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Spark
Lesson 1: Ordinary Moments, Extraordinary Stories, Part 1
California CCSS: Focus Standards
California CCSS: Supporting Standards
ELD Standards
In this lesson
Today you will
Determine and explain a central idea and connect it to your own experiences.
Share and explain personal connections to ordinary moments by using opinion frames (I think . . . , I connect to . . .), descriptive language for experiences, and evidence-based explanation (This line shows . . .) to discuss what makes a story meaningful.
Practice using textual evidence to support and explain an idea.
Essential Questions
How do ordinary moments reveal who we are and how we belong?
How does sharing stories help people understand one another?
Texts used in this lesson
Short-Form Text
“Love Your Stories”: YA Authors on Championing Your Voice
Sasha Dowdy, Library of Congress
Read text
Lesson Sequence
Turn and Talk
Directions: Turn and talk with a partner about the following question:
What hopes and concerns do you have about middle school? Do you think your classmates feel the same way?
Part A: Ordinary Moments: “Love Your Stories”
Directions: As you read “Love Your Stories” as a class, think about the following question: What is the message this text communicates about ordinary moments and telling your own story?
What is one central idea about this article? How does the text develop this idea? Which quotation supports it?
Directions: Write your ideas about what makes a story meaningful as you prepare for Graffiti/Table Talk.
Now respond to this question: What makes a story meaningful?
Pulse Check |
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Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?
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Part B: Making Stories Meaningful
Graffiti/Table Talk
Directions: Work in a group to reread part of “Love Your Stories” and respond to the questions, following up on your classmates’ responses when you want to hear more about their ideas.
What makes the plot of a story meaningful?
What have you noticed about what makes stories meaningful? What similarities do you notice in your classmates’ reflections?
Reflection |
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To what extent do you believe the authors were successful in supporting the idea that everyone's personal story has value and power, even if it seems ordinary? Choose a number from 1 to 5, with 1 being completely unsuccessful and 5 being extremely successful, to rate their success. Write a sentence explaining your reasoning. |
Quick Write
Directions: Review what you read in “Love Your Stories.” Then answer the question:
What line from “Love Your Stories” did you personally connect with the most? Why?