Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01
Lesson: 01
Day 2 of 20
Exploring Short Fiction
Daily Lesson
Day 2
WORD STUDY
TEKS
Key
Understandings
ELPS
Ongoing TEKS
TEKS
ELPS
WRITING
Ongoing TEKS
TEKS
ELPS
Ongoing TEKS
8.2A
8.FIG 19B
8.14A
 Understanding new words and concepts
enhances comprehension and oral and
written communication.
 Readers use strategies to support
interpretation of text.
 Writers use techniques and elements to
enable the reader to experience and
connect with the events and characters.
and
Guiding
Questions
READING
 Why do readers and writers need to pay
attention to words?
 What do readers do when they do not
understand everything in text?
 How do writers develop a well written
story?
Vocabulary of
Instruction




Root
Affix
Prefix
Suffix




Materials





Vocabulary Notebook (1 per student)
Chart paper
Marker (1 per 2 students)
Note cards (2 per student)
Dictionaries (class set) or access to an
electronic dictionary
 Mini (2x2) sticky notes (12 per student)
 Reader’s Notebook (1 per student)
 Short fictional story that follows a linear
plot (class set)
 Overhead projector or digital projector
connected to computer (1)
 Blank transparency (2)
 Overhead marker (1)
 Chart paper
 Writer’s Notebook (1 per student)
 Teacher Writer’s Notebook (1)
Advance
Preparation
1. Determine root words, prefixes, and
suffixes students will be responsible for
learning. Create nine lists (three lists per
unit). Each list should include at least
six roots, six prefixes, and six suffixes
with meanings for students to learn. For
each root word, prefix, and suffix, select
at least one word that uses the root or
1. Select three short fiction texts (class
sets) to be used for Days 2-7. Choose
texts that illustrate different forms of
point of view and that follow a linear plot
structure. Select one of the texts for this
instructional routine. (If you choose to
create a thematic and/or interdisciplinary
lesson by choosing related texts, you
1. Reflect on your writing territories (areas
in which you are an expert), so that you
can share with your students during the
mini lesson.
©2010, TESCCC
Literal questions
Interpretive questions
Evaluative questions
Universal questions
06/01/10
 Writer’s Notebook
 Author’s Chair
 Free write
2. During this mini lesson, you will write in
front of your students. You may choose
to write on a dry erase board, on an
Page 1 of 6
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01 Lesson: 01
Day 2
WORD STUDY
READING
affix. When possible, include foreign
words commonly used in English.
may choose texts that are:
 From a particular time period in
history
 Connected to a historical event
 Related to an important historical
figure
 From a particular culture, country,
region, or social group
 Related to a social issue
 Related to a universal moral
dilemma or universal theme
2. Write one prefix, one suffix, and one
root word on an individual note card.
Make sure each student has a card that
can match with another card to make a
real word.
3. Title one chart page “New Words.”
4. Post: Why do readers and writers need
to pay attention to words?
5.
WRITING
anchor chart, in your Writer’s Notebook
with a projector, on a transparency with
an overhead projector, or via your
computer connected to a digital
projector, so students can watch.
Prepare accordingly.
3. Post: How do writers develop a wellwritten story?
2. During this mini lesson, you will mark
text in front of your students. You may
choose to use a transparency with an
overhead projector or via your computer
connected to a digital projector, so
students can watch. Prepare
accordingly.
3. Create a chart titled “What Good
Readers Do” with the following question
stems:
 Who? What? When? Where? Why?
How? (knowledge)
 What does it mean when the
speaker/author says _____?
(interpretive)
 Do I agree or disagree when the
author/speaker says _____?
(evaluative)
 How can I relate ______ to the rest
of the world? (universal)
Background
Information
©2010, TESCCC
Students are expected to determine the
meaning of grade-level academic English
words derived from Latin, Greek, or other
linguistic roots and affixes, including, but not
limited to, the following:
 Latin: e.g., scrip/script (manuscript,
In future lessons students will identify and
generate literal, interpretive, evaluative, and
universal questions of text before, during,
and after reading.
06/01/10
Students use a range of strategies (e.g.,
discussion, background reading, personal
interests, interviews) to develop a thesis or
controlling idea for an imaginative story.
Page 2 of 6
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01 Lesson: 01
Day 2
WORD STUDY


