This Lesson's Title:

Writing about Life's Lessons

powerful proverbs inspire original ideas for writing

This lesson was created by NNWP Teacher Consultant Sandy Madura.

The ideal "mentor text" that can be used when teaching this on-line lesson is the chapter book A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. Before writing, students should listen to and discuss the writing style of this book's author, especially excerpts from the first seven chapters.

Click here to view this book 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:

The writer first completes a graphic organizer about a life-changing experience or an experience from which a lesson has been learned. The retelling of the experience is then tied to a proverb.  During revisions, the writer works to reference and explain the meaning of the proverb through his/her personal experience. The final product of this assignment is a concise essay (a parable of sorts) that intertwines and supports the words of wisdom that follow us into old age. Teachers: click here to read the entire lesson plan.

6-Trait Overview for this Lesson:

The focus trait in this writing assignment is idea development; writers will attempt to write the essential elements of a life experience that has taught them a memorable lesson.  The support trait in this assignment is organization; using a constructed response frame, students will consider the sequence of their memorable experience.