Modifying a Academic Unit Plan

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 1

Grade Three English Language Arts Mini-Unit Plan

Desired Results:

Learning Outcome:

CC3.4 Write to communicate ideas, information, and experiences pertaining to a topic by creating easy-to-follow writing (including a

short report, a procedure, a letter, a story, a short script, and a poem) with a clear purpose, correct paragraph structure, and interesting

detail.

a) Work through the stages of a writing process (e.g., pre-writing, drafting, revising selected draft material, sharing) and begin

to write for extended periods of time.

b) Select and use appropriate strategies (before, during, and after) to communicate meaning when writing.

c) Understand and apply the suitable pragmatic, textual, syntactical, semantic/lexical/morphological, graphophonic, and other

cues and conventions to construct and communicate meaning when writing.

e) Write narratives that provide a context within which an action takes place and includes characters and their traits, setting,

and problem and solution in students' stories.

f) Create characters and events from outside students' personal environment.

g) Write descriptions that use concrete sensory details.

h) Begin to use excitement, humour, suspense, and other creative devices.

j) Extend, rework, and polish pieces of writing for an audience in and beyond the classroom.

Unit Rationale/Essential Questions:

- How can we use writing to present our creative ideas?

- How do reading stories and the writing process help us in becoming stronger writers to present these ideas?

Key Understandings:

- Students will be able to listen to and comprehend various short stories.

- Students will be able to read and comprehend various short stories.

- Students will know that narratives include a setting, characters, a problem and a solution.

o Students will be able to identify/describe/create…

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 2

▪ The setting of a story

▪ The internal and external characteristics of the characters of a story

▪ The problem and solution of a story

- Students will know the difference between a protagonist and an antagonist.

- Students will know and understand each step of the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, and revising) and be able to follow

each step in their writing.

- Students will be able to use a variation of adjectives and other descriptive language to create sensory details in their writing.

- Students will be able to apply their knowledge on nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in their writing.

- Students will be able to present their ideas and understandings of short stories in a written form and orally.

Resources:

Week 1 (Days 1-5):

Various short stories (short story books, printed from online, or photocopies)

Week 2 (Days 6-8):

Components of a narrative anchor charts from week 1

Week 3 (Days 9-15):

Writing steps anchor chart from week 2

Expert visitor (local editor, publisher, or author) – check local libraries or publishing companies

Attached Materials:

- Resources for short stories and suggestions for expert visit

- Components of a narrative worksheets

o Setting

o Characters

o Problem and Solution

- Pre-writing worksheets

o Brainstorming

o Rough Draft

o Final Copy

- Short story assessment rubric

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 3

WEEK ONE

Timeline &

Topics

Desired Results Instructional

Strategy/ELA Strands

Acceptable Evidence Learning Experiences Materials

Days:

1-5

Topic:

Exploring Short

Stories &

Components of

a Narrative

Students will know:

- How to read and

comprehend

grade-level text

Students will

understand:

- Components of a

setting

- Types of

characters

(protagonist &

antagonist)

- Problems &

solutions

Students will be able to:

- Listen to and read

grade-3

appropriate short

stories

- Identify and

describe the

setting of a story

- Describe

characters using

nouns and

adjectives

Instructional Strategy:

- Direct Instruction –

Explicit Teaching;

Assigned

Questions

- Interactive

Instruction –

Anchor Charts;

Discussions;

Brainstorming

- Independent Study

– Reading;

Worksheets/Assign

ed Questions

ELA Strands:

- Listening

- Reading

- Writing

- Speaking

- Viewing

Students will

complete 3 separate

worksheets.

Worksheets will focus

on – Identifying and

describing the setting;

differentiating

between the

protagonist and

antagonist; identify

problem and solution.

Assessment:

Formative – Observe

students at work;

Collect and review

completed worksheets

1) Introduce short story

and read it to the

students.

2) Working together,

identify the setting,

characters, and problem

and solution – as well

as characteristics for

each. Create an anchor

chart for each.

3) Provide students

short stories to read

independently.

4) From the short

stories, students will

complete worksheets

provided.

Variety of short

stories

Anchor charts and

markers

Worksheets (Setting,

characters, and

problems &

solutions)

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 4

- Identify the

problem and

solution of a story

WEEK TWO

Timeline &

Topics

Desired Results Instructional

Strategy/ELA Strands

Acceptable Evidence Learning Experiences Materials

Days:

6-8

Topic:

Pre-writing and

Drafting

Students will know:

- Components of a

narrative

Students will

understand:

- The steps

involved in

writing (pre-

writing, drafting,

revising)

Students will be able to:

- Practice pre-

writing by

brainstorming

ideas

- Apply their

knowledge on the

components of a

narrative into

their writing

- Share and

compare their

ideas with peers

Instructional Strategy:

- Direct Instruction –

Explicit Teaching;

Assigned

Questions;

Modelling

(thinking out loud)

- Interactive

Instruction –

Anchor Charts;

Discussions;

- Independent Study

–

Worksheets/Assign

ed Questions;

Brainstorming;

Creative Writing

ELA Strands:

- Reading

- Writing

- Representing

- Speaking

- Listening

Students will

brainstorm their ideas

onto worksheets

provided.

