Lesson Plan College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University

Name: Grace Jacobs Subject: Language Arts Grade: Seventh Date: 12/7/16

NCTM or Minnesota Academic Standards:

7.7.1.1Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

7.7.5.5With some guidance and support from peers and adults, use a writing process to develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, drafting, revising and editing.

Objectives:

Students will be able to revise their peers’ essays, checking for cohesiveness of focus statement, topic sentences and textual evidence throughout.

Students will be able to make revisions on their own essays based on feedback from their peers.

Rationale:

This lesson is important because the revision process is a crucial part of the writing process for seventh graders to participate in. Not only is this process developmentally appropriate, it allows students to actively engage in growing as writers and readers. Revision challenges students to move beyond simply writing and turning something in; but rather, engages them in the process of writing several drafts until their writing shows their best effort. Revising is an area that students have little experience with; therefore I will be guiding the students through this process. Additionally, revising peer writing helps students to make their writing more cohesive and clear. Revising is an important strategy that students will need to master as they grow as readers and writers.

Materials/Preparation Needed:

Second Drafts of Anne Frank or Book Thief EssayPen/ PencilRevising, Editing and Final Draft RubricDEAR BookPromethean Board PresentationRevision “Look Fors”

Academic Language:Edit: To make changes or corrections

Discipline Specific Language:Revise: Reread and change to make improvementsFirst Draft: The first copy of an essayFinal Draft: The final copy of an essayWriting Process: The process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing and publishing

Anticipatory Set:

To begin this lesson, I will have ring the bell to signal students for DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time. Students will participate in 10 minutes of DEAR. This is a way to set the tone for the day and prepare students for Language Arts.I will have the agenda and objectives on the board.I will tell students that today we will be revising our Anne Frank/Book Thief Essays.

Procedure:

1. I will transition students from DEAR to the front of the classroom by moving to the front and asking them to take out their most recent copy of their Anne Frank/ Book Thief essay, a pen or pencil and the rubric.

2. I will tell students that we will be peer revising, meaning we will be working in small groups to revise each other’s essays.

3. On the board, I will display a list of “Look Fors” for revising the Anne Frank/Book Thief essay.

4. I will explain the list of “Look Fors” to help guide students in exactly what they will be revising.

5. I will emphasize that I DO NOT CARE ABOUT TYPOS, GRAMMAR ETC. for today’s lesson. Editing for typos, misspellings, grammar will be tomorrow.

6. I will tell students that they may also use their rubric as a guide for revising if they choose.

7. I will tell students that for each round of revising, they will be “Looking For” a different item on the “Look Fors” list.

8. I will show students how underlining essay components will help them find and keep track of what their peer has and doesn’t have in their essay.

9. I will ask students to make groups of four and turn their desks toward each other. I will tell students that I will be ringing the bell in two minutes.

10. If students need assistance making groups, I will organize and move people.11. I will quiet students and ring the bell. I will tell students to pass their papers to the person

to the left. The first person will revise based on the first “Look For” looking at the introduction and conclusion.

12. I will give 5-6 minutes for students to revise.13. I will give a one-minute warning. At this point if students would like to continue reading

and revising, they may. At this point they are also welcome to give written feedback at the end of the essay.

14. After a minute, I will tell students that they may give thirty seconds of verbal feedback.15. I will ring the bell to signal that students should pass their papers to the left again.16. The next person will revise based on the second “Look For” looking at topic sentences

and middle paragraphs.17. The process of revising, giving feedback, ringing the bell and passing the paper will

repeat.18. The last student in the group will revise based on the last “Look For” looking at textual

evidence in relation to the topic sentences and focus statement.19. The process of revising and giving feedback will repeat.20. The essay will be returned to the writer and students will have a minute to look over the

feedback from their peers.

Assessment of Learning:

I will informally assess students as they revise. I will circulate the room and look at the revisions they are making. I will make note of anything that I see that should be brought to the attention of the class before the next revision round.I will also informally assess students at the end of the lesson based on the statements they make about what they are going to revise about their own writing.I will formally assess students based on the revisions they make to their own writing. I will track these changes by looking at their first draft and their final draft. I will be looking for effective, sensible revisions that increase the cohesiveness of the essay. I will use the Final Draft Rubric to give a final grade.

Closure:

I will ask the students to put the desks back, and pile their materials nicely on their desk. I will ask students to stay seated or stand behind their pushed in chair until the bell rings. Before the bell rings, I will ask students to share one part of their draft they will change before tomorrow.

Assignment:

Students will make revisions to their draft TONIGHT and print their newest copy to bring to class TOMORROW for editing.

Accommodations:

I will support students who struggle academically by thoroughly explaining how and what to revise. The process of revision itself helps students who struggle academically because it allows peers to give input in order help the student achieve their best grade.Students on IEPs will included in revision groups but will be supported closely by the paraprofessionals and me.I have taken different learning styles into consideration and planned for whole group learning, movement within the lesson, quiet independent work time, verbal feedback and written feedback opportunities.I have provided opportunities for students to learn whole group, in a small group and work individually. I have accommodated for several learning styles including interpersonal, intrapersonal, visual/spatial and linguistic.

Reflection:I think that this lesson was effective to the extent that students were able to meet the objectives that I had set. In small groups, students were able to revise their peers’ essays for cohesiveness of focus statement, topic sentences and textual evidence throughout. I guided students to look for these different components and prompted them to make notes and leave suggestions to better improve the essay. I noticed that when allowing students to give verbal feedback at the end of each revision round, it got too loud and I struggled to regain the focus and quiet in the classroom. I felt like I lost control, so halfway through teaching this lesson in first hour, I stopped allowing students to give verbal feedback. I found that the lesson went much smoother when I stopped allowing students this time to talk. I taught this lesson three times, so I as able to fine-tune it

throughout the day. If I were to teach it again, I would eliminate the opportunities to talk until the end.