Lesson Plan
Informative Writing Unit Plan
Students will be able to write informative/explanatory texts by naming a topic, supplying facts, and providing closure (W.1.2). They will also apply 1st-grade language conventions including letter formation, noun usage, pronoun usage, verb tenses, adjectives, punctuation, and spelling (L.1.1a, L.1.1b, L.1.1c, L.1.1d, L.1.1e, L.1.1f, L.1.2b, L.1.2d).
Learning to write informative texts helps students organize their thoughts, share knowledge, and communicate clearly. Mastering language conventions builds a strong foundation for all future writing and reading success, making their ideas understood and appreciated by others.
Audience
1st Grade Students
Time
15 Days (30 minutes per day)
Approach
This unit uses a workshop approach, combining direct instruction, guided practice, peer collaboration, and independent writing.
Materials
- Unit Pre-Test, - Daily Warm-Ups, - Informative Text Exemplar, - Writing Informative Texts Rubric, - Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet, - Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet, - Punctuation Practice Worksheet, - Spelling Word Practice Sheet, - Peer Feedback Discussion Guide, - Informative Writing Planning Activity, - Unit Post-Test, - Chart paper or whiteboard, - Markers, - Student notebooks or loose leaf paper, - Pencils, and - Crayons or colored pencils (optional)
Prep
Teacher Preparation
60 minutes
Review all generated materials including the Informative Writing Unit Plan, Unit Pre-Test, Daily Warm-Ups, Informative Text Exemplar, Writing Informative Texts Rubric, Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet, Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet, Punctuation Practice Worksheet, Spelling Word Practice Sheet, Peer Feedback Discussion Guide, Informative Writing Planning Activity, and Unit Post-Test. Gather chart paper, markers, student notebooks/paper, and pencils. Make copies of all worksheets and assessments.
Step 1
Day 1: What is Informative Writing?
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 1: "What does it mean to teach someone something with your words?" Discuss student responses.
- Introduction (10 min): Introduce the concept of informative writing: writing to teach someone about a topic. Show a simple informative text (e.g., about a pet or a favorite animal). Highlight topic, facts, and closure.
- Pre-Test (15 min): Administer the Unit Pre-Test to gauge students' current understanding of informative writing and language conventions. Explain it's to help you know what to teach.
- Formative Assessment: Collect Unit Pre-Test to analyze student strengths and areas for growth.
Step 2
Day 2: Naming a Topic & Brainstorming Facts
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 2: "Think of something you know a lot about. What is one fact you could share?" Share responses.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Review informative writing. Focus on W.1.2 (naming a topic). Introduce the Informative Writing Planning Activity. Model choosing a topic (e.g., 'Dogs') and brainstorming 2-3 facts.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students choose a topic and brainstorm 2-3 facts using the Informative Writing Planning Activity. Provide support and circulate.
- Formative Assessment: Observe students during brainstorming. Collect Informative Writing Planning Activity to check topic and fact generation. Intervention: For struggling students, provide a list of high-interest topics to choose from or work in a small group to brainstorm facts. Extension: For advanced students, encourage brainstorming 4-5 facts and thinking about categories for their facts.
Step 3
Day 3: Drafting the Beginning & Middle (Facts)
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 3: "What did you brainstorm about yesterday? Can you tell your partner one fact?" Share responses.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Review W.1.2 (supplying facts). Model taking brainstormed facts from the Informative Writing Planning Activity and writing simple sentences. Introduce the idea of a clear opening sentence (topic) and then sentences with facts.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students begin drafting their informative text, focusing on an opening sentence and 2-3 fact sentences. Emphasize printing clearly (L.1.1a). Circulate and provide feedback.
- Formative Assessment: Observe student drafting. Review initial drafts for topic sentence and at least two fact sentences. Intervention: Work with a small group to dictate and scribe sentences for their chosen topic. Extension: Challenge students to use more descriptive words (adjectives) as they draft their facts.
Step 4
Day 4: Drafting the Ending (Closure) & Exemplar Review
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 4: "What is your favorite part about your informative writing so far?" Share responses.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on W.1.2 (providing some sense of closure). Model writing a simple closing sentence for the example text. Show the Informative Text Exemplar and point out the opening, facts, and closing.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students write a closing sentence for their informative text. They then compare their draft to the Informative Text Exemplar to see what elements they have included.
