Mini lesson on calculating the volume of a square prism.

Mini Lesson Components

Template, CACD, Tufts University 2004

Bring the class back together to discuss how the mini lesson affected student writing. (This is not a time for students to share their writing with the class and have peers respond. The group wrap-up should relate to the mini lesson, a previous mini lesson, a craft well done, a mentor text that helped… and focus on the process of writing, not necessarily the product.)

This is a quick opportunity for students to practice what was taught, “give it a try”, a time for the teacher to listen for understanding, to clear up misconceptions, to interject lean, efficient prompts that scaffold students through the steps of what needs to be done to lift the quality of what they are doing.

Teach. Model what you are teaching them, demonstrate the strategy, explain and show an example… At this time, the teaching point should be clear to students. (This is not a time for questions and answers, but a time time for explicit teaching.)

What will you need to teach the lesson. What will your students need for the lesson and during independent writing time?

Remind students of the teaching point, and how it can be used in their independent writing. (Some students may not be at the point where the mini lesson will fit into their writing today, but should be encouraged to add it to their “toolbox” for future use.)

Materials Gather materials, mentor texts…

This is a time to put today’s work in context of ongoing work, and explicitly name what is being taught today. The teaching point should be something students will be able to use often in their writing. (How does the lesson relate to what your students already know about writing? How does it relate to what they have already done in Writer’s Workshop?)

What is the ONE thing you want to teach the class today? The teaching point should be clear and focused, and be a point you hope students will carry with them not only today, but in the future.

Group Wrap Up Restate the teaching point. Ask: Did you try what was taught? Did it work for you? How will it affect your future writing?

Independent Practice Remind students how the teaching point can be used in independent writing. (There should be a link between the mini lesson and the students’ independent writing lives.)

Guided Practice Ask them to try it out with a partner, or with you for a few minutes. Now try it out with a partner…

Explicit Instruction Tell them what you will teach today. Today I’m going to teach you…

Show them exactly how to do it. Watch me do it., or Let’s take a look at how (author) does this when s/he writes…

Connection Tell them what you taught the previous lesson. The last writer’s workshop, we learned how to…

Mini Lesson Topic Name the teaching point.