1. Launching with Realistic Fiction Stories

The Common Core State Standards require Fourth Grade students to write narratives in which they orient their reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator or characters with the event sequence unfolding naturally. Additionally, students are expected to use details including dialogue, descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words and phrases to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. The goal of this unit is for students to write well-elaborated realistic fiction stories that focus upon an important message or heart of the story. Students will immerse themselves in age-appropriate realistic fiction stories to discern how these texts tend to go and to gather possible story ideas from their lives’ experiences. They will draw on everything they've learned from writing small moment stories from Kindergarten- Second Grade, as well as personal narrative writing in third grade. Additionally, students revisit qualities of good writing and craft to write realistic fiction. They will select their best work to revise, edit, and publish.

Lessons are designed to teach writers how to navigate through the process: generating story ideas, rehearsing for writing, drafting, rereading, revising and publishing. Mid-unit, children will choose their best work and revise this more deeply and extensively to share with an audience. Students will begin a second realistic fiction piece as an independent writing project guided by previous sessions, anchor charts and conferences and small groups. Students will learn ways to raise the level of their writing within their independent writing project working at their own pace within the writing process. The unit culminates with students surveying their growth, recognizing their growing knowledge of good writing, their increasing repertoire of writing strategies and their success with cycling through the writing process to name their strengths but also determine future goals.

While the information contained here is not related to Unit Level Standards, important information related to UDL is included for your reference.

What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

UDL is a research-based framework that focuses on proactive design and delivery of curriculum, instruction and assessment. UDL provides opportunities for every student to learn and show what they know, with high expectations for all learners.

Each student learns in a unique manner so a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective. UDL principles create options for how instruction is presented, how students express their ideas, and how teachers can engage students in their learning. (NY DOE)

© CAST, 2013

UDL
Universal Design for Learning

1. How do writers study mentor text to identify characteristics of effective fiction pieces and frame their writing?
2. How do writers craft stories and characters for realistic fiction?
3. How do writers draft and revise to build believable characters and stories?
4. How do writers think about an audience as they prepare to publish?
5. How do writers independently plan and publish realistic fiction?

Concept I: Writers study mentor text to identify characteristics of effective fiction pieces and frame their writing.

Please see Immersion Packet on Atlas for more information.

Sessions 1-4 Writers read, study, and chart noticings about realistic fiction stories. Writers gather story ideas.

Session 5 Writers co-construct a class flash draft.

Concept II: Writers craft stories and characters for realistic fiction.
Session 1 Writers get seed ideas for fiction from strong emotions in ordinary lives.
Session 2 Writers generate story ideas by thinking of stories they wish were written.
Session 3 Writers live with their characters to rehearse their drafts.
Session 4 Writers develop characters by showing their motivations and struggles through each scene.
Session 5 Writers ask “How am I doing,” in order to meet goals.
Session 6 Writers plot storylines using Story Mountains.
Session 7 Teacher choice based on students’ needs

Concept III: Writers draft and revise to build believable characters and stories.
Session 8 Writers use small moments to write their characters into scenes throughout their stories.
Session 9 Writers tell their stories by using transition words and phrases.
Session 10 Writers use prepositional phrases to tell when and where things happen in their stories.
Session 11 Writers use revealing dialogue to craft characters and move story forward.
Session 12 Writers step into the shoes of their characters to draft a story with heart.
Session 13 Writers study mentors to rewrite leads connected to the importance of their stories.
Session 14 Writers craft endings related to a story’s real message or heart and resolve the struggle.
Session 15 Writers revise by cross-checking for structure and basic elements of a text type.

Concept IV: Writers think about an audience as they prepare to publish.
Session 16 Writers reread their stories to see their stories through different lenses.
Session 17 Teacher choice based on students’ needs
Session 18 Writers revise by making sure they have organized their stories into paragraphs.
Session 19 Writers revise by studying mentor’s craft to develop their own techniques.
Session 20 Writers edit their story by rereading their stories several times for different purposes.
Session 21 Writers get ready to share their published stories.
Session 22 Writers celebrate their published stories.

Concept V Writers independently plan and publish realistic fiction.
Session 23 Writers monitor their writing process using a process journey checklist.
Session 24 Writers look carefully at their nouns and verbs and make sure they are precise.
Session 25 Writers use punctuation when writing dialogue.
Session 26 Teacher choice based on students’ needs
Session 27 Writers survey their work to plan future goals.
Session 28 Unit Wrap-up