As I read the book, pay attention to the words and phrases used to create imagery. 

(Read "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats)

Let's take a closer look at some examples of imagery in the book: 

“Snow had fallen during the night. It covered everything as far as he could see.” This is used to describe the snowfall.

“Crunch, crunch, crunch, his feet sank into the snow.” This is used to describe the sound of the snow. 

“Then he dragged his feet s-l-o-w-l-y to make tracks.” This is describing how Peter played in the snow and how he made tracks with his feet in the snow. 

“He climbed up a great big tall heaping mountain of snow.” This describes how big the pile of snow was. 

Do you see how Keats uses descriptive language to help us visualize the snowy day and Peter's adventures? He makes us feel like we are right there with Peter, experiencing the snowy day.
Final Words: Now it's your turn to practice using imagery in your writing. Take a moment to think of a place you love, it could be a park, a beach, a mountain, or even a room in your house. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in that place. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel?

Now, using your imagination and what you just pictured, write a paragraph that creates imagery for your reader. Try to use descriptive language that will make your reader feel as if they are there with you. 

(Allow time for students to write)

Now, let's share our writing with a partner. As you listen to your partner's writing, try to imagine yourself in the place they are describing. Can you see it? Can you hear it? Can you smell it? Give them feedback on how well they used imagery in their writing.

Remember to use descriptive language to help your reader see, hear, feel, taste, and smell your scene. This will make your writing come alive and make the reader feel as if they are there with your characters. Keep practicing and incorporating it into your writing!

Final Words: “Thank you so much for all of your hard work today! Learning about new topics when we are reading allows us to also explore new aspects of ourselves. Today we were able to learn about the family and hero tree within Wakanda and look further into our own inner hero tree! Connections to ourselves are essential when we are reading and writing!”

Mentor Text(s): Last Stop On Market Street written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson
How To Teach It: Each and every one of you in your minds can create images, correct? The activity I had you all do earlier this week was to write any imaginative story. It was very fictional and very wacky. You could have written anything, but it had to include descriptive details to help us imagine your crazy story. Some of you had written about fairies in a forest, dragons breathing fire, and even aliens on Mars! We have also read aloud the book Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson in class. I will read aloud a few pages to remind you of the vivid details he had written about CJ’s day. (Read pages 18 and then discuss with the class). On page 18 he writes, “He saw sunset colors swirling over crashing waves. Saw a family of haws slicing through the sky. Saw the old woman’s butterflies dancing free in the light of the moon”. And on page 21 he says, “Crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded-up stores”. As I read that out loud, did you imagine your own picture from the details? (class response: yes!). The author’s use of details paints imagery in each of your minds. When you continue to write, keep in mind the pictures you had in your mind when you were writing out your story. Remember the smaller details in your picture, and write that down in your writing piece. 

Final Words: In your writing notebooks today, we will continue working on your personal narrative drafts  from last class. You will all re-read your story to yourself quietly, and as you read try to picture what you had written. If you cannot picture a clear image in your mind, that means you need to go back and write more details so you and other readers can imagine what your story may look like.

Using details to describe a character

3rd grade

Personal Narrative

Good writers need descriptive characteristics for their characters to be brought to life. This teaches students that everyone has something about them that is important and unique to them. It helps the students to visualize what the characters look like, and how they act. This allows students to use their imaginations and learn new descriptive words.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovel

I would start by teaching the students that a good book has good details and descriptive words for their characters. I would give them an example “The girl had hair” and the example “The girl had beautiful long blond hair” I would ask them which one they visualized better. I would read through the book stopping at pages where they use descriptive words the students may not have heard before and teaching them the words. I would stop on page 8 and ask, “What do you guys think a bullfrog’s voice sounds like?” I would teach them that using the details to describe a character doesn’t just have to be about their appearance. On page 18 I would ask “What do you think smiled with gleam mean?” I would explain what it meant if none of the students guessed correctly. I will then ask them if they think it’s a good idea that they described the way she smiled?” “Would you think differently if the book said she grinned?” Once the book was over, I would ask “Do you understand why it is so important to use details to describe our characters?” I thought the author Patty Lovel did a great job using details to describe her characters. 

