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Brainstorming​​ ​a​ ​Powerful​​ ​Lead:

Learning​ ​Target:​​ ​I​ ​can​ ​engage​​ ​and​​ ​orient​​ ​ ​the​ ​reader​ ​(help
readers​ ​find​ ​out​ ​their​ ​position/location​ ​in​ ​the​ ​time​ ​and​ ​place​ ​of​ ​the​ ​story)​ ​by
establishing​ ​a​ ​context​ ​and​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view​​ ​and​ ​introducing​ ​a​ ​narrator
and/or​ ​characters.
1.​ ​Read​ ​the​ ​first​ ​few​ ​paragraphs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​following​ ​famous​ ​leads.
From​ ​Chains​,​ ​by​ ​Laurie​ ​Halse​ ​Anderson:
“The​ ​best​ ​time​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​ghosts​ ​is​ ​just​ ​before​ ​the​ ​sun​ ​comes​ ​up.​ ​ ​That’s
when​ ​they​ ​can​ ​hear​ ​us​ ​true,​ ​Momma​ ​said.​ ​That’s​ ​when​ ​ghosts​ ​can​ ​answer
us.”
From​ ​Warriors​ ​Into​ ​the​ ​Wild​,​ ​by​ ​Erin​ ​Hunter:
“It​ ​was​ ​very​ ​dark.​ ​Rusty​ ​could​ ​sense​ ​something​ ​was​ ​near.​ ​They​ ​young
tomcat’s​ ​eyes​ ​opened​ ​wide​ ​as​ ​he​ ​scanned​ ​the​ ​dense​ ​undergrowth.​ ​This
place​ ​was​ ​unfamiliar,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​strange​ ​scents​ ​drew​ ​him​ ​onward,​ ​deeper​ ​into
the​ ​shadows.​ ​His​ ​stomach​ ​growled,​ ​reminding​ ​him​ ​of​ ​his​ ​hunger.​ ​He
opened​ ​his​ ​jaws​ ​slightly​ ​to​ ​let​ ​the​ ​warm​ ​smells​ ​of​ ​the​ ​forest​ ​reach​ ​the​ ​scent
glands​ ​on​ ​the​ ​roof​ ​of​ ​his​ ​mouth.​ ​Musty​ ​odors​ ​of​ ​leaf​ ​mold​ ​mingled​ ​with​ ​the
tempting​ ​aroma​ ​of​ ​a​ ​small​ ​furry​ ​creature.”
From​ ​Bread​ ​and​ ​Roses,​ ​Too​,​ ​by​ ​Katherine​ ​Paterson
“The​ ​tenements​ ​loomed​ ​toward​ ​the​ ​sky​ ​on​ ​either​ ​side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​alley​ ​like
glowering​ ​giants,​ ​but​ ​they’d​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​wind​ ​off.​ ​There​ ​was​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​trash​ ​in
the​ ​narrow​ ​space​ ​between​ ​them.​ ​It​ ​stank​ ​to​ ​high​ ​heaven,​ ​but,​ ​then,​ ​so​ ​did
he.​ ​He​ ​began​ ​to​ ​burrow​ ​into​ ​the4​ ​heap​ ​like​ ​a​ ​rat.​ ​A​ ​number​ ​of​ ​rodents
squawked​ ​and​ ​scrambled​ ​away.​ ​Hell’s​ ​bells!​ ​ ​He​ ​hoped​ ​they​ ​wouldn’t​ ​bite
him​ ​while​ ​he​ ​was​ ​asleep.​ ​Rat​ ​bites​ ​hurt​ ​like​ ​fury.​ ​For​ ​a​ ​moment​ ​he​ ​stopped
digging,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​freezing​ ​air​ ​drove​ ​him​ ​farther​ ​in.​ ​He​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​warm​ ​himself
by​ ​cursing​ ​his​ ​pa.​ ​The​ ​words​ ​inside​ ​his​ ​head​ ​were​ ​hot​ ​as​ ​flaming​ ​hades,
but​ ​they​ ​didn’t​ ​fool​ ​his​ ​hands​ ​and​ ​feet,​ ​which​ ​ached​ ​from​ ​the​ ​cold.”