Teacher Notes
©2010, TESCCC
READING
WRITING
In addition to the short fiction texts read as
an entire class, students will read a selfselected text. As often as possible, students
should be given time to read independently.
As the year progresses and students
become more comfortable with their
Reader’s Notebook, they will use the
strategies they have learned to write about
their self-selected texts in their notebooks.
In addition to the short fiction texts read as
an entire class, students will read a selfselected text. As often as possible, students
should be given time to read independently.
As the year progresses and students
become more comfortable with their
Reader’s Notebook, they will use the
strategies they have learned to write about
their self-selected texts in their notebooks.
prescription)
Greek: e.g., thermo (thermostat,
thermos)
Other affixes and roots as found in
text
Over the next few Word Study Instructional
Routines, students participate in activities
using the roots and affixes from the list. It is
recommended that teachers set up a Word
Wall for use throughout the year.
06/01/10
Page 3 of 6
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01 Lesson: 01
Instructional Routines
Day 2
Mini Lesson
WORD STUDY
WRITING
Suggested Duration: 5 min.
Suggested Duration: 10-15 min.
Suggested Duration: 20-25 min.
Content Objective: Students become familiar
with commonly used roots and affixes in order
to determine the meaning of unknown words.
Content Objective: Students ask questions in
order to monitor comprehension, activate and
build background knowledge, and support
understanding of fiction texts.
Content Objective: Students gather ideas for
future writing.
1. Ask and post: Why do readers and
writers need to pay attention to words?
2. Explain to students that during the
semester, they will become familiar with
the most commonly used roots and
affixes. They will be given a list of roots
and affixes, and the class will spend
several days participating in activities with
the lists. At the end of the instruction, there
will be an evaluation.
3. Post and present the list of root words and
affixes with their meanings.
4. Brainstorm and list on chart paper
examples of other words that include each
of the roots or affixes.
©2010, TESCCC
READING
1. Explain that there are things good readers
do, called strategies, to improve their
understanding of texts. Recall that in Day
1, the class discussed the strategy of
establishing a purpose for reading.
2. Ask and post: What do you do when you
do not understand everything in text?
3. Explain that today students will practice a
strategy called questioning.
4. Introduce the text selected and share
important information to help activate
students’ prior knowledge.
5. Model the questioning strategy by reading
the beginning of the text aloud. Project the
text so students can see how you mark the
text with sticky notes as you read. Read
through the first third of the piece and
model questioning about the text. Model
the four levels of questions referring to the
question stem chart:
 Who? What? When? Where? Why?
How? (knowledge)
 What does it mean when the speaker/
author says _____? (interpretive)
 Do I agree or disagree when the
author/speaker says _____?
(evaluative)
 How can I relate ______ to the rest of
06/01/10
1. Ask and post: How do writers develop a
well-written story?
2. Explain that over the next few days they
will be introduced to a few strategies that
will help them write when they feel they
have nothing to write about.
3. Explain that writing territories are areas in
our lives where we are experts. You often
hear writers say, ‘write what you know.’
Our writing territories are strong areas
where our ideas can originate.
4. Model a Think Aloud making a list of your
writing territories.
5. Students write an entry in their Writer’s
Notebook titled “My Writing Territories.”
Students create their own writing territory
lists in their Writer’s Notebooks. Allow two
to three minutes for them to share parts of
their territories with a partner. Remind
students that they do not have to share
everything- only the things they feel
comfortable sharing.
6. Model how to use one writing territory as a
starting point for a new entry in the
Writer’s Notebook. Choose one of your
writing territories and write it on the top of
a blank page. Begin to free write from this
topic for a few minutes, sharing your
thinking as you work through the piece.
Page 4 of 6
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01 Lesson: 01
Day 2
WORD STUDY
READING
WRITING
the world? (universal)
6. Facilitate a discussion leading to the
awareness that some questions help you
pay attention while you read. Some
questions will not be answered by the text
and will lead you to seek answers in
another source. Others will lead you to
think more deeply about issues presented
in the text.
Learning
Applications
Suggested Duration: 5 min.
Suggested Duration: 15-20 min.
Suggested Duration: 5-10 min.
1. Randomly give each student a note card.
1. Students read the second third of the text
with a partner or in a small group. Then,
they read the final third of the text
independently.
1. Students choose one of their writing
territories and Free Write an entry in their
Writer’s Notebooks.
2. When signaled, students find a partner(s)
to create a real word using the note cards.
(Students may use a dictionary to check
meaning as needed.)
3. Students post their created word(s) on the
chart page titled “New Words.”
2. As students read, they record their
questions on small sticky notes and post
them in the margins of the text. (You may
decide to designate when students stop to
ask questions, or you may let them decide
on their own.) Students use the question
stems you modeled in the mini lesson.
2. Monitor students and assist them as
necessary.
3. When students finish reading, they move
their sticky notes into their Reader’s
Notebook.
Closure
Suggested Duration: 3-5 min.
Suggested Duration: 5-10 min.
Suggested Duration 5-10 min.
1. Students discuss each word on the list
explaining how they determined the word’s
meaning.
1. Students choose a question from their
sticky notes that really makes them think
and/or does not have a clear answer.
1. Invite volunteers to sit in the Author’s
Chair and share their writing. Celebrate
with positive affirmations. Model this
procedure if needed.
2. Students record the list of new words in
their Vocabulary Notebook.
2. Students share their questions and
responses with the class or with a partner.
3. Display the previously created chart titled,
“What Good Readers Do”
©2010, TESCCC
06/01/10
2. Facilitate a discussion to explain that
writing completed in the Writer’s Notebook
is informal, but it will likely lead to ideas for
future, polished pieces. At the end of this
unit, you will be writing an imaginative
Page 5 of 6
Eighth Grade
English Language Arts
Unit: 01 Lesson: 01
Day 2
WORD STUDY
READING
4. Review how questions are used to help
understand what is read.
©2010, TESCCC
06/01/10
WRITING
story.
Page 6 of 6