Mini-lesson Planning

What is a Mini-lesson?:
A mini-lesson is a short (5-10 min.) lesson with a narrow focus on a craft or skill that students
will then apply to their own reading/writing. A “mini-lesson” is not a traditional lesson plan: it
is typically followed in a class period by independent writing time and/or teacher-student
conferences.

Why do it?:
• To practice planning grammar instruction in the context of reading/writing instruction
• To connect writing models/dilemmas for students to rhetorical choices and their effects on readers (a
core practice of the “Writing Workshop”)
• To address three contexts in which grammar differs: genre, academic discipline, linguistic diversity

How does it work?:

• Please plan for ~ 10 min. in the mini-lessons you write/teach. When teaching, please
remember to “think small”--it is generally ineffective to rush through activities while
commenting, “If we had time, I would…” or “With real students, I would….” Please be
prepared to take questions/feedback from me and your colleagues, and to participate in further
discussion about the mini-lessons you teach and the readings on which they are based.
• Your written mini-lessons should be clear and detailed enough that a substitute could
teach them in your absence. We will use conventions for writing/teaching your mini-
lessons based on the structure defined by Writing Workshop creator, Lucy Calkins.
Please label these parts for each of the three mini-lessons you write; please plan for
these parts and label them in what you turn in (see sample outline/guidelines on next page).

Assignment: Practice Mini-lessons 1-6 (due 5/29, 6/5, 6/12, 6/19, 6/26, 7/3)
You will teach six short (5-10 min.) lessons in class with a group. These mini-lessons must draw on our study
of Kolln & Gray’s Rhetorical Grammar. They cannot be the same as the ones you turn for the Mini-lesson
Trio assignment (see below). You will post a written plan for each practice mini-lesson to CANVAS in
advance of the class in which you teach it.

Assignment: Mini-lesson Trio (draft due 7/10, final 7/20)

You will develop three short (5-10 min.) lessons individually. These cannot be the same as those you taught

with your group as practice lessons. A mini-lesson often addresses models of published writing (“mentor

texts”), includes a visual/memory aid (“anchor chart”) and/or responds to issues that arise in students’

writing/conferences. Yours will address three key concepts: how grammar differs across genres (types of

writing), across academic disciplines (school subjects), and social contexts (who’s talking with whom).
What should a Mini-lesson Look Like? (Sample Outline):
Your Name:

Intended Audience: (describe grade level, students)

Standards: (CCSS, LAFS)

Focus area for the lesson: (i.e., genre, social context, academic discipline)

Complement for the lesson: (i.e., mentor text, anchor chart, student writing/conference)

Challenge (2 min.):

(Name of person teaching this section, if team-taught)

• .Identify a challenge that students are facing in their writing or related activities (e.g., Peer Response,

Share Time, Self-evaluation). In your writing or your teaching of the mini-lesson, explain clearly why

this challenge matters (see rubric criteria): the challenge/strategy should both connect to students’

writing activities and align with grade-level standards.

Strategy (2 min.):

(Name of person teaching this section, if team-taught)

• Teach a strategy for addressing the challenge. You may draw on mentor text(s), student writing, or

your own examples to model the strategy.

Exploration (5 min.):

(Name of person teaching this section, if team-taught)

• Guide students’ exploration of examples in which the strategy addresses the challenge. This guided

practice typically involves interaction among teacher/students and differs from the independent

writing time that usually follows a mini-lesson.

Promotion (1 min.):

(Name of person teaching this section, if team-taught)

• Encourage students to experiment with the strategy when they face the challenge in their own writing

or related activities.

Reflection:

• Please include with your individual trio of lessons a brief (one paragraph) reflection on how the mini-

lessons/discussions in class informed your thinking about creating your own mini-lessons.

How will my Mini-lessons be Graded?:
Mini-lesson Practice: 12% of Overall Grade
Mini-lesson Trio: 18% of Overall Grade

Grade A B C D/E
Criterion
Completeness Always prepared; Always prepared; Always prepared; Unprepared; or did

participated fully; participated; included participated; not participate; or

included all required all required parts; included most missing required

parts (see checklist); followed conventions required parts; parts; or did not

followed conventions followed conventions follow conventions

Alignment All writing strategies All writing strategies Writing strategies Writing strategies did

clearly aligned with aligned with grade- aligned with grade- not align with grade-

grade-level standards level standards level standards level standards

Relevance All writing strategies All writing strategies Writing strategies Writing strategies did

clearly connected to connected to connected to not connect to

challenges students challenges students challenges students challenges students

face face face face

Scaffolding All mini-lessons All mini-lessons Mini-lessons taught Mini-lessons did not

clearly taught students taught students how students how the teach students how

in the time given how the target strategies target strategies the target strategies

the target strategies could achieve certain achieve certain achieve certain

achieve certain rhetorical effects rhetorical effects rhetorical effects

rhetorical effects (though not in the (though not all

time given) lessons)

