This Lesson's Title:

The Sum of
its Parts

writing a "memory snapshot" that evokes emotions or feelings

This lesson was built for WritingFix after being proposed by NNWP Teacher Consultant
Torrey Palmer during an
AT&T-sponsored in-service class for teachers.

The intended "mentor text" to be used when teaching this on-line lesson is the chapter book Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. Before writing, students should listen to and discuss the writing style of this book's author, especially from the chapter entitled "The Sycamore Tree."

Check out Flipped at Amazon.com.

If you are a Washoe County teacher, click here to search for this book at the county library.

Three-Sentence Overview of this Lesson:

Inspired by Julianna’s understanding (from the novel Flipped) that “A painting is more than the sum of its parts,” students will describe a memorable place that evokes a certain feeling or emotion. Students will use sensory details to paint a picture for their reader's mind. Students will also explore their voice, as they experiment with a strong emotion they have experienced. Teachers: click here to read the entire lesson plan.

6-Trait Overview for this Lesson:

The focus trait in this writing lesson is idea development; students should strive for a balance of showing and telling, aiming to paint a picture in the reader’s head of the memorable place they are writing about. In this lesson voice is the support trait, as students may strive to capture a tone or mood with an emotion they have felt at the place they are describing.