make
up a story based on their own lives, or they may work on any other
fiction story. Direct their attention to the “Toy Adventures” chart, the
“Characters We Can Write About” chart, and the “Interesting Things
That Could Happen” chart from the past two weeks. Encourage them to
use ideas from these charts, if they wish. Remind them to write longer
words by listening to and spelling the words one syllable at a time.
Continue to look for opportunities
throughout the day to model
approximating the spelling of
polysyllabic words. Encourage the
students to approximate the spelling of
longer words whenever possible.
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Being a Writer™ Sample Lesson, Grade 2 © Developmental Studies Center devstu.org
WRITInG TIME
4 Write Fiction Stories
Display the “Writing Time” chart (
directions:
WA5) and explain the following
WA5
Writing Time
• Make
up a story based on your own life.
• Continue
• Begin
a story you started earlier.
a new story about something else.
Have the students return to their seats and write independently
for 20–25 minutes. Join them in writing for a few minutes, and then
walk around and observe, assisting students as needed.
cL A SS A SSESSM EnT n OT E
Observe the students and ask yourself:
• Are the students making up stories using their imaginations?
• Can they sustain their focus on their writing?
• Are they attempting to include dialogue?
• Do they approximate the spelling of polysyllabic words by listening to
their syllables?
If you notice that many students are struggling to write stories, call for the
class’s attention and have a few volunteers read their writing to the class.
Then have the students resume silent writing.
Record your observations on the “Class Assessment Record” sheet (CA2);
see page 33 of the Assessment Resource Book.
Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over.
ShARInG AnD REFLEcTInG
5 Share Writing and Reflect
Have the students bring their notebooks and gather with partners
sitting together, facing you. Have them review their writing and consider
the following question:
Q What words did you spell by listening to their syllables today? Choose one
of those words and tell us what you did to spell that word.
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2 Day 4
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Have each student underline one sentence in their story that they would
really like to share with the class. After giving the students a moment to
choose their sentences, go around the room and have each student read
her sentence aloud to the class, without comment.
After all the students have shared their sentences, help them respond to
one another by asking questions such as:
Q What did you hear that got you interested in someone else’s writing?
Q What do you want to ask [Darcy] about her sentence?
Explain that next week the students will select one of their fiction
stories to publish as a book for the class library.
Open Day Writing Throughout the Week
Write More Stories That end with
It Was Just a Dream
Have the students write other stories that end with the sentence It was
just a dream. Alternatively, if the students are inspired to expand on their
“It was just a dream” stories from earlier in the week, encourage them to
add to and illustrate their stories.
Write Opinions About Ducky
Have the students respond to literature by writing opinions about the
character Ducky in the book Ducky (see Writing About Reading on
page 244).
Review Notebook Writing
Have the students reread the writing in their notebooks, and give them
an opportunity to work on pieces they started earlier.
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Being a Writer™ Sample Lesson, Grade 2 © Developmental Studies Center devstu.org
SyLLABLES
The underlined syllables are irregular or ambiguous for reading and/or spelling. A hyphen appears before
a syllable if the syllable occurs at the end of a word.
ab
di
-ic
ob
spect
ac
dict
il
oc
-ster
act
dif
im
or
sub
ad
dis
in
-ous
sus
-al
div
ing
pas
sym
-ance
-dle
-ise
pel
syn
ant
duct
ish
pend
sys
bi
-eer
ist
per
-tion
-ble
em
-ive
phon
-tive
cap
en
-ize
pic
-tle
cent
-ence
ject
-ple
trans
cir
ent
less
por
tri
circ
er
-ly
port
-tude
civ
est
mand
pre
-ture
co
ex
med
pro
ult
col
fac
mem
prob
un
com
fore-
ment
quad
-vade
con
frac
mid
quent
vent
cred
-ful
min
re
ves
crim
-gle
mis
scan
vict
de
graph
mod
-scope
vid
dem
grat
nect
script
vill
dent
-hood
ness
-ship
vis
-dge
hos
non
-sion
Fiction Unit 3 Week 2
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