Fourth Grade Writing Lesson Plans

Developing Lesson Plans for Fourth Grade Writing

Although there are many challenges in writing, one aspect that many kids struggle with is organization. Although they were taught about the writing structure (including how to write a beginning, middle and end) in previous grades, they'll likely need more instruction and practice to master the skill.

Teaching about Organization

Give your students a sample paragraph composed of sentences that are written completely out of order. Ask them to put the sentences in order. Then, have a discussion with the class about why the badly ordered paragraph was difficult to read and comprehend. After the lesson, give your students a few more paragraphs and ask them to put the sentences in a logical order on their own.

Whether you're teaching your students about writing a fictional narrative or a nonfiction text, like an expository essay, structure is always relevant. Help your students give their written pieces a beginning, middle and an ending, as well as an overarching theme. Go over texts with your class and ask them to identify these parts.

Working from Outlines

Choose a topic and write an outline as a class. Let your students create a thesis statement and topic sentences. Have your class write this outline on butcher paper and post it in the classroom for easy reference. To teach your class to work from this outline, write a paragraph together as a class.

After this class activity, divide your students into smaller groups. Give each group a topic and have them write their own outlines on butcher paper. Hang these outlines around the one that was created by the entire class. Have each group write their own essays from these outlines.

Revising and Editing

After your students finish writing first drafts, it's time for editing and making revisions. Correct the assignments, and have your students rewrite them with your revisions. Discuss various revisions you've made with the class as a whole, as well as with individual students. Alternatively, have your students trade their writing with another student and have them peer review. Students should identify what's working and what should be improved. It can also be helpful for students to assess their own work.