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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 09, 2025

Objective: Students will be able to:

Identify the elements of a mystery story (red herring, character, alibi, culprit, suspense, clues, etc.)

Materials

Writing Notebook

Pencils and utensils

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.

c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.

d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Identify different mysteries, ask "what makes a mystery story different from an action story?"

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge of mystery texts/video.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Explain and elicit vocabulary: crime, suspect, crime, clues, solution)

Show images from famous mysteries, have students identify 'suspense builders'.

Read a brief excerpt to have student familiarize themselves with suspense.

Multiple Means of Engagement (How to spark interest & motivation):

Offer students a choice of which multiple mystery images to analyze (could be famous image, cartoon, etc.)

Prompt students toconnect the new vocabulary to a mystery they’ve seen or read

Multiple Means of Representation (How information is presented):

Present vocabulary with visuals. One possibility might be picture cards in the same style as flash cards

Use a word wall and/or anchor chart to display vocabulary.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (How students show understanding):

Invite students to sketch what they imagine when they hear key vocabulary. E.g. clue, suspect, etc.

Provide sentence starters for students to orally explain what makes a mystery

Key Points:

Vocabulary (crime, suspect, crime, clues, solution, etc)

Modeling: Teacher can support by finding of the elements in an excerpt of mystery text. (e.g. finding a clue)

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Students are given a worksheet with empty spaces beside the vocabulary: crime, clue, solution, suspect.

Task: Students fill in potential options without sharing with their classmates.

Interactive Element: Students choose to share one of the “clues” in a writing partnership to gain further feedback and ideas from their writing partner.

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Provide choice: students may pick which vocabulary word (crime, clue, solution, suspect) to start with.

Encourage collaboration by allowing students to pick a partner they feel comfortable with to share ideas.

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Display vocabulary words with matching visuals/icons (magnifying glass for clue, mask for suspect, etc.).

Provide sentence starters (e.g., “A possible clue could be…”).

Model filling out one example on the board, thinking aloud how to choose a clue.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Allow students to fill in the worksheet with words, sketches, or both.

Encourage students to act out their “clue” or explain it orally instead of just writing.

Provide sticky notes for students who prefer moving their ideas around before deciding on final choices.

Use Visual and Verbal Scaffolding for Language Learners:

Visual & Verbal Support: Provide a bilingual word wall where vocabulary like "crime," "suspect," and "clue" is paired with pictures. This helps reinforce the meaning of the words and how they relate to a mystery.

Translanguaging Opportunity: When working on the worksheet, students can use their first language to write their ideas first. They can then translate those ideas into English with the help of a partner, dictionaries, or translation tools.

Write a clue in your home language first. Then translate it into English with your partner.

4. Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Expanding on writing: students take the feedback from writing partners and expand their details so that they may develop ideas for the 'middle' of their potential mystery text.

Support: confer one-on-one with students experiencing difficulty finding ideas.

5. Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Task: Students take the feedback from writing partners and expand their details so they can develop ideas for the middle of their potential mystery text.

Support: Teacher confers one-on-one with students experiencing difficulty finding ideas.

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Give students a choice of which part of their partner’s feedback to focus on first (dialogue, action, or clues).

Allow students to set a mini-goal for the writing time (“I will add one new clue” or “I will stretch my action scene”).

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Use visual organizers (like a story mountain or sequence chart) to show where details can be added in the “middle” of the story.

Offer sentence frames (“Suddenly, I noticed…” or “The detective felt…”) for students who need structure.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Students may expand their writing through text, sketches with labels, or oral storytelling recorded on a device.

Encourage students to highlight or underline where they added new details, showing evidence of revision.

Assessment

Formative: Listen in on student partnerships to determine understanding of the nature of clues in their text.

Criteria for Success: Students correctly shares clues (and hints/elaborates) on how they may contribute to the mystery on the whole.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: have students create multiple clues, possibly hinting at the idea of a red herring to mislead a reader

For Struggling Learners: have students draw the setting where the crime was committed and include the clue in their drawing.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify the elements of a mystery story (red herring, character, alibi, culprit, suspense, clues, etc.)

Students take the feedback from writing partners and expand their details so they can develop ideas for the middle of their potential mystery text.

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Goal: To (re)design a unit that will create their own mystery text, using character traits and a coherent plot. Students should be familiar with some key elements of mystery stories.

Connection to Standard:

CC.W.3.3 -  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

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Upon learning from the Narrative/Mystery unit, third grade students could potentially apply their knowledge in novel situations such as:

Design their own short stories, comic books, plays that have a clear beginning, middle, and end, applying appropriate sequence for their peers and others

Use increasingly descriptive words in these aforementioned stories, comics so that readers can imagine the setting, characters, and actions with better reader imagination.

Create play-like dialogue for characters in a skit or puppet show, using speech and actions to reveal feelings, personalities, and inter-character relationships.

Gain added realization of the importance of the revision stage so that they may improve their drafts. This could take the form of checking if the story makes sense, has enough details, and ends in a way that feels satisfying to the reader.

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1. Why do we write stories about fictional or made-up experiences?

2. How can we design a story easy to follow with a clear beginning, middle, and end?

3. How do descriptive words help readers picture a story in their minds?

4. How can we use dialogue and actions to show what characters are like or how they feel?

5. Why is it important to give a story a meaningful ending?

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Facet 1 Explanation:

Students describe the elements of mystery and strategies to create suspense and how to follow the writing process by outlining a 'beginning, middle and end' to their mystery story.

Facet 2 Interpretation:

Students reflect on their favorite mystery read aloud in class and describe what elements made it stand out from others.

Facet 3 Application:

Students use their knowledge of the elements of tales of mystery (red herring, building suspense, character traits, etc).

