Lesson for Literacy, Reading-Writng-Scientific Inquiry

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OBSERVATION AND INQUIRY THROUGH DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

Content and Standards:
You will have to align this lesson plan with your own state's standards. I have provided you with what I think aligns to the NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts.

NCTE/IRA (International Reading Association)
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
1. Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

PREREQUISITES:

Students should have the ability to read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding. They should have a general background for their grade level regarding cultures of the United States and the world. They should be able to respond to the new information given in both verbal and written forms. They should understand whether or not texts are fiction or nonfiction, and whether or not they are classic or contemporary works of writing. Students should be able to apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They should be able to draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics) in order to complete this lesson. Students should be able to adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively for the purpose of observation and inquiry. Students should be able to employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate for the purpose of observation and inquiry. Students should be able to apply their knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss the understanding they have gained from print and non-print texts. Students should be able to use inquiry to conduct research by generating ideas, questions, and by posing problems. They should also be able to gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in written form. Students should also be able to use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge in a written form. Students should be able to participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities, whole class, group work, and as individuals. Students should be able to use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish the purpose of this lesson.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:

BEFORE: PREPARING OBSERVERS

Students will make careful observations of natural objects
Students will write concise, objective, detailed descriptions
Students will write with purpose and a clear sense of audience
Students will use sensory observation and sense memory to write descriptively
Students will differentiate between objective and subjective description and understand the uses of each
Students will ask questions and use written materials and Internet resources to find answers
Students will read with purpose
Students will use writing, speaking, and art to demonstrate knowledge
Students will reflect on their knowledge of the processes of observation, focused attention, and inquiry, and apply their knowledge to other academic and real-world contexts
Students will use ...