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Drew – LLA Part 3

Reflections on My Literacy Lesson Plan

Throughout my experiences with Alberta in my classroom prior to this project I had

noticed that Alberta did not use any pre-writing activities to plan her writing. I had also not heard

any of the other teachers assigning pre-writing when requiring students to complete writing

assignments. Alberta expressed concern the orderliness of writing her papers. Karen Bromley

(2011) expressed the importance of Grave’s model of the writing process. The first step in the

writing process is planning (Bromley, 2011).

During the pre-assessment (Appendix A), Alberta showed basic abilities of using an

outline. Alberta and I discussed her work on the pre-assessment (Appendix B) together and

compared it to an example of an outline (Online Writing Lab). After discussing the areas she felt

she might want to improve upon (brevity and orderliness) we created an outline together

(Appendix D) focusing on those areas which she had identified. I was very mindful to give

positive, meaningful feedback to build her confidence. After completing the lesson Alberta

completed another outline on her own as a post-assessment (Appendix F). Together, Alberta and

I compared the final outline to the example (Online Writing Lab) and again discussed how she

felt about the outline. Alberta said she felt much more confident moving into the final outline

and also that she felt she would be well prepared to move on to writing a paper from her outline

if we were to continue with the writing process steps described by Bromley (2011).

During the second lesson I continued with the theme of outlines to show the diversity of

their use. Knowing Alberta wants to continue in her education following high school I showed

her how to use an outline for note-taking. I chose a variety of article which I thought would

appeal to Alberta based on interests I had noticed through our year at school (robotics) and based

on our location (rural northern Michigan).

Literacy Learner Analysis

Alberta mentioned she had used outlines to take notes before and moved quickly into

reading the article from the National Science Foundation (Margetta, 2015) and completing the

pre-assessment (Appendix G). Following the pre-assessment, I gave Alberta the beginning of an

outline I had created based on an article for National Geographic (Lee, 2014). Together we

finished filling in the notes and through our discussion I notice Alberta spent a lot of time trying

to re-word what was written in the text to complete her notes, and writing out complete

sentences. We discussed the importance of taking thorough notes but also that notes should be

easier to read and more convenient than having to re-read the text. Throughout finishing the

National Geographic outline (Lee, 2014) (Appendix I) we focused on using well known

abbreviations or short hands (i.e. “<” for “less than”), and remembering that in this situation it is

appropriate to take items word for word from the text if necessary. Finally, I also expressed to

Alberta, “The information which you should put in an outline is the key information. The

information that you think I would give you a quiz on.” This helped Alberta to focus on main

ideas and summarizing key details.

Alberta then moved into the post-assessment based on another National Science

Foundation article (Bates, 2015). When she had completed we discussed and compared the final

outline (Appendix J) to the outline we had created together (Appendix I). Alberta said that she

understood the benefits of using a short hand but it was going to take practice but she said she

did feel a lot better picking out key ideas remembering my statement “What would I give you a

quiz over?”

If I were to do these lessons again I would not have done them together. I would have

picked one but chose a different topic for the second lesson. For example, have lesson one still

focus on creating an outline for pre-writing but then having lesson two continue with the steps of

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the writing process as described by Bromley (2011). Ideally with a significant amount of time we

would be able to work all the way through writing process from pre-writing to publishing.

Overall, Alberta and I felt the lessons went well. I was able to give her choice in the first

lesson by giving broad creative writing prompts. Alberta said these prompts were engaging and

challenging to her. In the second lesson, I was able to include articles which I knew would

interest her. Alberta said the articles were “informative” and “interesting” making her time with

these lesson more enjoyable.

I feel there would be some difficulties adapting these lessons to whole class lessons and

still get the same benefits from them. The creative writing prompts would still allow for a lot of

choice but choosing engaging and interesting articles for the second lesson would be difficult for

an entire class. If the teacher chose the articles there would be students who would find the

articles uninteresting. One solution to this would be to allow students to choose their own article

for these activities.

Recommendations to Teachers and Parents

The lessons described throughout this analysis focused on the benefits of using outlines

for both pre-writing and note-taking abilities. Alberta shows strength in her creativity, attention

to detail, and ability to summarize and re-word concepts. Alberta needs help with not getting

bogged down in minute details when note-taking as well as pre-writing. Alberta has a tendency

to write the whole paper in her outline instead of summarizing main topics.

For follow-up activities I would suggest instructors assign pre-writing activities to help

with the planning process. I would also suggest additional lessons on the writing process. Since

Alberta wants to continue her education having a clear writing process will help her as she

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continues through high school and on into college. I would also encourage Alberta to practice

using outlines for note-taking as she reaches higher levels of education and is required to read

texts it will benefit her to have these note-taking and study strategies. Finally, I would

recommend offering meaningful and immediate feedback to Alberta. Her biggest struggle in our

lessons was a lack of confidence in her abilities and consistently asking “Am I doing it right?”

