5th grade Writing Lesson Grabber Leads

Donna Ledford

EDTECH 521
Contact me anytime with any questions: donnaledford@u.boisestate.edu

The purpose of this lesson is to learn how to write engaging, effective, exciting introductory paragraphs or grabber leads in a piece of writing.

How do you want your audience to react when they read your writing?

O R

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson you will be able to Become familiar with and apply various strategies for writing effective grabber leads. Analyze and evaluate introductions and leads within different writing samples Write an effective introduction to a piece of writing.

 Activity 1 What is a Grabber Lead? Activity 2 The Secret to Writing a Good Grabber Lead

Lesson Activities

Activity 3 Transform a Lead into a Grabber Lead!

Activity 4 Write a Grabber Lead

Resources
Here are some links that you may want to visit as you work through the activities in this lesson in order to provide you with more information on grabber leads and writing effective introductions.

http://old.escambia.k12.fl. us/schscnts/bree/Teachers/ cbradley/Grabbers.htm

http://www.time4writing.c om/writing-skills/startingwith-a-grabber/
http://portal.bentonvillek12.org/d lebert/Lecture%20Material%20an d%20Handouts/Leads%20%20B reaking%20the%20Ice.pdf http://www.gordonstate.edu/PT_ Faculty/msilverman/Writing_Effec tive_Hooks.pdf http://theartofwriting.wikisp aces.com/~Hooks,+Leads,+ and+Grabbers

Activity 1 What is a Grabber Lead?

Background Information
A piece of writing typically has three parts: a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning is called the introduction. The introduction has two purposes:
1. To draw the reader in and make him/her want to read more
2. To provide direction/purpose for the piece of writing

Which grabber lead do you like best? Why?

My new teacher has weird hair.

The first thing I noticed when I entered my new classroom was hair as pink as cotton candy from the fair! My teacher has fair hair!

What is a Grabber Lead?

The Grabber Lead of an introduction is the way the author uses language to pull the reader in. An effective grabber lead generates interest or excitement about the writing and causes the reader to want to read more.

Practice What is a Grabber Lead?

To complete Activity 1 do the following:
Go to the assignment page for Activity 1 on our website.
http://mrsledfords5thgradewriting lesson.weebly.com/

Define what a grabber lead is in your own words and tell me why they are important.

The Secret to Writing a Good Grabber Lead There are many strategies used to write effective leads that will grab the readers attention. We will focus on three main strategies in this lesson: 1.Surprise the Reader 2.Ask a Question 3.Show Dont Tell

Activity 2

Grabber Lead Strategy 1: Surprise the Reader

Start your writing with an unknown, strange, or interesting fact. This is a great way to begin a story or an informational piece. Examples: Dolphins can understand over 100 human words! 75% of the world population has a cell phone!

Grabber Lead Strategy 2: Ask a Question

Ask a question that makes the reader think and want to know the answer. Examples:

Can you imagine the look on my face when I saw my new teacher had bright pink hair the color of cotton candy?
Have you ever thought you were swimming with a dolphin only it turned out NOT to be a dolphin at all?

 Make the reader see what is happening. Use your words to show what is taking place by using descriptive words from the five senses.

Grabber Lead Strategy 3: Show Dont Tell

Examples:
The cool blue water soothed my skin that was on fire from the blazing hot sun and sand.

The throbbing constant pain in my right ankle was excruciating and unbearable.

Practice The Secret to Writing a Good Grabber Lead

To complete Activity 2 do the following: Go to the assignment page for Activity 2 on our website. http://mrsledfords5thgradewritingles son.weebly.com/
Analyze the writing excerpts found on the assignment page and determine which strategy the author used to create the grabber leads in their introductions.

Activity 3 -Transform a plain boring lead into a Grabber Lead!

My new teacher has weird hair.

The first thing I noticed when I entered my new classroom was hair as pink as cotton candy from the fair! My teacher has fair hair!

Practice Transform a plain, boring lead into a Grabber Lead

To complete Activity 3 do the following: Go to the assignment page for Activity 3 on our website. http://mrsledfords5thgradewriting lesson.weebly.com/
You will be changing a boring lead to a grabber lead that will draw in your reader.

Practice Write a Grabber Lead!

To complete Activity 4 do the following: Go to the assignment page for Activity 4 on our website. http://mrsledfords5thgradewriting lesson.weebly.com/
Its time to write your own grabber lead! We will vote for our favorite class grabber lead!

Draw your reader in

Now you know how to create an engaging, effective lead to a piece of writing that will leave your reader wanting more!

Surprise the Reader Ask a Question Show Dont Tell