1 Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary

Writers Workshop Daily Plan

1. Mini-Lesson Focus:

ELACC1W3: Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary: Call students over to the meeting area. Read the book, A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon (if you do not have this book it is available at storylineonline.net) As you read the story discuss how the author has taken a common problem that many children can relate to and developed a story with very unique ideas about what happens when someone has a problem. Discuss the emotional narration that occurs in this book. As a class develop a list of common (ordinary) problems that students have experienced. List some emotions that are associated with the problems. Remind students that emotions help to show the author’s voice to the reader. Tell students that during Writer’s Workshop they are going to work in pairs to take an ordinary problem and turn it into something extraordinary. Explain that you will be looking for the strong use of emotional words. (you may want to have a poster of emotion words as part of your word wall) Students may pick something on the class list or they may choose something different.

2. Status of Class – This is a brief dialogue about where each child is working in their writing.

3. Student Writing/Teacher Conferring

4. Author Share: Student Teacher

Call students back to meeting area to share. Ask student to share some of their writing that shows their voice.

Emotions and Feelings

Anger Hope

Anxiety Interest

Awe Loneliness

Boredom Love

Compassion Pleasure

Confusion Pride

Contempt Playfulness

Disgust Revenge

Elation Sadness

Embarrassment Shame

Envy Surprise

Excitement Sympathy

Fear Joy

Gratitude Happiness

Greed Guilt

How It’s Said Word to Substitute

Laughed / Rejoiced
Giggled / Joked
Lilted / Sang out

In a happy way

Cried / Agonized
Bawled / Blubbered
Sobbed / Sniveled

In a sad way

Beseeched / Implored
Pleaded / Entreated
Appealed to

In a begging way

Troup County Schools 2012

1st Grade Language Arts