Summary

On the surface this unit may seem to be a simple, fun fiction exploration with incidental connection to Hidden Villa. It is, actually, very much tied to Hidden Villa's goal to teach the importance and roles of all living things. During general studies of fiction writing, students often come up with plots based on animal characters. Often these characterizations are of animals (e.g. lions, tigers, and bears) which most of the students have never seen, animals which do not reside in the local ecosystem. In contrast, this fiction unit encourages students to delve deeper into the animal realm of Hidden Villa. In order to create a realistic fictional account of their characters' lives, students stretch themselves to pay closer attention to minute details of their animals' habitat, behavior, adaptations, and placement in the food chain. Turning seemingly insignificant animals into characters they care about heightens students' appreciation of these animals and the intricacy of their local habitat. (Several students have written stunning stories starring banana slugs, rolly-pollies and worms.) Furthermore, this results in students' increased concern for these animals' habitats.

Teacher Background

Part I: Reading as Writers

You may wish to modify these lesson ideas according to the writing concepts you have already investigated, and integrate into your writer's workshop conversations ideas from stories you and your class have read together. Regardless of how much time we, as readers, have studied fiction, it is still very useful for my class to spend a week of writer's workshop time to study, from a writer's point of view, a set of carefully chosen books. I have listed some titles that have worked well for me. These selections should be readily available to other teachers. You have your own favorites that you would prefer to use.

Lesson 1: Reading fiction to create a plot plan

Lesson 2: Continuing to make plot plans

Lesson 3: Making plot plans as a class and in pairs

Lesson 4: Outlining the plot plan in pairs

Lesson 5: Outlining the plot plan individually

Lesson Adaptations: Second and Third Grades

Part II: Developing Plot Outlines

Now that students have studied many different exemplary models of fiction stories and explored basic plot structure, they are ready to take on the challenge of creating their own fiction story plots. During the first several days, students are supported in their process of learning to make up their own plot plans. As they generate these plot plans, I encourage you to collect them, read them over and support your students' learning with your constructive comments. Spending several days on just generating plot plans may seem excessive; however, this investment of time pays off later. Creating a good plot is not easy. As with any other new skill, students get better with supported practice. Trying to pull a student through the writing process with a weak plot can be frustrating to both you and the student. Being able to choose from several different plot plans instead of just one ensures that students will at least be working with a good initial idea as they learn the craft of writing fiction.

Lesson 1: Choosing a Hidden Villa main characters as a class

Lesson 2: Developing plot outlines in pairs

Lesson 3: Developing characters as a class, in pairs and individually

Lesson 4: Developing action using the class plot outline

Part III: Writing the Rough Draft

Before proceeding to this stage, look through all of your students' plot outlines and write constructive comments on them. This will help students make any needed changes in their plot before they start writing. For students with more than one plot outline, this will greatly help them choose with plot outlines they are going to use for their final story.

Lesson 1: Choosing a plot outline and reviewing story beginnings

Lesson 2: Developing three different story beginnings

Lesson 3: Developing the story setting as a class and individually

Lesson 4: Incorporating dialogue through improvisation

Lesson 5: Using quotation marks with dialogue

Part IV: Revision, Editing and Publishing

Finishing the rough draft of their story could take students just another day or two, or several, depending on the length of their story and the pace at which they write. During this time you may notice your students struggling with various writing issues. Jot down these challenges and develop other mini-lessons to address them. You may wish to dedicate all of the writing workshop time to rough drafts with one-on-one teacher-student conferences. I recommend checking in at least once with each student in the early phases of rough draft writing to support the development of their ideas. Guiding a students at this point is much easier than waiting until s/he has completed the rough draft, and then discovering the draft does not make any sense.

Teacher Background

Introduction

My students have found the following organizing tool very helpful in structuring plots: somebody - somewhere - wants something - but - so - finally. However, I often find that it is difficult for students to think creatively about what their character might “want.”

