Let It Snow!

Level: intermediate: small group of six learners who are Hispanic, Mongolian and Polynesian in ethnicity

Grade: 7 and up

Objective: Students will be able to use a modified version for the steps of writing. These steps are: brainstorming and organization, writing a first draft, and writing a revision. The reading and writing skills to be emphasized are spelling, subject-verb agreement, and oral reading.

Materials needed: chalk, chalkboard

Preparation: This lesson plan is optimal for climates that have snowfall. However, we cannot always predict the weather so this is adjustable. You may use other experiences that uses the students' five senses to experience the situation.

I will write the word snow in the middle of the chalkboard. I will ask the students to tell me anything related to snow. For instance, it is cold and white. It happens in the winter. Children play in it, etc.,. All of their ideas I will link to the word snow in a graphic organizer. Referring to our graphic organizer, I will introduce to the students the first step of writing.

Good writers will sort through all their information and choose one or two things they really want to write about.

• Graphic organizers are a great way to organize brainstorming activities. It also helps right-brain learners to visualize the concept being taught. It allows the student to participate in the topic and teaches or reviews vocab related to the topic.

Activity #1

I will instruct the students to choose two or three of the words or phrases on the board that they will use as the starting point for their assignment. After they have chosen their key words and phrases I will introduce the second half for the first step in the process of writing - organization. Students will take a few minutes and organize how they want to express their feelings in writing.

When the organization is finished, students will learn the concept of a first draft and will begin writing.

• Because the students will recently have experienced snow, this activity not only follows the process of writing but the LEA model as well. The students will experience the writing topic with all five senses and then have the opportunity to write about the experience in their own words.

• Underlining the spelling and verbs that need to be changed will help the student focus on a specific activity, instead of becoming frustrated that he or she does not know what is correct and what is not.

• Responding to the students writing also follows a journal response format. This helps make the activity more meaningful for the students and is another form of feedback.

Activity #2

Before the students receive their first draft back, I will introduce the concept of revision. I will explain that I underlined the things that need to be revised in their papers. I will also explain to help them in their revision that I only choose two aspects of writing mechanics. I will return the papers to the students and give them a few minutes to read the comments and remarks and to ask questions. Then the students will begin to revision. I will also tell them that they may revise anything else they feel needs to be improved.

• Students will practice their reading and comprehension skills with this activity. In order to revise their papers they will need to review words and phrases. Subject-verb agreements will probably need to read and reread so the student can hear if the new combination sounds correct.

• They will also practice spelling and correct word forms.

When students are done with their revision, I will conference with them for a few minutes and check their papers. Together we will review the paper and how they felt about the changes they made. I will also ask them to read their experience to me orally.

• Reading orally helps the ESL student practice pronunciation and listen to the words that he/she wrote. They will be able to listen for fluidity and logic in their writing.

Activity #3

Students will share their revised personal experiences with the other class members.

Students will be evaluated according to their participation and completion of the projects. Students will have the opportunity to earn a total of 40 points.

The first draft will be worth 10 points. Revising, 15. Class participation, 15.