Lesson Plan by Carolyn Tyson          1999
Topic:  Creative writing using the appropriate verb tense
Grade level:  4th, 5th, & 6th
Primary curricular area:  Language Arts
Curriculum objective:  The students will distinguish between the past, present, and future tenses and use the appropriate tense in their writing. 
Time line:  3 class periods
Resources:  Overhead projector; three copies of the Woozle story (see below) printed on a single transparency, transparency markers, multimedia computer(s) and 3 copies of the Woozle story saved in one ClarisWorks document.
Activities: 
1. Using  an overhead projector and/or projection from the computer itself, project  the Woozle story (future tense) that describes what will happen on a trip to the vet with the family dog. 
  a.  Students will look for clues that identify when the story took place and label the paragraph as one written in the  future tense. 
  b.  Students will underline the clues (both verbs and other words) on the transparency and/or in the word processor, that place the story in the future . 

 2.  Keeping the first paragraph on the screen, project a 2nd copy of the story.  Using a transparency marker, the students will jointly edit the transparency copy  while students at computers will edit the ClarisWorks document to reflect the present tense.

 3.  Keep the two paragraphs on the screen, project the 3rd copy of the story.  Using a transparency marker, the students will jointly edit the transparency copy while students at computers will edit the ClarisWorks document to reflect the past tense. 

 4.  Print  the 3 versions of the story and give to each student. 

 5. Provide students with a choice of 3 topics about which they will write a story.  Three possibilities are: First Swimming Lesson,  The Dog Show, or Carnival Parade.  For a homework assignment, the students will write 3 sentence story in the future tense.  A few  will be selected and read aloud to the class for possible peer editing.   Each student will then type their story into a word processor and edit it if necessary.  Using the Copy and Paste commands, the students will place 2 additional copies of their story on the computer screen.  Using word processing editing tools, they will rewrite the second copy  in the present tense, and the 3rd copy in the past tense.    In bold letters, the students  will identify each version of the story as future,  present or past tense.  Students may add a graphic to each version.  Result will be printed.
 
Assessment:
    Studentsí work will be judged on the correct use of verb tense in the three renditions of the story they write.
Navigation guide for teachers:Type the Woozle story on the word processor, using large print.  Using Copy and Paste, place 2 copies of the story  under the original so that 3 copies of the same story can be printed on a single sheet of paper.    Print on a transparency for use with the overhead projector.   Also display the story on the computer screen or large monitor. 
Navigation guide for students:Open Claris works 4.0 from the Launcher.  Select the Word Processor.  Save the story in homeroom  teacher's folder.  Name the file with student's name and topic of story.
Story:  Woozle Will Visit the Vet 
     Tomorrow I will take my dog, Woozle, to the vet for his rabies shot.  He will enjoy the ride in the car but when  I turn into the vetís parking lot, he will whimper pitifully.  While he is getting the shot, he is certain to cry out in protest. 
 
Click the schoolhouse to reurn to the Main Menu.
Click the notebook to return to the Lessons Menu.