Brainstorming activity

will be pre-writing for

students’ first draft of

their own short story.

Students will begin

the first draft of their

story.

Assessment:

Formative –

Discussion/Revisiting

prior lessons; Observe

students at work

1) Revisit the

components of a

narrative. Use anchor

charts as a visual guide.

2) Introduce the steps

involved in writing

(pre-writing, drafting,

revisiting). Create an

anchor chart that

highlights each step.

3) Students will begin

pre-writing by

completing worksheets

provided.

4) Students will share

their ideas orally with a

peer.

4) Using the pre-writing

worksheets as a guide,

students will plot their

story and begin writing.

Components of a

narrative anchor

charts

Anchor chart and

markers (for writing

steps)

Pre-writing

worksheets

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 5

- Begin drafting

their own short

story

WEEK THREE

Timeline &

Topics

Desired Results Instructional

Strategy/ELA Strands

Acceptable Evidence Learning Experiences Materials

Days:

9-15

Topics:

Drafting and

Revising

Sharing

Students will know:

- Components of a

narrative

- Steps of the

writing process

Students will

understand:

- How to revise

their work

- The steps that go

into publishing

literature

Students will be able to:

- Revise their

written work

- Peer edit each

other’s writing

- Complete a final

draft of a written

short story (at

least 1 page) that

includes all the

components of a

narrative

Instructional Strategy:

- Direct Instruction –

Explicit Teaching;

Assigned

Questions

- Interactive

Instruction –

Anchor Charts;

Discussions

- Independent Study

– Reading;

Worksheets/Assign

ed Questions

- Experiential – Visit

from Expert

ELA Strands:

- Reading

- Writing

- Speaking

- Listening

- Viewing

- Representing

Students will

complete writing a

rough draft of a short

story.

Students will revise

and edit their rough

draft with the help of

feedback provided (by

peers and teacher).

Students will

complete a final draft

of their short story, as

well as a

corresponding picture.

Students will share

their final drafts with

their peers.

Assessment:

Formative – Observe

students at work;

Collect completed

rough drafts for

1) Students will

complete their rough

drafts.

2) Introduce how to edit

writing – checking for

grammar and spelling

errors, finding

synonyms or adjectives

to enhance writing, etc.

– Refer to writing steps

anchor chart for

support.

3) Students will meet a

local

editor/publisher/author

to learn more about the

publishing process.

4) Students will

complete the final draft

of their story.

5) Students will share

their stories with peers.

6) Students’ final pieces

will be displayed above

shelves of classroom

library for sharing.

Writing steps anchor

chart from week 2

Expert visitor (local

editor, publisher, or

author)

Sheets to transfer

final draft of story

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 6

- Draw a picture

that corresponds

to their story

- Share their

completed story

revising; Collect final

drafts of stories

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 7

Resources:

Books:

Five-Minute Stories: Over 50 Tales and Fables, Parragon Books Ltd, 2017

Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom by Dharmachari Nagaraja, 2008

Illustrated Stories From Around The World by Lesley Sims, 2010

Online Short Stories:

https://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories.php

https://americanliterature.com/short-stories-for-children

https://fairytalez.com/region/native-american/

Expert/Guest Suggestions:

Coteau Books

Publishing Company

2517 Victoria Ave, Regina, SK S4P 0T2

(306) 777-0170

Regina Public Library - Central and Children's Branch

2311 12 Ave, Regina, SK S4P 0N3

(306) 777-6000

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 8

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 9

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 10

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 11

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 12

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 13

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 14

Short Story Evaluation

Student Name: __________________________ Date: ______________________

Setting □ Setting is unclear

□ Limited description

□ Setting is clear

□ Uses adjectives and sensory

details to describe setting

Characters □ Protagonist/antagonist is

missing

□ Characteristics of

characters are not

described

□ Protagonist and antagonist

are easily identified

□ Uses adjectives to describe

both internal and external

characteristics

Problem &

Solution

□ There is no problem or

solution

□ Does not support

problem and solution

with details

□ Uses various nouns, verbs,

adjectives, and adverbs to

explain the problem and

solution in detail

Quality of

Writing

□ Some steps are missing in

pre-writing

□ Grammatical or spelling

errors are present

□ Follows each of the pre-

writing steps

□ Little to no grammatical or

spelling errors

Comments:

GRADE 3 ELA – MINI-UNIT PLAN 15

References

Brice, M. (2019). ELNG 310: Unit Planning [PowerPoint]. University of Regina.

Gay, D. (n.d.). Setting Worksheet. Retrieved from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Setting-Worksheet-2931326.

Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. (2010). English Language Arts 3. Retrieved from https://www.edonline.sk.ca/webapps/moe-

curriculum-BBLEARN/CurriculumOutcomeContent?id=29