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1.​ ​Choose​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​famous​ ​leads.​ ​ ​How​ ​does​ ​the​ ​author​ ​help​ ​readers​ ​to
find​ ​out​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​place,​ ​and​ ​necessary​ ​background​​ ​of​ ​the​ ​story?
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2.​ ​How​ ​does​ ​the​ ​author​ ​blend​ ​these​ ​details​​ ​(time,​ ​place,​ ​narrator,​ ​point
of​ ​view)​ ​into​ ​his​ ​or​ ​her​ ​writing?
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Quote​ ​proof​ ​of​ ​your​ ​anwer:
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Quote​ ​a​ ​second​ ​example:
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3.​ ​Looking​ ​back​ ​at​ ​all​ ​three​ ​leads,​ ​how​ ​does​ ​each​ ​author​ e ​ ngage​ ​the 
reader​ ​and​ ​help​ ​them​ ​to​ ​discover​ ​important​ ​background​ ​of​ ​the
story​ ​in​ ​the​ ​first​ ​paragraph?​ ​Use​​ ​two​ ​details​​ ​from​ ​the​ ​leads​ ​to​ ​support​ ​your
response.

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Your​ ​Turn:
Brainstorm​ ​your​ ​own​ ​lead,​ ​blending​ ​time,​ ​place,​ ​narrator,​ ​and​ ​point 
of​ ​view​​ ​into​ ​your​ ​writing.​ ​ ​Use​ ​the​ ​graphic​ ​organizer​ ​and/or​ ​the​ ​lines
provided​ ​to​ ​free​ ​write​ ​your​ ​ideas.

Brainstorm​ ​Your​ ​Plan:​ ​How​ ​might​ ​you​ ​blend​ ​the​ ​elements​ ​from​ ​your
graphic​ ​organizer​ ​into​ ​the​ ​lead​ ​of​ ​your​ ​narrative:

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 Freewriting​ ​Space 
To​ ​freewrite​ ​your​ ​lead:  
❏ Set​ ​a​ ​specific​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​time​ ​aside​ ​to​ ​write.​ ​ ​5-10​ ​minutes​ ​is​ ​usually
good.
❏ Write​ ​without​ ​stopping.​ ​Get​ ​the​ ​ideas​ ​that​ ​are​ ​in​ ​your​ ​head​ ​on​ ​paper.
❏ Don’t​ ​worry​ ​about​ ​spelling,​ ​grammar,​ ​and​ ​punctuation.​ ​The​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​to
write​ ​freely​ ​and​ ​openly​ ​recording​ ​the​ ​ideas​ ​in​ ​your​ ​brain​ ​on​ ​paper.
❏ When​ ​the​ ​time​ ​is​ ​up,​ ​read​ ​through​ ​your​ ​freewriting​ ​and​ ​annotate.
Cross​ ​out​ ​unnecessary,​ ​unrelated​ ​ideas.​ ​ ​Circle​ ​good​ ​ideas​ ​that​ ​have
the​ ​potential​ ​to​ ​turn​ ​into​ ​something​ ​beautiful!

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 Write​ ​Your​ ​Lead 
Use​ ​your​ ​brainstorming​ ​to​ ​write​ ​your​ ​lead.​ ​ ​Remember,​ ​your 
goal​ ​is​ ​to​ ​engage​ ​and​ ​orient​ ​your​ ​reader​ ​by​ ​establishing​ ​a 
context​ ​and​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view​ ​for​ ​your​ ​story. 
 

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Share​ ​your​ ​lead​ ​with​ ​a​ ​partner.​ ​ ​Get​ ​meaningful​ ​feedback​ ​from 
your​ ​partner:  
❏ Did​ ​you​ ​engage​ ​the​ ​reader? 
❏ Does​ ​your​ ​reader​ ​know​ ​the​ ​context​ ​and​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view​ ​of 
your​ ​story?  

