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Saturday, October 8, 2016

Happy Halloween! A Mystery Story Writing Unit (Writers Workshop)


A couple of weeks ago, my students and I were discussing which genre of writing they want to learn. Typically, this is the point in the school year that I teach Informational Writing to prepare them for the Research Writing Unit in November.

However, for the past couple of years, students have come to me as really strong writers of the 5-paragraph essay and I haven't needed to teach Informational Writing. I replaced it a couple of years with Poetry and the students really enjoyed it! This school year, I suggested poetry and then randomly suggested a Mystery story. The students got super excited about Mystery Writing; maybe because it's October and Halloween is at the top of every child's favorite holiday list! Either way, their excitement rubbed off on me and I decided to go with it and create a unit to teach them!

We are about a week in and I can just feel the energy from students about their ideas and plans for their stories! This week we are experiencing hurricane weather and tornado warnings and watches, so I took my extra, unplanned time off from the classroom and finished up my plans and materials for this unit! I am looking forward to seeing what my fifth graders create in the next couple of weeks!



I write the lesson plans in an outline format so they are easy to follow (step by step). There is also a list of materials needed, all of which are provided. You can literally print this off today and teach!


 Teaching Posters to use during the "Teach" portion of the Minilessons and are labeled as such for easy access within the 45 pages. 

 Teacher Writing Examples allow you to actually write during the "I do" portion of the Minilessons - all of which are included for each lesson. 






Meet These Common Core State Standards for Grades 3 -5 


Third Grade
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.  

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3.B
Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.

Provide a sense of closure. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.4
With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. 

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. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Fourth Grade
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.A
Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.B
Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.D
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.E
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Fifth Grade
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.B
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.D
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.E
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

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