Chapter 6: Story/Play Writing

Period: 133-220 | Subject: English | Grade: 5

Chapter Overview

This chapter covers Story/Play Writing during the period 133-220.

Source Text Excerpt

Writing in Journals What a Day! Your team won the kickball match during recess. You finally got all the words correct on your spelling test. Your best friend is coming over after school, and your dad is taking you to the movies. Days like this are so special that you want to remember each moment. How can you be sure to remember every detail of your awesome day? Try writing about it. Capture Your Memories After your wonderful day is over, pull out your personal journal. It’s probably the best place to record these kinds of events. Remember to tell what happened, as well as how it made you feel. If you capture your memories in your journal, they will always be there to remind you of past experiences and feelings. ^ o 616^

Why Write in a Personal Journal? There are many reasons to write in a journal. You can . take notes about interesting things you see and hear, collect ideas for stories, poems, and reports, practice writing on your own, deal with your bad days, and relive all of your good times. Here’s how to get started . . D Gather the right tools. You need pens or pencils and a notebook, or a computer. Bf ind a special time and place to write. Get up early each day and write while it is quiet in your house. Write at a regular time during school. Or find a cozy chair right after dinner and see how that works. S Write every day. Write freely, exploring your thoughts and feelings as they come to mind. Don’t worry about what you say or how you say it. Just keep writing for as long as you can (at least 5 to 10 minutes at a time). Write about what is important to you. Write about something that is bothering you or something you want to remember. Write about what you did last week- end or something silly you saw. Write about one thing and then, later, go on to something else. Skeep track o? your writing. Put the date on the top of the page each time you write. Read through your journal from time to time. Underline ideas you find interesting and ideas that you would lik

Learning Objectives

• Understand the key events and figures of this period
• Analyze cause-and-effect relationships
• Compare multiple perspectives on historical events
• Develop chronological reasoning

Key Vocabulary

• Period: 133-220
• Key Figures: (identified in chapter)
• Key Events: (identified in chapter)

Learning Activities

1. Read & Narrate: Read the chapter aloud; student narrates back in own words
2. Timeline Entry: Add key events/dates to timeline
3. Map Work: Locate places mentioned on map/globe
4. Discussion Questions: (see Teacher’s Guide)
5. Notebook Entry: Written response to focus question

Assessment

• Oral narration
• Map quiz
• Timeline placement
• Written response to essential question

Source: Writers Express: A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers, and Learners by Dave Kemper, Ruth Nathan, Carol Elsholz, Patrick Sebranek

👩‍🏫 Teacher’s Guide — Section 2 - Chapter 6: Story/Play Writing

Lesson Plan at a Glance

• Topic: Section 2 - Chapter 6: Story/Play Writing
• Grade: 5 | Subject: English | State: OK
• Reading: Textbook: Writers Express: A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers, and Learners, Chapter 6: Story/Play Writing
• Suggested Pacing: 4 sessions × 45 min (Read → Narrate → Activity → Notebook)

Teaching Sequence

1. Read Aloud the assigned text; have student narrate back in their own words.
2. Big Idea to Land: Core concept of this lesson.
3. Cover These Sections: (see student content for section headings)
4. Do a Hands-On Activity from the list — concrete experience before abstract.
5. Notebook: Student completes journal entry recording observations.
6. Review: Ask discussion questions orally; finish with review questions.

Discussion Questions (with what to listen for)

• Q: Who is the audience for this writing? How does that change the tone? (Listen for audience awareness.)
• Q: What is the main idea? How do the details support it? (Listen for main idea + evidence.)
• Q: How would you revise this for a different audience? (Listen for audience adaptation.)

Vocabulary to Define Together

Materials to Gather

• Notebook/journal
• Writing utensils
• Textbook: Writers Express: A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers, and Learners
• Map/globe (for history/geography)
• Basic lab supplies (for science)

Standards Covered

Watch For (Common Misconceptions)

• Confusing mass with weight — use the Moon example consistently.
• Skipping narration — oral retelling is where retention happens; don’t skip it.
• Activity without notebook — the journal entry IS the assessment; don’t separate them.
• Lecturing instead of questioning — aim for 80% student talk, 20% teacher talk.

Differentiation

• Struggling: Provide sentence frames for narration; allow oral responses.
• Advanced: Add extension question: “How would this change if…?”
• ELL: Pre-teach key vocabulary; use visual aids and sentence frames.

Assessment Look-Fors

• Accurate narration with key vocabulary
• Notebook entry shows observation + reflection
• Map/timeline entry accurate
• Discussion participation with evidence
• Project completion with explanation