Facet 4 Perspective:

Students reflect on character feelings based on their experience of a scary and tense situation (from text to text, or text to self connections) and attribute these emotions to main character(s).

Facet 5 Empathy:

Students can attribute 1-2 emotions about what each character is experiencing and write about what typical acts happen as a result to develop 'character actions'.

Facet 6 Self-Knowledge: Students design their characters and setting(s) based on their life experience(s). 'Write about what you know'.

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Narrative Structure: Understanding the components of a story, including introduction, rising action, climax, and resolution.

Literary Techniques: Knowledge of techniques such as imagery, dialogue, and descriptive details to enhance storytelling.

Event Sequencing: Awareness of how to organize events in a logical order, often using chronological or non-linear structures.

Descriptive Language: Familiarity with sensory details (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) to create vivid imagery.

Audience Awareness: Understanding how to craft a narrative that resonates with the intended audience.

Writing Conventions: Knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure to ensure clarity and professionalism in the narrative.

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Narrative Writing: Crafting a cohesive story, whether based on real experiences or imagined scenarios.

Creative Thinking: Generating original ideas or drawing from personal experiences to create engaging narratives.

Organization: Structuring a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end to ensure logical progression.

Descriptive Writing: Using vivid, sensory language to create detailed imagery of settings, characters, and events.

Clarity and Coherence: Ensuring the narrative is easy to follow with a logical sequence of events.

Audience Engagement: Tailoring the narrative to captivate and maintain reader interest.

Pacing: Controlling the rhythm and speed of the story to maintain engagement and emphasize key moments.

COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH ABOVE SKILLS:

Narrative Writing:

Creating: Crafting a cohesive mystery (e.g., lost toy plot).

Understanding: Grasping mystery story structure (problem, investigation, solution).

Applying: Using story elements (detective, clues).

Remembering: Recalling mystery features from examples.

Creative Thinking:

Creating: Inventing original mystery ideas (e.g., stolen cookie).

Evaluating: Choosing engaging ideas for peers.

Analyzing: Identifying usable elements from experiences.

Remembering: Recalling story inspirations.

Organization:

Analyzing: Structuring story into beginning (mystery), middle (clues), end (solution).

Applying: Using story maps for sequence.

Understanding: Recognizing need for clear structure.

Evaluating: Checking logical flow.

Descriptive Writing:

Creating: Writing vivid details (e.g., “creaky attic”).

Applying: Using sensory words for settings/clues.

Analyzing: Selecting details for suspense.

Remembering: Recalling descriptive vocabulary.

Clarity and Coherence:

Analyzing: Ensuring logical event order.

Applying: Using temporal words (e.g., “next”).

Evaluating: Confirming story clarity.

Understanding: Knowing clarity’s role in readability.

Audience Engagement:

Evaluating: Choosing elements peers find exciting.

Creating: Crafting suspenseful, relatable mysteries.

Analyzing: Considering audience interests.

Applying: Adding engaging features (e.g., twists).

Pacing:

Analyzing: Deciding when to speed up/slow down (e.g., fast for chase scenes).

Applying: Using short sentences for excitement.

Evaluating: Checking pacing for engagement.

Creating: Adjusting rhythm for effect.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to design a beginning, middle, and end of their potential mystery story using a comic book planning template.

Students independently sketch and write some labels for each panel for their own mystery in 6 panels (beginning, middle, end).

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to add descriptive language to their mystery story using the five senses.

After completing the practice 5 sense worksheet, students revise a section of their comic plan (from the previous lesson) or a paragraph draft by adding at least one sensory detail per sense.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to add character dialogue to their mystery story in a balanced way, while following grammar rules for punctuation and capitalization in dialogue.

After completing the practice dialogue worksheet, students add at least 2–3 lines of dialogue to their mystery draft or comic plan.lesson) or a paragraph draft by adding at least one sensory detail per sense.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to add and describe characters’ internal feelings to their mystery story to show how characters react (to different events).

Using the character feeling graphic organizer, students will choose one section of their mystery story draft or comic plan and include at least two examples of internal feelings for their characters in their text.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 12, 2025

Objective: Students will be able to:
Students will be able to design a beginning, middle, and end of their potential mystery story using a comic book planning template.

Materials

Writing notebook

Pencils and colored pencils

Comic book planning template (approx. 6 panels per page)

Example comic mystery page (created in advance to model for students)

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher (creates) and shares a short comic mystery excerpt or cartoon clip. Ask: “What happened first? What happened in the middle? How did it end?”

Purpose: To support student understanding of the structure of stories (beginning, middle, end) and connect it to mysteries.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Review story structure: beginning (introduce problem and main characters), middle (suspense/clues), end (solution).

Show examples of blank comic panels and explain how a combination of pictures and words can assist in planning the action and clues.

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Give students a choice of a familiar mystery story (cartoon clip, short text, or picture book) to connect to the story structure.

Teacher encourages students to predict what could happen in a comic mystery by looking at just the first panel.

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Present story structure visually (story mountain, etc.), verbally (teacher explanation), and with gestures or movement (students move to different spots in the room for beginning, middle, end).

Highlight key vocabulary (beginning, middle, end, suspense, clue, solution)

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Allow students to retell a simple mystery in their own words, draw it in three quick panels, or act it out with a partner.

Use whiteboards or sticky notes for students to jot or sketch what they imagine belongs in the “middle” of a mystery story

Key Points:

Ensure the reinforcement of each stage of the text and its 'contents'

Beginning: Introduce setting and the crime committed.

Middle: Suspense builds, characters follow clues.

End: Culprit is revealed/solution is shown.

Modeling: With some participation from students, teacher can create a short 6-panel sketch on the board (preferably with non-detailed stick people) showing a missing object mystery with beginning, middle, end.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Students receive a blank comic planning template.

