Erin Thompson 5Th Grade Writing

Erin Thompson 5th Grade Writing Wilmington City Schools Spotlight on Picture Books Ohio Writing Project

Unit of Study: Literary (Narrative, Creative) Nonfiction

Rationale: "Good creative nonfiction helps kids learn to think by engaging their curiosity," says Shannon Barefield, Senior Editor at Lerner Publishing Group. "It makes readers ask, `Then what hap- pened? Why?' and so on. An engaged reader retains information and often goes on to seek more. Creative nonfiction is of great use with reluctant and challenged readers, who may find their interest piqued, making the work of reading more rewarding than usual. Finally, storytelling techniques can bring to life a subject's significance in a way that just-the-facts writing can't always do...” Creative Nonfiction: A True Story Well-Told by Susan Taylor Brown

Essential Goals:

1. Students will orally identify the similarities and differences of literary nonfiction to narrative and nonfiction picture books. 2. Students will introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

3. Students will conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

4. Students will recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Other/Secondary Goals: Writing Quality, Writing Habits, Revisions,

1. Students will expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

2. Students will select a point of view appropriate for the topic and audience.

3. Students will use narrative writing devices to convey information in a creative and engaging story. Anticipated Issues - Things I might teach, but don’t need to:

1. Writing “rules” are often broken as long as it’s done thoughtfully and with purpose.

*One to two weeks before unit:

Students will carry World Wonderings/Looking Logs and record worldly observations, topics of interest, wonderings, questions, etc. Encourage students to notice the world and record everything of interest: Things that are beautiful, gross, weird, crazy, ugly, etc. Details matter in this assignment! Read aloud Ralph Fletcher’s The Writer’s Notebook Chapter 1 to introduce looking at the world like a scientific poet (a term I use for Ralph’s childhood interest). These notebooks will support writing ideas as we begin research and especially the creative writing used in literary nonfiction.

Day 1:

Interactive read aloud: Bat Loves The Night by Nicola Davies (2001)

1. Students will listen to story and record “noticings” on sticky notes. What is the genre of this story? How do we know? 2. Discuss what we notice. What is the genre? Compare and contrast it to fiction and nonfiction. (May create a Venn Diagram – I would probably wait until further research and readings have been done.) Teacher and students will create an anchor chart together of observations for the literary nonfiction genre. Ideas may include (but not be limited to) the following: a. Story-type leads b. Figurative Language c. Point of View d. Often tells a story e. Personification f. Imagery g. Pictures strongly support ideas h. Illustrations (often not photographs) i. Graphics j. Labels k. Often more notes or facts included after story (research!) l. Facts told in an interesting/engaging way m. Anything can be used as a topic! n. Mood o. Detailed settings p. Sensory details Days 2 – 3+: (This reading should be on-going – especially to inform the writing process.)

Students will work with a partner to read and take observational notes on examples of literary nonfiction (see the bibliography for mentor texts). Groups will share books and ideas with class and record new observations on anchor chart.

Day 4:

Read Alouds: Mouse in a Meadow by John Himmelman (2005) Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell (2008)

Students will review looking logs for topics of interest. What do they want to know more about? What topics interest them that can be added to their logs? The best topics come from the world around us, things we care deeply about, or topics we are really interested in learning more about (and sharing with others). Students will write general ideas and thoughts about at least three topics and share/discuss with a partner.

Day 5:

Read Aloud: Crawdad Creek by Scott Russell Sanders (2002) Read author’s note at the end to discuss how Sanders drew on his own observations from childhood to write this book. Read introductory paragraph from “Belly Up To the Pond” (online resource).

Students will go outside and “discover” the world around them! Encourage writers to lie on their stomachs, use magnifying glasses, and get close to their subjects. They need to note even the smallest details using as many senses as possible. Ask them to put themselves in the subject’s environment to show the scene. Students will then write short pieces describing what they saw and share.