- Formative Assessment: Review student drafts for a closing sentence. Observe comparisons with the exemplar. Intervention: Provide sentence starters for closing sentences (e.g., "That's all about..."). Extension: Ask students to try writing two different closing sentences and choose their favorite.
Step 5
Day 5: Printing & Punctuation Power
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 5: "What kind of punctuation goes at the end of a telling sentence?" (L.1.2b) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1a (printing upper and lower case letters) and L.1.2b (use end punctuation). Review proper letter formation and the use of periods. Demonstrate correcting sentences with missing punctuation.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students review their informative text drafts for clear printing and add end punctuation to all sentences. Use Punctuation Practice Worksheet if needed for extra practice.
- Formative Assessment: Observe students correcting punctuation. Collect and review drafts for correct end punctuation and legibility. Intervention: Work one-on-one with students on specific letter formations and guide them to add periods to each sentence. Extension: Encourage students to identify and correct any run-on sentences.
Step 6
Day 6: Noun Know-How: Common, Proper, Possessive
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 6: "What is a noun? Give an example." (L.1.1b) Share.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1b (use common, proper, and possessive nouns). Define and give examples of each. Explain how they are used in sentences. Provide examples from the Informative Text Exemplar.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students practice identifying nouns in sentences and then look for common, proper, and possessive nouns in their own drafts. Complete the first section of the Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet.
- Formative Assessment: Review the first section of the Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet for understanding of nouns. Intervention: Use noun cards to sort into common/proper categories. Extension: Challenge students to add a possessive noun to their informative text.
Step 7
Day 7: Singular & Plural Nouns with Matching Verbs
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 7: "What's the difference between a singular noun and a plural noun?" (L.1.1c) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1c (use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs basic sentences). Explain subject-verb agreement with simple examples (e.g., 'The dog runs,' 'The dogs run').
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students complete the second section of the Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet. Then, they review their drafts for singular/plural nouns and ensure verbs match. Circle any unclear verbs.
- Formative Assessment: Review the second section of the Noun and Verb Practice Worksheet and student drafts for subject-verb agreement. Intervention: Use sentence frames to practice matching singular/plural nouns with verbs. Extension: Ask students to intentionally use both singular and plural nouns with correct verbs in their writing.
Step 8
Day 8: Personal, Possessive & Indefinite Pronouns
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 8: "What is a pronoun? Can you think of one?" (L.1.1d) Share.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1d (use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns). Introduce 'I, me, my, they, them, their, anyone, everything.' Explain how they replace nouns. Provide examples.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students complete the first section of the Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet. Then, they look for opportunities to use pronouns in their informative texts, replacing repetitive nouns.
- Formative Assessment: Review the first section of the Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet and student drafts for appropriate pronoun usage. Intervention: Play a 'Pronoun Match' game where students match pronouns to nouns. Extension: Have students highlight all pronouns in their text and explain why they chose them.
Step 9
Day 9: Verbs: Past, Present, Future
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 9: "What is a verb? How does a verb tell us 'when' something happened?" (L.1.1e) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1e (use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future). Explain how verb endings change to show time (walk, walked, will walk). Provide examples.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students complete the 'Verbs' section of a new practice sheet (or on a whiteboard). They then review their informative texts and check if their verbs correctly show when the action happens. Make corrections as needed.
- Formative Assessment: Observe students as they check verbs in their writing. Discuss common errors. Intervention: Use action cards and have students say the verb in past, present, and future forms. Extension: Challenge students to write a sentence for their topic using a past, present, and future verb.
Step 10
Day 10: Adding Sparkle with Adjectives
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 10: "What kind of words describe things? Give an example." (L.1.1f) Share.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.1f (use frequently occurring adjectives). Explain that adjectives add detail and make writing more interesting. Show how adding adjectives can improve sentences in the Informative Text Exemplar.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students complete the second section of the Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet. Then, they identify places in their informative texts where they can add adjectives to make their facts more descriptive.
- Formative Assessment: Review the second section of the Pronoun and Adjective Practice Worksheet and student drafts for adjective usage. Intervention: Provide a word bank of adjectives for students to choose from. Extension: Ask students to 'upgrade' three sentences in their text by adding a strong adjective to each.
Step 11
Day 11: Spelling Success
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 11: "Why is good spelling important when you're teaching someone with your writing?" (L.1.2d) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on L.1.2d (use conventional spelling for common patterns and irregular words; spell phonetically). Review common spelling patterns (e.g., CVC words, sight words). Explain how to 'stretch out' unfamiliar words to spell them phonetically.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students use the Spelling Word Practice Sheet to practice specific words. Then, they proofread their informative texts for spelling, using known patterns and phonetic spelling for tricky words. Circulate and support.