By giving frequent feedback, Alberta will gain confidence in her abilities as well as learn what

she is doing well and what may need improvement.

Recommendations to parents are included in the letter in Appendix K.

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Appendix A

Pre-Assessment 1 – Creative Writing Prompt

Create an outline to use as a basis for the following prompt: “Describe a ‘first’ (first apartment, first kiss, first time driving a car, first lie, first big success, first roller coaster ride, first time in this setting). Include as many details as possible, being sure to include an aspect relating to each of the 5 senses.” (Reid, n.d.)

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Appendix B

Student Work for Pre-Assessment 1

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Appendix C

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan

Date: June 9, 2015

Objective(s) for today’s lesson: Using Outlines to Organize Ideas to Write a Paper

Student will create an outline developing a topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.2.B)

Student will create an outline in order to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.4)

Student will create an outline developing and strengthening writing by planning and trying a new approach, and focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.5)

Rationale (Explain why this content and/or skill is important and worthwhile, and how you will work to make it relevant to your students’ lives):

Alberta is very academically inclined. She is motivated by grades and her goals for the future. She wants to build her writing skills so she is prepared for the coming years of high school and college. According to Maria Magher (n.d.) outlining is a key pre-writing activity. By outlining one is able to “clarify thoughts and develop ideas, identify weaknesses in arguments, organize ideas to stay on target, and save time.” These are all useful qualities which will enhance a student’s confidence and organization of writing.

Materials & supplies needed:

Example of an Outline (Online Writing Lab) Writing Prompts (Reid, n.d.) Lined paper Writing Utensils

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Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event

• Introduction to the lesson (What will I say to help children understand the purpose of the lesson? How will I help them make connections to prior lessons or experiences in and out of school? How will I motivate them to become engaged in the lesson and understand its real world purpose?) (_ minutes)

Benefits of outlining prior to writing (Magher, n.d.) Importance of being a good writer to future goals

Approximate time: 5 minutes

• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson (Include specific details about how I will begin and end activities; what discussion questions I will use; how I will help children understand behavior expectations during the lesson; when/how I will distribute supplies and materials) (___ minutes)

Introduce a writing prompt (Reid, n.d.):“Describe a significant place, allowing the details to reveal why the place matters. Describe it from a tree or rooftop or from a hawk’s point of view. Describe it from the height of a dog or a turtle.”

Guide students through writing an outline which will enable them easily compose a paper based on the prompt.

Approximate time: 20-25 minutes

• Closing summary for the lesson (How will I bring closure to the lesson and actively involve children in reflecting on their experiences? How will I help them make connections to prior lessons or prepare for future experiences? What kind of feedback do I want from them at this time?) (___ minutes)

Review the process of writing an outline, emphasizing key ideas.

Class discussion about what the next steps in writing the paper would be.

Approximate time: 5 – 10 minutes

Academic, Social and Linguistic Support during each event

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• Transition to next learning activity

Assessment (How will I gauge the students’ learning as I implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is completed? Specifically, what will I look for? How will I use what I am learning to inform my next steps?)

Student will create an outline based on another writing prompt. (Appendix E) Based on the results of the outline the additional lessons with a scaffolded outline, or as a pair activity will be planned if needed.

Academic, Social, and Linguistic Support during assessment

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Appendix D

Outline Created by Student during the Scaffolded Lesson 1

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Location Removed


Appendix E

Post-Assessment 1 – Creative Writing Prompt

Create an outline to use as a basis for the following prompt: “Describe a presence in your house (childhood home/current place of residence) – a person, a pet, a piece of furniture, an illness, a secret. Use all five senses. Be as detailed as possible.” (Reid, n.d.)

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Appendix F

Student Work for Post-Assessment 1

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Appendix G

Student Work for Pre-Assessment 2

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Appendix H

Outline for a Daily Lesson Plan

Date: June 11, 2015

Objective(s) for today’s lesson: Using Outlines to Organize Ideas from a Text

Student will use an outline to gather relevant information from a published article. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.8)

Student will use an outline to draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9)

Rationale (Explain why this content and/or skill is important and worthwhile, and how you will work to make it relevant to your students’ lives):

Since Alberta plans on going to college she will need well-developed note-taking and study skills. According to Cal Poly Student Academic Services (n.d) one of the most beneficial forms of note taking is the outline method. University of Nebraska Graduate Studies (n.d.) published an article on the importance of teaching students to take notes. Taking notes is not something that comes naturally to students, so as teachers, we need to give students the necessary skills to take notes.