Days 6 – 8+:

Suggested Read Alouds: Up, Up, and Away by Ginger Wadsworth (2009) Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle (2004) Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (2009) Review read alouds for factual information. Note that many are fairly simple with a few facts told in a creative way. Research should be accurate and citations recorded, but it doesn’t need to be exhaustive. Teacher will model selecting a topic and researching on-line for a few facts. Students will then work with partners to complete a web-quest on a teacher-selected topic. (I did web-quests last year, and the students loved this! It was great practice to identify reliable web sources, note- taking, and citations.)

*Important mini-lessons:  Reliable sources  Note-taking (paraphrasing)  Keeping it all organized  Citations

Days 9 – 10+:

Students will begin research on self-selected topic using books, magazines, Internet, etc.

Mini-Lessons: 1. Sketching ideas, labels, graphic aids, keeping photographs as you research. (These might be used as ideas for their book.) 2. Taking notes on interesting text features and graphic aides. What do you notice in your reading and research that you might like to try?

Days 11+ Mini-lesson projections:

1. Organize it! How do you want to share the information? Review different text organization styles for literary nonfiction. (If you took good notes while researching, you probably already have some good ideas too!)

2. Point of View & Characterization (These would work well together in this genre or may be separate mini-lessons.) Mentor Texts: . First-person: Crawdad Creek by Scott Russell Sanders (1999) . First-person & Third Person: The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (2007) . Second-person: Journey into the Deep by Rebecca L. Johnson (2011) . Third-person: Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies (2001) -Too many to count. Teacher’s choice!

3. Leads Mentor Texts:  Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies (2001)  Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (2009)  Face to Face with Wolves by Jim Brandenburg (2010)  Down, Down, Down by Steve Jenkins (2009)  Journey into the Deep by Rebecca L. Johnson (2011)

4. Set the scene Mentor Texts:  Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery (2010)  Babies in the Bayou by Jim Arnosky (2007)  Wolfsnail by Sarah C. Campbell (2008)  Sky Tree by Thomas Locker (1995)

5. Figurative Language Mentor Texts:  Bat Loves The Night by Nicola Davies (2001)

6. Sensory details Mentor Texts:  Yatandou by Gloria Whelan (2007)  Bird, Butterfly, Eel by James Prosek (2009)  Up, Up, and Away by Ginger Wadsworth (2009) 

7. Conclusion Mentor Texts:  Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (2009)  Crawdad Creek by Scott Russell Sanders (1999) 

8. Author’s Notes & Further Facts Mentor Texts:  Abe’s Honest Words by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2008)  Move! By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page (2006) 

9. Illustrations and Graphics support your ideas (Labels, cutaways, etc.) Mentor Texts:  Bird, Butterfly, Eel by James Prosek (2009)  Down, Down, Down by Steve Jenkins (2009)  Hurricanes by Gail Gibbons (2009)  Move! By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page (2006) 

Teacher Resources:

A Writer’s Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You by Ralph Fletcher (1996)

Internet Resources:

Booktrust Childrens Books: The Real World is Interesting Too http://www.booktrustchildrensbooks.org.uk/show/feature/search/Article:-Non- fiction-for-children

Creative Nonfiction: A True Story Well Told by Susan Taylor Brown http://www.susantaylorbrown.com/creativenf.html

Donna Bowman Bratton: Nonfiction vs. Creative Nonfiction vs. Historical Fiction http://donnabowmanbratton.blogspot.com/2010/08/nonfiction-vs-creativenonfiction-vs.html

Envisioning Units of Study: Literary Nonfiction http://swpunitsofstudy.pbworks.com/w/page/10059048/Unit-of-Study:--Literary- Nonfiction

Institute of Children’s Literature: Creative Nonfiction vs. Informational Fiction by Jan Fields http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/rx/wt06/creativenonfiction.shtml

The Writing Instructor: Belly Up to the Pond. Teaching Teachers Creative Nonfiction In An Online Class by Roy F. Fox and Amy A. Lannin http://www.writinginstructor.com/foxlannin

Bibliography:

Abe’s Honest Words by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2008) I’ve had this book in a stack from the library for a couple of weeks, and I kept setting it aside even though I liked the picture of Abe Lincoln on the cover. I just kept thinking, “I really don’t want to read another Abe Lincoln biography.” I really enjoyed it though. It told a very simplified story of Abraham Lincoln’s life in a compelling way using his own words to support the text. It wasn’t full of boring facts about his life, but told the story of a compassionate man who loved to read and lived his life driven by his conviction to end slavery. I would use this book as an excellent example of biography told in a literary way. I also would note the features of using President Lincoln’s own words as a text feature and all of the author’s notes and resources to support the story facts.