To support them in this step, we study several different short fiction books written in the style I want my students to learn. After reading each book together we discuss what we think was the general goal of each main character. I also guide my students in looking at how the writer demonstrated to us what this character’s goal was, pointing out that the writer rarely actually spells out the character’s desires directly. 4th and 5th grade students are able to explore 5 different types of general character goals. These broad character goals give my students enough structure to be able to create specific plots that are cohesive and create an interesting story.

Five General Character Goals

For 3rd grade I would recommend perhaps limiting your study to the two or three you think your students will find most interesting. In 2nd grade, focusing on just one character goal and reading more example of story plots with this focus is a beneficial way to get started. Of course, there are always those students who have read widely and already have an innate sense of plot, whose creativity is bound to spill over and surprise us.

Classroom Relevance

These teaching challenges are much easier to confront when students' fiction-story realm is confined to Hidden Villa's habitats. Hidden Villa provides a very interesting setting that does not need to be created, rather simply remembered and described. This allows students to focus on the other elements of fiction. Since the peaceful Hidden Villa experience does not allow for TV programs, inappropriate movies or video games, I make it clear that non of these things can appear in students' stories. This forces students to exercise their imaginations, something that is unfortunately fading quickly from our students' sense of childhood. Students are generally very excited about their relationship to Hidden Villa and enjoy a writing project that prolongs and extends their stay, if only in their minds.

Lesson Plan

Part I: Getting Started

Lesson 1: Reading fiction to create plot plans

Read or re-read the story Stellaluna by Jannel Cannon, from a writer's point of view together as a class. Model how to think about the main character's general goal or desire (to belong or feel loved). Demonstrate how this story can be mapped out in the story plot plan. Discuss the scientific information the author included. (Other suggestions: Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester, or other Tacky books)

Repeat Lesson 1 with the book Click-Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin (fight for fairness or justice). The chart you did together for Stellaluna should be in a prominent place where students can refer to it. This time, model less and place more responsibility on your students to fill in the chart. (Other suggestion: The Gnats of Knotty Pine, by Bill Peet)

Read aloud the book Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey, as an example of the general goal of going on a quest to find or do something special. After a class discussion, guide the class in filling the plot chart only up to the box "wants." Then, send them back to their seats in pairs to finish the plot plan. Share as a class at end of lesson. (Other suggestions: Corduroy, by Don Freeman, or Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.)

Lesson Adaptations

Second Grade

Follow the same pattern of a gentle release of responsibility for being able to outline the main plot events, but focus on just one general character goal. Choose the goal you think would be most interesting or easy for your students to study, and read several examples with this focus.

Third Grade

Follow the same pattern of a gentle release of responsibility for being able to outline the main plot events, but focus on just two general character goals. Spend the first 2-3 days on examples of the first general goal. Then spend the next 2-3 days reading examples of the next type of general character goal.

Part II: Developing Plot Outlines

Lesson 1:Choosing an Hidden Villa main character as a class

Ask students to list as many animals that live at Hidden Villa as they can remember (whole class, pairs or individual). As an extension, you could ask them to add one or two scientific facts next to each animal. Together as a class, choose one animal for the main character of the plot plan you will create together. Discuss what scientific facts about this animal could be used in a story. Then choose one of the five general character goals (see Summary) for your class plot. Think-Pair-Share ideas for your plot plan.

As a class, decide on one plot outline for your class story and finish filling in the plot outline chart together. (This could become a short interactive writing project.) In pairs, students now come up with plot outlines together. Instruct them to use the same general character goal as chosen by the class. Share ideas at the end in a class discussion.

Focus on character development. Discuss personality traits that would go with the plot you have outlined. Make or refer to a chart of character traits that can be posted in the class. Additional notes can be added to this chart during your fiction study. Demonstrate how to use a web to help organize the class's ideas about the character they are creating (personality, scientific facts, life facts.) Each student should choose an animal for their main character. Then, practice developing this character individually or with the support of a partner.

