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Session 14: Studying a Story to Learn Ways the Author Makes It Special
Purpose: To teach children that writers study other authors’ craft, seeing what special things the authors do that they
could try in their own writing.
Standards: ELAGSE1W3, ELAGSE1W7, ELAGSE1RL1, ELAGSE1RL4, ELAGSE1SL1, ELAGSE1Sl2,
ELAGSE1L1, ELAGSE1L2, ELAGSE1L6
Materials:
• Mentor text such as Night of the Veggie Monster
• Document camera to project Night of the Veggie Monster so that all students can see the text
• Small stickers for you and or students to mark places in Night of the Veggie Monster where they notice the
author doing things that make the book special.
• “Learning Craft Moves from a Mentor Author” anchor chart with headings prewritten
• A student’s piece of writing to study the craft moves for Share.
Resources:
Units of Study- Lucy Calkins Writing Narrative Writing Curriculum
Cobb ELA First Grade Writing Unit 1 Overview and Sequence
Hook Teaching Point Active Link Mid-Workshop Share
Engagement Teaching Point
Talk about people TP: “Today I want to teach Teacher will “Today and every Highlight a student Highlight one or two
emulating a you that when writers read continue to day you can look to that found students who tried
famous athlete. books written by others and read the story your favorite books something an out craft moves. As
A possible say, ‘Oh my goodness! He and stop at for special things to author did and is the child reads his or
connection could just did something special in pages where try in your own trying that in his or her story under the
be: his book that I want to try in George did a writing,” her story. Show the document camera
“Have you ever my own writing!’ And then craft move students what that have the students
watched a pro they try it!” such as put a child did. put their thumb up
soccer player and Teaching: Demonstrate word in all whenever they
seen him or her studying a mentor author, caps, bold a notice a craft move.
do something naming specific moves he word etc.
special and made that make his Small Students will
thought, ‘I’m Moment story so special and turn and talk
going to try and then trying out those moves. with their
do that?’ When An example: partner what
you study what a “We are going to study a George did.
great athlete does writer ad try out a way he The teacher
and then try the writes.” summarizes
same Remind students of the what children
book, Night of the Veggie notice and
Monster. adds onto the
Then ask, “How many of you chart.
thought, ‘I wonder if I can Refer to page
write Small Moment stories 120 in unit 1.
like that?’ Yes, you have
been writing Small Moment
stories like that one since the
beginning of first grade, but
there is still so much to
learn.”
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“Since we already know a lot

from this one book, we’re
going to have to study it
closely.”
“Today we are going to learn
from George McClements.
We are going to try and
answer the question, What
does George McClements do
to make Night of the Veggie
Monster so special? As I read
what how I notice what
George has done that makes
this one small moment so
special.”
Teacher reads the page in
the book that says: It all
starts when I’m forced to
eat…PEAS! With the slightest
touch…
It begins.
“Wow! See how George
changed how we read this
and got us excited by putting
in those three dots? George
could have written, ‘It all
starts when I’ m forced to
eat a peas! With the slightest
touch it begin. But instead
George wrote those dots
which are called ellipses. To
tell us to wait a few seconds
before reading on. This is a
signal to the reader to listen
up, here comes the
important part.
Begin an anchor chart that
lists craft moves authors do:
“Leaning Craft Moves from a
Mentor Author” (refer to
page 118 in unit 1)
Try again with another
example of exact actions
where George wrote exactly
what the boy did and read:
The little boy’s toes twist and
curl up in his shoes. He
squirms in his seat. He starts
to transform.
Tell the students that George
could have written My body
doesn’t like it when I eat
peas. Instead George wrote
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exactly what the boy’s body

did when he at a pea Tell
students that those exact
action that George