Students will research and write a short expository piece about an influential historical figure from United States history. They will choose a figure to research using books and online resources, taking notes on key details like birth/death dates and their impact. Students will then write a 3 paragraph piece presenting this information chronologically and share their findings with peers. The lesson aims to teach research and expository writing skills while introducing students to important historical figures.

1. Spenser White
EDEL 4309-04
November 13th, 2015
Checkpoint #3: Writing
Grade: 3rd
Topic: Historical Figures in United States History
Type of Writing: Informative/Expository
Time Frame: 60-75 minutes
The intention of this writing lesson is for students to think of an influential figure in
United States history, find information relating to their chosen figure, compose a chronological
piece about their figures lives and how they have impacted history, and present their findings to
their peers. This lesson would, ideally, serve as an introduction lesson to a bigger project on
historical figures of the United States, and would be best supported if there were laptops “on-
wheels” available in the classroom during this time or if the library/computer lab could be
reserved during this time. The lesson will start out with assigned SSR (Sustained Silent Reading)
about a historical figure of the student’s choice. It will be necessary to check out a variety of
grade-level appropriate texts about a variety of historical figures in the United States and have
them available in the classroom during this time. When SSR time is complete, I will explain to
students that the books that they read during SSR time are informative/expository texts, which
means the books present facts and information about a topic. Then, I will call students attention
to the SmartBoard/overhead projector and explain the short assignment for today. In order to

2. demonstrate, I would say that I wanted to do research on Ella Fitzgerald, a famous jazz singer
during the 1900s. In order to write about Ella Fitzgerald, I would first have to read available
books or use the internet to find necessary information about him and how he impacted society.
Ahead of time, I will need to prepare a checklist of necessary information to seek for the writing
assignment (See Appendix A below) and pass it out to the class at the end of the demonstration.
At the end of the demonstration, highlight the different section on the checklist and what that
may look like in the research. When it comes time to dismiss students to begin their research,
state the objectives: Students are to find information (seen on checklist) about the historical
figure they read about during SSR time. They are to write an expository piece about their
historical figure, using the information they found from their books or online, and present their
chosen historical figure to a group of peers. If they are to finish their research and expository
piece about their historical figure ahead of time, they will be asked to come talk to me about their
next steps, which will be for them to draw pictures of their historical figure and unfamiliar
objects relevant to their paper.
A. Understanding of Literacy Development
a. Objectives:
i. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to utilize available digital
and print resources to find relevant information to their historical figure.
1. Students will have access to a variety of books and online
resources in order to find out relevant information about their
chosen historical figure.
ii. Students will be able to demonstrate individual knowledge of their chosen
historical figure during a whole-class presentation.

3. 1. When students have completed their research of their historical
figure and have conferenced their paper with me and their peers,
they will be asked to present their information to the whole class.
iii. Students will be able to construct a chronological written piece about their
historical figures lives and impact on history.
1. Students will need to write down information on their historical
figure following a time line, starting from birth until death (if
applicable). Students will also need to find information about their
figures early lives, what they did to change history, and the end of
their lives.
b. Common Core State Standards:
i. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
1. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas and information clearly.
a. Students will ultimately be describing their historical figure
based on their research.
ii. CCSS. ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.A
1. Introduce a topic and group related information together; include
illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
a. Students will be asked to draw pictures of relevant pieces
of clothing, food, housing, transportation, or other relevant
factors during that time of history which impacted the
figures development or impact to society.

4. iii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.B
1. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
a. Students will need to find relevant facts and details about
their figure and provide definitions of unfamiliar words or
phrases.
iv. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.C
1. Use linking words and phrases to connect ideas within categories
of information.
a. Linking words are a necessity in order to write a flowing
piece of writing. Students will be asked to utilize their prior
knowledge about connecting sentences when writing their
pieces, but demonstration about good ways to connect
sentences may need to be demonstrated.
v. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2.D
1. Provide a concluding statement or section.
a. Students will need to end their piece with a big idea and
statement about their historical figure and how s/he
impacted American history.
vi. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.7
1. Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
a. Students will have access to books and online databases to
find relevant information about their chosen historical
figure.

5. vii. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8
1. Recall information from experiences or gather information from
print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.
a. Students will need to find relevant information about their
chosen historical figure and document their findings in
order to relay it in their writing.
B. Knowledge of Effective Literacy Instructional Practices
a. Before starting the lesson, have students put away materials from previous lesson.
When other materials are put away, students will proceed to the library, where
there will be tubs of kid-friendly informational texts about historical figures in the
United States, as well as sets of laptops or computers.
i. Each student will search through the tubs and pick one book on a
historical figure that interests them, and will take that book back to their
seats. Once students finish their first book, they can search the tubs for
other books about the same historical figure or find another historical
figure to read about.
1. Students will do SSR for 10-15 minutes.
b. After 10-15 minutes of SSR time, regain students attention by letting them know
that SSR time is over, and they need to put their books down and closed at their
desks.
i. When all books are closed at student’s desks, ask students what kinds of
books they read.