Step 1: Students sketch the beginning panel, then share with a partner.
Step 2: Repeat process for middle (clues, suspects) and end (solution).

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Allow students to choose the mystery scenario they want to plan

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Provide a sample filled-in comic template as a model for students who need examples.

Offer sentence starters for labeling panels (e.g., “The problem is…” “A clue I found was…” “At the end…”).

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Allow students to fill in panels with words, sketches, or a mix of both.

Provide an option to narrate their comic orally to a partner if writing is difficult.

Encourage use of colored pencils to highlight suspense moments or clues differently from ordinary details.

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students independently sketch and write some labels for each panel for their own mystery in 6 panels (beginning, middle, end).

Teacher Role: Observe and make note of writers experiencing difficulty.

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Offer choice in topic: students may design their comic mystery about a missing item, a secret message, or a suspicious character.

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Provide sentence starters for labeling panels (e.g., “First…” “Then…” “Finally…”).

Teacher shows a sample 6-panel mystery comic for reference.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Allow oral dictation to a peer, teacher, or digital recording if writing is challenging

Provide sticky notes so students can draft ideas and move them between panels before finalizing.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students share a part of their comic mystery plans with a partner or small group (without revealing the whole mystery).

Discussion Question: Teacher elicits reflection by asking: “Which part was easiest to plan — the beginning, middle, or end? Why?”

Recap: Remind students that this comic plan will help them write their full mystery story later.

Multiple Means of Engagement (spark interest & motivation):

Give students a choice of which panel (beginning, middle, or end) they’d like to share.

Multiple Means of Representation (presenting information in different ways):

Provide a sentence starter for oral sharing (e.g., “In my beginning, the problem is…”).

Allow students to point to or display their comic panel visually if they’re less comfortable explaining orally.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression (ways students show understanding):

Students may share by explaining aloud, showing their panel, or acting it out briefly.

Provide sticky notes or a quick exit slip for students to jot down their answer to the reflection question if they prefer writing over speaking.

Assessment

Formative: Teacher can ensure understanding by checking that each student has completed beginning, middle, and end panels.

Criteria for Success: Students can demonstrate a clear sequence of events (beginning, middle, end) in their comic plan that outlines a mystery.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage students to add more panels (extra clues, red herring, or multiple suspects).

For Struggling Learners: Allow students to focus

on drawing with simple (or no!) labels/captions. Teacher may want to prompt students by drawing a beginning and ending panel to have student fill in the middle.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 15, 2025

Objective:
Students will be able to add descriptive language to their mystery story using the five senses.

Materials

Writing notebook

Colored pencils

Five Senses brainstorming chart (teacher-provided worksheet)

Sample descriptive sentences from mystery stories (teacher-selected excerpt)

Teacher Anchor chart: “Using the Five Senses in Writing”

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher passes around a mystery “object” (e.g., a box with something inside, a scented candle, a crinkly bag). Without revealing the item that's inside, ask students: “What do you notice with your senses?”

Purpose: To activate sensory thinking and connect it to building suspense.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Teacher can give succinct example(s) how descriptive language makes mystery writing more vivid.

Review the 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) and give an example for each in a mystery scene.

Sight: “The hallway was dark except for one flickering light.”

Sound: “The floorboards creaked under her feet.”

Smell: “The air smelled like burnt toast.”

Touch: “The doorknob was icy cold.”

Taste: “The bitter lemon pie made him wince.”

Key Point: Emphasize that uses the 5 senses builds suspense and helps readers imagine the scene.

Modeling: Teacher takes a 'boring' sentence (“The room was scary”) and revises it using senses: “The room was dark and smelled of dust. A cold draft brushed against my arm.”

Multiple Means of Engagement

Connect sensory examples to familiar experiences (e.g., “Have you ever smelled something burnt in your kitchen?”).

Allow students to vote on which example feels the “creepiest” or most suspenseful to spark curiosity.

Multiple Means of Representation

Display sensory examples with both text and matching visuals/icons (eye, ear, nose, hand, mouth).

Read examples aloud with dramatic tone to model how language creates mood.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Invite students to act out one sense (e.g., shiver for cold doorknob, wrinkle nose for bad smell).

Allow students to quickly sketch or jot their own sense-based detail for one example.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Students use the Five Senses Chart to brainstorm descriptive details for their own mystery.

Step 1: Teacher leads class in filling in one example row together (e.g., setting: “an abandoned school gym”).
Step 2: Students work on their own chart with their story’s setting.
Step 3: Pair-share — students tell a partner one sentence they improved by adding sensory detail.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose their own setting from a list of “mystery places” (e.g., dark attic, old library, playground at night).

Use suspenseful sound effects or images to spark curiosity before filling in senses.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide sentence starters on the chart (e.g., “I saw…” “I heard…”).

Model one filled-in row with visuals (icon of eye for sight, ear for sound, etc.) and a written example.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may record sensory ideas by writing words, drawing small sketches, or dictating to a partner.

In the pair-share, allow students to either read their sentence aloud, act it out, or point to their chart while explaining.

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students revise a section of their comic plan (from the previous lesson) or a paragraph draft by adding at least one sensory detail per sense (when possible).

Teacher Role: Circulate to encourage precise and descriptive language, helping students replace plain words with more exciting descriptions.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to pick which part of their story (beginning, middle, or end) they want to revise first.

Provide a challenge option (e.g., add two sensory details to the most suspenseful part) for students ready to stretch.

Multiple Means of Representation

Offer a word bank with vivid sensory adjectives and verbs to support idea generation.

Display a before-and-after example (plain vs. descriptive sentence) as a visual reminder.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may revise by rewriting sentences, adding sticky notes to their comic panels, or orally dictating improved details before writing.