Materials & supplies needed:

Article “What’s the Difference between a Snowstorm and a Blizzard?” (Lee, 2014) Pre-created outline with blanks for student to fill in key ideas Writing utensils

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event

• Introduction to the lesson (What will I say to help children understand the purpose of the lesson? How will I help them make connections to prior lessons or experiences in and out of school? How will I motivate them to become engaged in the lesson and understand its real world purpose?) (_ minutes)

Inform student of the importance of note-taking. Introduce the article (Lee, 2014).

Approximate time: 5 minutes

• OUTLINE of key events during the lesson (Include

Academic, Social and Linguistic Support during each event

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specific details about how I will begin and end activities; what discussion questions I will use; how I will help children understand behavior expectations during the lesson; when/how I will distribute supplies and materials) (___ minutes)

Give student the started outline. Read the article while guiding discussion on how to fill

in the outline as we move through the article.


• Closing summary for the lesson (How will I bring closure to the lesson and actively involve children in reflecting on their experiences? How will I help them make connections to prior lessons or prepare for future experiences? What kind of feedback do I want from them at this time?) (___ minutes)

Review the outlined notes. Discuss study strategies using the outline.


• Transition to next learning activity

Assessment (How will I gauge the students’ learning as I implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is completed? Specifically, what will I look for? How will I use what I am learning to inform my next steps?)

Student will complete an additional note-taking outline based on a new article from the National Science Foundation (Bates, 2015. Based on the note-taking outline, if needed, additional practice and guided outlines will be planned.

Academic, Social, and Linguistic Support during assessment

Appendix I

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Outline Created by Student during the Scaffolded Lesson 2

Appendix J

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Student Work for Post-Assessment 2

Appendix K

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Recommendation to Parents

Dear Parents,

First and foremost thank you for allowing me to work with Alberta. It was a pleasure and

I believe it was a very beneficial experience.

During our time Alberta and I worked on the use of outlines to enhance and strengthen

both her writing process and her note-taking. Some activities you may be interested in continuing

at home are discussing the writing process. This will be meaningful for Alberta to hear how the

writing process has helped you both in your careers and throughout your education. You can also

encourage Alberta to practice using outlines as a pre-writing activity and give her positive and

constructive feedback to help her improve.

Additionally, Alberta has instructed on techniques to use an outline for note-taking. Some

discussions you may be able to have at home are how to then use those notes to study. I know

Alberta is looking forward to continuing her education in high school and further into college

and being able to take accurate notes and study from them is a valuable tool.

Finally, keep encouraging Alberta in her love of reading and writing!

Thank you,

Kelsey Drew

Bibliography

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Bates, S. (2015, March 2). Road Safety through Snowflake Imaging. Retrieved June 10, 2015,

from http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=134296&org=NSF

Bromley, K. (2011). Best practices in teaching writing. In Morrow, L. E. & Gambrell, L. B.

(Eds), Best practices in literacy instruction (4th ed.), (pp. 295-318). New York, NY:

Guilford Publications, Inc.

Engelmann, S., & Haddox, P. (1986). Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. New York:

Simon & Schuster.

English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 9-10. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/9-10/

Gambrell, L. B., Malloy, J. A., & Mazzoni, S. A. (2011). Evidence-based best practices in

comprehensive literacy instruction. In Morrow, L. E. & Gambrell, L. B. (Eds), Best

practices in literacy instruction (4th ed.), (pp. 11-36). NewYork, NY: Guilford

Publications, Inc.

Lee, J. J. (2014, January 5) "What's the Difference between a Snowstorm and a Blizzard?"

National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 5 Jan. 2014. Web. 9 June 2015.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/01/140103-blizzard-snow-storm-winter-

climate-weather-science/>.

Mahger, M. (n.d.). Importance of Doing an Outline Prior to Writing. Retrieved June 8, 2015,

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from http://education.seattlepi.com/importance-doing-outline-prior-writing-3570.html

Margetta, R. (2015, April 7). How Robots Can Help Build Better Doctors. Retrieved June 10,

2015, from http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=134715&org=NSF

Note Taking Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from

http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetakingsystems.html

Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from

http://www.aims.edu/student/online-writing-lab/process/outline

Reid, C. (n.d.). Explore. Retrieved June 8, 2015, from

https://inside.warren-wilson.edu/~creativewriting/Prompts.php

Teaching Students to Take Better Notes: Notes on Notetaking. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2015,

from http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/teaching/notetaking

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https://inside.warren-wilson.edu/~creativewriting/Prompts.php

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