Writing Feature Articles - Step 1 - Lesson 1 | Page 9

Writing Feature Articles - Lesson .
Using the chart below as a guide, conduct guided groups. On the Conferring Log, record
what you ?nd, what you teach and the next steps for the students.
What you might ?nd:

Suggested Approaches:

Limited analysis of feature
characteristics

Use DI handout: Students can use Characteristics of a
Feature Article (Handout 1.1b) to help record the evidence
of each characteristic of a feature article. Students can
attach the handout to their writers’ notebooks.

Limited evidence indicating texts are
feature articles

Demonstrate process: Review the characteristics of a
feature article. Then demonstrate how to scan one of the
texts in the packet and identify key characteristics and
matching evidence. After modeling, have student do the
same with a second text.

Ready for more

Provide extension: Instruct students who ?nish to write a
re?ection on one text that appeals to them. They may also
read another text in the Feature Articles Packet.

Sharing and Lesson Summary ( min)
Reconvene the class. Ask for a show of hands to ?nd out which articles students felt were and were not
feature articles. Select an article that is a feature and brie?y review why it is considered one.
Ask students to start thinking about topics that they might want to write feature articles about,
given the samples they just reviewed.

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