Learning Activity

Five-Paragraph Essay: Revision and Reflection

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

Overview

This final learning activity serves as a critical-thinking activity to reflect on one's own writing (or can be tweaked for any assignment a teacher assigns that holds extra weight). Students are given a clear rubric on the informational text writing assignment and what their grade would be based on a points system out of 20 points total. After self-grading or grading another’s work, students can then answer a series of short-response questions that serve as a survey tool for reflection on the work at hand. This simple reflection piece leaves the responsibility of the assignment in the learners’ hands as they honestly respond to the rigor put forth on the writing assignment.

This learning activity was created as a result of the Struggling Readers Initiative Resource Development Project, in partnership with Dothan City Schools

Content Standards

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

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

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): 7

ELA21.7.7b
Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style to examine ideas or processes effectively while developing the topic and utilizing appropriate transitions, precise vocabulary, and credible information or data when relevant.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Informative/explanatory text
Organized structure
Formal style
Transitions
Precise vocabulary
Credible information/data

Knowledge

Informative or explanatory text is writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple credible research sources.
Informative or explanatory text has organized structure, and usually begins by clearly focusing on the topic, providing credible evidence, and ends with a conclusion.
Informative or explanatory writing should include academic, content-specific technical word meanings.
Words that indicate transitions.

Skills

Gather credible information and data from multiple sources.
Write an informative or explanatory text with an organized structure and formal style that develops the topic and utilizes appropriate transitions, credible information or data, and technical vocabulary words.

Understanding

Informative or explanatory writing follows a predictable, organized text structure that utilizes appropriate transition words and precise vocabulary.
They must gather their information and data about the topic from multiple credible research sources.
Using credible information/data can support a writer's ideas and claims.
Writers elaborate details included in the text by using formal academic, content-specific technical words.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate

Learning Objectives

Students will use the writing process to draft, revise, edit, and publish an informative/explanatory essay.
Students will produce clear, coherent informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to the writing task using an appropriate command of language.
Students will write an informative/explanatory essay with an organized structure that utilizes appropriate transitions and credible information text evidence.

Activity Details

The teacher can begin this portion of the lesson by saying, “You guys have done a great job and have taken 1-2 days writing out, researching, and piecing together all five of your paragraphs in the numbered, delicious, five (5)-paragraph essay! Let’s take a moment to ensure all parts are filled out, paying close attention to the numbers - we will use these as guides to lead us to an ultimate five (5)-paragraph essay, each paragraph meeting that 8-10 sentence requirement. In totality, I tricked ya into writing that much - but in reality, you did it.”

“So, on the bottom of each of our hamburger graphic organizers, you’ll notice a series of lines for us to start writing each into a working paragraph, starting with number 1, ending with 9. Let’s do the introduction together.”

Teachers should read over each number, pointing to each as it is shown visually for students to see - and notice they have the same thing. Read each number’s content as we write that in, sentence by sentence until we reach number 9. A document camera is excellent for this activity if done on paper (recommended), but it can also just be just as easily typed in on an interactive whiteboard/computer and projector summit. I recommend writing out the graphic organizer, the paragraphs on the lines underneath and then eventually typing out the final draft - piecing all paragraphs in the correct order, separating by “Return” and “Tab” for indentations, ready for a final draft to be turned in.

“Ok, I am setting the timer for 20 minutes at first. Enjoy the background music, and let’s reconvene after 20 minutes - to see if we are ready for typing, or if we need the extra time. In these 20 minutes, you will be writing out Body Paragraphs 1-3 as well as your conclusion paragraph in exactly the fashion we just did your introduction. You got it!”

Give extra time, or get them going with typing out their final draft. “We are all ready to type this pretty thing up. Open up a blank document on your laptop. Double-click the very top of that document and have it right-aligned for our header. We want YOUR last name in there and the number 1. I will type my information in as we go to use as an example, but you do not use my information - obviously.”

“Now, let’s get to heading our paper correctly. We need a 12-point, Times New Roman font - double-spaced ready to go. Let’s set that up together.”

For example,

“Type with me, ‘YOUR first and last name,’ my name, ‘Ms. Boneau,’ ‘ELA 7,’ and then the date. Today is the 27th, but we will write it out like this: ‘27 April 2023.’” (The teacher can use his/her preferred method of headings.)

