Metodología utilizada

A response to text is a fiction or nonfiction work that results from students’ reactions to writing that has been read. The original text might be a piece of literature such as a novel, story, poem, or play. It might be a nonfiction selection from a social studies or science text, a newspaper or magazine article, or a biography. In any case, the written material serves as a springboard for students to create their own pieces of writing.

The response might occur in almost any text form. You might ask students to respond to text by comparing two stories, two settings, or two characters. They might respond to a social studies reading by writing an informative essay on a specific historical figure or event. In general, the term “response to text” points to the inevitable connection between reading and writing. According to the content standards published by the state of Ohio, students should be expected to write responses to literature at every grade level. These responses, while reflecting on a variety of text forms, all offer students an opportunity to develop their skills in making and supporting judgments as well as interpreting and analyzing literature.

For the intermediate grades, students are asked to respond daily to text that they read in guided and independent reading as well as in other curricular areas. These responses are often through class discussions, literature discussion groups, response logs, or other written responses. Written responses may include, but are not limited to, journal entries;

answers to open-ended questions; writing to a prompt; writing a poem, an article, or an essay; and comparing/contrasting characters, settings, and plots.

In grade four, students should be able to write responses to novels, stories, and poems that include the following:

 _{a simple interpretation of a literary work.}

 judgments supported with specific references to the original text and to prior knowledge.

In this lesson students will write a sequel to a selection from a reading text. In order to write a sequel, students will need to have an understanding of the original text and make judgments about the characters themselves as well as the actions of characters, plot, etc.

Writing a sequel may be a new experience for some fourth graders, and they will need frequent modeling and support throughout the process.

Materials Needed:

Storytown Textbook Selection: Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Jerdine Nolen (optional), Storytown, Harcourt School Publishers, 2008 pp.467-483 (pp. T186- T193).

Or: Juan Verdades the Man Who Couldn’t Tell a Lie by Joe Hayes (optional) Storytown, Harcourt School Publishers, 2008 pp.499-513, Theme 4 (pp. T251-T259) Story Maps* Story Planner* Revising Checklists* Editing Checklists* *See Appendix

PREWRITING: GETTING STARTED

Modeling and Guided Practice

Prewriting is the planning stage of the writing process. It may include reading, drawing, observing, discussing, jot listing, and webbing. Basically, prewriting is the thinking process, thinking about what to write and how to organize it. Developing writers should be encouraged to spend adequate time in the prewriting stage.

1. Students should have read and discussed the selection Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Jerdine Nolen (optional), Storytown, Harcourt School Publishers, 2008 pages 467-483 (Theme 4, Teacher’s Edition pages T186- T193).

2. Have students participate in completing a class story map about the

selection, Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life. Copy the story map format on chart paper and complete it using student responses. Keep the story map for future reference.

Story Map Selection/Title:

Setting: Main Characters:

Plot Problem(s):

Events:

Solution/Ending:

3. During a discussion of the story, have students show that they understand

the story and can relate to it. Focus on asking questions such as the following:

 How do Hewitt Anderson’s parents feel about his size at the beginning of the story?

 What made his parents change their feelings about his size?

 What were some of the benefits of being small?

 Do you think Hewitt Anderson will continue to worry his parents? Why do you think that?

 _{What do you think will happen next to Hewitt Anderson?}

4. Point out to students that the last two questions have the helping verb

will in them. Will refers to something that might happen in the future.

5. Let students know that they will be writing a sequel to the story, Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life. They will share these stories with other students, their teacher, and parents. Thestory will be a fictional narrative. Its

purpose is to entertain the reader.

• Point out that a sequel is a continuation or another chapter to the story.

• Have students talk about sequels they have read or have seen at the movies. Examples: Harry Potter, Toy Story 2, the seven sequels to Land Before Time, Cinderella 2, and the sequels to Pirates of the Caribbean and Spiderman.

• Tell students that in a sequel, some of the characters may be the same, but new characters can be introduced too. Have students share examples of this.

• Brainstorm some ideas for a sequel to Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life with students. Make a list of ideas. What could happen to

Anderson after the story ends?

Prompt: Write a sequel to the selection Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big

Life. Use your imagination to create a story about what happened after

the end of the selection you read.

6. Share the prompt with students. Give them time to think about the story

they will write. Have students visualize what a sequel to the selection might look like. Distribute copies of the Story Planner (See Appendix). Have students sketch or make notes about what they want to include in the beginning, middle, and end of their stories.

Think Aloud: “On your story planner, you are to plan what you want to happen in the beginning, middle, and end of your story. You may sketch pictures or write your ideas using words. Remember that good stories often have a problem that needs to be solved. You may want to put the problem in the beginning of the story, have the characters attempt to solve it in the middle, and then solve it at the end.”

7. Tell students that now that they have some ideas, they should complete a

story map to make their ideas more clear.

Distribute copies of blank story maps. (See Appendix) Selection/Title:

Setting: Main Characters:

Plot Problem(s):

Events:

Solution/Ending:

8. Display the story map for Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life that was completed in the shared writing experience.

 _{After completing their own story maps for the sequel, have students}

compare their own

 story maps to the one for the selection they read.

 Discuss similarities/differences in the two story maps.

9. Ask students to use their story planners and story maps to tell their story

to a partner. Partners should respond with feedback such as the following:

 what they liked about the story

 questions/confusion they might have

 advice and suggestions for adding details or making the story more interesting

10. Individual students will need teacher assistance and modeling in

DRAFTING: GETTING IT DOWN

During the drafting stage, writers get their thoughts down on paper. Drafting allows students to develop their ideas into sentences. During drafting, students should not be too concerned about spelling and other conventional skills. They will have time to correct errors later.

TIP: During drafting, tell students that writing on every other line will make it easier to make revisions later on.

Give students the opportunity to begin drafting their fictional narrative, a sequel to Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life. Most students will be able to use their Story Planner and Story Map to write the draft copy of the stories. If some students are having a problem getting started, you may need to provide a mini-lesson on how to write a beginning, middle, and/or end of a story. Allow time for students to complete the draft copy of their stories.