In this module, students read and respond to the traditional story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson to learn about narrative structure, how to develop clear event sequences, and how to develop a character. They also read and evaluate each other’s stories from the position of both writers (deciding whether and how to revise their own pieces) and readers (reviewing others’ pieces).

This initial activity draws on students' background knowledge and develops their confidence to participate in an online discussion.

Main CCSS Focus

W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events, using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Specific CCSS Focus

L.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.5.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

The aim of this activity is for students to read a text about a journey and to deepen their comprehension of it through discussion, both face-to-face and online. It will also enable students to develop their class learning community.

The activity introduces a model of a narrative that students can refer to as they plan and write their own narratives in the activities that follow. A personal story can also engage students more in writing.

A Think-Pair-Share may be used to scaffold the discussion. In a Think-Pair-Share, students think for one minute and then share their ideas with a partner. In the sharing, each person speaks for about 45 seconds while the other person actively listens. The activity also provides an opportunity to discuss how students can support their peers through their comments in Community. In addition, set up protocols for using formal academic language in Community.

CCSS Focus

RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to a challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects ona topic; summarize the text.

SL.5.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.5.1c: Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

This activity supports students to explore vocabulary and spelling in context, and practice their scanning reading strategy.

Ask students to set up an ‘Interesting Words’ file. This can be a digital file or a vocabulary/spelling journal that is a record of frequently used words, personally significant words, topic or domain specific words. To use this file effectively, students need modelling and overt instruction through ‘think alouds’ in which the teacher pretends to be a student as he she/he tries to work out the meaning of a word from context, looks up sources to define words, and uses spelling strategies. This overt instruction can be with a whole class or small groups, and should be limited to five to 10 minute sessions. Students may work collaboratively with their peers to discuss definitions and spelling strategies, and do partner testing of spelling words. This will enable the teacher to offer further individualized support and focused mini lessons for students who require it.

Model how to use contextual clues such as looking at words, phrases and sentences that immediately follow the word, which might provide a definition through a restatement, example, contrast, comparison, cause/effect relationship or condition. A word's position or function in a sentence can be a clue. Transition words such as similarly, on the other hand, and if can also be clues.

Model and display spelling strategies such as using spelling patterns, generalizations, sounding out, chunking, visual memory, and analogy. Use ‘think alouds’ to identify and highlight the difficult part or special feature that will help students to remember how to spell a particular word. Teach students to use a Look, Say, Cover, Visualize, Write, Check strategy in partner testing of spelling words.

Use word study to explore word origins and discover generalizations about English spelling. Word study also increases specific knowledge of words – the spelling and meaning of individual words. Focus on word origins, base words, prefixes, suffixes, morphemes and uncommon plurals.

CCSS Focus

L.5.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.5.4a: Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.5.4b: Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).

L.5.4c: Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of keys words and phrases.

L.5.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; including those that signal contrast, addition and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, similarly, moreover, in addition).

RL.5.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.

This activity explicitly names the structure of a narrative in order for students to learn about sequencing experiences and events in a narrative.

Students can work with a partner to discuss which quotes are most appropriate to illustrate the aspect of the narrative structure. The discussion is important to scaffold thinking and to encourage students to find evidence in the text. Each student should complete the table, either electronically or hand written. Students may refer to their completed charts and annotated texts when they write their own texts. However, for accountability, students may also be required to submit them to the teacher through Submissions in Community.

CCSS Focus

W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events, using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

W.5.3e: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

This survey will provide information on students' understanding of narrative structure and their comprehension of the text. It will reinforce learning from the previous two activities and support students as they begin to plan their own narratives.

Survey Results: Go to the Survey Tool in Publisher. Then go to Find a Survey => Already Distributed Surveys => Results

CCSS Focus

W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events, using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W.5.3a: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

W.5.3c: Use a variety of transitional words, phrases and clauses to manage the sequence of events.

W.5.3e: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Assigning the project to the students at this stage is important to set clear expectations, and also so students can begin to plan their narratives using the Structure Tool.

If this is students' first experience of Scholar, then it may be worthwhile to add the following Overt Instruction Updates from The Writer's Toolkit: Strategies for Writing in the New Media.

• How to Write in Scholar - will support students to explore and understand the Creator space
• How to Plan using the Structure Tool

Project Rubric

CCSS Focus

W.5.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events, using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W.5.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

W.5.6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

This activity includes overt instruction about "showing rather than telling" in describing and developing characters. The students complete the example from The Ugly Duckling and then complete a chart based on their own narrative.

Students can work with a partner to discuss which response best describes the reactions of the Ugly Duckling. The discussion is important to scaffold thinking and to encourage students to find evidence in the text. Each student should complete the chart either electronically or hand written. For accountability, students may be required to submit the completed charts to the teacher through Submissions in Community. The second chart will be a useful reference as students develop their narratives in Creator.

CCSS Focus

RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in the poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

W.5.3b: Use narrative techniques such as dialogue, description and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

This update covers two stages of the writing process in Scholar: Review and Revision.

Before the students submit their final work, run the Analytics. Check the percentage of text revised between one draft and the next, the number of words currently written and the grade level of the writing. You may wish to ask some students to do more work before they submit.

CCSS Focus

W.5.5: With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying anew approach.

W.5.6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.5.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Notifications of publication are provided to the creator and all reviewers.

This reflection activity promotes student metacognition about what makes quality writing by reading and reflecting on other students’ writing. Ask students to look over other people’s published works - have them read at least two or three works. Ask them to comment on something interesting they learned from reading other students’ work. 

Refer to Analytics to see how students have performed.

CCSS Focus

W.5.6: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others.