Writing Unit

Marissa Palminteri
Grade: 5th grade
Standard:(w.5.3D) Use concrete words and phrases and sensory
details to convey experiences and events precisely.
CCL goal:
Describe and develop a setting and explain how it is related to writers
experience
o Use words that convey an intended mood or effect
o Show through language instead of tell
Purpose: This writing unit will focus on developing students
understanding about setting and how to include descriptive, concrete
details and phrases in their writing to portray a sense of place and
time.
Day 1
Topic
Student Investigation: setting
Resources
Various photos from different time periods, weather conditions,
atmospheres.
Projector and overhead
Student handout
Poster/chart paper
Teacher and Student Actions
(TA) Before the lesson, prepare and find authentic photos of
different time periods, climate conditions, culture, etc. and put them
in a powerpoint presentation (beach, movie theater, dentist office,
sledding, etc)
(TA) The first picture could be someone lying back in a dentists
chair, give students the task of describing what is happening in the
picture, without any guidance at first, and write it down.
(SA) Students will T-P-S then bring back to whole class. Whole class
will agree upon a general statement describing that picture.
(TA) Use powerpoint features to display an alternative description
under the picture. The given description will include much more
sensory information
o Hearing the buzz of the drill, staring at the white blinding light
hung directly above, feeling the dentists rubber gloves on the

gums of you teeth, tasting remnants of fluoride and

toothpaste, etc.
(TA) Ask students to compare their class statement with the one
given. Ask students what they notice, which one is better and why
and have (SA) students share their suggestions.
(TA/SA) Create a setting anchor chart. Include a definition of what
setting is and list the things to include when writing about setting:
all of your senses
(TA) Hand out a graphic organizer/chart that includes a heading for
each sense and space to write below each one. Give one graphic
organizer to each student (so they can refer to it the rest of the
unit) Students will split up into groups and receive a picture.
(SA) Students will use the picture to discuss with peers what they
think is important to include in their descriptions of their picture,
offer up any background knowledge that would be helpful in writing
a quick description, etc. Once all groups are done, they will share
their picture and description with the whole class.
Day 2
Topic
Familiar Settings: mentor texts
Resources
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
The Graveyard book by Neil Gaiman
Clear transfer paper to project to students
Compare & Contrast handout
Teacher and Student Actions
(TA) Ask what they remember from yesterday about setting, looking
back to anchor chart. Introduce the first mentor text by showing a
passage where their writing of setting uses a lot of sensory
information to convey backdrop to the story.
(SA) Students will contribute ideas of important words throughout
the passage they might want to underline.
o Start with Moon Over Manifest passage because it is most
familiar to kids since that kind of environment is one they see
regularly already. (pg. 13 )
There would still be daylight enough to take a look around
town. As we began to walk, Gideons stories came back to me
in flashes, like views between the trees from a train window.
People bustling in and out of colorful store-fronts with bright

awnings over the windows.but looking around, all I could

muster was dry and stale. Up and down Main Street, the
stores were dingy. Gray.
o Look at a passage from The Graveyard Book next (pg. 12)
The real moon shone through the casement window. Its light
was not bright, and it was diffused by the mistlight was not
that important, after all. He had other skills. The man Jack
sniffed the air. He ignored the scents that had come into the
room with him, dismissed the scents that he could safely
ignore, honed in on the smell of the one thing he had come to
find.

(SA) Students will discuss what parts of the text stood out to them
or really helped them understand the setting of the book. Also
noting the different sensory elements included in the authors
writing and why the author chose to use those words versus other
words that may be less descriptive. (TA) Teacher can monitor
discussion between students by posing questions to guide them or
get them back on track.
(TA) Hand out a comparison and contrast sheet for the two books
discussed in class, both Moon Over Manifest and The Graveyard
Book, have students (SA) write down similarities or differences
between the type of language that was used, senses included,
physical environment, etc.

Day 3
Topic
Unfamiliar Settings: mentor texts
Resources
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Paper for students
Whiteboard/Poster paper
Markers
Teacher and Student Actions
(TA) Introduce the first mentor text called The True Confessions of
Charlotte Doyle Read aloud the back excerpt so students get a
sense of the story. Set a timer for one minute so students can
generate a list of sensory words related to the book
(SA) From the title and brief summary, students will write down a
list of as many words they can think of that relate to the book and
its possible setting in time, place, and mood.

