I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Models

Essential Question:

How is reading an expository text different from reading other text forms?

Bridge:

Literary Study

Content:

Expository Writing

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To create an experience for students to begin recalling facts about watermelons.

Activity: On classroom board, place three construction paper watermelons designed to represent the three states which produce the most watermelons: California, Florida, Texas. Students must determine the states these figures represent and how they reached those conclusions.

Assessment: Identification of the three states.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To work cooperatively to recall prior knowledge concerning watermelons.

Activity: On watermelon-shaped paper, pairs brainstorm facts they have heard, seen, read or learned pertaining to watermelons. The facts will be shared, discussed and reviewed with the whole class and then displayed on the classroom bulletin board.

Assessment: Pairs will have a minimum of 8 facts written on their watermelon slices.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To experience the concept of watermelons through literature and the senses.

Activity: Shared reading activity of big book The Enormous Watermelon. Orally read the book to the whole class. Re-read the book with individuals acting out the roles of the characters in the story and other students reading the passages. Act this out several times, changing student roles.

Assessment: Creative responses to role-playing and the expression and enthusiasm of the narrators.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To develop the skills needed to effectively read and comprehend expository text.

Activity: Lesson 1: Students will be encouraged to recall the type of literature or medium through which they learned the facts discussed in the previous lesson. After discussing defining fictional and non-fictional literature, the teacher lists, on large chart paper, these differences. Lesson 2: Before reading the selection, students are given vocabulary words they will encounter within the text. Students place each of the words in one of the following columns, "Know It Well," "Heard of It," "Say What?". The placement of the words is discussed and the students are encouraged to discover the meanings through the context of the reading. The class reads the article from Compton's Encyclopedia, discussing vocabulary words and facts found within the reading. After reading, definitions of vocabulary words are discussed and any new comments concerning fictional and non-fictional reading are added to the chart.

Assessment: Quality of definitions of vocabulary words and responses received for chart.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To use knowledge gained to analyze types of expository writing.

Activity: Lesson 1: Pairs of students write questions using the facts found in reading. Students are encouraged to use "why" and "how" questions and are discouraged using strictly "what" questions. Partners exchange papers with another set of partners and determine the answers to the questions. Students evaluate each other's answers. Whole class completes large classroom crosswork puzzle reflective of the information found in the article. Lesson 2: Students read newspaper article, The Mini Page, concerning watermelons. Students make Venn diagram comparing encyclopedia article to newspaper article. Discuss differences between the two types of expository text.

Assessment: Quality of questions and answers and responses on Venn diagram.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Pre-writing activities for expository text.

Activity: Using a story web, individual students plan to write a newspaper article detailing how the water got into the watermelon. Students will need to plan who, what, where, and why. In small conference groups, students share their pre-writing ideas and accept suggestions and comments from others. After the web is completed, students will transfer the information into outline form.

Assessment: Quality of webs and outlines and responses to each other's work.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To create an expository text and then evaluate and refine it.

Activity: Students begin writing the expository text. As the work is completed, they proofread, revise and edit their work. Working with a partner, they then proofread and edit each other's work. They then begin the final draft.

Assessment: Quality of work and responses to one another's work.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To celebrate knowledge gained.

Activity: A publishing party will be conducted during which students may share their stories and enjoy watermelon.

Assessment: Quality of final product.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: