For students to compose quality writing, they must first be inspired and then 
     guided through the process.  The topic, lunar phases, was chosen to give students 
     the opportunity to interact with their environment and their peers before and
     during the composing process.  Students work with a partner for most activities 
     and they aid other peer teams with editing.  Students are encouraged to use web 
     sites for information gathering, tape recorders for rewrite ideas, and word processing
     with graphic design for their culminating projects.

Subject:  Informational Writing
Topic:     Lunar Phases
Grade Level:  Seventh Grade Resource Students
Student Lesson Name and URL:  http://ctap295.ctaponline.org/~jstikes/student

     Grade Four
    1.0   Writing Strategies

    1.2  Create multiple paragraph compositions.

               (a)   Provide an introductory paragraph.
               (b)   Establish and support a central idea with a topic sentence at or near the
                       beginning of the first paragraph.
               (c)   Include supporting paragraphs with simple facts, details, and explanations.
               (d)   Conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the points.
               (e)   Use correct indentation.

     1.7   Use various reference materials.

    1.10  Edit and revise selected drafts to improve coherence and progression
             by adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text.
 
 
 

Instructional Objectives

Student Activities

     Introductory Activity

            *    Students briefly brainstorm ideas/beliefs which they currently hold about
the phases of the moon.  The teacher lists them on butcher paper or board.
          *  Teacher does demonstration using a globe, tennis ball and hackie sack of
the orbit of the moon around the earth and the earth around the sun in one month's
time.  Visual aids are used which depict the eight phases of the moon.
          *   Students are divided into groups of three to practice the demonstration 
which teacher has just given.
             *    Students  perform a movement activity in groups of three with each student 
acting the role of the earth, sun (holding a flashlight), or moon.
          *   Students research information about lunar phases from several teacher provided sources including web sites.
           * On a teacher made charting form, students will make sketches of the shape of
of the moon as they observe it.  They will, at home, do observations and sketches at least three nights per week for one month.
          *   Classroom group discussion of students' observations.  Following the discussion, students make a large poster/chart which depicts the basic eight phases with labels and correct position in relation to the earth.

     Enabling Activity(ies)

              *    Using information and reference materials previously gathered, students work in partners to compose a list of descriptive words to use in their writing.
          *    On a pre-printed outline form, students will work with their partners to fill in ideas to use in their sentences.  The outline will be organized into four sections for each of the four paragraphs; one introductory, two supporting and one conclusion.
           *   Students are reminded of previously taught quality sentence construction rules including capitalization, punctuation, varying sentence style and beginning words, and using appropriate and numerous descriptive words.  Students are reminded to use a topic sentence, at least three supporting sentences.  Any posters or charts which apply to the task are set out for reference .  Partners compose sentences for their four paragraphs.
          *    Students read their sentences into a tape recorder and listen to it.  They then make additions/corrections.   They work in partners to edit their work using a Franklin Ace speller to check words and make corrections.
          *    Student pairs exchange papers to help edit each other's work.

     Culminating Activity
          *    Students work with partners to compose their final drafts.  They may use word processing for all or a portion of their report.  They may also use a typewriter or may hand print or write their final draft.
          *    Students are encouraged to use computer graphics to add visual appeal to their reports.  They may also use hand drawings, hand made models, or paintings  to their final
reports.
          *   Each partner team gives a 10 minute oral report for the writing group.  They also give their reports for their regular classroom peers.

     Prior to beginning the lesson, students will be asked to compose an informal 
           writing sample.  This sample will be evaluated for writing mechanics as well
           as word choice and variety of sentence style.

           As a final assessment, students' reports will be graded according to a  5 point
           rubric   In addition, the teacher will conduct an informal discussion to check
           for understanding of the topic and for student opinion concerning the value
           of the activities in the lesson.   Suggestions from students will be recorded
           to enable the teacher to improve upon the lesson.  (See rubric attached.)

Introductory Activity
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Enabling Activity
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Culminating Activity
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Last Revised: 00/00/2000 (insert and update last revision date every time you work on this page)