Encourage students to highlight or underline where they added new sensory details to show their revisions clearly.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students read one revised descriptive sentence to the class or a partner.

Discussion: “Which sense was easiest to use? Which was hardest?”

Recap: Remind students that mystery stories use description to make readers feel like they are “inside” the mystery.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose whether to share with the whole class, a small group, or just a partner.

Use a quick class poll (thumbs up/down or colored cards) to show which sense was easiest or hardest.

Multiple Means of Representation

Record student responses on an anchor chart labeled with the five senses to visually capture class reflections.

Provide sentence starters (e.g., “The easiest sense for me was…”).

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may share their sentence aloud, show it on paper, or act it out with sound/movement.

Provide sticky notes or whiteboards for students who prefer writing their reflection instead of speaking.

Assessment

Formative: Review student Five Senses charts and listen during partner-sharing to check for descriptive detail.

Criteria for Success: Students include minimum three senses in their writing to enhance their mystery story.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: High-fliers could create a full“sensory paragraph” using all 5 senses into one suspenseful moment.

For Struggling Learners: Allow students to focus on 2–3 senses instead of all five; provide sentence starters such as “I could hear…” “I could smell…”.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 17, 2025

Objective:
Students will be able to add character dialogue to their mystery story in a balanced way, while following grammar rules for punctuation and capitalization in dialogue.

Materials

Writing notebook

Pencils

Anchor chart: “Key Rules for Writing Dialogue” (using quotation marks, commas, capitalization, new speaker = new line)

Example mystery excerpt with dialogue (teacher-selected, age-appropriate book!)

Dialogue practice worksheet

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher reads aloud a short mystery dialogue (e.g., two characters discovering a clue).

Ask: “How do we know who is speaking? What makes the conversation exciting?”

Purpose: To activate prior knowledge and highlight how dialogue moves the story forward.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Teach basic rules for writing dialogue:

Use quotation marks around spoken words.

Begin a new line each time a new character speaks.

Capitalize the first word in dialogue.

Place punctuation inside quotation marks.

Show examples of correct vs. incorrect dialogue on the board.

Modeling: Teacher takes a plain line of text (The detective asked the witness about the missing book) and rewrites it as dialogue:

Detective: “Did you see anyone near the library shelf?”

Witness: “I heard footsteps, but I didn’t see anyone!”

Multiple Means of Engagement

Let students vote (thumbs up/down) on whether sample dialogue is correct or incorrect to spark curiosity.

Connect to familiar media (cartoons, comics, or favorite books) that use speech bubbles to show dialogue.

Multiple Means of Representation

Display dialogue rules with visual icons (quotation marks, capital letter, new line symbol).

Provide a color-coded example where quotation marks, punctuation, and speaker tags are highlighted in different colors.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Allow students to act out the sample dialogue with voices/gestures before seeing it written.

Invite students to correct a wrong example by circling or rewriting it on mini whiteboards or sticky notes.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Dialogue practice worksheet.

Step 1: Students are given short narration sentences and must turn them into dialogue.
Step 2: Teacher and class revise one example together.
Step 3: Students complete the rest in pairs, then share aloud one example.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Let students choose which narration sentence to start with to build ownership.

Use role-play or dramatic voices to make the practice fun and engaging.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide color-coded models (quotation marks, punctuation, and speaker tags highlighted differently).

Display sentence starters for dialogue (e.g., “Did you…” / “I think…”) to scaffold learners.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Allow students to show their dialogue by writing, acting it out, or using speech bubbles on a comic strip template.

Students can check their work with a partner using a quick rubric or checklist before sharing aloud.

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students add at least 2–3 lines of dialogue to their mystery draft or comic plan.

Teacher Role: Circulate to help students balance dialogue with narration, ensuring grammar rules are followed.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose which characters will speak and in what scene.

Encourage creativity by letting students add humor, suspense, or surprise to their dialogue.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a mini anchor chart or checklist with dialogue rules (punctuation, quotation marks, new speaker = new line).

Offer a model of narration vs. narration + dialogue side by side, so students see the difference.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may write dialogue directly in their draft, add it in speech bubbles on their comic, or role-play it first before writing.

Allow use of colored pencils/highlighters to mark dialogue lines vs. narration for clarity.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students share one line of dialogue they added.

Discussion: “How did your dialogue make the mystery more interesting?”

Recap: Dialogue shows character thoughts, feelings, and clues while following grammar rules.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Give students a choice to share with the whole class, a partner, or a small group.

Use a quick vote (thumbs up/middle/down) for students to reflect on how confident they feel about adding dialogue.

Multiple Means of Representation

Record a few student examples on the board, highlighting key features (quotation marks, punctuation).

Provide a sentence starter for reflection: “My dialogue makes the story more interesting because…”

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may read their line aloud, display it on their paper, or act it out with a partner.

Allow students to jot their reflection on a sticky note or mini whiteboard instead of sharing verbally.

Assessment

Formative: Review student dialogue sentences for correct punctuation and clarity.

Criteria for Success: Students include dialogue that both advances their mystery story and follows grammar conventions (quotation marks, capitalization, punctuation, and new line for a new speaker).

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage students to include dialogue that shows hidden meaning (clues, red herrings, or conflicting statements).

For Struggling Learners: Provide sentence starters (e.g., Detective said, “…” / Witness whispered, “…”). Allow them to focus on correct punctuation with teacher support.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 19, 2025

Objective:
Students will be able to add and describe characters’ internal feelings to their mystery story to show how characters react (to different events).