Babies in the Bayou by Jim Arnosky (2007) This is a very simple example of literary nonfiction, but it has a great introduction and could be text that would connect with your reluctant writers.

Bat Loves The Night by Nicola Davies (2001) This was one of my favorite picture books for this unit (and it shows in how often I refer to it as a mentor text)! It pairs facts with beautifully written prose and watercolor illustrations. It takes a subject this is often so scary, and makes it a thing of beauty. I would read this book over and over again to my kids during this unit to remind them that this genre is factual, but tells a story.

Bird, Butterfly, Eel by James Prosek (2009) This story shows the incredible migratory journeys of three very different animals from a farm in the Northeastern United States. I would also use this book to demonstrate how many picture books show changes through the seasons. Finally, the illustrations change from each individual animal to split pictures showing the lives of each at the same time, but in different places.

Crawdad Creek by Scott Russell Sanders (1999) This is a lovely picture book about the creek near a boy’s home and the adventures he has with his sister there while discovering all of the wonderful mysteries of Mother Nature.

*Dark Emporer & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman (2010)  Structure: Rhyming poetry with facts listed on right side.  Craft: verb and verb and verb and verb (who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep,)  Craft: verbs and adjectives moved out of place  Craft: personification Down, Down, Down by Steve Jenkins (2009) This is a nonfiction book that uses cut and torn paper collage to illustrate creatures found from the surface to the very deepest depths of the ocean. I was really excited when I began reading this story because it begins with a very small picture of Earth and says, “Viewed from space, the earth looks like a watery blue ball. Oceans cover more than two-third of the globe’s surface, and well over half the planet lies beneath water more than a mile (1 ½ kilometers) deep. We have explored only a small fraction of the oceans. In fact, more humans have walked on the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the sea.” Instantly I was pulled in and thought what an intriguing comparison! However, that was the most exciting part of the book. It became full of dull details, but the pictures were fabulous. I would use this book as an example of different ways books can be illustrated, and to show what a great introduction can do.

Duel of the Ironclads by Patrick O’Brien (2003) This book tells the story of the ironclad ships, The Monitor and The Virginia, built and used during the Civil War combining many facts and nonfiction text features in a narrative style. I found myself interested in the history of these ships because I knew so little about them before finding this book at the library. I think boys would really love reading about the history of iron ships and what the earliest ones were like. This book would be excellent to show nonfiction text features like diagrams and labels. Also, it is a good example of literary nonfiction in that the many facts are told in a narrative style that reads more like a story than a history book. This book also might encourage further research into modern- day warships.

*Face to Face with Wolves by Jim Brandenburg (2010) I was just introduced to this story yesterday as a mentor text using the introduction for nonfiction. I would find this book for my unit as well because the introduction was so strong. I think many students would refer to this book over and over as well.  The introduction and conclusion of this story are compelling and offer great mentor text ideas.  The text features in this book are excellent! It has good chapter headings and sidebars that are creative and would nudge students to use their imaginations for creative nonfiction ideas.

Hurricanes by Gail Gibbons (2009) After all of the times I’ve read and used Gail Gibbons in my classroom, I was excited to read this new book. However, I was disappointed with this story after reading so many fabulous nonfiction texts. I felt like Gibbons does just “list” fact after fact in a very dry manner in this book. The term from Glover’s book really connected with Gibbons’ form of nonfiction writing! One way I would use this book, though, is for examples of graphic aides that support the reader’s comprehension of the facts. Her pictures do an excellent job of showing what it would look like if a hurricane had swept through the land.

