Brainstorming

Grade 4
1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to explain why and why not Billie Jo should run away from home
by completing a discussion web.
Students will use the information from the web to write a persuasive letter with all the
appropriate components (heading, greeting, topic sentences, concluding sentences,
opening paragraph and concluding paragraph, signature)
1.2 Standard:
CC.1.4.4.JCreateanorganizationalstructurethatincludesrelatedideasgroupedto
supportthewriterspurposeandlinkedinalogicalorderwithaconcludingstatementor
sectionrelatedtotheopinion.
1.3 Anticipatory Set:
The teacher will ask the class to summarize the reading the class did for homework last
night. After the students have summarized, the teacher will ask: What thoughts did Billie
Jo admit to having at the end of the reading? The students should respond that she is
considering leaving her home in Oklahoma before she wastes away there. All right
students, today we are going to consider if Billie Jo should leave Oklahoma or not
through a tool called a discussion web. A discussion web is a tool used for brainstorming
ideas and reasons why Billie Jo should and shouldnt leave. The discussion web allows
for you to consider both sides before deciding on your verdict. This is apart of a new
piece of writing we are going to do for class. Today, we are going to begin the
brainstorming part of the writing process.
1.4 Procedures:
1) Break students up into partners. Give each student a worksheet with the web premade
on it. With your partner begin to brainstorms reasons why Billie Jo should stay and
leave. Use your books and if one of your reasons is a quote make sure you put the page
number on the web. We are looking to have three solid supporting details in each box.
2) Once students have completed the web have them turn to their neighbors and compare
reasons for whether or not Billie Jo should leave.
3) With a discussion web on the SmartBoard, have the class begin to compile all the
reasons as to if Billie Jo should leave her father. Categorize if the reason is a main reason
or textual support for a reason. In the conclusion box split it in half and take a poll of the
class of their final decision.
1.5 Differentiation
Needs more Assistance: The teacher could put in an example answer for each box in the
web so the students have a more concrete guide. Have these students work together as a
large group with the teacher there to provide probes and keep the group on task during
the creation of the web.

Strong: There are two options. Either have these students work alone on the web or have
each pair come up with four supporting details instead of three.
1.6 Closure
Students during Writers Workshop later in the week, you will write a three paragraph
persuasive letter to Billie Jo as to whether or not she should go to Aunt Ellis. Can
anyone tell me what the discussion web serves as in the writing process? Students should
see that the lesson today was to learn a new strategy to brainstorming.
1.7 Assessment
Formative: Teacher will go around the room and see how each group is working and
ideas they are creating. Provide assistance as needed making note of this service.
Additionally the teacher can see if the ideas are strong enough to write during the whole
class construction of the web.
Summative: This lesson would be apart of a small unit on writing a persuasive letter. The
final assessment will be by collecting the letters.
1.8 Materials
Worksheets with Discussion web on it
Hesse, Karen. (1997). Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic
Writers Notebooks
SmartBoard
1.9 Technology
SmartBoard
2.0 Reflection on Planning
I have never written lessons for fourth grade. This book is at a grade equivalent of fifth. I
was a little lost as to an appropriate novel for fourth grade. The beauty of this lesson is
that it is not tailored specifically to Out of the Dust so any book can be replaced. I
thought this book has a fair amount of controversy and a persuasive letter would be an
excellent extension of the book to the writing process. This is why this lesson would be
the first of the lessons in a small unit on the writing process. What I was quite intentional
about was making this lesson not follow the normal gradual release process. This lesson
starts with an introduction to the use of the discussion web. Then students work in pairs
so the teacher has freedom to check on all the pairs and help as needed. The lesson ends
with having an open forum for the students to share different ideas and the teacher can
gage if the class needs more time to come up with supporting ideas for the prompt. This
is the students first persuasive piece and during the beginning of the process I feel the
teacher should be guiding the students so they have the best chance of creating the
strongest piece possible. The release will happen through the writing process.

Follow Up Lesson
Since everyone in here has made a discussion web, the graphic organizer we normally
make during the pre-writing stage is not needed because the web serves the same
purpose. Lets begin to think about how to use the whole web in the letter. What is the
purpose of the topic paragraph? What part of the web should we use in the opening
paragraph? Students should say that the writer states the purpose of the letter and give
the main reasons to support his/her argument. What part of the web would be used in the
body paragraph? Students should say all the support for the main reasons for their
argument. This would include textual support. Use the pros and cons to support why
Billie Jo should stay and go. Can anyone give me an example of a good supporting
sentence? You should not go to Aunt Ellis because your father has skin cancer and no
one to help make him feel better. What is the purpose of the concluding paragraph?
What should be addressed in it? Students should explain how to summarize the rest of the
letter with the main reasons but in different words.
Depending on schedule of classroom students may immediately transition to writers
workshop and begin constructing their letters or when writers workshop is usually
scheduled.