Writing on the Refuge
Title: Writing on the Refuge
Subject: English Language Arts
Grade Level: 4
Overview:
The sights and sounds of Black Bayou Lake refuge are the stimulus for this lesson. Writing on the Refuge was written for 4th grade gifted students, but could easily be used for a regular education class. An outdoor classroom is so much fun for the students and makes it so easy to be creative. The students will enjoy completing this lesson in the newly constructed Conservation Learning Center.
Approximate Duration: 4 hours at the refuge
Content Standards:
Standard 2
Students write competently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Standard 3
Students communicate using standard English grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and handwriting.
Standard 4
Students demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning and communicating.
Benchmarks:
ELA-2-E4
using narration, description, exposition, and persuasion to develop compositions (e.g., notes, stories, letters, poems, logs);
ELA-3-E2
demonstrating use of punctuation (e.g., comma, apostrophe, period, question mark, exclamation mark), capitalization, and abbreviations in final drafts of writing assignments;
ELA-3-E3
demonstrating standard English structure and usage;
ELA-4-E1
speaking intelligibly, using standard English pronunciation;
ELA-4-E4
giving rehearsed and unrehearsed presentations;
ELA-2-E5
recognizing and applying literary devices (e.g., figurative language);
Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
Writing
Grade 4
24. Develop paragraphs and compositions of at least three paragraphs using the various modes (i.e., description, narration, exposition, and persuasion), emphasizing narration and description(ELA-2-E4)
25. Use a variety of literary devices, including hyperbole and metaphor, in compositions(ELA-2-E5)
Writing/Proofreading
30. Write using standard English structure and usage, including using active and passive voices of verbs (ELA-3-E3)
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Science : Science and the Environment
In learning environmental science, students will develop an appreciation of the natural environment, learn the importance of environmental quality, and acquire a sense of stewardship. As consumers and citizens, they will be able to recognize how our personal, professional, and political actions affect the natural world.
Educational Technology Standards:
Identify, explain, and effectively use input, output and storage devices of computers and other technologies (e.g., keyboard, mouse, scanner, adaptive devices, monitor, printer floppy disk, hard drive).
Use a variety of developmentally appropriate resources and productivity tools (e.g., logical thinking programs, writing and graphic tools, digital cameras, graphing software) for communication, presentation, and illustration of thoughts, ideas, and stories.
Use technology tools (e.g., publishing, multimedia tools, and word processing software) for individual and for simple collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities for a variety of audiences.
Objectives:
TLW write a creative a composition from one of the animals, insects, or plants' point of view about living on the refuge.
TLW use a variety of literary devices in their composition.
TLW write using standard English structure and usage.
Lesson Materials and Resources:
Paper and Pencils
Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:
Digital cameras/disks
Tape recorders/cassettes
Headphone for each group
Computer
Projector
Software:
Microsoft Word
Websites:
RubiSTAR
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
Black Bayou Lake Project
http://www.mcschools.net/mcs/black_bayou_files/index.htmlBackground Information:
The students should be able to write well-formed paragraphs and short compositions. They also have studied figurative language and can use it in their writing. They should be competent in using Microsoft Word software.
Lesson Procedures:
1. After arriving at the Black Bayou Lake Refuge, divide the students into small groups of two or three.
Give each group a digital camera and tape recorder.
2. The class will take a nature walk led by Gay Brantley, the Environmental Educator at the refuge or the teacher. The students will take pictures of animals, insects, and plants that interest them. They will also tape record sounds on the refuge.
3. After an hour, the students will return to Conservation Learning Center to download their pictures on the computer.
4. The students will view the pictures they made and each group will select one for their writing composition.
5. Using headphones, each group will listen to the tape they made of sounds on the refuge. They will select one or two sounds they can use in their compositions to represent onomatopoeia and/or alliteration for repetitive sounds.
6. Before each group begins writing, the teacher will review with the students the expectations of this lesson. The students will be reminded to try to use as many kinds of figurative language that they can. They will write in the first person from the point of view of the animal, insect, or plant that they chose. They will plan first on paper, and then begin typing it in Microsoft Word..
7. While the students are writing, the teacher will create a slideshow of the pictures downloaded by the students. The teacher will play the show as each group presents.
8. After an hour, the students should be ready to present. After each presentation, the students in the audience will identify as many kinds of figurative language as they can remember.
Assessment Procedures:
A rubric will be used to assess the students' presentations.
A rubric will be used to assess each group's composition.
Accommodations/Modifications:
Check students' IEPs or 504 plans for any problems they may have on a field trip, such as allergies to plants, insect stings, etc. in order to be prepared.
Select students for groups that can work cooperatively together.
----- written by Brenda AdamsReproducible Materials:
Oral Presentation Rubic
Writing on the Refuge Rubric
Explorations and Extensions:
The students can research the animal, insect, or plant that they chose to write about and write a short report on their topic.
The students can write "Thank You" notes to Gay Brantley.
Students can create newsletters of their writings with pictures.
Lesson Development Resources:
RubriSTAR
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
Contact Information:
Brenda Adams
brenda.adams@mcschools.net
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