*Into the Volcano by Donna O’Meara (2005) This book has lots of facts and information organized in a typical nonfiction layout. But the writing lends itself to the lyrical quality of creative nonfiction.  Craft structure: Leads, graphic aides, text layout and font.  Craft structure: Making comparisons to something we already know.  Writing: Lyrical words with descriptive adjectives. Sensory details.

Journey into the Deep by Rebecca L. Johnson (2011) This book could be used in so many ways in an upper elementary classroom. The graphics and textual features lend themselves to so many teaching points! I would use this book over and over again to show how effective the use of quotes, pictures, maps, charts, and graphic layout can be in nonfiction writing. Also, this story is written in the second-person point of view and offers a conversational tone that makes the reader feel as though you are having a conversation with Johnson. Finally, I love the introductions of each section that help show the ocean and all of its creatures in their own beautiful (or even other-worldly) way. “Like a spaceship from a distant galaxy, the massive jellyfish hovers in the frigid water. Its meaty dome- shaped bell is as wide as a doorway and the color of a bad bruise. Beneath the bell, fleshy arms twist and sway. The bell contracts, and the jellyfish glides backward. It relaxes, then contracts again. Contract, glide, relax. Contract, glide, relax. With a steady rhythm, the jellyfish pulses through the utter darkness of the deep sea.”

*Just For A Day Books:

*Jaguar In The Rain Forest  Craft Structure: Circular – This story begins as a boy climbing trees and becomes a jaguar, finally he turns back into the boy at the end.  Craft: Hyphens to give more description.  Craft: Commas pause the text and then add more description.  Craft: groups of three  Craft: Adjectives and verbs rearranged.  *Shark In The Sea by Joanne Ryder (1997)  Craft structure: Circular - This story begins as a boy diving into the water and becomes a shark, then it concludes with him turning back into a boy.  Craft: This is written as poetry to describe scientific concepts of shark as predator.  Words: Ryder often uses several descriptive words in a row to describe.

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery (2010) This book shows how dedicated scientists work tirelessly – and creatively – to save an endangered species of parrot. I like the imagery and strong introduction of this book for literary nonfiction.

Living Color by Steve Jenkins (2007) This book introduces the reader to the many ways animals use color in the world. Jenkins uses brightly colored pictures (think Eric Carle style) to show different animals and unique facts about each. I think kids would like looking at this book and reading interesting details about each. I would probably use this book to share how Jenkins uses a catchy phrase or line for his pictures. This little idea pulls the reader in to read further. It would be a way to inspire a reluctant writer into sharing details in nonfiction writing.

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle (2004) I was excited when I began this project to realize that a story I’ve enjoyed for years was actually literary nonfiction. So I pulled it back out, and read it through a writer’s eyes. This story shows how many fathers in the ocean work to protect their young and use camouflage in nature. Kids love the illustrations in this book!

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (2009) I had read another book about the Apollo 11 flight, but the other story does not compare with the narrative Moonshot that brings this story to life for readers. It begins, “High above there is the Moon, cold and quiet, no air, no life, but glowing in the sky.” Somehow Floca finds a way to share the facts in a way that draws the reader into the story and doesn’t let you go until you are safely back to earth with the famous astronauts. I would use this book to show how effective breaking the “rules” of writing can be. Floca uses the word ‘and’ to connect several details together throughout the story such as, “And when the Earth has rolled beneath and rolled behind and let the astronauts go, the Saturn’s last stage opens wide and releases Columbia, which was the rocket’s tip…” Finally, I love the way Floca uses commas to connect the ideas and create the flow of facts and ideas. “… high above there is the Earth, rushing oceans, racing clouds, swaying fields and forests. Family, friends, and strangers, everyone you’ve ever known, everyone you might – the good and lonely Earth, glowing in the sky.”

