Kaitlin Jenkins

Instead of Said Lesson Plan

Standards: W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
W.4.3.b.Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the
responses of characters to situations.

Objective: Students will use more interesting and meaningful words in their writing instead of
using said.

Materials: Chicken Little by Steven Kellogg, Writers Notebook, pencil, reference sheet
handout, blank piece of paper

Procedure: I will call the students to the carpet and tell them to bring their Writers Notebook
and a pencil. I will begin by explaining how when good writers use dialogue in their writing,
they do not overuse the word said. I will explain how sometimes it is appropriate to use said, but
in most cases we can find another word that does a better job of explaining what we want to say.
Before I begin to read Chicken Little, I will tell the students to look out for words the author uses
instead of said when describing what the characters are saying. As I read I will be sure to
emphasize these words with the inflection in my voice. I will tell the students to jot down in their
Writers Notebook the instead of said words they hear, as I read.
Once I finish reading Chicken Little I will ask the students to share the instead of said words
they hear. Then, I will hand out the reference sheet and we will discuss how it is important to
think of how the character is feeling when thinking of what word to use instead of said.
Assessment: Students will choose a piece of writing from either their Writers Notebook or their
personal narratives in the hallway. The students will read their story and find the times they
wrote said and come up with other words to use. The students can use the reference sheet
handout and the list of words they jotted down in their Writers Notebook to get ideas of words
to use. The students can write down their revised sentences including the instead of said words
on another piece of paper. Then, the students can share what they come up with.