Grade Level/Subject: Language Arts

Date/Period: Dec 5/16-Dec 16/16

Title: If I Were In A Snow Globe - Writing

Assignment

Lesson #:1

Lesson Objective/Rationale (What is the point of the lesson? What should learners be able to
do at the end of the lesson?)
Students will engage in a written piece to take a point of view (pro or con) of living in a snow
globe. Students will explore, in small group and whole class discussion, the pros and cons of
both situations to make a decision on which view point to write their story. Students will use
their own personal experiences and those ideas of the class to write to their arguments and
supportive evidence. Students will use descriptive, juicy words (adjectives) to convince the
audience that their point of view is well argued. Students will be able to describe a setting,
feeling, and or emotion portrayed when writing to their experience. Students will write a final
piece, including creating a snow globe with their own picture to enhance the story and it will be
displayed on the board in the hallway. Time permitting, students will have the opportunity to
share their stories with the class.

Outcomes (What are learners expected to know? Refer to the provincial Program of Studies)
1.1 Discover and Explore
Express ideas and develop understanding
use appropriate prior knowledge and experiences to make sense of new ideas and
information
read, write, represent and talk to explore personal understandings of new ideas
and information
use own experiences as a basis for exploring and expressing opinions and
understanding

1.2 Clarify and Extend

Consider the ideas of others

seek the viewpoints of others to build on personal responses and understanding

Combine ideas
use talk, notes, personal writing and representing to explore relationships among
own ideas and experiences, those of others and those encountered in oral, print and
other media texts

2.1 Use Strategies and Cues

Use prior knowledge

 describe ways that personal experiences and prior knowledge contribute to

understanding new ideas and information

Use comprehension strategies

comprehend new ideas and information by responding personally, taking notes
and discussing ideas with others

2.2 Respond to Texts

Experience various texts

express points of view about oral, print and other media texts

Construct meaning from texts

describe and discuss the influence of setting on the characters and events
support own interpretations of oral, print and other media texts, using evidence
from personal experiences and the texts
retell or represent stories from the points of view of different characters

2.3 Understand Forms, Elements and Techniques

Understand techniques and elements
identify the main problem or conflict in oral, print and other media texts, and
explain how it is resolved
identify and discuss the main character's point of view and motivation
identify examples of apt word choice and imagery that create particular effects

Experiment with language

experiment with words and sentence patterns to create word pictures; identify
how imagery and figurative language, such as simile and exaggeration, convey meaning

2.4 Create Original Text

Generate ideas
use texts from listening, reading and viewing experiences as models for producing
own oral, print and other media texts

Elaborate on the expression of ideas

experiment with modeled forms of oral, print and other media texts to suit
particular audiences and purposes

Structure texts
use structures encountered in texts to organize and present ideas in own oral,
print and other media texts
use own experience as a starting point and source of information for fictional oral,

print and other media texts

3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
Organize information
use clear organizational structures, such as chronological order, and cause and
effect, to link ideas and information and to assist audience understanding
organize ideas and information to emphasize key points for the audience
add, delete or combine ideas to communicate more effectively

4.1 Enhance and Improve

Revise and edit

revise to add and organize details that support and clarify intended meaning
edit for appropriate use of statements, questions and exclamations

Enhance legibility

write legibly, using a style that is consistent in alignment, shape and slant
apply word processing skills, and use publishing programs to organize information

Expand knowledge of language

extend word choice through knowledge of synonyms, antonyms and homonyms
and the use of a thesaurus
distinguish different meanings for the same word, depending on the context in
which it is used

Enhance artistry
experiment with words, phrases, sentences and multimedia effects to enhance meaning and
emphasis
4.2 Attend to Conventions
Attend to grammar and usage

use words and phrases to modify and clarify ideas in own writing
use connecting words to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs

Attend to spelling
use phonic knowledge and skills, visual memory, the meaning and function of
words in context, and spelling generalizations to spell with accuracy in own writing
study and use the correct spelling of commonly misspelled words in own writing
know and consistently apply spelling conventions when editing and proofreading
own writing

Attend to capitalization and punctuation

use capital letters, appropriately, in titles, headings and subheadings in own

writing
use quotation marks and separate paragraphs to indicate passages of dialogue in
own writing
recognize various uses of apostrophes, and use them appropriately in own writing

Assessment (What do you want learners know now?)

Formative Assessment
-Group Discussions during Brainstorming Ideas
-Guided, Facilitated teaching by walking around and assisting students in their ideas
-Scaffolding: Multiple writing pieces to walk students through the steps of writing their story
-Sharing their writing pieces with me to have feedback before moving onto further writing

Summative Assessment
-Final written piece along with snow globe

Differentiation (What accommodations and modifications are necessary to support diverse

learners? Does your plan offer open-ended opportunities for diverse learners?)
Group Discussion
Small group discussion
Working in small groups of select students to assist in creating sentences, scribing, keep on
task
Graphic Organizers to gather evidence and form ideas.

Resources/Materials (What resources need to be prepared and available for various

elements of the lesson?)
Book: The Snow Globe Family
~24 Copies of Appendix A
~24 Copies of Appendix B
~24 copies of Appendix C
Copies as needed of Appendix D of those who wish to write out their final copy

Time

Teaching Activities

Learner Activities

Allotted
(How
much
time will
you
allow?)
Introduction/
Hook (What is
in it for the
students? Why
should they
want to learn
this? What do
they already
know?)

Dec 5:
5-10
Minutes

(What will you do? How will you

adjust the lesson for depth and
pace?)

(What can we see students

doing?)