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 Check​ ​out​ ​other​ ​great​ ​products  
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​ ​ ​ ​Read​ ​it.​ ​Write​ ​it.​ ​Learn​ ​it. 
Dear​ ​Teacher,
I​ ​started​ ​Read​ ​it.​ ​Write​ ​it.​ ​Learn​ ​it.​ ​in​ ​2017​ ​after​ ​creating​ ​my​ ​first​ ​escape​ ​room.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​so
excited​ ​about​ ​the​ ​experience​ ​that​ ​I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​share​ ​my​ ​ideas​ ​with​ ​other​ ​teachers​ ​in
classrooms​ ​across​ ​the​ ​country.​ ​My​ ​escape​ ​rooms​ ​ended​ ​up​ ​being​ ​shared​ ​around​ ​the
world!​ ​They​ ​were​ ​such​ ​a​ ​hit,​ ​I​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​start​ ​sharing​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​my​ ​curriculum.​ ​After
teaching​ ​7th​ ​grade​ ​for​ ​16​ ​years,​ ​I​ ​know​ ​that​ ​kids​ ​learn​ ​best​ ​when​ ​they​ ​are​ ​engaged​ ​and
active.​ ​ ​All​ ​of​ ​my​ ​lessons​ ​are​ ​designed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​engaging,​ ​interactive,​ ​and
standards-based.​ ​ ​This​ ​brainstorming​ ​leads​ ​lesson​ ​is​ ​adapted​ ​from​ ​my​ ​full​ ​Narratives​ ​as
Mentor​ ​Texts​ ​Independent​ ​Reading​ ​Study,​ ​available​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Read​ ​it.​ ​Write​ ​it.​ ​Learn​ ​it.
Teachers​ ​Pay​ ​Teachers​ ​store.
In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​my​ ​experiences​ ​in​ ​the​ ​classroom,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​also​ ​worked​ ​as​ ​a​ ​curriculum
ambassador​ ​for​ ​grades​ ​6-12​ ​ELA​ ​in​ ​my​ ​school​ ​district​ ​and​ ​as​ ​an​ ​ambassador​ ​of​ ​the
Common​ ​Core​ ​for​ ​surrounding​ ​districts.​ ​As​ ​New​ ​York​ ​State​ ​worked​ ​to​ ​shift​ ​to​ ​the​ ​new
standards,​ ​I​ ​helped​ ​to​ ​train​ ​fellow​ ​teachers,​ ​sharing​ ​both​ ​the​ ​standards​ ​and​ ​different
methods​ ​of​ ​adapting​ ​lessons​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​new​ ​expectations.​ ​Most​ ​recently,​ ​I’ve​ ​developed
and​ ​led​ ​teachers​ ​in​ ​my​ ​district​ ​through​ ​training​ ​in​ ​standards​ ​based​ ​learning​ ​and​ ​grading.
I​ ​know​ ​how​ ​many​ ​expectations​ ​teachers​ ​are​ ​overwhelmed​ ​with,​ ​and​ ​my​ ​greatest​ ​joy
comes​ ​from​ ​knowing​ ​that​ ​the​ ​quality,​ ​standards-based​ ​lessons​ ​and​ ​materials​ ​I​ ​create
can​ ​help​ ​save​ ​teachers​ ​time​ ​so​ ​they​ ​can​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​enjoying​ ​the​ ​learning​ ​process​ ​with
their​ ​students.
I​ ​share​ ​my​ ​teaching​ ​adventures​ ​on​ ​my​ ​blog​ ​and​ ​on​ ​social​ ​media:
 
Follow​ m
​ e​ o ​ n​ i​ nstagram:​ ​@readitwriteitlearnit 
Follow​ m​ e​ o ​ n​ F​ aceBook:​ ​@readitwriteitlearnit 
Follow​ m ​ e​ o ​ n​ T​ witter:​ ​@aierstokELA 
 
Check​ ​out​ ​my​ ​blog​ ​for​ ​great​ ​ELA​ ​classroom​ ​ideas,​ ​teaching​ ​tips,​ ​and​ ​more. 
www.readitwriteitlearnit.com  
 
Be​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​click​ ​and​ ​follow​ ​the​ ​Read​ ​it.​ ​Write​ ​it.​ ​Learn​ ​it.​ ​Teachers​ ​Pay 
Teachers​ ​store​ ​for​ ​the​ ​latest​ ​products,​ ​freebies,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​full​ ​Narratives​ ​as 
Mentor​ ​Texts​ ​Independent​ ​Reading​ ​Study. 
 
 
 

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Thank​ ​you, 
   
  Emily