Writing Using Strong Leads Grade: 5

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Common Core Standards: W.5.3- write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences 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 Objective: By the end of the lesson students will revise and edit realistic fiction writing pieces specifically adding in leads to their stories. Materials: Writing samples Chrome Books Writing Hooks visual aid Procedure: 1) Lesson Introduction/Objective and Purpose: a. Today we are going to go over how to open our writing with a strong hook that makes the reader want to continue reading. When you are reading a story or even a news article, the first sentence helps tell you what the story is going to be about. The first sentence is also meant to hook the reader into reading more. When you read you want to be interested in the topic and writing. Once we are finished you are going to return to your realistic fiction writing and add in leads that will draw the readers in. Here I have a chart that lists possible ways to write leads. (Introduce chart) 2) Teach and Model (Modeling the Thinking) a. Leads can be written in many different ways. This list gives us some ideas of how you may want to write your leads. (Refer to chart) This example is from the book Charlottes Web. b. Students will have a copy of all examples on Chrome Books. Wheres Papa going with that ax? said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. Out to the hoghouse, replied Mrs. Arable. Some pigs were born last night. I dont see why he needs an ax, continued Fern, who was only eight. Well, said mother, one of the pigs is a runt. Its very small and weak, and it

will never amount to anything. So your father has decided to do away with it. Do away with it? Shrieked Fern. The type of lead used in this example is dialog. This makes me ask myself, I wonder what will happen to the pig or will Fern try and stop her father? This lead makes me want to read more and find out what happened to the runt. 3) Guided Practice (Example 1: Extensive Teacher Help) Here is an example from the book James and the Giant Peach. While I read this, read along on your Chrome Books and think about the type of lead it is and how you might you a lead like this in your story. Until he was four years old, James Henry Trotter had had a happy life. He lived peacefully with his mother and father in a beautiful house beside the sea. There were always plenty of other children for him to play with, and there was a sandy beach for him to run about on, and the ocean to paddle in. It was the perfect life for a small boy. Ask possible questions like: What type of lead does the author use in this example? What does the hook leave you thinking? Does it make you want to continue reading to see what happens to the boy? (Example 2: Less Teacher Help) I would like you to read this passage to yourself first then look at me when you are finished. (Give students time to read) Now turn and talk to your partner for two minutes. Talk about what type of lead the author uses and how you might incorporate this type of lead into your own writing. At last Ramona felt a tap on her shoulder. Her turn had come to run around the circle! She ran as fast as she could to catch up with the sneakers pounding on the asphalt ahead of her. The boing-boing curls were on the other side of the circle. Ramona was coming closer to them. She put out her hand. She took hold of a curl, a thick, springy curl Who would like to share what their partner and them thinks the type of lead is? (Student Response) Ask what parts of the lead made them think that it is that type.

4) Independent Practice (Example 3: No Teacher Help) a. Once students demonstrate confidence understanding the use of integrating their senses into realistic fiction writing, they will return to their desks to complete it on their own. Using what we have just gone over I would like you to return to your seats and take out your writing notebooks. You are going to write three different types of leads and then try them on to your writing. Once you have finished the three leads open your Chrome Books to your realistic fiction writing pieces that you have been working on. I want you to revisit the story and using the leads that you wrote, add the lead that you believe works best. Make sure you highlight the lead that you have added. Remember you want your lead to pull the reader into your story and cause them to continue reading. (Students return to seats) As you are revising, you can look in your Google docs for the list that is just like the chart for ways to write different leads. 5) Closure a. While students are writing, I will walk around assisting any students that may be having difficultly. Talk to some students and have them share their thinking out loud. After the students have had some time to record, Now that each of you have added to your stories I would like a few writers to share what they added into their realistic fiction writing. (Student share) 6) Assessment a. How will you know that lesson has been successful? i. The lesson will have been successful if, after listening and dissecting the passages, students are able to add strong leads to their writing.