Writing Lesson Objective: On one of the writing process stages or one of the Writing Genres (T. Ch.

5)

Objective Students will learn how to describe the daily lives of the people who lived in the California Missions using full written
and verbal sentences.
Learning Learning Strategies and Activities:
Stages Students will have the opportunity to build and research a California Mission or be a tour guide of a California
Mission by researching and verbally describing a Mission.

Lesson Activate and build on background knowledge -Strategies/steps

Introduction: Today in class, we will be writing and speaking about the unique things we have learned about California Missions. Over the past
week, we have done a lot of work identifying them with our eyes and hearing about them in our songs, but now we will be able to
Before explain to others who may have never heard of a California Mission. It is important that you are able to use full sentences, spoken
Teaching - and written as you describe California Missions. First, we are going to review some things that we’ve learned about California
Missions and what they were used for. In the next 5 minutes, discuss with a partner 3 facts about California Missions. As you
Setting the
discuss, I would like you to fill out a conversational roundtable describing the things you talked about with your partner. Each box
stage. should have different information in it. When you hear the bell ring, I will collect your roundtables.

Lesson Body: Explain Lesson steps:

During/active Today, you are going to be a builder or a tour guide. Builders are experts in knowing the type of structure they are going to build. If
engagement you decide to build, you and your partner will research a California Mission and create one with the tools given to you. After
in learning building the mission, you will need to write a placard (label) describing the mission you built.

If you choose to be a tour guide, you also need to be an expert in knowing the building you are describing. You and your partner are
going to be walking on a tour with people who have never heard or seen a California Mission. You will describe the different
features of the mission and describe what they were used for. Make sure you put on your best tour guide smile!

—Students will be grouped according to reading/comprehension level.

Closure/After Strategy for restating key points, extend ideas, check for understanding/other
Teaching Students, today in class we completed our study of California Missions. Some of us built models of California Missions with a
descriptive placard giving details about the mission they designed. Others in this class were our tour guides to the different
California Missions, giving full details about the mission they were giving tours for.

Monitoring Student Learning - Review and Assessment: What Monitoring Student Learning - Student Voice: How will you
specific assessment tools are being used for at least two types of provide for student voice during instruction on their learning (strategies,
assessment? skills, knowledge) relative to learning target?

Informal:
I will walk around the classroom to observe the student’s research on
California Missions. I will ask them questions regarding the Mission that
they decided to research.
Formal:
As students work with their partners, I will have them complete a
conversational roundtable which will describe 2 facts about California
Missions that they discussed with their partners. (See worksheet below.)
Students will be given two opportunities to show their knowledge on
California Missions. Each assignment will have a written portion where
they will describe the mission they had researched. (See rubric below)
Feedback: Feedback
Students’ learning will be monitored as the finish their mini projects. The
students will be allowed to use their own voice and personality as they
complete building the mission or describing the mission as a tour guide.
Throughout their research process they will be collecting at least five
facts to describe in the written portion of their assignment. Although
students will be graded on the accuracy of their writing and amount of
facts in their papers, I will monitor their learning and voice by giving
verbal feedback as they work with their partners.
PROFICIENT (5 POINTS) BASIC (3 POINTS) BELOW BASIC (2 POINTS)

Student and partner can describe 5 Student and partner can describe 3-4 Student and partner can describe 1-2
facts about California Missions in facts about California Missions in facts about California Missions in
complete sentences, linked with complete sentences, linked with complete sentences, linked with
concrete evidence. concrete evidence. concrete evidence.

Students wrote grammatically correct Students wrote grammatically correct Student sentences contained many
sentences with little to no errors. sentences with minimal errors grammatical errors.

Conversational Roundtable

Student A Name: ____________________ Student B Name:_____________________

Fact #1: Fact #1:

Fact #2: Fact #2: