This Lesson's Title:

The Sibling
Report

organizing a bad-situation-that-gets-worse story

This lesson was created by NNWP Teacher Consultant Dena Harrison.
Visit Dena's website by clicking here.

The ideal "mentor text" that can be shared when teaching this on-line lesson is the picture book Tub-Boo-Boo by Margie Palatini. Before writing, students should listen to and discuss the writing style of this book's author.

Click here to view this book at Amazon.com.

If you are a Washoe County teacher, click here to view this book's availability at the county library.

Three-Sentence Overview of this Lesson:

After sharing Margie Palatini's charming "bad-situation-that-only-gets-worse tale", Tub-boo-boo, writers will plan a story about a humorous household accident that gets worse before it gets better.  Borrowing Palatini's exciting idea from her book, students will narrate the story as if they are a sibling of the accident victim who is reporting on the situation from the front lawn.   The voice of the narrator, though not a real news reporter, must sound like one. Teachers: Click here to see the entire lesson plan.

6-Trait Overview for this Lesson:

The focus trait in this writing assignment is organization; the graphic organizer (see below) will assist students in creating a sequence of events as the story goes from bad to worse, and the use of the reporter-as-narrator will provide an introduction and conclusion . The support trait is voice; students will attempt to create a narrator's voice with the qualities of a real reporter.