#2 Sentence Fluency: Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe

Lesson Focus: Sentence Fluency (sentence lenghts)

Focus Grade Level: 2nds Grade

Time Frame: 20-30 min.

Focus Text/Author: Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe

Other Materials: oversized six sided dice, overhead, dry erase marker

Ohio Academic Content Standards Lesson Focus:

Standard: Writing Process

K-2 Benchmark: E. Edit to improve sentence

2nd Grade Level Indicators: 6. Use a range of complete sentences, including declarative, interrogative and exclamatory.

Book Summary: This book follows the reader as he catches fireflies and releases them. It modes sentence variety and shows different types of voice. 

About the Author: Julie Brinckloe is a children’s book writer and illustrator. She is also the illustrator of the popular book Sideway Stories from Wayside School. 

Lesson Steps:

1.       Call the students over and hold a small discussion about the six trait they are working on (sentence fluency). Explain to them that good writers vary the lengths of their sentences. Tell them they are going to be reading a book today where the author uses different lengths of sentences to keep the story interesting. Ask them to pay attention to how the author does this.

2.       Read the book Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe.

3.       After reading the book call on the students to answer open ended questions such as “What did you notice about the sentence lengths?” etc.

4.       Ask the children to help you come up with a topic such as “The day I found A Million Dollars” and record it at the top of the overhead paper.

5.       Roll the dice and tell the students to call out the number it lands on. Use this number to make the first sentence of as many words.

6.       Repeat this process until the class feels the piece is finished.

7.       Read the end product aloud to the class and reiterate the importance of varying  sentence length.

#1: Word Choice: The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

Lesson Focus: Word Choice

Focus Grade Level: 2^nd Grade

Time Frame: 30-40 minutes

Focus Text/Author: The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

Other Materials: chart paper, marker, student stories, several thesaurus’

Ohio Academic Content Standards Lesson Focus:

Standard: Writing Process 

K-2 Benchmark: D. Use revision strategies and resources to improve ideas and content, organization, word choice and detail.

2nd Grade Level Indicators: 5. Organize writing with a developed beginning, middle, and end.

Book Summary: A young wolf plays tricks on his parents by “calling” boy and running them all over the place. Once they catch onto his tricks they decide to ignore his game. In the end he really does see a boy and his parents do not believe him and the boy gets away.

About the Author: Bob Hartman is a published adapter, author, and editor of children’s books. He is also known for his children’s books about bible stories. He feels that story telling is a way to communicate truth and life lessons through books to children. 

Lesson Steps:

1.       Gather the students at the carpet and remind the students about the six trait they are working on this week (word choice). He/she will then talk about the importance of using descriptive words to make the story interesting to the reader and to show, not tell. He/she will then introduce the book The Wolf Who Cried Boy and ask the students to pay special attention to the words and word choice the author uses during the book.

2.       The teacher will read the book The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

3.       After reading the book the students will list interesting, descriptive, unique, and/or powerful words the hook the reader. The teacher will list these words on chart paper.

4.       After discussing and talking about why these words are interesting, descriptive, unique, and/or powerful, the teacher will then put the students into partnerships.

5.       The partnerships will read their stories to each other and then chose 3 words from their own stories they are working on to change and make more interesting. The students will help each other by suggesting words that are similar, but more unique and descriptive. They can also use the help of a thesaurus.

6.       After discussing and changing their words they will read their stories once more to get more feedback and suggestions on their changes.