Lesson Plan: Writing Mini Lesson

Grade: 5

Time: 40 minutes

Standard: English Language Arts Standards- Writing

Text Types and Purposes
W.5.5.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
• Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related
information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia
when useful to aiding comprehension.
• Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples related to the topic.

Objective: Students will be able to form a well developed paragraph/ essay based on the major points
they have learned from their nonfiction book.

Materials:

• The book, Energy Today: Nuclear Power

• Article, What Are Nuclear Power Plants?

Lesson Sequence:

Anticipatory Set-

• “Boys and girls, we have learned about nuclear energy after reading the book, Energy Today
Nuclear Power through the use of book’s text , pictures, charts and diagrams. Furthermore in this
book, we have also seen how authors organize the main points that they want to inform their readers
about.”

State Objective and Purpose-

• Well, today we are going to learn how to write a paragraph/essay that will inform others about
the topic that we have learned about from reading our nonfiction books. Using the facts we have
learned as supporting details in the paragraph.

Teach and Model-

 First, we need to look through the notes we jotted down when we read our books in order to
find out what the main ideas were in the book. Show this chart on board.
o Three things I have learned from this book are…
1. Nuclear power is a powerful form of energy.
2. Nuclear energy is formed by splitting atoms.
3. Nuclear waste that is dangerous.
 • Next you need to find the details from the book that support these main points. These are the
facts the author uses throughout the book. For example, the details that support the first point
are:
• Show these details on the board.
1. Nuclear energy supplies many homes and factories around the world with electricity.
There are 270 nuclear reactors around the world. France, Belgium and Finland get half
their electricity from nuclear power. The United States gets a sixth of its electricity from
this source. Nuclear power stations are expensive to build but they are inexpensive to
run.
2. In 1939, nuclear energy was discovered when scientists discovered that uranium atoms
could be split in two. This process is called fission and produces great heat. During this
chain reaction, smaller particles called neutrons are produced making the constant heat
needed to make electricity.
3. Nuclear waste is dangerous. Nuclear waste is difficult to dispose of. This waste cannot
be simply thrown away because it stays radioactive. This waste’s harmful rays stay
dangerous for many years and must be buried in steel containers at sea.
• “Next, your ideas need to be organized in a logical manner so it makes sense to your readers.
The format to use is: write a topic sentence, state a major point, use supporting details or
facts, and write a conclusion sentence.” Show this paragraph on the board.
o For Example:
(Topic Sentence)Nuclear energy is a powerful energy source that supplies numerous
homes and factories with electricity around the world. (Point #1)There are
approximately 270 reactors around the world that produce nuclear energy.( Point #2)
Also, countries like France, Belgium and Finland get half their electricity for nuclear
power whereas the United States only gets a sixth of its electricity from this source of
energy. (Point #3)Even though, nuclear power stations are expensive to build but
inexpensive to run. (Conclusion) As a result of these power stations, nuclear power
provides many countries with a powerful energy source.

Guided Practice:

• Hand out article to students, “What Are Nuclear Power Plants”

 Give students time to read the article. “Students you will need to come up with three examples
of what they have learned from it”. Have students take notes about the article’s main ideas and
the supporting details. Remember to use the format that was just discussed that uses a topic
sentence, state the main points, uses supporting details and a provides a conclusion sentence.
 As students to share their main points and details. List these on the board. As a class, have
students work together to come up with a paragraph about this article using these points and
details. Write this paragraph on the board.
Independent Practice/ Assessment:

• “Boys and girls when you begin writing today, I want you to look at the notes you took when you
read your book. Ask yourself what are at least three things that I have learned from this book?
What details support what I have learned? Come up with a strong topic sentence and follow
the format that writers use to inform and explain their ideas and points to their audiences.

• During independent writing, I will be circulating in order for you to show me the main ideas from
your books and the supporting details and the paragraphs you are writing.”

Closure-

Today we have learned to use the paragraph format along with the notes we have made during our
readings to construct well developed paragraphs that inform our readers about the information we have
gained from reading our nonfiction books.

• “Return quickly and quietly to your seats and begin writing about your topics”

Assessments:

• I will know students are successful if they have constructed well developed paragraphs based on
the paragraph format that uses: a topic sentence, details and a conclusion. The student’s use of
this format will help their paragraphs logically explain or inform the readers of what they have
learned from the nonfiction text.