“Now that we are all uniform, it is time to start typing. Easy enough, you have already done all the hard work. We will type our paragraphs out in this order:

Introductory
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion

Head back to your graphic organizer papers, and just as you have each written out, type it up the same, beginning each paragraph with the “Tab” key for your indentation. Let’s type out the introduction together.”

“Now it is time for you to type out your remaining paragraphs. I will set that same timer for 20 more minutes, enjoy the music, and we will reconvene after. You’ll notice that you will catch lots of mistakes this way - which is what we want before holding it up to the rubric light. Happy typing!”

When the timer goes off, have students stop their typing. Give more time if needed, but if they are done, have them turn in their draft as-is via the teacher’s preferred learning management system. At this point, the teacher can decide if he/she wants to grade this draft themselves with the rubric, host a peer editing workshop with the rubric, or have students self-assess themselves with it. Whatever route they take, the class will all meet back to reflect via the attached reflection questions. Give students time at the end of the grading time with the rubric to do so.

Note: Students turn in the first draft before the rubric assessment to show they did the work (accountability). Teachers should check each student’s work to ensure the initial work was submitted. Return the work to the students before the rubric assessment, have them make those corrections based on what the rubric says is required, then give a “final” grade.

Host the reflection time after this, and have them turn those in (paper or online).

Assessment Strategies

The teacher can formatively assess students' work by reviewing each student’s draft and completed self- or peer-review handout.

The teacher can summatively assess students by evaluating each student’s final essay draft. The teacher can use the rubric available in the handout, or another rubric of the teacher’s choice.

Acceleration and Intervention

Acceleration

Include a paragraph that sets up all the reasons why their character could be innocent, making them out to be an upstanding person. Have these students lead with this paragraph immediately following their introduction. Then, have their Body Paragraphs 1-3 prove to readers that even though their character could be alright, there is even more reason to believe that the character they picked is really the one to blame.

Intervention

Have a typed-out template for the students’ final draft, with lines that are labeled with where to plug in their transition words, each paragraph, each evidence piece, commentary piece, etc. This could be done with more time given for intervention students with the original assignment with or without the template made.

Variation Tips

This instructional strategy (Revision and Reflection Handout) can be modified for use for any text selection and writing assignment.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Before completing this after activity, students and teachers need to have gone through the entire reading-for-information process. Students should know how to read a rubric, understand the purpose of a rubric and the importance of reflection on any assignment, no matter our confidence when turning anything in. Students need to know the importance of immediate feedback, first given to them on a smaller scale (themselves or a peer, before finally being assessed by the teacher). When students can not only answer with their words but can also prove their answers by highlighting the parts in their writing, they should feel accomplishment as they know they did the work it takes to meet all informational text writing requirements.

Students will also need basic math adding and subtracting skills. Students will finally need to know to write in complete sentences when answering their reflection questions. If students will be typing their final essays, they will need to know typing skills and how to use word processing software (however, tips are provided in the activity procedures).

Materials and Resources

Pencils/Highlighters
Peer partner (if the teacher would like to use peer editing, rather than self-editing)
“Revision and Reflection” Student Handout (Student handout can be used individually or as a peer edit guide - can be made to be digital or print out.)
Learning management system, such as Google Classroom or Schoology
Student digital devices, such as laptops, desktops, or tablets
Students’ writing pieces and all materials from the associated Before and During Activities

Digital Tools / Resources

“Revision and Reflection” Student Handout

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iTWZ3J6D0JYvgWSAdJ6oIey6ea6MQkWfZmoD_vpghF4…

Approved Date

2023-05-04

Author

Owner (Author)

taboneau

Learning Resource Type

Five-Paragraph Essay: Revision and Reflection

Subject Area

Grade(s)

Overview

ELA21.7.R4 Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

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.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.7.7b Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style to examine ideas or processes effectively while developing the topic and utilizing appropriate transitions, precise vocabulary, and credible information or data when relevant.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

Phase

Learning Objectives

Activity Details

Assessment Strategies

Acceleration

Intervention

Variation Tips

Total Duration

Learning Activity (Before)

Learning Activity (During)

Learning Activity (After)

Background / Preparation

Materials and Resources

URL (web address)

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

ELA21.7.R4
Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

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.

ELA21.7.7b
Write informative or explanatory texts with an organized structure and a formal style to examine ideas or processes effectively while developing the topic and utilizing appropriate transitions, precise vocabulary, and credible information or data when relevant.