Materials

Writing notebook

Pencils

Anchor chart: “Showing Feelings in Writing” (examples of fear, curiosity, excitement, worry)

Example passage from a mystery with internal feelings described

Feelings brainstorming chart (as above)

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher reads a short suspenseful passage aloud without feelings (“The boy walked into the dark room”). Then rereads it with feelings (“The boy’s heart pounded as he stepped into the dark room, wondering if someone was waiting inside”).

Ask: “Which version makes you feel more connected to the character? Why?”

Purpose: To activate student awareness of how internal feelings add depth to a mystery story.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Explain that good writers don’t just describe what happens outside (actions), but also what happens inside (feelings, thoughts).

Discuss common mystery feelings: nervous, suspicious, worried, curious, scared, relieved.

Key Point: Feelings can be shown through words about thoughts and emotions.

Modeling: Teacher takes a simple action sentence (“The detective opened the letter”) and adds feelings (“The detective’s hands shook as he opened the letter, afraid of what he might find inside”).

Multiple Means of Engagement

Connect to students’ own experiences by asking if they’ve ever felt nervous or curious in a situation.

Allow students to choose one “mystery feeling” they relate to most and share with a partner.

Multiple Means of Representation

Display feelings with visuals/icons (emoji faces or images) alongside the words.

Use color-coding (e.g., red = fear, green = relief) when modeling feelings in sentences.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Invite students to act out one of the feelings (e.g., shivering for nervous, wide eyes for curious).

Students can jot a quick “feeling word” next to a stick-figure sketch to show how a character might feel in a mystery scene.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity: Feelings Chart

Step 1: Together, brainstorm a mystery situation (e.g., someone sneaking into a room).
Step 2: Class fills out the chart: What does the character feel? How do we describe it?
Step 3: Students practice rewriting one plain sentence with added internal feelings and share with a partner.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to vote or choose which mystery situation to brainstorm together.

Use suspenseful sound effects or an image prompt to spark curiosity about the scenario.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a word bank of feeling words with matching icons or emojis for reference.

Model one example sentence with color-coded highlights (blue = action, red = feelings/thoughts).

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may contribute feelings by speaking, drawing a quick symbol (e.g., heart racing), or writing on sticky notes for the chart.

When rewriting the plain sentence, allow students to share aloud, write it, or act it out with tone/gesture to show emotion.

4.Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students choose one section of their mystery story draft or comic plan and add at least two examples of internal feelings.

Teacher Role: Circulate to provide feedback on word choice and balance between action and feelings.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Let students pick the part of their story (beginning, middle, or end) where they want to add feelings.

Encourage personal connection by asking students to imagine how they would feel in the situation before writing.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a mini word bank or feelings chart for quick reference while writing.

Show a side-by-side example of a plain action sentence vs. one enriched with internal feelings.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may add feelings through full sentences, short thought bubbles in their comic, or quick notes in the margins.

Allow students to highlight or underline where they added feelings to make revisions visible.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students share one example sentence with feelings included.

Discussion Question: “How do feelings help your readers understand your characters better?”

Recap: Mystery stories are stronger when readers know what the characters are thinking and feeling.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Let students choose how to share (whole class, small group, or partner) to build comfort and motivation.

Use a quick class vote (thumbs up/middle/down) on whether adding feelings made their mystery more exciting.

Multiple Means of Representation

Record a few student examples on the board, underlining the feelings words to visually highlight them.

Provide a sentence starter for reflection: “Feelings help readers because…”.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may share their sentence aloud, display it visually (on paper or whiteboard), or act out the feeling.

Allow written responses (sticky note exit slip) for students who prefer writing over speaking.

Assessment

Formative: Review students’ rewritten sentences and story drafts for evidence of feelings.

Criteria for Success: Students add internal feelings that connect to the mystery and help readers understand character reactions.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage students to include multiple and simultaneous feelings (e.g., scared and curious at the same time) to show complexity.

For Struggling Learners: Provide feeling word banks and sentence starters like “I felt…” “She worried that…” “He hoped that…”.

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1. What is the nature of a good life?

2. What makes a good society?

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1. Should education prepare young people to fit into society as it is, or to seek improvements in society?

2. Should there be different educational paths for different groups, or a united approach?

3. Should public education focus on general citizenship or specific vocational training?

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 22, 2025

Objective:
Students will be able to stretch their writing to make the heart of their mystery story full of action and highlight the most exciting part of the plot.

Materials

Writing notebook

Pencils

Anchor chart: “Building Action in the Heart of the Story” (examples of suspense, fast pacing, and vivid verbs)

Sample passage from a mystery story showing action and suspense

Action words bank (verbs list)

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher reads two short versions of a scene:

Plain: “The detective ran into the room.”

Stretched with action: “The detective bolted into the room, his heart racing, as shadows darted across the walls.”

Ask: “Which version is more exciting? Why?”

Purpose: To show how adding action and details makes the middle of the story the most thrilling part.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Explain that the “heart” of a mystery story is the most exciting part — usually in the middle, when the action rises and suspense builds.

Share action techniques:

Use vivid verbs (darted, crept, bolted, whispered).

Stretch the moment — describe it step by step.

Add suspense with clues or near discoveries.

Modeling: Teacher rewrites a short scene together with the class, stretching it with action and suspense.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Hook attention by asking students to recall a suspenseful moment from a favorite book, movie, or game.

Invite them to predict what might happen next in the teacher’s short scene before it is rewritten.

Multiple Means of Representation

Display vivid verbs on a chart with icons/pictures (running figure for darted, tiptoeing figure for crept).

Model the rewritten scene aloud with dramatic tone and pacing while also showing the written version.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Allow students to act out one vivid verb to physically experience the action.

Encourage students to suggest verbs or suspense details orally, in writing on whiteboards, or through quick sketches.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity:

Together, the class takes a plain sentence (“The kids searched the classroom for clues”) and rewrites it step by step with more action, suspense, and vivid verbs.

