Classroom Resource

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick: Using Illustrations to Guide Writing

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Overview

Mysteries are a great way to hook students into writing about fictional happenings. In this lesson, students engage themselves in The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by examining the illustrations in the book and choosing one for which to create a Mystery Cube and then a creative writing piece. Finally, students present their mysteries to the class and allow students to guess to which illustration their mystery corresponds.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.R4

Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.R4

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Draft
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Publish
  • Genres

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
  • Various genres of writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan writings in various genres.
  • Draft writings in various genres.
  • Revise writings in various genres.
  • Edit writings in various genres.
  • Publish writings in various genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
  • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.34

Write personal or fictional narratives incorporating literary elements (characters, plot, setting, conflict), dialogue, strong voice, and clear event sequences.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.34

Vocabulary

  • Personal narratives
  • Fictional narratives
  • Literary elements
  • Characters
  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Voice
  • Event sequences

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • A personal narrative tells about an event that was personally experienced by the author, while a fictional narrative tells a made-up story.
  • A narrative story describes a sequence of plot events in a logical order (beginning, middle, end).
  • Narrative writing includes text elements, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters in a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Write a personal narrative that recalls a personal experience or a fictional narrative with a made-up story.
  • Write a narrative with a logical sequence of plot events.
  • Incorporate literary elements into their narrative writing, like characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Include dialogue in narrative writing.
  • Use a strong voice in writing by developing a personal writing style.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narrative writing includes predictable elements, like a logical sequence of events and characters, setting, and conflict.
  • Incorporating dialogue between the characters can add details to their narrative writing.
  • Narrative writing can be used to tell about something that happened to them personally or it can tell a story they made up.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.R4

Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.R4

Vocabulary

  • Writing process
  • Plan
  • Draft
  • Revise
  • Edit
  • Publish
  • Genres

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
  • Various genres of writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Plan writings in various genres.
  • Draft writings in various genres.
  • Revise writings in various genres.
  • Edit writings in various genres.
  • Publish writings in various genres.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
  • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.7

Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.7

Vocabulary

  • Narrative writing
  • Argument writing
  • Informative/explanatory writing
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
  • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
    • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Demonstrate command of the written language.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
    • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

    ELA21.7.R4

    Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.7.R4

    Vocabulary

    • Writing process
    • Plan
    • Draft
    • Revise
    • Edit
    • Publish
    • Genres

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
    • Various genres of writing.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Plan writings in various genres.
    • Draft writings in various genres.
    • Revise writings in various genres.
    • Edit writings in various genres.
    • Publish writings in various genres.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
    • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

    ELA21.7.7

    Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.7.7

    Vocabulary

    • Narrative writing
    • Argument writing
    • Informative/explanatory writing
    • Writing development
    • Writing organization
    • Style
    • Tone
    • Task
    • Purpose
    • Audience
    • Command of language

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
    • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
    • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
    • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
    • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
    • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Demonstrate command of the written language.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
    • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

    ELA21.8.R4

    Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.8.R4

    Vocabulary

    • Writing process
    • Plan
    • Draft
    • Revise
    • Edit
    • Publish
    • Genres

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • The writing process steps are to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish.
    • Various genres of writing.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Plan writings in various genres.
    • Draft writings in various genres.
    • Revise writings in various genres.
    • Edit writings in various genres.
    • Publish writings in various genres.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • The writing process is a set of steps that make writing easier.
    • There are different categories, or genres, of writing that can be used for different purposes.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

    ELA21.8.8

    Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:ELA21.8.8

    Vocabulary

    • Narrative writing
    • Argument writing
    • Informative/explanatory writing
    • Writing development
    • Writing organization
    • Style
    • Tone
    • Task
    • Purpose
    • Audience
    • Command of language

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
    • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
    • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
    • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
    • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
      • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Demonstrate command of the written language.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
      • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

      ELA21.9.R5

      Utilize a writing process which includes planning, revising, editing/peer-editing, and rewriting to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing for a specific purpose and audience.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.9.R5

      Vocabulary

      • Writing process
      • Plan
      • Revise
      • Edit
      • Peer-edit
      • Rewrite
      • Focused
      • Organized
      • Coherent
      • Purpose
      • Audience

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • The writing process steps are to plan, revise, edit, and rewrite.
      • Editing can be completed by the writer or by a peer.
      • Peer-editing skills.
      • Completed writing projects should be focused, organized, and coherent, and written for a specific purpose and intended audience.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Plan, revise, edit, and rewrite to create a focused, organized, and coherent piece of writing.
      • Compose a writing piece for a specific purpose and intended audience.
      • Engage in the peer-editing process.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • Writing is a process that requires multiple drafts, edits, and versions.
      English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

      ELA21.9.9

      Compose both short and extended narrative, informative/explanatory, and argumentative writings that are clear and coherent, use an appropriate command of language, and demonstrate development, organization, style, and tone that are relevant to task, purpose, and audience.

      Unpacked Content

      UP:ELA21.9.9

      Vocabulary

      • Short writings
      • Extended writings
      • Narrative writing
      • Argumentative writing
      • Informative/explanatory writing
      • Writing development
      • Writing organization
      • Style
      • Tone
      • Task
      • Purpose
      • Audience
      • Command of language

      Knowledge

      Students know:
      • Writing pieces can be short, such as a paragraph, or extended, such as constructed responses and essays.
      • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
      • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
      • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
      • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
      • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

      Skills

      Students are able to:
      • Compose short and extended clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
      • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Demonstrate command of the written language.

      Understanding

      Students understand that:
      • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
      • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
      • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
      Link to Resource
      http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/mysteries-harris-bur…

      CR Resource Type

      Lesson/Unit Plan

      Resource Provider

      ReadWriteThink
      Accessibility
      License

      License Type

      Custom

      Custom License Type (URL)

      http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

      Comments or Notes

      ReadWriteThink is a free resource with links to additional resources including videos, interactives, and instructional materials.

      Approved Date

      raulstoncg
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