Lesson 54 covers:

• Elementary Level: Writing Stories with a Beginning, Middle, and End
• Mid Level: Dialogue Writing
• High Level: Vocabulary Development (Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots)

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: Writing Stories with a Beginning, Middle, and End

Alignment with Standards:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Addressed:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3: Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, and provide some sense of closure.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5: With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the three main parts of a story (beginning, middle, and end).
2. Use a story starter or prompt to generate ideas.
3. Write (or dictate) a short narrative with a clear sequence of events.

Materials Needed

• Story Starter Prompts (printed or displayed)
• Graphic Organizer (Beginning, Middle, End template)
• Writing Paper (with space for drawing)
• Pencils & Crayons/Markers

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (5-10 minutes)

Objective: Introduce the concept of story structure.

• Discussion:
  • Ask: “What makes a good story?”
  • Explain that every story has a beginning (where we meet characters and setting), a middle (where something happens), and an end (how the story finishes).
• Example: Read a very short story (3-4 sentences) and have the student identify the beginning, middle, and end.

2. Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Objective: Use a story starter to plan a simple narrative.

• Story Starter Examples:
  • “One morning, I woke up and saw a giant dinosaur in my backyard…”
  • “The little dog found a magic bone and…”
  • “A spaceship landed in the park, and out came…”
• Graphic Organizer:
  • Have the student fill out a simple BME (Beginning, Middle, End) Chart with words or drawings.

3. Independent Writing (10-15 minutes)

Objective: Write a short story based on a prompt.

• Let the student choose a story starter or use the image prompt (e.g., a picture of a lost puppy, a spaceship, or a treasure chest).
• Encourage them to write 3-5 sentences (or dictate to an adult if handwriting is challenging).
• Remind them to include:
  • Beginning: Who is in the story? Where are they?
  • Middle: What happens?
  • End: How does it finish?

4. Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Have the student read their story aloud (or the adult reads it if needed).
• Ask: “Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end?”
• Praise creativity and encourage adding details if time allows.

Assessment & Extension

• Assessment: Check if the student’s story includes all three parts (BME).
• Extension:
  • Illustrate the story.
  • Act it out with toys.
  • Try a different prompt the next day.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: Dialogue Writing

Alignment with Standards:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Addressed:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.B: Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2.B: Use commas and quotation marks to mark direct speech and quotations from a text.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the correct punctuation rules for dialogue (quotation marks, commas, speaker tags).
2. Write a short conversation between two or more characters using proper dialogue formatting.
3. Revise and edit dialogue for clarity and correct punctuation.

Materials Needed

• Dialogue Rules Anchor Chart (or printed handout)
• Sample Dialogue Strips (for practice editing)
• Writing Paper/Notebook
• Pencils & Highlighters (for editing)

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (10-15 minutes)

Objective: Teach the basic rules of punctuating dialogue.

• Mini-Lesson:
  • Explain:
    • Quotation marks (” “) go around spoken words.
    • Commas separate dialogue from speaker tags (e.g., “I love ice cream,” said Emma.).
    • Capitalization rules (new speaker = new line, first word inside quotes capitalized).
  • Show examples on a whiteboard or anchor chart and have the student identify correct vs. incorrect punctuation.

2. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Objective: Practice editing and writing dialogue.

• Activity 1: Fix the Dialogue
  • Provide incorrectly punctuated sentences (e.g., what time is it asked Jake).
  • Have the student rewrite them correctly.
• Activity 2: Dialogue Prompts
  • Give a scenario (e.g., Two friends arguing over the last slice of pizza).
  • Together, brainstorm possible lines of dialogue, modeling proper punctuation.

3. Independent Writing (15-20 minutes)

Objective: Write an original dialogue exchange.

• Image Prompt: Use a picture (e.g., kids discovering a hidden door, superheroes teaming up, or animals talking).
• Task:
  • Write a short conversation (6-8 lines) between characters.
  • Focus on:
    • Punctuation (quotation marks, commas, speaker tags).
    • Making dialogue sound natural (avoiding “talking heads” with no action).

4. Sharing & Peer Editing (10 minutes)

• Have the student read their dialogue aloud to check for flow.
• If working with siblings/parents, swap papers and highlight punctuation marks to check accuracy.
• Self-Edit: Use a checklist:
  • ☑ Quotation marks around spoken words.
  • ☑ Commas before/after speaker tags.
  • ☑ New line for each speaker.

Assessment & Extension

• Assessment: Check for correct punctuation and natural-sounding dialogue.
• Extension Activities:
  • Turn the dialogue into a mini comic strip with speech bubbles.
  • Write a short scene incorporating dialogue + action.
  • Role-play the conversation with different voices.

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: Vocabulary Development (Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots)

Alignment with Standards:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Addressed:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4.B: Use common Greek and Latin affixes (prefixes/suffixes) and roots as clues to the meaning of words.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.6: Acquire and use grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Define and identify common prefixes, suffixes, and roots in unfamiliar words.
2. Decipher word meanings by analyzing their structural components.
3. Apply knowledge of word parts to expand vocabulary in reading and writing.

Materials Needed

• Prefix/Suffix/Root Reference Chart (e.g., anti- = against, -logy = study of, chron = time)
• Word-Building Worksheets (printable or digital)
• Index Cards for interactive games (optional)
• Highlighters or Colored Pens
• Dictionary or Online Etymology Tool (e.g., Etymonline.com)
• Visual Anchor Chart or Slide Deck

Lesson Activities

1. Introduction (10-15 minutes)

Objective: Introduce word parts and their functions.

• Mini-Lesson:
  • Explain:
    • Prefixes (beginning of words, e.g., un- = not, re- = again).
    • Suffixes (end of words, e.g., -able = capable of, -less = without).
    • Roots (core meaning, e.g., aud = hear, struct = build).
  • Think-Pair-Share: Ask the student to brainstorm examples (e.g., “What might ‘submarine’ mean if ‘sub-‘ means ‘under’?”).

2. Guided Practice (20 minutes)

Objective: Practice breaking down and constructing words.

• Activity 1: Word Dissection
  • Provide a list of multisyllabic words (e.g., bicycle, autobiography, predictable).
  • Have the student highlight prefixes (yellow), roots (green), and suffixes (blue).
• Activity 2: Create-a-Word
  • Give roots (e.g., graph = write) and have the student build words using prefixes/suffixes (autograph, biography, telegraph).

3. Independent Application (15-20 minutes)

Objective: Apply knowledge to real-world texts.

• Task 1: Context Clues Challenge
  • Provide a short passage with underlined unfamiliar words (e.g., “The indestructible material withstood the storm.”).
  • Guide the student to infer meanings using word parts.
• Task 2: Word Detective
  • Have the student search for 3 unfamiliar words in a book or article, then analyze their structure.

4. Review & Game (10 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce learning interactively.

• Option 1: Flashcard Match-Up
  • Write prefixes/roots/suffixes on index cards; race to form complete words.
• Option 2: Digital Quiz
  • Use free tools like Kahoot! or Quizlet for a fun review.

Assessment & Differentiation

• Assessment:
  • Exit Ticket: Have the student define 3 new words using word parts (e.g., “What does ‘prehistoric’ mean if ‘pre-‘ means ‘before’?”).
• Support for Struggling Learners:
  • Focus on high-frequency prefixes (e.g., un-, re-, dis-) first.
• Extension for Advanced Learners:
  • Research Greek/Latin roots in science terms (e.g., photo = light, hydro = water).