Students then work with a partner to stretch another plain mystery sentence into an action-packed scene.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Let students choose between two or three plain sentences to rewrite, giving them ownership of the task.

Add a playful element by setting a timer or adding suspenseful background music while partners “stretch” their scenes.

Multiple Means of Representation

Show a color-coded example: highlight vivid verbs in one color, suspense clues in another.

Provide a word bank of action verbs and suspense phrases for students who need extra support.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Allow students to act out their rewritten scene before or after writing to bring the suspense alive.

Students may write their revisions in sentences, sketch a quick comic strip version, or orally share their stretched scene with a partner.

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task:

Students return to their own mystery drafts and identify the “heart” of their story.

They revise this section by adding at least two vivid verbs and extra action details to stretch the scene.

Teacher Role: Circulate to coach students on pacing and suspense.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose whether to revise the “heart” in their draft or storyboard version.

Encourage goal setting: “I will add 2 vivid verbs and 1 suspenseful detail to my scene.”

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a vivid verb word bank and suspense phrase list for reference.

Show a side-by-side example of a plain scene vs. a stretched action scene to reinforce expectations.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may revise by writing new sentences, adding speech bubbles or action words to a comic, or highlighting verbs they upgrade.

Allow students to orally “act out” their suspense scene before writing to strengthen descriptive language.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students share their revised action scene with a partner or aloud to the class.

Discussion Question: “How does adding action make your mystery story more exciting?”

Recap: Remind students that the heart of the story is where the action should feel the most thrilling for the reader.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose how to share (partner, small group, or whole class) to build comfort and motivation.

Add excitement by framing share-out as a “story showcase” or “mystery teaser” to spark curiosity.

Multiple Means of Representation

Record student examples on the board or chart paper, highlighting vivid verbs in a different color.

Provide sentence starters for reflection: “My action makes the story exciting because…”.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may share their action scene by reading it, acting it out with gestures/voices, or showing their comic panel.

Allow students to jot their reflection on a sticky note or whiteboard if they prefer writing to speaking.

Assessment

Formative: Review student revisions for evidence of action verbs and stretched suspense.

Criteria for Success: Students successfully revise their mystery story to make the heart of the story full of action and excitement.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage students to layer multiple elements of suspense — vivid verbs, sensory details, dialogue, and clues — to create a cinematic action scene.

For Struggling Learners: Provide an action verbs word bank and sentence starters to guide revisions. Allow them to focus on rewriting just one or two sentences into action scenes.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 24, 2025

Objective:
Students will be able to conclude their mystery story in an interesting and thought-provoking way that ties together clues they’ve used throughout the plot.

Materials

Writing notebook

Pencils

Anchor chart: “Ways to End a Mystery” (solution revealed, surprise twist, reflection, lesson learned)

Example endings from age-appropriate mystery stories

Story checklist (including beginning, middle, climax, and ending)

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations.
c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order.
d. Provide a sense of closure.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher reads the ending of a short mystery aloud.

Ask: “Did the ending answer the big question of the mystery? How did the clues throughout the story help lead to this solution?”

Purpose: To highlight how strong endings connect back to the earlier parts of the mystery.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Discuss different types of mystery endings:

Solution Ending – the culprit is revealed.

Surprise Twist – readers are shocked by an unexpected ending.

Reflection Ending – the detective or character shares what they learned.

Show examples of each ending type.

Modeling: Teacher takes a short mystery scenario (missing lunchbox) and writes a quick ending that ties clues together (footprints, spilled juice, student hiding box).

Multiple Means of Engagement

Invite students to vote on which ending type they enjoy most (solution, twist, or reflection) to spark curiosity.

Connect to familiar mysteries (cartoons, books, or movies) and ask: “Which type of ending did it have?”

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a chart with visuals/icons for each ending type (magnifying glass = solution, question mark = twist, light bulb = reflection).

Read aloud example endings with dramatic tone and pacing to highlight differences.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Allow students to act out a quick version of one ending (e.g., the “big reveal” or the “surprise twist”).

Students can jot or sketch which type of ending they might use for their own mystery.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity:

Step 1: Together, the class revisits an earlier class-generated mystery and brainstorms two possible endings: one solution-based, one twist ending.
Step 2: Students discuss in partners which type of ending would fit best with their own clues.
Step 3: Teacher records student ideas on the anchor chart for reference.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Give students a choice between which ending (solution or twist) they’d like to help brainstorm first.

Encourage curiosity by asking: “What would surprise readers the most?” to keep engagement high.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide sentence starters for partner talk (e.g., “A solution ending would work because…” / “A twist ending could be…”).

Use visuals on the anchor chart (icons like magnifying glass for solution, question mark for twist) to support comprehension.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may contribute ideas by speaking aloud, writing on sticky notes, or sketching a quick picture of their ending.

Allow students to signal their choice of ending type with a simple hand signal or card (solution vs. twist).

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students write their own mystery ending in their notebooks.

Requirements:

Solution or twist that makes sense with the clues.

Character reaction (feelings, reflection).

A sense of closure.

Teacher Role: Circulate to support students in tying clues to the ending.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose whether to write a solution or twist ending.

Encourage students to set a mini-goal: “I will surprise my readers” or “I will tie in at least 2 clues.”

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide an ending graphic organizer with prompts (How do the clues connect? What is the solution/twist? How does the character feel?).

Show a model ending side-by-side with its earlier clues to demonstrate strong closure.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may draft their ending through full sentences, bullet points, or a quick comic strip version.

Allow oral rehearsal with a partner or recording before writing to help organize ideas.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students share their ending with a partner or small group.

Discussion Question: “How did your ending connect to the clues you planted earlier in the story?”