Mouse in a Meadow by John Himmelman (2005) This book would be excellent to use in any elementary classroom. It is a very simple story explaining the habitat of a meadow. It could be used in primary classrooms for a science lesson on habitats or even in reading for cause and effect. Also, the illustrations are interesting in that the pictures are contained in boxes, but interesting details often bleed out of the box or are completely outside of it isolated in the white space of the page. I would possibly use this book as the simplest form of literary nonfiction. Even struggling writers in upper elementary (or even higher grades) would realize that anyone could write nonfiction in an interesting way!

Move! By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page (2006) I’ve read other books by Steve Jenkins and I think his books would make an interesting author study for primary grades, because he specializes in literary nonfiction supported with collages of cut and torn paper. This book would be a great example of selecting action words or labeling pictures. What a great mentor text for writing workshop in a Kindergarten classroom. Students would begin to understand labeling a picture and then adding action or descriptive words to it.

Prehistoric Actual Size by Steve Jenkins (2005) Another nonfiction book by Steve Jenkins! I think this book would be a great example of nonfiction text in any elementary classroom. Older students would love to read this book to learn the real-life size of ancient creatures that often seem so abstract in science books or other nonfiction text. This book shows the actual size of extinct animals using many fold-out pages or just selected body parts which makes it much more interesting to kids. I like this book as an example of nonfiction text for writer’s workshop, because it shows that nonfiction can be as simple or complex as we decide to make it. The illustrations have very limited, but interesting, text throughout most of the book. However, smaller illustrations and more factual details are added at the back for those students who are interested in learning more. It would be a great example of how one detail can spark many questions and wonderings, which guide us on to further research.

Sky Tree by Thomas Locker (1995) This is a great example of simple and lovely language combined with art to show the seasonal changes of a tree.

Up, Up, and Away by Ginger Wadsworth (2009) This narrative nonfiction simply shows the life cycle of a spider through the lyrical language of a story and illustrated with large, colorful, close-up pictures. This author uses a lot of alliteration to bring the facts to life with lines such as, “A long, lean lizard skids into the sun. It leaps and lunges, snatching up spiders for lunch.” I really enjoyed this book and would use this story with all ages of students to show that nonfiction does not need to be a boring “list” of facts, but that information can be shared in a magically literary form. Also, this story uses repeating lines to stress a point and would be a great mini-lesson. For example Wadsworth writes, “One sister’s skinny, long legs wiggle and push, wiggle and push, as she tries to escape.”

Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson (2009) This is a story about Jackie Robinson told through the eyes of his real- life daughter, Sharon. It personalizes the baseball great’s life with interesting facts about his successes outside of baseball both in business and in his family. What makes this book truly beautiful is the amazing close-up pictures by Kadir Nelson (Henry’s Freedom Box). I would use this book to show how a writer can share a story within a story. Sharon lets her father tell his baseball story in his own words in the middle of her own family story. I think this would be difficult for students to do, but Sharon does it in such an easy that this would be a great mentor text for this technique.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (2007) What a great picture book to give kids a “behind the wall” view of one boy’s life in another time and area of the world! This book is told in third- person point of view, but also gives excerpts from the author’s personal journal through the years. Also, the vocabulary is fabulous. The possibilities and interest I think students would have for this story are endless!

Wolfsnail by Sarah C. Campbell (2008) I like the photography used to support the text in this book. This book is interesting and a good example of how interesting science is right in your backyard. The writer takes a slimy predator and makes it pretty cool. This book helped me envision myself as a writer of literary of nonfiction. “I could do that!”

Yatandou by Gloria Whelan (2007) The story told by Whealan of a young girl in Mali is so lyrical that I wasn’t surprised to learn she is a poet! I initially pulled this book in the library because the red earth tones and picture of a girl writing on a stick intrigued me. This story beautifully describes the difficult life in Mali Africa through the eyes of Yatandou using figurative language and imagery combined with the reds, oranges, browns, and yellows of their desert life. This story would be perfect for teaching context clues or imagery. I loved it and would add it to my own library! I plan to look for Whelan’s other stories and poetry as well.

*Books added as Mentor Texts after project completed for Spotlight on Picture Books.