Unit plan includes...
Unit Plan
Developing Informational Writing Skills Unit Plan – Grades 3 and 4
10 x Lessons | Suitable for Grades: 3 - 4This writing unit addresses the informative text type; specifically how to write a well-structured informational text.
This unit plan consists of 10 lessons of approximately 60-minutes each.
The sequence of lessons and suggested time frames should be regarded as a guide only; teachers should pace lessons based on their class’s individual learning needs.
An independent writing task, which may couple as an assessment task, is included in the unit. The number of lessons required to complete this task may vary from class to class.
This unit of work addresses the broad textual focus of informational writing. Teachers are encouraged to select a specific informative text type to focus on throughout the unit, e.g., sequencing, description, compare and contrast. In addition to this, teachers may also wish to select a specific content focus for students to write about, e.g., animals, objects, people. The resources accompanying this unit provide choices for teachers in these three content areas.
This unit plan includes the following resources:
- Comprehension Task Cards – Finding The Main Idea
- Developing Informative Writing Skills PowerPoint
- Fact or Opinion – Turtle Worksheet
- Fact or Opinion – Sentence Sort Worksheet
- I Have, Who Has? Fact and Opinion Game
- Sequencing Activity – Roald Dahl (Informative Text)
- Sequencing Activity – Tyrannosaurus Rex (Informative Text)
- Sequencing Activity – Thunderstorms (Informative Text)
- Goals – Writing (Middle Elementary)
- Finding the Main Idea – Comprehension Task (Thunderstorms) – Spanish Available
- Factual Description Text Type Poster – With Annotations
- Informative Writing – Fact Sorting Activity
- Informative Texts – Scaffold Planning Sheets
- Imaginative, Opinion and Informative Paragraphs PowerPoint
- Informative Paragraph Planning Template
- Paragraphs in Informative Writing – Poster and Planning Template
- Fact File Pack – Animals, Objects and People
- Informative Text Writing Task – Eagles
- Informative Text Writing Task – Doctors
- Informative Texts Writing Task – Elephants
- Informative Text Writing Task – Firefighters
- Informative Text Writing Task – Gemstones
- Informative Text Writing Task – Cars
- Informative Text Checklist – Structure, Language and Features
- Editing Passages PowerPoint – Grade 3
- Editing Passages PowerPoint – Grade 4
- Two Stars and a Wish Poster and Feedback Slips
- Research Skills Worksheets – Note-Taking
- 5 Informative Writing Stimulus Sheets
- Informative Text Checklist – Structure, Language and Features
- Informative Texts – Scaffold Planning Sheets
- Assessment Rubric – Informative Writing
- Note-taking Graphic Organizer
- 5 Informational Writing Prompt Stimulus Sheets
- Informative Text Writing Scaffold
Overview
Objectives
- To introduce the purpose of informational texts.
- To identify the difference between a fact and an opinion.
- To identify and explore the structure of informational texts.
- To identify and explore the language features of an informational text.
- To build a description of an animal, person, or object using facts.
- To correctly write a paragraph for an informational text.
- To use a fact file and scaffolding sheet to write an informative text in pairs.
- To learn and apply proofreading and editing skills.
- To take appropriate notes from an informative text.
- To independently write an informative text using appropriate text structure, language, and features.
Preparing for Learning
Informational writing provides excellent opportunities for cross-curricular integration. Look for meaningful ways to integrate your students’ writing with history, science, or math. Before starting the unit, choose a content focus for your informational writing that links with the learning taking place in one, or all, of these subject areas.
Develop an informational writing wall in the classroom before starting the unit. Display texts, word wall vocabulary, and posters to stimulate the students’ interest and assist in their learning. For examples of teaching resources to display in your classroom, browse the Informative Writing category on the Teach Starter website.
Expose the students to a variety of informational texts before and during the unit. Read and view factual texts such as nonfiction books, newspaper reports, and documentaries. Provide students with opportunities to read and respond to short informational texts.
Some of the resources that accompany this unit plan will need to be prepared before teaching. For this reason, we advise teachers to browse through all lessons before starting the unit.
Lessons
Common Core Curriculum alignment
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 3 here.)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 4 here.)
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