Introduce a new writing

assignment: If I were in a snow
globe.

Students will be listening

to the story and thinking
about the pros and cons of
living in a snow globe

The purpose of this writing

assignment is to take a
standpoint if it is a positive or a
negative experience being in a
snow globe and to be able to
write to it.
Using own personal experiences
and those ideas of the group,
students will be writing a piece of
work attending to what the
student would do if trapped in a
snow globe.

Read the book aloud: The

Snow Globe Family by Jane
OConnor
Activities
(What will
students be
doing i.e., the
step by step
activities?)

Dec 5:
30-40
Minutes

THE PROS AND CONS TO

LIVING IN A SNOW GLOBE
(Appendix A)

Discuss the element of varied

perspectives using both text and
illustrations.

In groups of three or four,

regardless of which perspective
individuals prefer, brainstorm all
possible pros and cons of living
inside of a snow globe. (~10-15
minutes) using APPENDIX A.

After the group brainstorm, I will

use a google doc (SNOWGLOBE
PRO/CON BRAINSTORM) to
write down all the ideas in both
columns. This master list can be
referenced by students to collect
evidence to support their preferred
perspective in the argument essay

Students will be
brainstorming in small
groups the pros and cons
to living in a snow globe.

they write. This will be made

accessible through the CES
website.

When going through the list,

students will give me great
descriptive, juicy words. Students
will be encouraged to use a
thesaurus to do this. We will work
as a group to write fantastic ideas.

Formulating Perspective and

Arguments
Using the SNOWGLOBE
PRO/CON BRAINSTORM
document from last class (students
can have access or I will display
on the whiteboard) and
APPENDIX B, students
brainstorm and flesh out their
preferred perspective and three
reasons supporting their
perspective choice. Be creative
and convincing. Use arguments
that could convince somebody to
change their minds if he/she
picked the other perspective.
Dec 6-7:
Block of
LA time

Following their brainstorm,

choosing perspective and
formulating 3 arguments students
combine their notes to complete
ITS ALL IN THE DETAILS
(APPENDIX B). This will be the
evidentiary evidence to support the
students argument.

Fun Video to be shown to give a

break:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9HFIXKxGIss

Draft Work

Once the work has been reviewed,

students will start a draft and

Students will be working

on creating their
arguments and supporting
evidence in their stories.

proceed through the writing

process

On Dec 9, remind students to bring

toques/mitts. I will be taking
pictures of the students in a
position of their choice to support
their work.

Show students the examples below

and have them thinking about what
their picture would look like

Checklist and Rubric:

http://www.franklinboe.org/cms/lib/NJ
01000817/Centricity/Domain/39/Stude
nt_FriendlyChecklist.pdf
http://www.enetlearning.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/04/Grades-4-56-Persuasive-rubric.pdf
Dec 8-9:
Block of
LA Time

Draft Work & Final Drafts

-Students continue to work through

the draft work and write a final copy.

Students can have the option to type
the final copy and print using a
computer (File on Google Doc: Final
Draft If I Were In A Snow Globe).
Appendix D is available for students
who wish to write out their final work.

Students will be writing

their first draft of their
stories. Students will be
editing and revising their
work before the final draft
is done.

***Starting Dec 12, I start taking

pictures of students in their toques and
mitts. I will print them off and
students will use them in their snow
globe art portion of the project.

Final Work: Final Draft & Creating

Snow globe art portion of the
project
Dec 1213

-Students will be given time to

complete their final writing piece as
well to decorate their snow globes

Students will be finishing

their draft work and

SNOW GLOBES:

starting their final drafts.

Blue Paper
Plastic Cups
Fake Snow
Hot Glue Gun
Picture of Student
Pop up dimensionals for their picture
Bases:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4
406699/Snow%20Globe.pdf

Dec 1416

Closure (What
have students
learned and
how will it link
to future
learning? How
do students
reflect on that
they have
learned?)

Students will be
completing their final
drafts and will be working
on their snow globes.
Students final writing piece
and artwork will be displayed
on the board.
Time permitting, students will
have the opportunity to read out
loud their stories to the class.

Time permitting, students

will have the opportunity
to read their story to the
class.

Reflection/Self Assessment (What went well? Why did it go well? How did it contribute to
student learning? In what ways might you change the lesson to increase student learning?
Why? How does this inform the next lesson?)

Appendix A

The Pros:
If I were INSIDE a Snow Globe
Name: ________________
Brainstorm all the great things that could happen if you were
in a snow globe. How did you get inside there? What is it
like in there? What can you do in there? How will you get
out? Do you want to get out?

The Cons:
If I were INSIDE a Snow Globe
Name: ________________________

Brainstorm all the not so great things that could happen if

you were in a snow globe. How did you get inside there?
What is it like in there? What can you do or not do? How will you get
out? Do you want to get out?

Name: _______________________

Appendix B

Pro or Con?
3 Arguments for _______________ (Pro or con)
1.
_______________________________________________
______
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________
3. _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
________

Name:__________________________ PRO or CON?__________________

A Great Beginning: How I got in there.

What it feels/sounds/smells/looks like

inside.

What I did inside the snow globe.

A Great Ending How I escaped (if I

did).

Name:_________________________

Appendix C

Draft Work
It is time to put all your work together. Include an opening
sentence stating your position, 3 arguments with supporting
evidence for each argument and a conclusion (last sentence).
Re-read your writing and check for spelling, punctuation and
proper grammar.

Appendix D

If I Were In A Snow Globe

By: ___________________

Appendix E

Picture Examples (will depend on which view point you take)

CON

PRO