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SAMPLE UNIT PLAN
FOR WORD CHOICE

Below is a sample unit plan for Word Choice. The days are approximate and for sample purposes only; you may move through the items quicker or slower than listed. It also depends on how long your classes are. I am basing the sample on a 45 minute class period. The sample also does not mix in Writing Conventions lessons. Some items below refer to pages at this site. I have included links for your convenience.

If any part of this unit plan does not make sense, please let me know! I want it to be teacher friendly.

PREPARATION FOR ALL UNITS:

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Create Six Trait Manipulatives for the students.

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Create Six Trait Handbooks for students.

PREPARATION FOR WORD CHOICE UNIT:

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Create a unit notebook for Word Choice.

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Choose a few picture books that illustrate Word Choice. Make notes for yourself telling why each book is a good example of Word Choice.

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Compile cartoons that illustrate Word Choice. Develop a way of sharing the cartoons with the students.

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Create a trait descriptor poster for Word Choice. Display it in the classroom.

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Create quotes posters or handouts for Word Choice. Display the poster in the classroom or keep copies of the handouts ready for students.

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Create the "Replace Vague Vocabulary With Precise Prose" activity.

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Create the "Sensory Details" activity.

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Create the "Create a Scene With Words" activity.

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Copy sample papers for Word Choice. Read and score the papers yourself. Be prepared to discuss them with your students.

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Prepare a writing assignment to assess the trait of Voice. Be sure to create a writing process timeline to accompany it.

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Make two copies of the Word Choice peer response sheets for every student.

DAY 1:

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Share and discuss the definition of Word Choice.

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Share and discuss the descriptors of Word Choice.

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Present the rubric for Word Coice. In their handbooks, have the students highlight key words and phrases that exemplify each level of the rubric.

DAY 2:

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Review the descriptors for Word Choice.

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Share and discuss the cartoons that illustrate Word Choice.

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Share and discuss the quotes that illustrate Word Choice.

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Share a picture book or two that illustrates Word Choice. Use the rubric and descriptors to discuss why the book is a good example of Word Choice.

DAY 3:

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Review the definition for Word Choice.

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Do the "Replace Vague Vocabulary With Precise Prose" activity.  Discussion can be done two different ways.  You can discuss each sentence as students complete it, or you can save the discussion for the very end.

DAY 4:

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Do the "Sensory Details" activity.  Don't forget to discuss it.

DAY 5:

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Do the "Create a Scene With Words" activity.   An extension of the activity could be to have the students to evaluate the papers according the rubric.  This is best done by reading the papers out loud without mentioning the students' names.  Students could also create the scenes in groups rather than as individuals. 

DAY 6:

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Review the descriptors for Ideas and Content. Try a different approach than on Day 2.

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Do another activity for Word Choice.  I have others that are not posted at Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk.

DAY 7:

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Review the rubric for Word Choice.

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Share a sample paper with the students. The students are to use the highlighted version of the Word Choice Rubric in their handbooks to score the paper. Have them use Six Trait Rubric Manipulatives to share their scores. Although scores of 2 and 4 are possible, I recommend starting with basic scores of 1, 3, and 5. This will make it easier for the students and you. The students need to be prepared to defend their opinions. Another method of sharing scores is to divide the room into three areas one for a score of 5, one for a score of 3, and one for a score of 1. When ALL students have had time to score the paper, have them move to the appropriate area. Have the students move at the same time or they will wait to watch where others are going. Be sure to discuss their reasoning for giving the paper a particular score. Score as many papers as time allows.

DAY 8:

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Discuss the "How To Use Word Choice That Catches the Reader's Eye" sheet from the student handbook. (It can also be made into a poster for the classroom.)

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Pass out the directions and timeline for the writing assignment you developed.

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Brainstorming 1: Do your favorite brainstorming activity to help the students develop topics. Then have them choose a topic.

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Brainstorming 2: Have the students brainstorm ideas about their chosen topics.

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Go around the room and record who has completed the brainstorming activities. Answer any questions and encourage those who are having trouble finding a topic.

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Provide a graphic organizer for the students' use in organizing the ideas for their papers. Choose or create a graphic organizer that works well with the writing assignment. The graphic organizer is due at the beginning of class on Day 9.

DAY 9:

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Have the students begin their rough drafts. Based on their graphic organizers. The rough draft is due before the end of class on Day 10. (Make adjustments if necessary.)

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Go around the room and record who has completed the graphic organizer. Start in a different part of the room than you did yesterday. Answer questions and encourage those who are getting behind. Ask (or require) them to come in before school, during recess, or after school for extra help.

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When you have recorded grades for the graphic organizer, review the descriptors for Word Choice again. Then give everyone a peer response sheet for Word Choice. Explain to them how you want it  completed. Have them write specific suggestions for the back of the form. The writer's name should be at the top of the form and the peer reviser's signature should be at the bottom.

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Give the students the remaining time to work on their rough drafts.

DAY 10:

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Have the students find someone to trade papers with for peer revising. Any student who is not finished with his rough draft may not peer revise anyone else's paper. Students may peer revise more than one paper. Your stronger writers will finish their rough drafts first and usually make the best peer revisers. The peer revising sheet is due at the end of the class period.

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Go around the room and record who has completed the rough draft. Start in a different part of the room than you did yesterday. Answer questions and encourage those who are getting behind. Ask (or require) them to come in before school, during recess, or after school for extra help. Grade all first drafts before you grade peer editing sheets. Otherwise you may get behind.

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When a student finishes with the peer revision step and has you record the grade, she may go on to the second draft. Ask those who finish early to make themselves available to peer revise more papers. (You can offer extra credit for peer revising more than one first draft.)

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When you are finished recording grades for the rough draft, record grades for peer editing sheets. If you do not have time to record all of the grades, do that as one of the first activities on Day 11.

DAY 11:

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Have the students begin working on the second draft, which is due before the end of class on Day 12. (Make adjustments if necessary.

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Finish recording grades for the peer revision sheets. Students may not begin the second draft until the peer revision grade is recorded. (Some students may try to bypass this step.)

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Take this time to conference with students who are behind. Again, ask or require them to get extra help.

DAY 12:

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Have the students trade papers for another peer editing session, this time with a different person. When a student finishes with the second peer revision step and has you record the grade, he may go on to the final draft. Ask those who finish early to make themselves available to peer revise more papers. (You can offer extra credit for peer revising more than one second draft.) Any student who is not finished with his second draft may not peer revise anyone else's paper. Students may peer revise more than one paper. The final draft is due at the beginning of class on Day 14. (Make adjustments if necessary.)

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Go around the room and record who has completed the second draft. Start in a different part of the room than you did yesterday. Answer questions and encourage those who are behind. Ask (or require) them to come in before school, during recess, or after school for extra help.

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When you are finished recording grades for the second draft, record grades for the second peer editing sheets. If you do not have time to record all of the grades, do that as one of the first activities on Day 13.

DAY 13:

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Have the students work on the second draft, which is due at the beginning of class on Day 14. (Make adjustments if necessary.)

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Finish recording grades for the second peer revision sheets. Students may not begin the second draft until the peer revision grade is recorded. (Some students may try to bypass this step, even more so than the first peer revision step.)

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Take this time to conference with students who are behind. Again, ask or require them to get extra help.

DAY 14:

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Collect and record the final drafts. Save the in depth grading for later. All you are doing at this point is recording a few daily points for actually doing the work.

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If you have students who are behind, you can allow them to work on their papers while the students who are finished do something as a reward.

 

 

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This site last updated 14 November 2007.

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