Revise Lynx and Wolverine

Common Core Connection

 This standard is about applying the evaluation skill. The students edit or revise a text based on questions or suggestions from peers or teachers.  Evaluation of writing requires some background knowledge in sentence structure, grammar, and paragraph structure. Keeping all this in mind students learn to make revisions to a piece of informational text.  The one thing I try to add is that students need to put their ideas in their own words.  I find that my  students want to copy straight from the text when writing an informational piece.  This standard might really help the students get away from that since they are making changes to their previous work.

Lesson Overview

Now, I find this is more meaningful if the students revise a piece of their own work. So, for guided practice, I allow my students to revise a piece of text we wrote about the lynx, and then, for independent practice, they will apply what they learned about revision to their own paragraph based on my questions or suggestions and their peers' questions or suggestions.  The students work in small heterogeneous groups and transition frequently. I have a video in the resources on each strategy I use (heterogeneous grouping along with transitioning) if you want to know more.

This is the third of three lessons using this text. The first lesson was on text features, and the second was on writing an original informational paragraph. This lesson we will revise the paragraph created in the previous lesson.

Introductory Activity

To engage the class, I project the lesson image of the lynx on the board. Then, I place the text that needs revising on the board as well.  I ask the students to discuss some changes that might make this paragraph better.  While the students talk I am assessing their prior knowledge in relation to editing.

Next, I share the lesson plan and goal for the lesson. To make sure my students really hear the goal I ask them to chant it three times. This repetition also helps memory.

This is when we work on speaking and listening which is a shift in Common Core.  About three students read their work in front of the class, while others listen attentively. The students listening my volunteer an evaluation or idea to help their peer improve their work.  Constructive criticism is also something I model if the class has no ideas to help their peers. We try to avoid comments like, "Good job."  So, I want the students to be specific, and there is an example in the resources.