Today when you are writing I want you to think about all of the details and descriptive words we heard in the book Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovel. I want you to try your best and use as much detail as you can to describe what your character looks likes, sounds like, and acts like. You can ask for help if you're having trouble coming up with descriptive words.

This mini lesson is important because it is important for writers to use detail in their writing, especially personal narratives. It is important for students to understand how much detail you use in your writing can improve it tremendously. I think it is a good idea to teach students at a young age how important it is to use detail.

When we think about telling a story, sometimes people forget to leave out important details that would make the story better or make more sense. In the story, The Smallest Girl In The Smallest Grade, the young girl always paid attention to detail. She noticed things that most people never would. Today, we are going to think about our first day of school. I am sure there were all kinds of different emotions you went through and you did all kinds of things in the morning before you came to school. I want you all to write me a page or two describing your morning before you came to school. I want you all to use as much detail as you can while you are writing. Talk about the feeling of getting out of your warm bed or the feeling of the cold air hitting your face as you open the fridge to get a glass of orange juice. I need you all to close your eyes and think about that first day of school. What type of emotions you were feeling, what you were wearing, and what you ate or drank before walking into this classroom. Now, I want you all to pull out a piece of paper and start it out with how you woke up in the morning. Either your parents waking you up, or your alarm clock buzzing in your ear. 
Final words for your students to apply the minilesson to their writing 

Now, I want you all to pull out a piece of paper and start it out with how you woke up in the morning. Either your parents waking you up, or your alarm clock buzzing in your ear. 

(Allow students to write and draw their images) 

Once you have finished, you will show your image to a peer and see if they can try to create a story in their mind as they try to recreate and describe your story!

Mini Lesson Title: "Deciding where to Begin"
In this lesson students will learn how to write a story from a different starting point than just the beginning of where the story started as a way to make story telling more interesting.  This will give them practice to not always write in real time but be able to manipulate time within their story.   
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Form of writing: Personal Narrative
Students will use this concept to help them to start their story and when to write a story from a different starting point.
Discussion: This lesson is important because it helps students to plan out what they are going to write as well as where they are going to start their story.  This lesson can support students writing as it helps build a framework and helps them to start their Narrative.  This lesson also is necessary because it allows students to start thinking critically about their writing and is working to get their writing to a new level.  This lesson can challenge students in a good way as they learn to approach writing in a new way.   
Mentor Text: Last Stop on Market Street by Christian Robinson
How to Teach it: We all write stories the same, the beginning, the middle, and the end.  Just like first I did this, second, I did this, and third I did this, but could I write a narrative where I start the story doing the third thing first and then the first thing after?  Well of course I can.  Starting a story in different places can change the story completely or make it more unique.  To get an idea of this we will read the book Last Stop on Market Street and while we read, I want all of you to think to yourself, can we start this story from a different place?  I will read part of the story and see if some of the students can think of a new place to start.  For example, the story could have started with them sitting on the train or have the story start from the end as if it is a flashback.  These are just two examples of what children could say.  Another thing students could possibly say is that the main character, the boy, could tell the story from somewhere else like he told the whole story to his church friends of the day before.  This shows the students that they are not changing the story by changing where it started from or where it took place, it was just a new way of looking at this.
Final words for your students to apply the minilesson to their writing: To practice their writing the students will write out a list of events for their Narrative they want to focus on, something overviewing the whole topic and just short ideas.  For example, my narrative is on me playing soccer and getting hurt so I would write out: 
1. I went to the park with friends and played soccer  
2. I sprained my ankle while playing  
3. We all walked a mile back to the house  
4. I found out I sprained my ankle 
After writing the list out ask the students if they can change the order of the story for where they begin.  Can the second thing on their list be the first thing they write about or where there is a new place they can start.  For example, I changed my order by switching what happened first in the narrative even if it was not the first thing that happened in real time. 
1. I sprained my ankle while playing  
2. I went to the park with friends and played soccer 
3. We all walked a mile back to the house  I found out 
4. I sprained my ankle 
I started my story with me spraining my ankle and did a flash back moment for what really happened first.  Then I carried on with the rest of the story as it happened in real time.  After the students find a new beginning to start with, I will give them 5 to 10 minutes to have them write out a story beginning or new ideas to write out what they want the Narrative to be.  Their homework for that day could then be just spending a little more time on writing and making their idea a clear paragraph.  Coming to class the next day we can do writing workshops to go over what they started and giving peer feedback to see what others think.  
 