- Formative Assessment: Observe student spelling efforts and review for correct spelling of common words. Intervention: Provide individual spelling support for high-frequency words. Extension: Encourage students to use a classroom dictionary or word wall to check their spelling.
Step 12
Day 12: Peer Feedback & Revision (W.1.5)
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 12: "How can a friend help you make your writing even better?" (W.1.5) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on W.1.5 (respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing). Introduce the Peer Feedback Discussion Guide. Model how to give kind and helpful feedback.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students pair up and use the Peer Feedback Discussion Guide to give and receive feedback on their informative texts. Encourage students to listen and make notes for revision.
- Formative Assessment: Observe peer feedback sessions. Review student notes on feedback received. Intervention: Provide sentence starters for giving feedback. Pair struggling students with stronger writers. Extension: Have students write a short reflection on the most helpful feedback they received.
Step 13
Day 13: Adding Details & Incorporating Research (W.1.8)
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 13: "Where can we find new facts about our topic?" (W.1.8) Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Focus on W.1.8 (recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question). Show a short informational reading passage (or video) about a general topic. Model recalling facts.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students revise their informative texts, focusing on adding more details or facts based on peer feedback (W.1.5) or recalling information about their topic (W.1.8). Provide a simple informational reading if their topic allows for it.
- Formative Assessment: Review revised drafts for added details and evidence of incorporating information. Intervention: Work with a small group, providing simple texts or pictures related to their topics to help them find additional facts. Extension: Encourage students to find a second source of information (e.g., a simple non-fiction book) to add one more fact.
Step 14
Day 14: Final Revisions & Publishing Prep
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 14: "What is one last thing you want to check in your writing before it's finished?" Discuss.
- Mini-Lesson (10 min): Review all learned conventions (printing, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, punctuation, spelling). Model a final proofread of the Informative Text Exemplar, highlighting corrections.
- Guided Practice (15 min): Students conduct a final independent review of their informative texts, checking against the Writing Informative Texts Rubric and making any last corrections. Prepare for sharing.
- Formative Assessment: Observe final revisions. Have students self-assess using the Writing Informative Texts Rubric.
Step 15
Day 15: Post-Test & Author's Share
30 minutes
- Warm-Up (5 min): Administer Daily Warm-Ups question 15: "What was the most important thing you learned about writing informative texts?" Share.
- Post-Test (15 min): Administer the Unit Post-Test to assess overall mastery of informative writing and language conventions.
- Author's Share (10 min): Students share their final informative texts with a small group or the class. Celebrate their learning journey!
- Formative Assessment: Collect Unit Post-Test and final informative texts to evaluate against the Writing Informative Texts Rubric.
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Quiz
Unit Pre-Test
Warm Up
Daily Warm-Ups: Informative Writing & Language
Instructions: Answer the question for the day in your notebook or on a scrap piece of paper.
Day 1
- What does it mean to teach someone something with your words?
Day 2
- Think of something you know a lot about. What is one fact you could share?
Day 3
- What did you brainstorm about yesterday? Can you tell your partner one fact?
Day 4
- What is your favorite part about your informative writing so far?
Day 5
- What kind of punctuation goes at the end of a telling sentence?
Day 6
- What is a noun? Give an example.
Day 7
- What's the difference between a singular noun and a plural noun?
Day 8
- What is a pronoun? Can you think of one?
Day 9
- What is a verb? How does a verb tell us 'when' something happened?
Day 10
- What kind of words describe things? Give an example.
Day 11
- Why is good spelling important when you're teaching someone with your writing?
Day 12
- How can a friend help you make your writing even better?
Day 13
- Where can we find new facts about our topic?
Day 14
- What is one last thing you want to check in your writing before it's finished?
Day 15
- What was the most important thing you learned about writing informative texts?
Reading
All About Frogs!
Frogs are amazing amphibians that live all around the world. They have smooth, wet skin and big, bulging eyes. Did you know frogs can live both in water and on land? They sure can!
Frogs start their lives as tiny eggs in the water. Then, they hatch into tadpoles that look like small fish with tails. As they grow, tadpoles slowly change. They grow legs, lose their tails, and turn into adult frogs. This change is called metamorphosis!
