**Lesson Plan: Writing Narratives and Information Texts**
**Grade:** 2
**Subject:** Language Arts
**Duration:** 60 minutes
**Topic:** Writing Narratives and Information Texts
**Objective:**
Students will be able to differentiate between narrative and informational texts and write their own short narrative and informational pieces.
**Materials Needed:**
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers
- Sample narrative and informational texts
- Writing paper and pencils
- Graphic organizers for narrative and informational writing
- Storybooks
**Common Core Standards:**
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3: Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
**Lesson Activities:**
1. **Introduction (10 minutes)**
a. Greet students and introduce the topic of the lesson: Writing narratives and informational texts.
b. Ask students if they know the difference between a story (narrative) and an information text.
c. Show examples of both types of texts (e.g., a short storybook and a simple informational book about animals).
2. **Teaching & Modeling (15 minutes)**
a. Create a T-chart on the chart paper/whiteboard with "Narrative" on one side and "Informational" on the other.
b. Discuss the characteristics of each type of writing. For example:
- Narratives: Characters, setting, events, beginning/middle/end, dialogue, emotions.
- Informational Texts: Facts, definitions, descriptions, main topic, subtopics, diagrams or pictures.
c. Read a short narrative text and an informational text aloud to the class.
d. Discuss the elements of each type of text with the students, referring to the T-chart to highlight differences.
3. **Guided Practice (15 minutes)**
a. Hand out graphic organizers for both narrative and informational writing.
b. Work on a narrative writing example together as a class. Choose a familiar topic (e.g., a fun day at the park).
c. Fill out the narrative graphic organizer together (characters, setting, beginning, middle, end).
d. Do the same for an informational text example. Choose a simple topic (e.g., facts about dogs). Fill out the informational graphic organizer together.
4. **Independent Practice (15 minutes)**
a. Explain that students will now write their own short narrative and informational pieces.
b. Provide students with a choice of prompts for both types of texts. Some narrative prompts could be "A funny thing that happened to me" or "A day at the zoo." Some informational prompts could be "All about my favorite animal" or "How plants grow."
c. Allow students to choose one narrative and one informational prompt to write about independently.
d. Circulate around the room to provide support and guidance as needed.
5. **Closure (5 minutes)**
a. Ask a few students to share their narrative or informational pieces with the class.
b. Summarize the key points discussed in the lesson about the differences between narratives and informational texts.
c. Praise students for their efforts and remind them that writing is a process that they will continue to improve with practice.
**Assessment:**
- Formative assessment through observation during guided and independent practice.
- Collect students’ writing samples to review and provide feedback on their understanding of narrative and informational text structures.
**Differentiation:**
- Provide graphic organizers with more visual aids for students who need additional support.
- Pair students who are struggling with students who are more confident to work together.
- Allow advanced students to add more details or write longer pieces.
**Extension:**
- Have students create illustrations to go along with their narrative and informational texts.
- Set up a "publishing" day where students can read their stories and informational texts to the class or display them on a bulletin board.