Diversity All mini-lessons All mini-lessons Mini-lessons address Mini-lessons did not

sensitively address address grammar grammar differences address grammar

grammar differences differences (genre, (genre, discipline, differences (genre,

(genre, discipline, discipline, linguistic linguistic discipline, linguistic

linguistic background) background) background) background)

Rocky D. Bull
Dr. Sherry
LAE 4332-002
20 July 2016
Mini-Lesson Trio Designed for Grade 9

Mini-Lesson #1: Verb Tenses (Social context)

Challenge:
· Sometimes it may be difficult to use the proper verb tense in your academic writing
· At times, the verb tense you may use in conversations can be understood by context clues
· However, in academic writing, using the proper verb tense will strengthen your writing and will allow
readers to easily understand your ideas without having to guess.

Strategy:
· Think of the sentence you wish to write, and determine if the message of that sentence happened in the
past, present, or future.
· If you do not automatically know which verb tense to use, read the sentence aloud and try inserting
multiple options.
· Once you determine if the action of your sentence was in the past, present, or future, use our Verb Tenses
Chart to help you determine if Simple, Progressive, Perfect, or Perfect Progressive best matches the message
your sentence is trying to convey.

Present Past Future

Simple Drive, drives Drove Will drive

(simple present) (simple past) (simple future)

Progressive Am (is, are) Was (were) Will be driving

driving Driving (future
(present (past progressive) progressive)
progressive)

Perfect Has (have) driven Had driven Will have driven

(present perfect) (past perfect) (future perfect)

Perfect Has (have) been Had been driving Will have been
Progressive driving (past perfect driving (future
(present perfect progressive) perfect
progressive) progressive)

Exploration:

Step 1: Determine the verb tense of each orange verb or verb phrase.

· It seemed as though I had been walking for miles and miles.

· I am jumping for joy when I hear the good news.

· She will be swimming for over three hours straight.

· He runs every day at 4:00 pm.

· They will have raised over a thousand dollars if they surpass their goal.

Step 2: Circle the correct verb or verb phrase option in the following sentences. Then, list the name of the
verb tense you chose.

· At Disney World yesterday, the children (will have been yelling/were yelling) with excitement at the sight

of Mickey Mouse.

· Tomorrow we (will be leaving/is leaving) to go on a trip.

· Today, I (am writing/will have been writing) the beginning of my essay.

Promotion:

· Knowing how to use the proper verb tense in your academic writing will help you to strengthen your
writing and allow for your message to be easily understood by readers.
· You can incorporate what we learned about verb tenses in your interview profiles, as well as all academic
writing in high school, college, or whatever field you wish to go into.

Mini-Lesson #2: Terrific Transitions! (Academic Disciplines)

Challenge:

● A lot of times when we are writing personal narratives, we know the details in our minds, and only
write the main facts down on paper.
● Think about a science report, and how it is important to follow the scientific method when conducting
an experiment. Additionally, when describing the details of the experiment it is important to do so in
order, chronologically.
● Like a science report, the details such as setting, time, and order are important to include in our
narratives so that our readers can follow along with our train of thought.
● We want our readers to be on board the train of thought in our writing, and we can accomplish this
with the use of transitions.

●
 Strategy:

● Remember that transitions are linking words that carry one idea to
the next, and help your reader follow along with your train of thought!
● When thinking of the narrative you are going to write, try focusing
on details and chronological order.
● Choose transitions that help relay those details to your reader, so
that they can follow along, and be on board your train of thought.
● Order Words, Time Words, and Location Words are the most
important to clue your reader into important elements of setting.
● You can also use transitions to emphasize a point, add information,
compare, contrast, and summarize.

Exploration:

Let’s practice using transition words in our writing to convey details about
time, order, and location to our readers. Baking a cake is similar to a
science experiment, and transitions are essential in instructions because
doing tasks out of order could potentially ruin the recipe. It is your job to
ensure the instructions are provided with the appropriate transitions so that the cake will be delicious!

With the word bank provided of transitions, fill in the following blanks in the paragraph to create a story that
makes sense chronologically. You should only use each transition word in the word bank once.