Adult frogs love to eat insects. They use their long, sticky tongues to catch flies and mosquitoes. Many frogs also make a special sound called a croak. They croak to talk to other frogs.
Frogs are important animals in nature. They help keep insect populations in check. It's fun to learn about these cool jumping creatures!
Rubric
1st Grade Informative Text Rubric
| Criteria | 4 - Exceeds Expectations | 3 - Meets Expectations | 2 - Developing | 1 - Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic & Facts | Clearly names a topic and provides 3+ distinct, relevant facts with added details. | Clearly names a topic and provides 2-3 distinct, relevant facts. | Names a topic but provides only 1-2 vague facts. | Topic is unclear, or no facts are provided. |
| Closure | Provides a strong and thoughtful closing sentence that summarizes the topic. | Provides a clear closing sentence that offers a sense of closure. | Attempts a closing sentence, but it is somewhat unclear or abrupt. | No clear closing sentence. |
| Printing (L.1.1a) | Consistently prints all uppercase and lowercase letters clearly and correctly. | Prints most uppercase and lowercase letters clearly and correctly with minor inconsistencies. | Prints some uppercase and lowercase letters clearly, but many are difficult to read. | Printing is largely illegible. |
| Nouns (L.1.1b, c) | Uses common, proper, and possessive nouns correctly. Uses singular/plural nouns with matching verbs. | Uses common and some proper/possessive nouns. Mostly uses singular/plural nouns with matching verbs. | Attempts to use nouns, but often confuses types or has frequent subject-verb agreement errors. | Rarely uses appropriate nouns; significant subject-verb agreement errors. |
| Pronouns (L.1.1d) | Uses personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns correctly and effectively to avoid repetition. | Uses personal and possessive pronouns correctly; attempts indefinite pronouns. | Attempts to use pronouns, but often confuses them or uses them incorrectly. | Rarely uses pronouns, or uses them incorrectly. |
| Verbs (L.1.1e) | Consistently uses verbs to convey past, present, and future tenses correctly. | Mostly uses verbs to convey past, present, and future tenses correctly. | Attempts to use different verb tenses, but frequently uses them incorrectly. | Verb tenses are largely incorrect or inconsistent. |
| Adjectives (L.1.1f) | Uses several descriptive adjectives to add detail and make writing engaging. | Uses 1-2 descriptive adjectives effectively. | Attempts to use adjectives, but they are often generic or used awkwardly. | Rarely uses adjectives. |
| Punctuation (L.1.2b) | Consistently uses end punctuation (. ? !) correctly for all sentences. | Mostly uses end punctuation (. ? !) correctly with minor errors. | Attempts to use end punctuation, but frequently misses or uses incorrect punctuation. | End punctuation is rarely used or consistently incorrect. |
| Spelling (L.1.2d) | Uses conventional spelling for most common patterns and irregular words; spells untaught words phonetically. | Uses conventional spelling for common patterns and some irregular words; attempts phonetic spelling. | Struggles with conventional spelling; phonetic spelling is inconsistent. | Spelling errors make the text very difficult to read. |
Worksheet
Noun and Verb Practice
Name: _________________________
Part 1: Noun Hunt!
A noun is a person, place, or thing. Read each sentence and circle the nouns.
- The dog played in the park.
- Maya loves her book.
- My teacher lives in New York.
- The flower is pretty.
Part 2: Singular or Plural?
A singular noun means one. A plural noun means more than one (often ends with 's'). Circle the correct verb to match the noun.
- The cat (run / runs) fast.
- The birds (sing / sings) loudly.
- My friend (play / plays) with me.
- The children (eat / eats) lunch.
Part 3: What's the Verb?
A verb is an action word. Read each sentence and underline the verb.
- The boy jumps high.
- We read a story.
- The fish swims in the tank.
- I write my name.
Worksheet
Pronoun and Adjective Practice
Name: _________________________
Part 1: Pronoun Power!
A pronoun takes the place of a noun (like 'he', 'she', 'it', 'they'). Circle the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.
- She / Her plays with the ball. (talking about a girl)
- My dog is happy. It / He wags its tail.
- Mom and Dad are home. Them / They are cooking dinner.
- Look at that book! Is it / he yours?
Part 2: Adjective Actions!
An adjective describes a noun (like 'big', 'red', 'happy'). Circle the adjective in each sentence.
- The fluffy cat slept.
- I saw a big elephant.
- She wore a red hat.
- The boy is happy.
Quiz
Unit Post-Test