Unit 2 - Writing Unit of Study Small Moment Writing in Personal Narrative

Unit 2 – Teaching Point #1 Writers Use a Timeline to Come Up with Stories to Write About! They think about their life and put the events in order. They draw a line and write dates on the line. (The line can go sideways or up and down. Sideways = horizontal & up and down =vertical 3. Finally, they add information “in order” so they remember all the important events..

Unit 2 – Teaching Point #2 Writers “Zoom in” on a Small Moment They choose one of the moments from their life. (Use the timeline to help you remember.) Zoom in on the most important part. Tell it across your fingers. Then sketch… and write the story.

Unit 2 – Teaching Point #3 Writers Choose a Writing Topic Using an “Idea Bag” Writers collect ideas every day! They think at first about the “Watermelon Story”. (The great big story. Example: going to a baseball game) Then they “zoom in” to the SEED. (Example: The moment your favorite player it a homerun; the moment you saw yourself on the giant scoreboard; the moment you had your first taste of cotton candy.)

Writers close their eyes… zooming in to Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 4 Writers use small actions to “stretch out the heart” of the Small Moment Writers close their eyes… zooming in to make a “mind” movie of that small moment . They ask themselves… “What was my body doing? What was happening around me? Writers then sketch and write in great detail about the things that were happening o that the reader can picture it and make a movie in their mind.

Writers ask themselves questions like… Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 5 Writers revise by adding to their small moment using “internal thinking”. Writers ask themselves questions like… ”what was I thinking at that moment”. They write in such detail that the reader feels like they were right there. 3. Writers include their “internal thinking” to help the reader do a mind movie.

Writers make their writing better by rereading their writing, Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 5 (Expanded) Writers revise by adding to their small moment using “internal thinking”. Writers make their writing better by rereading their writing, closing their eyes, and asking themselves… “What was I thinking at that moment?” “I don’t want to go…. Please don’t make me go!”

Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 6 Writers can write a good beginning for their stories by writing a “story like setting beginning”. They include when the story takes place… - the time of day: On a summer evening - the month: In early September - the time of year: Late last winter They include where the story takes place - where: in my back yard at the beach

A Story-Like Setting Beginning Might Include: They include when the story takes place… - the time of day: On a summer evening - the month: In early September - the time of year: Late last winter They include where the story takes place - where: in my back yard at the beach at school

Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 7 One way that writers create good endings is by including “Close-in-to-the Moment” Endings. 1. End in the moment with the next thing that happened… 2. You might include a thought… 3. You might include a feeling…

Writers choose a piece of their writing to publish. Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 8 Writers choose a piece of their writing to publish. They look through their writing pieces. 2. They choose the one they like the most. 3. They choose a piece they think others will enjoy too.

Writers edit their stories by looking for “run on” and Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 8 Writers edit their stories by looking for “run on” and rambling sentences. Look for words like “and, then, so, but”. We call these “Wimpy Words”. Put a dot under these words. Reread the sentences without the dotted word. If it makes sense, cross out the word. Remember to place a period at the end of the sentence… and to capitalize the next word.

and Rambling Sentences Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 9 How to Edit for Run On and Rambling Sentences Put a dot under the words and, then, so, and but everywhere they appear in your writing 2. Reread those sentences. If the sentence makes sense when you reread it without the dotted word, you should cross the word out. Place a period before the crossed out the word and capitalize the first word in the next sentence.

Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 10 Writers punctuate dialogue in their writing by using quotation marks and ending punctuation because it helps our readers understand who is speaking. They find the words the “speaker” said. They put quotation marks around the “spoken words”. They use commas and punctuation too.

“I don’t want to go,” I thought. Mom said, “Honey, you look scared.” Here’s the way you punctuate dialogue. “I don’t want to go,” I thought. Mom said, “Honey, you look scared.” “I am,” I admitted. That’s when mom said, “I’ll ask the doctor if I could hold your hand.”

Writers study words in their stories in order to spell them correctly Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 11 Writers study words in their stories in order to spell them correctly They circle words that don’t look right. 2. Writers use many spelling strategies: - use your dictionary - use the word wall - use a personal word wall - look at word family patterns

Writing Unit 2 – Teaching Point 12 Partners can help us prepare our pieces for an audience by asking specific questions about our piece. They ask us to explain what we meant. 2. They help us “catch” mistakes that we might not notice. 3. They ask “tell me more” questions.

How are you doing as a writer? 1 = little evidence 2 = some evidence 3 = clear evidence 4 = clear and effective evidence Writers generate their own ideas for writing stories that are focused on a small moment. Writers plan by first sketching the moment across several pages. Writers show some evidence of planning their story. Writers use several strategies to elaborate or stretch out moments. Writers use a variety of strategies to write effective beginnings and endings Writers use a variety of strategies to study and spell words correctly. Writers attempt to edit for run on and rambling sentences. Writers punctuate dialogue correctly. Writers work well with a partner.