Recap: Remind students that strong endings leave the reader satisfied and thinking about the mystery.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Give students a choice of how to share (partner, small group, or teacher conference).

Use a quick poll (thumbs up, sideways, or down) for students to rate how well their ending tied to clues.

Multiple Means of Representation

Record a few student examples on the board, highlighting the clues that connected to the ending.

Provide a reflection sentence starter: “My ending connects to my clues because…”.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may share their ending by reading it, summarizing aloud, or sketching a final panel to represent it.

Allow exit slips where students jot one sentence explaining how their ending ties to their clues.

Assessment

Formative: Review student endings for connection to clues and logical closure.

Criteria for Success: Students write an ending that is both interesting and connects to earlier clues in their mystery.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage them to write multiple endings (solution and twist) and compare which is stronger.

For Struggling Learners: Provide sentence starters such as “At last, we discovered that…” or “I never expected that…”. Allow them to retell the ending orally before writing.

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Student Activity Link

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Writing
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 26, 2025

Objective:
Students will revise and edit their mystery story using the checklist and rubric as tools before publishing.

Materials

Writing notebook/draft of mystery story

Pencils and colored pencils

Editing Student Checklist (narrative editing checklist) Editing Student Checklist Narra…

Mystery Writing Rubric E1 3rd Unit 1 Rubric for Writin…

Highlighters or colored pencils (blue, green, red for marking checklist items)

Standards

W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
L.3.2 Demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Lesson Outline

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Activity: Teacher models revising a short passage from a mystery draft. Shows “before” and “after” by adding details, fixing punctuation in dialogue, and making the ending clearer.

Purpose: To show how revision makes writing stronger.

2. Introduction (10 minutes)

Direct Instruction:

Explain the difference between revision (making the story better with details, feelings, and organization) and editing (fixing grammar, spelling, punctuation).

Display the Editing Student Checklist and Mystery Writing Rubric. Show how each tool helps writers check their work.

Modeling: Teacher uses a sample story to check off one item from the checklist (e.g., “I added character dialogue”) and then compares the draft to rubric criteria.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Connect to student ownership by explaining that writers are like “detectives” searching for clues to improve their own writing.

Allow students to vote or signal (thumbs up/middle/down) which they think is harder: revising or editing, to spark curiosity.

Multiple Means of Representation

Show the checklist and rubric with visuals/icons (e.g., pencil for editing, magnifying glass for revising).

Color-code the sample model to distinguish revision changes (green) from editing corrections (blue).

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students can help model by suggesting one revision or edit aloud, on sticky notes, or digitally.

Allow students to use gestures/signals (e.g., raising a card for “revision” or “editing”) to categorize examples during the teacher’s model.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Activity:

Students work with partners to read one section of their story aloud.

Each partner uses the checklist to mark evidence of dialogue, feelings, details, and conventions.

Teacher leads whole-class reflection: “Which was easier to find—areas for revision or areas for editing?”

Multiple Means of Engagement

Give students choice in which section of their story to read aloud (beginning, middle, or end).

Add a collaborative element by encouraging partners to celebrate one “star” strength before suggesting one “step” for improvement.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide a color-coded or icon-based checklist (e.g., speech bubble for dialogue, heart for feelings, magnifying glass for details, pencil for conventions).

Model with a short sample passage so students can see and hear how to mark revisions and edits.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may give feedback by highlighting, circling on the checklist, or placing sticky notes directly on drafts.

Allow oral feedback (partner discussion) or quick written notes for students who prefer speaking or writing.

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Task: Students independently use the checklist and rubric to revise and edit their mystery stories.

Revision focus: Add details (feelings, actions, dialogue), strengthen the heart of the story, and tie back clues.
Editing focus: Fix punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and dialogue formatting.

Teacher Role: Circulate to confer with students and guide those needing support.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to set a personal revision/editing goal (e.g., “I will add 2 feelings” or “I will fix my dialogue punctuation”).

Use color-coded pens or highlighters so editing feels like a creative process, not just correction.

Multiple Means of Representation

Provide annotated models that show before-and-after revisions and edits for comparison.

Offer visual cues on the checklist (icons or colors for revision vs. editing tasks).

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may revise directly in their draft, add sticky notes with changes, or type revisions digitally if preferred.

Allow students to highlight or underline the revisions/edits they made to clearly show their changes.

5. Closure (5 minutes)

Activity: Students highlight one improvement they made during revision (in green for revision, blue for editing).

Discussion Question: “What change made the biggest difference in your story today?”

Recap: Remind students that strong writers use tools (checklists and rubrics) to make their stories the best they can be before publishing.

Multiple Means of Engagement

Allow students to choose how to share their improvement (verbally, in writing, or by pointing to the highlighted section in their draft).

Celebrate progress with a quick “writer’s round of applause” or positive partner feedback to build motivation.

Multiple Means of Representation

Display a few student examples on the board or document camera, using color highlights to show revision vs. editing.

Provide a reflection starter: “My biggest improvement today was…” to scaffold responses.

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

Students may share their improvement aloud, write it on a sticky note, or act it out briefly (e.g., reading a revised line with expression).

Offer an exit slip where students circle whether their improvement was in details, feelings, dialogue, or conventions.

Assessment

Formative: Observe students using checklist and rubric; note evidence of revision and editing.

Criteria for Success: Students make specific improvements to their mystery draft and demonstrate corrections in conventions.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Encourage use of rubric “Exceeds Expectations” column to push writing with layered details and more sophisticated endings.

For Struggling Learners: Allow focus on one area at a time (e.g., just dialogue punctuation or just adding feelings). Teacher or peer can support with checklist steps.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to stretch their writing to make the heart of their mystery story full of action and highlight the most exciting part of the plot.