________ baking a cake, the _______ step is to gather all of the ingredients. _______, you should
preheat the oven to 325 degrees. ______, you should grease the cake pan with either butter or cooking
spray. ________ the mixing bowl, place the butter and sugar and whip ______ creamy. ________ the
mixture is creamy, add the vanilla and eggs and stir until they are completely blended into the mixture.
Don’t forget to add the flour, or the cake will not rise! ______ everything is blended, pour the mixture
into the greased cake pan. Place the pan into the oven and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes.
_______________ you can work on creating the glaze. Combine powdered sugar and milk for a yummy
glaze. Carefully take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. _______________ the
cake is cooled off somewhat, you can take the cake out of the pan and place it on a serving platter.
_____________ the cake drizzle the glaze until the cake is fully covered. ___________, you can take a
bite of the delicious cake, and know all of your hard work paid off!

Word Bank of Ingredients:

On top of As soon as

Once First
 After Meanwhile

Finally Next

Then Until

Inside When
Promotion:

● In your personal narratives, try to incorporate the use of transitions that specifically communicate
time, order, and location.
● These details will help your reader be on your train of thought in writing!
● Remember that your job as a writer, just like a scientist, is to communicate effectively all of your ideas
so that your reader is never confused and never has the opportunity to wonder what you meant.
● By using transitions in your writing, your readers will be able to understand your intentions and be on
board your train of thought.

Mini-Lesson #3: When to Use Metaphors & Similes (Genres)

Challenge:
● In our poetry lessons, we learned a lot about metaphors and similes, and you have become confident in
implementing these tools in your own writing.
● Metaphors and similes are natural elements of poetry, but do not have as strong of a role in expository
writing and research papers.
● This is because poetry and research papers have different tones and levels of formality. At times,
metaphors and similes can seem like overgeneralizations in expository writing and research papers.
● Let’s work together to determine when and how metaphors and similes are appropriate.
Strategy:
● In expository writing and research papers, we want to limit the use of metaphors and similes, but they
can still be used effectively.
● Expository writing deals with explaining, describing, informing, defining, and instructing. If an
appropriate metaphor or simile helps you accomplish these goals, then it will be effective in your
writing.
● Let’s take a look at a comparative chart to determine the difference between appropriate and
inappropriate metaphors and similes in expository writing.

Appropriate Expository Examples: Inappropriate Expository Examples:

His suggestion was just a Band-aid, not a The promise between us was a delicate
solution. flower.

The wheels of justice turn slowly. All the world’s a stage

We use words like weapons to hurt people. His cotton candy words did not appeal to her
taste.

Exploration:
For the following similes provide two answers: one poetic/creative example, and one expository/formal
example.
 1. Quiet as a ____________ Quiet as a ____________
2. Hot as _______________ Hot as _______________
3. Cold as ______________ Cold as ______________
4. Scared as a ____________ Scared as a ____________
5. Avoid like the ___________ Avoid like the __________
6. Light as ________________ Light as _______________
7. Tough as _______________ Tough as ______________
8. Sell like ________________ Sell like _______________
9. As clear as ______________ As clear as _____________
10. Easy as _________________ Easy as ________________

Think of two metaphors: one poetic/creative example, and one expository/formal example.
1. Poetic/Creative: _____________________________________________________
2. Expository/Formal: ___________________________________________________

Promotion:
● Metaphors and similes have a powerful impact on readers. It is important that the impact they create is
intentional and appropriate to the genre.
● Poetry allows for more creative metaphors, whereas expository writing and research papers calls for
more formality.
● As we move forward into expository writing and research papers, it is important to understand this
difference in genre, and use metaphors and similes effectively.
Reflection:
The experience I had in-class and collaboratively creating mini-lessons was extremely beneficial in
understanding the essential components of a mini-lesson. For example, when I was first exposed to the mini-
lesson, I had trouble understanding the value of the promotion aspect. For some reason, I thought that the
promotion would simply be assigning a task to students that demonstrated the importance of the skill taught.
However, through the in-class experience, I learned that promotion is more than this, and instead should show
students how the learned task will benefit them in more ways than one assignment, and should encourage
them to use it in their writing. I also learned that it is important to thoroughly go over all notes and plans
ahead of time, because often once I participated in teaching the mini-lesson, I would realize ways in which it
could be improved. I also found that having the input of others while working collaboratively allowed me to
view things from a different perspective, and often led to a better final product. Overall, this has been a very
valuable experience that I will definitely take with me in my future career as an educator.