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Lead Lesson

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 7 months ago

Day 1: Writing Leads

 

Instructional Objective:

Students will be able to identify a lead and practice writing a snapshot lead

 

Motivation:

Read the chart paper/transparency and answer the questions below.

 

Reading workshop

Place one of the attached leads on transparency or chart paper. Have students read the lead and answer the following questions:

 

1. What do you think the story is about?

2. How can you tell?

3. Based on this lead, would you want to read further? Why or why not?

Discuss questions and explain to students that what they have read on the chart paper/transparency is a lead.

 

Mini-lesson:

What is a lead? The lead is the beginning or introduction in the story. A good lead grabs your attention and convinces you to continue reading the story.

 

Writing workshop

Write the following example of a poor lead on one side of chart paper. Then write the good lead on the opposite side. Explain to students that the poor lead is boring and it really doesn’t interest you in reading more about the story.

 

Boring:

Ice skating is my favorite sport

 

Better:

It’s ten degrees below zero and the river is frozen a foot thick. It makes snapping sounds like the limbs of trees cracking. A long figure glides along the black ice, moving toward the city. The only sound is the scraping of each blade as it bites into the river. That’s me doing my favorite sport, ice-skating.

 

Mini-lesson:

The better lead is a snapshot lead. A snapshot lead paints a picture and draws the reader into the story. When you read a snapshot lead, you feel as though you are a part of the story.

 

Practice:

Have students write a snapshot lead about their summer. Write the following boring lead on the board.

 

1 I had a great summer

 

The students’ task is to write a better lead like the example that was shared. You can write an example as well and share it with the class so that they understand the assignment.

 

Homework:

Finish your snapshot lead.


 

Day 2: Writing Leads

 

Instructional Objective:

Students will be able to grade their classmates’ leads and write a lead for their own short stories

 

Motivation:

What is a rubric? Why is it important?

 

Reading workshop:

Discuss the motivation with students.

 

Copy the attached rubric on transparency. Read a lead to students from the attached leads. Display the rubric and allow students to grade the lead that you read according to rubric.

 

Practice:

Students will exchange their homework (snapshot leads) and grade the leads using the rubric. They will then answer the questions below the rubric and return the papers to their classmates.

 

Share out:

Select one student who was ranked a 4 to share out his/her lead.

 

Read Aloud:

A short story of your choice that possibly has a snapshot lead. Have students take notes on what the lead reveals about the story using a web chart.

 

 

Writing Workshop:

Review yesterday’s lesson on writing a snapshot lead and how it ties into using S.N.O.T. (Show not tell)

 

Practice:

Students will spend class time working on their own story leads, keeping in mind the elements of the rubric.

 

Homework:

Finish working on your leads for your short story.


Rubric

Story Writing : Writing Leads

 

Student Name: ____________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Lead The lead has a "grabber" or catchy beginning. The lead has a weak "grabber". A catchy beginning was attempted but was confusing rather than catchy. No attempt was made to catch the reader's attention in the lead.

Creativity The lead contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his imagination. The lead contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his imagination. The lead contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his imagination. There is little evidence of creativity in the lead. The author does not seem to have used much imagination.

 

 

1. What did you like best about the author’s lead?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

2. What can the author do to make his/her lead more interesting?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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