Having completed the 'action words graphic organizer', Students return to their own mystery drafts and identify the “heart” of their story. Students then revise this section by adding at least two vivid verbs (from the graphic organizer) and extra action details to stretch the scene.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to conclude their mystery story in an interesting and thought-provoking way that ties together clues they’ve used throughout the plot.

Using the information from the Mystery Story Organizer, students add to their own mystery ending in their notebooks. Students are encouraged to add a solution or twist that makes sense with the clues as well as provide a sense of closure.

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Standard: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Lesson Objective: Students will revise and edit their mystery story using the checklist and rubric as tools before publishing.

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Dave,

Hi there! First off, huge congratulations on completing your curriculum project—what an accomplishment! I’ve updated the Google Sheets rubric to make it clearer and better aligned with the learning experiences I designed for you in this course. The previous rubric was a bit too subjective and open to interpretation, so I refined it to better reflect what we’re evaluating for your project. I shared the earlier version just to give you a sense of what to expect.

Just a quick note: EDU 690 is typically focused on completing the action research project you started planning in SPF 689. This curriculum project course is brand new, created specifically for you because of the timing of your when you took EDU 690. I’m really excited about how it turned out!

Here’s what’s next: The rubric is in Google Sheets and has 11 sections for you to complete. There’s also a spot for you to score yourself on each sheet. Once you’re done, please drop me a quick message on WhatsApp (+17163959188) to let me know. I’ll review your project and self-evaluation, then share feedback to help you shine even brighter. You’ll have seven days from when I send the feedback (it’ll have a timestamp) to make any improvements to your score.

Honestly, if you’ve followed the course as designed, you’re set to ace this—26 out of 26 is totally within reach! If you went your own way and are feeling a bit rushed now, I am sorry that you did not follow the course. I poured a lot of heart into building this course from scratch, and I’m confident that if you’ve followed along, filling out the rubric will be a breeze since you’ve already done the work.

I’m so excited to review your project and share your amazing work with your classmates and other students I teach. If you have any questions, just reach out via WhatsApp. Thanks, and I can’t wait to see your project!

Dr. Chris ;-)

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Hi Dave congratulations on the completion of your curriculum project.  The rubric has been scored and you are all done; you do not need to do anything else.

Here are the strengths of your unit. I referenced your words in parentheses.

Standard #1: Learner Development Dispositions:

1. 1(h) You respect learners’ differing strengths and needs and are committed to using this information to further each learner’s development.

Supporting Evidence: The unit emphasizes designing a mystery story that allows students to draw on their individual experiences and interests, tailoring instruction to their strengths. (“Students design their characters and setting(s) based on their life experience(s). ‘Write about what you know’.”) This shows a commitment to leveraging students’ unique backgrounds to foster development.

2. 1(i) You are committed to using learners’ strengths as a basis for growth, and their misconceptions as opportunities for learning.

Supporting Evidence: The unit encourages students to use feedback to refine their stories, viewing revisions as opportunities to improve. (“Gain added realization of the importance of the revision stage so that they may improve their drafts. This could take the form of checking if the story makes sense, has enough details, and ends in a way that feels satisfying to the reader.”) This reflects using students’ drafts (and potential misconceptions) as a basis for growth.

3. 1(j) You take responsibility for promoting learners’ growth and development.

Supporting Evidence: The unit’s structure, with lessons focused on scaffolding skills like narrative structure, descriptive writing, and dialogue, demonstrates a commitment to guiding students’ growth. (“Students will be able to design a beginning, middle, and end of their potential mystery story using a comic book planning template.”) The clear objectives show responsibility for advancing student learning.

4. 1(k) You value the input and contributions of families, colleagues, and other professionals in understanding and supporting each learner’s development.

Supporting Evidence: While the unit does not explicitly mention family or colleague input, the emphasis on peer feedback during the writing process implies valuing contributions from others in the learning community. (“Students take the feedback from writing partners and expand their details so they can develop ideas for the middle of their potential mystery text.”) This suggests valuing peer input to support development.

Standard #2: Learning Differences Dispositions:

1. 2(l) You believe that all learners can achieve at high levels and persist in helping each learner reach his/her full potential.

Supporting Evidence: The unit’s goals and objectives are designed to challenge students to create complex narratives, indicating a belief in their ability to achieve high standards. (“Goal: To (re)design a unit that will create their own mystery text, using character traits and a coherent plot.”) The focus on creating original stories with descriptive details and clear sequences shows persistence in helping students reach their potential.

2. 2(m) You respect learners as individuals with differing personal and family backgrounds and various skills, abilities, perspectives, talents, and interests.

Supporting Evidence: The unit encourages students to draw on personal experiences and reflect on their own emotions and perspectives when crafting characters. (“Students reflect on character feelings based on their experience of a scary and tense situation (from text to text, or text to self connections) and attribute these emotions to main character(s).”) This respects individual backgrounds and perspectives.

3. 2(n) You make learners feel valued and help them learn to value each other.

Supporting Evidence: The use of peer feedback and collaborative activities, such as sharing story drafts, fosters a sense of value among learners. (“Students take the feedback from writing partners and expand their details so they can develop ideas for the middle of their potential mystery text.”) This encourages students to value each other’s contributions.

4. 2(o) You value diverse languages and dialects and seek to integrate them into your instructional practice to engage students in learning.

Supporting Evidence: While the unit does not explicitly address diverse languages or dialects, the focus on dialogue and character development allows for the inclusion of varied voices and perspectives. (“Students will be able to add character dialogue to their mystery story in a balanced way, while following grammar rules for punctuation and capitalization in dialogue.”) This implies an openness to integrating diverse ways of expression in student narratives.

I hope that you get to use your unit someday with your students.

All my best,