Lesson Length: 45 minutes

Memories/Family Part III

Objectives

• The student will demonstrate understanding of memories and keepsakes through a clearly written description of their keepsake, when given a modeled example, at a satisfactory level of writing.

• The student will correctly break apart and use compound words in sentences, when given 8 compound words, with 6 out of 8 correct.

Connections

• NCSS Standard IV- Individual development and Identity
  • A. Describe personal changes over time, those related to physical development and personal interests.
  • E. Identify and describe ways families, groups, and communities influence the individuals daily life and personal choices.
  • H. Work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals.

• Core Content SS-E-2.31 - Various human needs are met through interaction in and among social groups (e.g., family, schools, towns, and clubs)

• Academic Expectation 2.16- Students observe, analyze and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.

These relate to the lesson because students will be learning about the importance of memories within a family setting.

• Core Content WR-E-1.2-Writing focuses on life experiences of the writer and may include development of ideas based on personal experience, sensory details, thoughts and feelings, first person point-of-view, and dialogue where appropriate.

• Academic Expectation 1.11- Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.

These relate to the lesson because students will be writing about their keepsakes and their thoughts about them.

Context

We have spent two days reading and discussing "The Patchwork Quilt." This lesson focuses on applying the concept of memories to their own lives by bringing in an object that is a reminder of something special and writing about it. Students will begin with the brainstorming and rough draft stages of the writing process. In the lessons following, students will revise, edit, and publish their pieces in a classroom memory book.

Materials/Technology

• Story, "The Patchwork Quilt" by Valerie Flournoy
• Paper, pencil\par
• Handout of web diagram
• Overhead transparencies to model writing
• Example of keepsake
• Handout for compound words exercise
• Checklist for assessment
• Scoring Rubric for assessment
• www.mmhschool.com -- Online resources
• www.westga.edu/~kidreach/patchwork.htm -- Anticipation Guide for story.

Procedures

• Review previous lesson over story and discussion of keepsakes.
• Ask questions relating back to story and discussion.
  • What did we say a keepsake was? Objects that might be kept as reminders of special people, places, and events.
  • In the story "The Patchwork Quilt," what did grandma use to make the quilt?
  • What did the scraps mean to Grandma? They represented memories about different family members.
  • At the end of the story, why did the quilt become important to everyone in the family?Because they all saw memories of themselves in the quilt.
• Students and teacher get out keepsakes. Tell students that now we are going to write about our keepsakes.
• Pass out web diagram and explain that as the teacher models her writing of her keepsakes, the students should brainstorm answers to the questions on their web.
• On the overhead, show completed brainstorming web and model the writing of the item. Show list of questions to be answered in writing.
  • Describe the item. What is it?
  • What does the item look like?
  • Where or how did you get the item?
  • What special meaning does it have? Why is a keepsake for you?
  • How did you feel and what did you think when you got the item?
• Set timer for 15 minutes and allow students to begin writing. After timer rings, allow a few minutes to finish.
• Allow students to share their writing with the class.
• Have students move keepsakes to table to display as class museum.
• Begin discussion over compound words and discuss worksheet.
• Pass out worksheet for students to complete independently.
• When students finish worksheet, allow them to go to the class museum to look at the keepsakes.

Assessment

• Assessment will be through continual observation of students during discussion for understanding of concept. A checklist will be used to ensure each child is observed.

• Students writing will be assessed by a 4pt-scoring rubric to evaluate writing and thinking skills.

• Students' comprehension of compound words will be assessed by checking handout to ensure 6 out of 8 words were correctly broken apart and used in a sentence.

Reflection/Analysis of Teaching and Learning

I felt that the class enjoyed the lesson and had no trouble with the writing aspect of the lesson. Most of the children knew exactly what was expected regarding the rough draft phase of writing. The children that had trouble were quickly assisted by those around them and so they experienced success as well. The main concern that I had in teaching the lesson was the time constraint. Due to an unexpected assembly, I was forced to cut a great deal of the modeling short, and I also feel that the students did not take as much time with their writing because they knew of the time problem. I feel that the next time I teach this lesson I will have a better outlook about it because I will take the time needed to ensure the students got the full instruction of the lesson.

One other thing is that I will leave off the compound word sheet and use that at another time. It did not add to the lesson and students were confused about how that fit within their writing project.

Lesson Extension/Follow-Up

The next step that I plan to take in this lesson is to further the writing process by working on revision of our memory description. Students will be asked to peer edit and have conferences to work on their pieces. The final lesson in this sequence will be a polish and publish phase where students will finish their pieces and publish those pieces in a classroom memory book that will be left in the class library for students to read through.

Bibliography

Flournoy, Valerie. (1985). The patchwork quilt. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.