6. 1. Were they persuasive texts (did they try to convince you to believe
something?), technical (Step-by-step), expository
(facts/information) or narratives (tells a story with characters,
setting, problem and resolution)?
c. These texts are not persuasive or technical; they could be narratives, but are
ultimately expository texts because the text is trying to teach you about a certain
person and what they did to impact history.
i. Explain that they will be asked to write their own expository text about the
historical figure that they read about.
1. If they read about more than one person, pick the person you
enjoyed reading about the most. If you really want to write about a
particular person, see if you can find the books available in the
tubs
d. Review what expository texts are.
i. These texts should have an opening, body paragraph, and a conclusion. All
events that students want to share should be presented in chronological
order.
1. Do not start with when they died and end with when they were
born (example).
e. Provide example of how to go about writing the text (I-do, We-Do, You-Do)
i. If I were to write about a historical figure, I would choose to write about
Ella Fitzgerald, a famous jazz singer during the 1900s. Before I can even
write about her, I need to find out some information on her. In order to

7. find this information, I am going to see if there are any books in this tub or
in the library about Ella Fitzgerald to see if I can learn more. If there
aren’t, I will look on the internet to find out information about Ella
Fitzgerald. (I-Do)
ii. Ask students what kind of information we should find out about our
historical figures. Write down what the students say on a piece of poster
paper. (We-Do)
1. If students do not list these, write these requirements down:
a. Birth and death dates
b. During what time in history
c. What did they do to impact history
iii. State objectives for students: Students are to use books in the library and
the internet to find necessary information about their chosen historical
figure. They are to write notes about their figures on paper, then write
their own expository piece using their information. (You-Do)
1. Ask if there are any questions, address any questions or concerns.
Dismiss students to work.
f. Be sure to walk around the room and make yourself available for students if they
need help finding relevant information or have questions.
g. Provide about 25-30 minutes for students to conduct their research and take notes.
i. At the end of that time, provide students with another 15 minutes to write
a short expository piece about their historical figure using the information

8. they have found. Go to each student and make sure they have an
understanding of how to write their paper.
1. If students are not able to complete a short expository piece, allow
for them to make a detailed outline to use during presentations.
h. At the end of the 25-30 minutes, divide students into groups of 3-4 and ask each
student to present their historical figure to the group.
i. Allow about 10-15 minutes for presentations.
i. When presentations are done, have all students share about the historical figure
they chose to write about.
i. See if any students chose the same figure, have them present their
information and add additional information if the other student does not
share it.
j. At the end of this lesson, ask students to keep their information and paper about
their historical figure in their Literacy/Social Studies folder for a future, extended
project.
C. Understanding of Individual Differences and Strategies for Instructional
Differentiation
a. In the even that a student with an IEP or behavioral needs struggles with
maintaining focus on their research, or if a student needs assistance organizing
their thoughts, see if a paraprofessional is available to help the student. If not,
work with the student individually; provide them with objectives to achieve and
help them to figure out how to find the information. Because students will be
allowed to pick their own historical figure, they will be given a reasonable amount

9. of independence in choice. If some students are unable to maintain focus or
cannot achieve all the listed requirements for the paper, narrow down the
requirements for the student to a few. During this time, it would be most
beneficial if the librarian could be available as an assistant for research help as
well.
D. Understanding of Literacy Assessment and Relationship Between Assessment and
Instruction
a. Students will be assessed on their writing pieces based on the checklist (Appendix
A) below. Students will also be assessed based on their effort towards the research
and their treatment of the materials. Ultimately, if the students are putting effort
into their paper rather than giving up or not trying, and as long as they are
respecting the computers and library books by not pounding the keyboard or
throwing anything, they will receive full participation points. An extension to this
lesson would be for students to conduct a similar research project, but ask them to
think or more in depth questions that they would like to find out about their
historical figure, such as their early lives, family members, later lives and what
society was like during that particular time in history. This project would be
conducted as an extended research and presentation project, where students would
be asked to find more information about a different historical figure than what
they researched in the library, draw pictures of their figure and unfamiliar objects
that may be relevant during that time period, provide foods that were eaten during
those different times in history, and dress up as their historical figure. The

10. presentation could be conducted not only to the class, but to parents and loved
ones on a further date.
E. Commitment to Reflective Practice
a. If students quickly find relevant information and compose a quick expository
piece on their historical figure, they will be asked to start a portrait of their
historical figure so that their peers can get an image of what s/he looks/ed like. If
students are really struggling with the research process, it might be easier to just
make books the only form of research available for that majority of the class.
During the actual mini-lesson, I will have examples of narrative, technical, and
persuasive texts available to describe the difference between the types of texts. If
further explanation as to what makes expository texts different from other texts, I
will provide students with the Four Text Types and Five Text Structures handout
for a physical guide (see reference below). Descriptions of those texts should take
a smaller portion of the explanation time; more focus should be on how to
specifically write expository texts.
In the event that students complete their writing assignment early, students will be asked
to independently draw a portrait of their historical figure and complete drawings of any
unfamiliar objects that were important during that time in history or used by their historical
figure. Once those portraits are finished, students will attach their pictures to their expository
texts. Student work will later be hung up in the school hallway for others to see how third
graders write expository texts.

11. In order to wrap up the writing block, I will ask students to log out of their computers,
return all books that they have taken for their research to the stacks or the tubs, grab all papers
and materials, push in chairs, and be sure to thank the librarian on the way out of the library.
Reference:
http://www.kaganonline.com/catalog/look_whats_inside/blacklines/BSGBL2pg29.pdf
Appendix A: Checklist
_____ Historical figure has been chosen
_____ Birth and death (if applicable)
_____ What time in history did this historical figure live?
_____ Impact on American history
_____ (Student chosen information requirement)
_____ (Student chosen information requirement)
_____ (Students chosen information requirement)