11.13.07 Reflections on Expository Essays... Redefining the "American Dream"

Title: Reflections on Expository Essays; Redefining the "American Dream"

Author: M. Hill

Subject: Expository Essay, Team building, Grammar

Grade: 6

Week: 1

Unit/Lesson Plan #: 2

Unit theme: Exploring diversity

Textbook references: Write Source Skills Book, Write Source 2000

Learning objectives:

1. To create contracts to work positively as a table group

2. To review week's exercises in grammar

Key Questions, Concepts, or Themes:

Stage 1:

WARM-UP: In your journal, reflect on the process of writing an Expository Essay. What part did you find the most challenging? Why do you think this was so? What part was the easiest? Why? What do you hope to improve upon for your next Expository Essay?

Stage 2:

As students are in new table groups, students will work together as table teams to come up with a "Table Constitution" for their group. This will largely be table group work, and the teacher will circulate to confer with groups. Table Constitutions will be collected and kept on record for each table. This is done with the hope of building stronger and more respectful interactions amongst students in table groupings.

Stage 3:

After table agreements, we will discuss reactions to writing expository essays. Homework for the evening will be explained/introduced - mapping brainstorm on students' visions of "American Dream" and descriptive paragraph as a debriefing on Expository essays, in order to tie together current classroom ideas with future material and set the stage with student opinions on their "ideal America".

Homework: Redefining the "American Dream" [attached]

Assessments: (attach/link copies)

__ Group assessment

__ Observation of process/student work

__ Self-assessment by student

__ Teacher generated assignment

__ Written project

__ Test/Quiz

__ Other: ____________________________________