Candidate Name:​ Ashley Roman Date: ​March 10th, 2020

Estimated Duration​: 30 minutes

Learning Experience 2 - Preliminary Information - “Writing an Engaging Story Starter”

Subject:​ Language Arts - Writing Workshop Unit: ​Narrative Writing
Topic:​ Writers use a story starter to begin their story Grade: ​Kindergarten
Number of Students: ​17

New Jersey Student Learning Standards:

W.K.5. With guidance and support from adults, strengthen writing through
response and self- reflection using questions and suggestions from peers (e.g.,
adding details)

Objective:​ Students will be able to write and add a story starter to their true story narrative
writing piece.

Materials:
● Curriculum: ​Writing for Readers​ (Unit 2: Narrative) by Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis
● Narrative True Story Example: ​Color Explosion!
● Writing Workshop Cards
○ Writing
○ Drawing
● Story Starter Anchor Chart (from Reading Workshop)
● Story Starter Laminated Half-Sheets
● Letter Charts
● Turn and Talk Popsicle Sticks
● Pencils
● Narrative Writing Booklets

Lesson Sequence - Connect and Engage

1. Connection​:
● The teacher will connect prior student knowledge with a previous reading
workshop lesson in which students studied how authors used story starters in
their books.
● Teacher: “Readers, the other day we took a look at story starters during reading
workshop. We checked out lots of books and studied how authors began their
stories! Now, I want you to listen to two beginnings to the story. I want you to
think about which one is better.”
○ Teacher (story starter A): “Here is the first one: I went to school.”
○ Teacher (story start B): “Here is the second one: “On Tuesday, I went to
school and we had a color explosion!”
○ Teacher: “Raise your hand if you think story A was the best (pause for
five seconds). Raise your hand if you think story B was the best (pause
for five seconds). Wow! It looks like story B has the most votes. Story B
had a story starter!”
● Teacher: “Just like​ ​James Dean’s ​Pete the Cat ​series or Katherine Tegen’s
Snowman Magic​, we can add story starters to make our own stories more fun!”
 2. Teaching Point
● Teacher: “Writers, today I want to share with you that the story starters we
studied in reading workshop can be added into our own writing! That’s right,
today we will add our own story starters to our narrative books.”

Lesson Sequence - Model

3. Teach
● The teacher will motion to the anchor chart on the easel. This anchor chart (Story
Starters) was created during a reading workshop the previous week when
students were studying how authors start their stories.
● Teacher: “Writers, other authors have helped us to improve our writing by
showing us how to write. These story starters can really help our stories open up!
In order for us to look at the story starters from other authors, I have our Story
Starters anchor chart from last week.”
● Teacher: “Last week, we talked about four story starters. (The teacher motions to
each story starter as she talks) We had a setting story starter that began with a
place like the pet store. We had a weather story starter that began with a snowy
day. We had a day of the week story starter that started the book by telling us it
was Tuesday. And we had an emotion story starter that told us the character was
excited!”
● Teacher: “We have a whole list of story starters to pick from to add to our writing
today! When I think about adding a story starter to my story, I want to think about
where I was, what day or month it was, the weather, or how I felt. I can then
choose my own story starter.”
● Teacher: “Can you all be my writing partner and help me pick a story starter for
my narrative book on the color explosion?”

4. Active Engagement
● The teacher will have students think about a story starter for the color explosion
and share how she would add it in.
● Teacher: “Alright writers! I am thinking I want to add an emotion story starter to
my color explosion. When you came into the room and saw the color explosion
hats and materials, I want you to think about how it made you feel. (Pause for
fifteen seconds) Okay, with how you felt in mind, turn and talk to the person next
to you.”
○ Student: “I was so happy!”
○ Student: “I was so excited that I wanted to jump out of my chair!”
● Teacher: “Wow! I love these responses! When I have my story starter in mind, I
will take my booklet and check for space. Do I have enough space before my
writing begins? No, but that is okay! I am going to take a new page for my
beginning, and I will add my story starter in front of my words.”
● Teacher: “So, I am going to draw my picture to remind me what goes onto the
page, and then add ‘We were so excited to see color explosion hats on the table!’
to my new page and draw a picture too!”
● Teacher: “Now, I want you to think about how you may start your story. Think to
yourself: what is my story about? How did it make me feel? When did it happen?
Where does my story take place?” (pause for a minute to allow students to think)
 ● Teacher: “Now with your ideas in mind, think about how you want to start your
story (allow for thirty seconds of thinking time). With your story starter in mind,
turn and share it with your partner next to you.” (allow for a minute share)
● Teacher: “Story starters are a great way to begin a book and allow the reader to
get some background information on your story. I want you to think about the
weather, emotions, and setting. These are great ideas that authors have used,
and today you will be trying them out! When I say go, you may head back to your
seat, pick a story starter, write a story starter, and continue writing your story.
Go!”
● The teacher will wait for students to settle into their seats and then will begin the
process of conferencing with the tables. The teacher will find the students striving
to write a story starter and will pull them for a small group reteaching and
additional planning support.

Lesson Sequence - Closure

5. Share
● The teacher will call the students to the carpet in a circle. The teacher will then
begin the closure of the lesson.
● Teacher: “Writers, you are all fantastic at adding story starters! I want us to think
about the type of story starter we used. Let’s take a quick poll to see what was
the most popular!”
○ Teacher: “If you used a weather starter, raise your hand.”
○ Teacher: “If you used a setting starter, wiggle your fingers.”
○ Teacher: “If you used an emotion starter, touch your head.”
○ Teacher: “If you used a day of the week starter, touch your toes.”
● Teacher: “Awesome! We have a great variety of story starters in the classroom!”
● Teacher: “By studying how other authors write, we can improve our own writing
just like we did with story starters! Story starters help us entice our reader; they
make a reader want to read our stories even more!”
● Teacher: “Now, we are going to complete an exit ticket to finish up the day. You
may return to your seat, and I will pass out the exit ticket and explain the
directions and story.”

Differentiation/Extension:
● Differentiation:​ To support the students in the classroom, the teacher will place letter
charts at all tables. This allows students to stretch out their sounds and recognize letter
to sound correspondence from the pictures on the sheet. In addition, the teacher will
allow specific tables to have access to the story starter cards. Tables one and two have
students that are striving writers that will benefit from having the visual and writing in
front of them. Furthermore, the teacher will use writing workshop cards to allow students
to see what they should be working on during the writing workshop time.
● Extension: ​In order to support the above-average students, the teacher will provide an
additional component to the lesson. For this group of students, the teacher will provide a
half-sheet of paper with ways to end a story on it. These students will also work on
developing a story ending with craft.
 Reference:
Calkins, L., & Louis, N. (2013). ​Writing for Readers: Unit 2 Narrative.​ Firsthand Heinemann
Publishing: Portsmouth, NH.