Unit Plan! for sometime this fall

The other day while at class, I wrote out a unit on narrative accounts. I've done it twice already, taught it I mean, but neither was very satisfactory. So this one is more detailed and I included texts to use for specific pieces.

There is so much great children's literature out there that it's almost overwhelming. So, friends, I'd love to hear about specific texts that you use or know of, and what strategy it might be good for. Thanks!

Here goes, enjoy!

Narrative Accounts Unit Plan

Texts Used:
Paper Bag Princess--Robert Munsch
Frog Prince Continued--Jon Scieszka
Fantastic Mr Fox--Roald Dahl
Eleven--Sandra Cisneros
Two Bad Ants--Chris Van Allsburg
The Wretched Stone--Chris Van Allsburg
Harry Potter series--JK Rowling

1. Elements of Plot
Read Frog Prince Continued
What is plot? Discuss plot chart and five points:
Exposition, Rising Action/Conflict, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution

2. Practice Identifying Plot Elements
Read-Aloud Paper Bag Princess and discuss plot together
Identify elements in independent reading books
Use Aladdin/Lion King worksheet

3. Quiz on Plot
Draw chart. Listen to new story and fill in plot chart.

4. Begin read-aloud of Fantastic Mr. Fox
Keep track of plot
(begin characterization)

5. Take note/discuss/write plot elements of other books and movies

6. Use four square to map out plot ideas for students’ own stories. Storyboard the plot in cartoon form.

7. Use knowledge of plot to make predictions
Predicting Fantastic Mr Fox
Option: foreshadowing in The Westing Game?

8. Write new endings of picture books and independent reading books.

9. Write Draft #1.

10. Descriptive/Vivid language
Read aloud Two Bad Ants without pictures
What things did you hear described? How were they described?

11. Types of vivid language
SNOT, figlang, sensory
Practice rewriting boring scenes or descriptions
Practice describing the same thing in opposite ways

12. Identify vivid language
Read aloud Eleven

13. Character Traits
Re-read aloud Paper Bag Princess
What kind of people/How can we describe the characters?
Actions and Statements reveal personality
Come up with personality traits
Describe and define traits
Choose one or two and write a scenario about a character with that trait

14. Analyze characters from books--Making Inferences
Fantastic Mr Fox
Eleven
Draw pictures
Harry Potter

15. Revise Draft #1 and Write Draft #2
Include vivid language
Use clear character traits

16. Dialogue
Elements, Rules, Punctuation
Purpose
Macaroni/Comic Books

17. Practice with Sentence Strips/Dictation game

18. Speaker Tags
Same words, different speaker tags create different story atmosphere

19. Quiz on dialogue

20. Revise Draft #2 and Write Draft #3
More descriptive language
Correct dialogue format
Dialogue with purpose

21. Leads
Different types: action, descriptive, dialogue
Practice identifying
Practice Using

22. Revision
First for peer work, then own work
Questions: Can you easily identify the plot?
Does it make sense? Does it move at an appropriate pace?
Can we ‘see’ the main character?

22. Editing/Proofreading
Spelling and grammar
Discuss run-on sentences and fragments (Use grammar books)
Review commas
Review dialogue rules
Comment and mark peer draft then own draft

23. Revise Draft #3 and write Final Draft (#4)
Include Title page and at least one illustration

Rubric elements to evaluate final drafts:
--Complete, identifiable plot
--Plot pace
--Lead technique
--Descriptive language
--Character Traits
--Dialogue format
--Dialogue with purpose
--Free from run-ons and fragments
--No spelling errors
--Typed and neat
--Title page
--Illustration