Letter-Writing : A Letter Home from AmericaPublishing Scoring GuideLetters Home from America : Prewriting Graphic Organizer Scoring GuideJane K. WalshNarrative Letter – Prewriting OrganizerName: Mrs. Walsh Date: June 22, 2005Jane K. WalshNarrative Letter – Prewriting OrganizerName: ___________________________________Date: ______________Letters Home from America : Drafting Stage Scoring GuideLetters Home from America : Revising Scoring GuideLetters Home from America : Editing Scoring GuideInterdisciplinary Writing UnitNarrative Letter Writing in Social StudiesREAD 7140Summer 2005Jane k. WalshJane K. Walsh1 Interdisciplinary Writing Unit Lesson Plan Grade level: 5th gradeContent area: Social StudiesMode of writing: NarrativeStage of writing: PrewritingLanguage Arts GPS: ELA5W2Student Materials: You will need one copy of the narrative letter-prewriting graphic organizer for each student.Teacher Materials: Two transparencies of the narrative letter-prewriting graphic organizer. One isalready completed by the teacher. The other will be blank. This will be completed together as a class. One copy of the scoring guide titled Letters Home from America: Prewriting Graphic Organizer Scoring Guide for each student. Content area connection: Georgia Professional Standard: Social Studies 5H3.Prior to this lesson the teacher should teach a lesson on “New American’s,” immigrants in the United States. In the lesson the students would learn the meaning of these vocabulary words: tenement, prejudice, and settlement house. The teacher would also read excerpts from the book So Far from Home by Barry Deneberg. They would also find out more about Franklin D. Roosevelt by going to the website www.sfsocialstudies.com and clicking on Meet the People.To the teacher: Please give this pre-assessment prompt to the students before you begin this lesson. Pre-assessment prompt: Students I would like you to write a letter to a friend about your spring break adventures.Jane K. Walsh2Instruction Mode of writing instruction: The student will write a narrative letter from his/her point of view. The letter will describe the living situation, daily life, etc. of the immigrant. The letter will have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The student will use descriptive language to describe the living conditions etc. The letter will also tell the reader about people that the immigrant has met or come in contact with (i.e. a new friend). The letter must have a conclusion that gives the reader a sense of closure. The student must use appropriate word choices for that era. In other words, he or she must use words that the immigrant would use. Stage of writing instruction: Prewriting is the getting ready to write stage. The students will brainstorm several ideas on what an immigrant might write about to their family back in their homeland. They need to give ideas as to why the immigrant is writing the letter. They would need to present many ideas on how someone from that era might talk, using words that they recently learn in their social studies lesson. They also need to give suggestions of whom they might be writing their letter to. They will write all of these ideas down in incomplete sentences inthe appropriate places on their letter writing graphic organizers. Modeling: The teacher will first model (show on overhead) to the class the letter writing graphicorganizer that he/she has already completed. The teacher will then discuss the parts of the graphic organizer with the class, explaining each part and answering any questions that the students may have. The teacher will also ask the class questions about where, what, and why those ideas are on the graphic organizer.Practice Activity: The teacher will display a blank letter writing graphic organizer (on the overhead). Together the class, in pairs, will brainstorm several ideas about the letter. They willJane K. Walsh3need to give ideas as to why the immigrant is writing the letter. They will also need to present many ideas on how someone from that era might talk, using words that they recently learn in their social studies lesson. The students will need to give suggestions of whom they might be writing their letter to. They will use these ideas to complete the graphic organizer together.Assessment Activity: The teacher will then give each student a letter writing graphic organizer tocomplete by themselves, reminding them to jot down their ideas in incomplete sentences in the appropriate places. Scoring guide: Use the scoring guide titled Letters Home from America: Prewriting Graphic Organizer Scoring Guide to assess the students work.Modifications / Accommodations: Individual students’ needs: Scott and Jason must always be near the front of the classroom. They get distracted too easily. Jamie needs to be paired up with Cody. Her mind tends to wander sometimes and Cody would be good at helping her keep focused. Greg needs to be seated near the front of the room as he tends to play instead of work. Heshould be paired with Jennifer. She will keep him focused on the task at hand. Cultural diversity: Scott comes from a very difficult home life. He may have some difficulty understanding why someone would write a letter to a family member. Please pair Scott with Curt. Curt comes from a very understanding household and he will be patient and helpful in helping Scott understand why they are writing the letter. Since Scott struggles some with writing Curt can also help him understand the assignment.Jane K. Walsh4Linguistic diversity: Thai speaks only Vietnamese at home. During the practice activity he will need to be paired up with a student who speaks excellent English, Matthew or Kyle are good examples.Grouping: Students will be paired together during the practice activity so they can bounceideas off of each other. Jason and Scott don’t work well together. Please put Scott with Curt. He will help Scott stay on task. Jason should be paired with Becky. She will help him stay on task. Jacob should be paired with Bethany. He is very young and sometimes struggles with the concepts. Bethany is very good at explaining things to him.Jane K. Walsh5Letters Home from America : Prewriting Graphic OrganizerScoring GuideCATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Format All areas in the graphic organizer are filled in with the appropriate information. Almost all of the areasin the graphic organizer are filled in with the appropriate information.Several of the areas inthe graphic