Grade Level 3rd grade

Form of writing (e.g., Narrative, Poetry, Expository, Persuasive, etc.)Personal Narrative

Discussion When a writer utilizes repetition, they're putting multiple iterations of a word or phrase in close proximity to each other. In other words, a word or phrase is repeated to provide clarity and emphasis, highlighting deeper meanings in the text. This is important because it allows students to express meaning for their words and feelings.

Mentor Text(s) You Matter by Christian Robinson

How to Teach it Repetition can be a powerful tool in writing and has been commonly used in songs, poetry and even the most powerful and memorable speeches given throughout history. We see repetition being used differently in our everyday lives from the day to day things we do, maybe even the food we eat. In the story the author repeats the phrase “You Matter”. Why do you all think the author is constantly repeating the phrase you matter? How does this make you feel as the reader? So now we are able to see how repetition of words can challenge our feelings and give us another outlook on the message of the story. Now let's stop and think about the pictures that were illustrated when using the phrase “You Matter” showed up in the story. The first time it's stated is on the cover. What do we notice in this picture? (The students are playing with a parachute and including others in the activity.) Now let's look at another example, on page 6 it shows a group of dinosaurs walking ahead and kind of leaving one behind stating “when everyone is too busy to help, you matter”. How is the repetition of “You Matter” important to the author and its meaning? (No matter what is going on in life or if you ever feel alone… you still matter) Overall the repetition of the phrase added meaning and value to the message of the story and allowed for feelings to be expressed.




Final words for your students to apply the minilesson to their writing Great job for participating in our discussion about repetition and seeing how authors use repetition in a story to add emphasis to something or to strengthen the message behind it. Now I want you all to think about a message that you want to tell people in the world. Some examples are “You got this” or “Be brave”. I want you to pick a phrase that either sticks with you or that you want others to really understand and feel and put that throughout the text. Write with gratitude and love you got this!

“Beauty of the world”

3rd grade 

Narrative

This lesson is important for students to use this book as a change to create their own story or version of the book and how they might incorporate other components. It can help students with pre-writing skills as well as comprehension skills. This can have students digging deeper into new perspectives. 

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena and Christian Robinson 

Every writer has their own unique way of writing and creating stories to tell their audience. Sometimes we might ask ourselves why an author did what they did and how we might have done something differently or adding something. In this activity, I want you to create your own story with how you would add to it, take away from it, or just change it completely. Give reasoning behind your decisions and happy writing!

Remember that there is no right or wrong way of writing. This is whatever you want it to be and you call all the shots. Have fun with your writing since it is your own personal story! After finishing, feel free to share your stories with your peers and see what creative things they came up with! 

Mentor Text:Once a Upon a Goat by Dan Richards 

How to Teach it:When we think of the important parts of a story we typically just think of the main idea and what the overall storyline is and tend to overlook what the setting is.  Today we are going to talk about how to write a story and really emphasize the point of the setting.  All stories that we either write or read all have a setting.  Today we are going to read together the book Once Upon a Goat by Dan Richards.   While we read the book we will pause and reread some pages to highlight the important sentence in the book.   While we read I also want you to listen carefully to what the author is trying to convey to us through the story.  On page 2 it says “Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom, a king and queen wished for a child.” What does this line tell us about what kind of story this is?  On page 4 it says “ Glowing skin, bright eyes, and hair like ocean waves should do.”  What is this sentence describing?  Is it describing a place or a person?  Who do you think it is describing?   As we can see through these first few pages of the book we are able to determine what the setting is.   When you start writing I want you to consider how you will describe the setting. 

Final words for your students to apply the minilesson to their writing:
Today when you start writing in your writer’s notebook I want you to try and use words to describe both the characters and the place in the story.   When you describe both the characters and place in a story you are describing the setting of your story.