Lesson 4: Developing action using the class plot outline

Focus on development of actions (BUT, SO). Go back to the class plot outline. Do the events in the "but" and "so" boxes go with the character you have developed? (For example, it wouldn't make sense for a lizard to make a home in the pond.) Encourage students to extend their ideas or think of new events. Students finish the plot outline they were working on during previous Lesson.

Extension Idea: For homework, write an entirely different plot outline based on the same character.

Part III: Writing the Rough Draft

Lesson 1: Choosing a plot outline and reviewing story beginnings

Individual: Students re-read their plot outlines (along with teacher commentary). They choose the plot outline they are going to develop into a story and focus on making necessary revisions.

Orientation: Review the three interesting ways to start a story (dialogue, description, or action). Hand out the student worksheet examples of good fiction story beginnings (see Download Materials).

Support: Students work in pairs to identify what type of beginning each example represents. Share ideas as a class.

Lesson 2: Developing three different story beginnings

Orientation: Review the 3 types of good fiction beginnings. As a class, come up with engaging ways to start the story of the class's plot outline. Guide your students' thinking and write down one exemplary idea for each type of beginning.

Individual: Students think of three different, engaging ways to start their own story - one of each beginning type. (In the lower grades, one good beginning would be a sufficient goal.)

Discussion: Share ideas as class.

Lesson 3: Developing the story setting as a class and individually

Orientation: Focus on the story setting. For the plot outline developed by the class, discuss the exact setting of the central action. What are the main features of this setting? Maybe make a web of these ideas. (Younger students could draw a picture.) Review descriptive language. Make a list of interesting adjectives. Discuss how a writer might use the description of the setting in the story.

Individual: Back in their seats, students copy down the good beginning they chose from the previous lesson and start writing their rough drafts with a focus on integrating the setting.

Discussion: Share ideas at the end.

Lesson 4: Incorporating dialogue through improvisation

Orientation: Focus on dialogue. Talk about how writers need to really get into the roles of their main characters to figure out what they might say in a situation. Choose two characters from a story and, with a student, role play a situation from the story action which requires conversation. At the end of several role plays, ask the class to decide what parts of the improvised dialogue they think could be included in the actual story.

Individual: Students can continue with their rough drafts with a focus on including dialogue.

Extension: After modeling, break students into pairs to practice role playing characters from their stories and improvising dialogue.

Lesson 5: Using quotation marks with dialogue

Orientation: Focus on mechanics of writing dialogue. Review or introduce how to use quotation marks. You could use the improvised conversation from the previous day as model. This could also become a short class interactive writing piece.

Individual: Students continue writing their rough drafts.

Part IV: Revision, Editing and Publishing

Finishing the rough draft of their story could take students just another day or two, or several, depending on the length of their story and the pace at which they write. During this time you may notice your students struggling with various writing issues. Jot down these challenges and develop other mini-lessons to address them. You may wish to dedicate all of the writing workshop time to rough drafts with one-on-one teacher-student conferences. I recommend checking in at least once with each student in the early phases of rough draft writing to support the development of their ideas. Guiding a students at this point is much easier than waiting until s/he has completed the rough draft, and then discovering the draft does not make any sense.

As students approach completion of their rough drafts, review with your class the procedure of student revision conferences. Each teacher has his or her own way to conduct this process, so I will not go through all the steps. However, I do recommend using a check list specific to the writing genre studied. Being a revision advisor is challenging. I believe strongly in holding students accountable for doing a good job. I particularly want students to demonstrate the ability to revise and refine the specific elements we focused on in my mini-lessons.

I separate the steps of revision and editing, since students should focus on different aspects of their writing in each step. You may want to devise a checklist for your students' editing conferences as well. In this way they can be held accountable for particular grammar rules, sight words or vocabulary words they have been studying.

Download Materials 

Student Worksheets

Part I

Lessons 3, 4, 5

Part II

Lesson 2

Plot Outline for 2nd and 3rd grade

Plot Outline for 4th and 5th grade

Part III

Lesson 1