Boston+Neighborhoods+Non-fiction+writing

=Writing About Chinatown=

__Post field trip__

pick one thing to paint / build etc. paint, draw, write, big blocks, small blocks, recycle center stuff, dramatic play take photos, print them put on magnet boards to manipulate write a tiny bit about it

Have writing be shorter than last year: § explain – which neighborhoods you saw it in, what it is for § describe – what it looks like § why it’s important § your personal connection

Day 1
Learning Target:
 * I can write a topic sentence that tells what I will be writing about.

Introduce the idea of a topic sentence. Explain that a topic sentence is like a street sign that tells your reader "Here is what I'm going to be writing about!" Model some examples.
 * Mini-lesson:**

"If I am writing about languages in Chinatown, I might write this as my topic sentence:

//People in Chinatown speak many different languages."//

Let's see. Does this let you know I am writing about Chinatown? Yes. Does it let you know I am writing about languages? Yes. I am not putting details in my topic sentence, just the main idea."

Then brainstorm topic sentences for another topic, such as food or art, as a class. Write several topic sentences for the same subject on chart paper. For each one, make sure it lets us know they are writing about Chinatown, and one of the other 5 subjects (activism, language, music, art, or food).

Send students off to write their own topic sentence, using the special paper. Students only write a topic sentence (give them about 10 minutes). Then they return to the rug for sharing.
 * Work time:**

Special paper:
 * [|activism paper.doc]
 * [|art paper.doc]
 * [|food paper.doc]
 * [|language paper.doc]


 * Sharing**: In 2 or 3 small groups, go around and have students share their topic sentences. For each one, check that it covers both a) Chinatown and b) the subject.

If students haven't been able to write one yet, they can get ideas from the other kids who share, and can work on one the next day.

For students who finish a good topic sentence quickly, you can have them begin one idea below the topic sentence.

Day 2
Learning target:
 * I can write what I know about one idea connected to my topic sentence.


 * Mini lesson:**

Review what is a topic sentence.

Tell students that next on their special paper is a space for writing about ONE idea from their topic. Brainstorm some ideas.

Food: "You will choose just ONE of these ideas for your first idea, and write only about it. What about if you were writing about languages? What could you write about? Let's try it together."
 * tea
 * noodles
 * spicy sauce
 * the market
 * chopsticks

Do a little shared writing about one idea about languages in Chinatown that the class suggests. What could we say about signs in Chinatown? What else do you know about the signs? When they suggest things that are really about a different idea, encourage them to save that for the next section of their writing.

As they are sent to their seats, students tell what idea they will be writing about (like a Status of the Class list). Anyone who doesn't know should work with an adult to come up with some ideas. Students who did not write good topic sentences on Day 1 can stay on the rug and work with one teacher to figure out their topic sentences and then begin their first idea.
 * Work time:**

Share one or two students' work.
 * Sharing:**

Day 1
Learning Target:
 * I can write what I know about one idea connected to my topic sentence.


 * Mini lesson:**

This is a review of last week's lesson. Review what a topic sentence is, and review how to write about only one idea. Demonstrate how after finishing one idea, you will begin the next idea. You don't have to write about everything there is for your topic -- each student will write about 2-5 ideas, depending on writing level.

Do more shared writing, stressing how you should always check to see if your idea fits with the idea you are working on or should be saved for the next idea. Model thinking aloud: "hmm, is that idea about places people learn languages in Chinatown? No, it's about different languages people speak in Chinatown. I should save it for my next idea."

Remind them that they can add details about how things looked, how they made them feel, how they tasted, how they smelled, etc.

Students work independently or in small groups with a teacher (based on a review of student work from last week.)
 * Work time:**

Share the work of someone who has stuck to one idea well, or someone who has a few errant ideas in there -- model how they could go back and re-read and take out those ideas to save for later.
 * Sharing:**

Day 2
Learning Target:
 * I can write what I know about one idea connected to my topic sentence.
 * I can begin sentences in different ways, WITHOUT using the word "and."
 * Mini lesson:**

Model writing about a new idea from one of the 5 subjects. As you do, tell them that even though when we talk we may start sentences with the word "and," when we write, we choose other words to use. Model stopping yourself from using "and" and thinking of an alternative. Also model how you are sure to think of ONE idea, turn it into a sentence, and write it down, framing it with a capital letter and punctuation.

As a class brainstorm a list of ways to start sentences instead of "and." The transition words should come up and remind them that they can often just cross out the "and" with no problem.

Students work independently or in small groups with a teacher (based on a review of student work from last week.)
 * Work time:**

Share the work of someone who has a variety of ways to start his / her sentences.
 * Sharing:**

Day 3
Learning Target:
 * I can write what I know about one idea connected to my topic sentence.
 * I can begin sentences in different ways, WITHOUT using the word "and."
 * I can use connectors to make my sentences longer.
 * I can use starters to start sentences in different, interesting ways.

Materials: Starters / connectors table tents: [|Connectorsstarters.doc]


 * Mini-lesson:**

Students who are finished work with a teacher in a small group to review / get introduced to connectors and starters. One good way to do this is to write up an example of a very simple, repetitive student text.

In Chinatown, we saw many different foods. In Chinatown, they eat noodles. The noodles are yummy. The noodles have vegetables in them. The noodles have chicken. The noodles are long. The noodles are hard to eat with chopsticks."

Put this up on chart paper. Read it, and say "Is this interesting to read? No, it's so boring! Every sentence starts the same way and sounds the same. It makes me want to fall asleep."

Show the list of starters and connectors. Tell them that they should use at least 3 starters or connectors to make their sentences more interesting and varied. Model choosing a sentence to change, and how you will either combine 2 sentences with a connector, or start a sentence in a new way with a starter.

"I notice that the first two sentences start the same way: "In Chinatown," "In Chinatown." I am going to cross out the second one, because you already know that I'm writing about Chinatown! Instead I'm going to use this special red pen to cross out "In Chinatown" and write "One thing they eat is noodles." [Change the sentence as you model revising.]"

"Now I'm going to put two sentences together, because that's one way to make sentences interesting: make some longer and some shorter. Let's see: I'm going to use some connectors to put them together. 'The noodles are yummy, and have vegetables and chicken in them.' There! I put three sentences together. Let's read the whole thing and see how it sounds. Ooh, doesn't that sound more interesting?"

Use a starter on the next sentence: "'Also, the noodles are so long that they are hard to eat with chopsticks!' Look, I used a starter, and I connected two sentences to make a longer, more interesting sentence."

Work with students in small groups, using the table tents of starters and connectors. Students should change at least 3 things, trying out different starters and connectors to improve their writing.
 * Work time:**

If students are running out of things to write about, they may look at the list of dash facts they made in the carousel after the field trip to get ideas.

Share the work of someone who has used starters and connectors (or share in small groups).
 * Sharing:**