(SA) After the minute is up, students will share some of their words
with the people around them. See if there are any words they share
in common or ones that they think are especially helpful.
(TA) Use the board to create two columns. As students come back to
whole group and relay some of their best words or most common
words their peers came up with, teacher will write their ideas down
in the first column.
(TA) Place the first passage from True Confessions of Charlotte
Doyle on the overhead. Read the passage aloud to the students at
first. (pg. 138)
o Two bells into the morning of our forty-fifth day, the storm
struck. Whether I got out of my hammock on my own, or was
tossed by the wrenching motion of the ship, to this day I do
not know. But I woke to find myself sprawling on the floor
the sky was still dark. A heavy rain, flung wildly by wind that
screamed and moaned like an army in mortal agony.

(SA) Students will read through it on their own and shout out any
sensory words included that help describe the setting of the book to
the teacher
(TA) Teacher will write any descriptive words found in the passage in
the second column on the board. Once the two columns are
complete, give responsibility back to the students.
(SA) Students attention will be directed back to the two columns of
words they thought of when hearing the general story line and
words that were actually in the book and compare the two
(TA) Pose questions to get students thinking about why setting is
even more important when you might not know as much about the
location or time period its set in.

Day 4
Topic
Writing Process begins
Resources
Post-its
Highlighter and pen/pencil
Paper
Cut-out prompts ready for students
Teacher Writing Model handouts
Prompt/Check-list for student assignment
Teacher and Student Actions

(SA) After seeing many examples of how setting is described and

written by real authors, students will pick a small piece of paper on
their way in that has the name of a place or time period and will
take out a piece of paper to do a quick-write of what the setting of
their place might be like. Students will snowball their settings to
the middle of the room and pick a new one.
(SA) Students will read the setting one of their peers created and
think about what improvements could be made to make it better.
That student will then write a new, improved sentence below the
original. This snowball process will be done one more time.
(SA) Students will regroup to whole class and a few can share out
the progression of sentences on their sheet of paper. Can show how
setting became more detailed or focused.
(TA) Guide students with questions to think about why revising is an
important step in the writing process.
(TA) Introduce teacher created model for the students to look at.
Have students critique the teachers writing by highlighting the
parts of the passage that best described setting, underlining the
parts that could be improved, and using post-its to make those
changes.
o Teacher Writing Model
Its the same room, from the same view I have always known.
But Im not the same person. The white walls have dulled, the
familiar golden frames contain unfamiliar pictures. And the
leather from the couch has been worn by the shifting of bodies
and priorities. But where I sit now is at the heart of it all.
Anchored in its spot, unswayed by time sits a chair. A throne I sat
upon during countless family game nights. A center seat for spur
of the moment movie marathons. A support system to hold me
up when no one else could while saying the final goodbye to our
first dog. A favorite place.
(TA) Give students the prompt they will be working on the next few
days as well as a rubric to write their own setting/backdrop to a
story: Describe your favorite place youve ever been.
Day 5
Topic
Student Brainstorm
Resources
Clipboard and notebook paper for teacher
Paper and pen/pencil for students

Teacher and Student Actions

(TA) Talk to students about how writing process starts with
brainstorming all ideas and reasons to then choose focus.
(SA) Students will have work time in class to gather all of their ideas
and focus in on their best one. (TA) Teacher will check-in throughout
to offer guidance or areas of improvement to students who might
need it.
(TA) As the teacher meets with the students, make a list of the
topics students have decided to write about to create groups for
next days lesson.
Day 6
Topic
Student Editing and Final Product
Resources
Student paper and pen/pencil
Copies of student self-assessment sheet
Teacher and Student Actions
(SA) Begin with writing and finishing up the first-draft of their
description of a favorite place.
(TA) After giving students about 15 minutes to come up with a firstdraft, have students pair up based on data collected on the topics.
Students will be paired who have different topics or places they are
talking about as much as possible
(SA) Students will switch papers with their partner and sit down to
revise heir peers paper. Making sure that students use post-its and
make clear suggestions of what they liked and what they would
include or change. Give back to owner.
(SA) Student will make any small changes and submit the final
paper at the end of the class period.
**Differentiation Options
-When talking about the senses, include visual pictures or
representations of each.
-Provide sentence starters or paragraph prompts
-Give them more explicit instruction or support when meeting with
them individually
-Pairing them with a more-knowledgeable-other when its the final
editing process and working with the lower-achieving student to still
help and give good feedback.
-Allow students to draw pictures along with their written setting story
or even describe parts orally to meet the objectives.

Student Writing: Setting

Checklist
Sensory details:
1. Sense of what
2. Sense of what
3. Sense of what
4. Sense of what

you
you
you
you

see
hear
feel
smell

BONUS: sense of what you taste

Student Self-Assessment
1. I included descriptions of.
The physical location
The time period
The mood

2. I think I did well at.

3. I think I could still work on.