Unit Plan 36 (Grade K ELA): Publishing Celebration & Reflection

Focus: Polished mini-portfolio; short author shares; language for effect

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing • Speaking/Listening • Language)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

It’s celebration week! Students curate a mini-portfolio of this year’s best work (one informational page, one narrative page, one poem/song/chant or favorite drawing with labels), add light revisions for clarity, and publish with teacher-supported digital tools. They rehearse and deliver short author talks using complete sentences, visuals, and a sprinkle of “wow words” to create language for effect.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. With guidance, produce and publish a short piece (or portfolio page) using a class digital tool and collaborate with peers (W.K.6).
2. Present their work clearly: describe the topic/story, add a drawing/visual to support ideas, and speak audibly in complete sentences (SL.K.4–SL.K.6).
3. Choose words for effect (e.g., exciting/specific words) when speaking/writing a brief author note or caption (L.K.3).

Standards Alignment — CCSS Kindergarten

• W.K.6 With guidance and support, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
• SL.K.4–SL.K.6 Describe familiar people/places/things with support; add drawings or visual displays to provide additional detail; speak audibly and express ideas clearly in complete sentences.
• L.K.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing/speaking (choose words for effect in simple contexts).

Success Criteria — student language

• I can choose 2–3 best pieces for my mini-portfolio.
• I can publish (with help) using our class tool and add one visual.
• I can share in one or two complete sentences: what I made and why it’s special.
• I can use a “wow word” (exciting/specific word) in my caption or author talk.

III. Materials and Resources

Mentor & Student Texts — teacher acquires/curates

• Samples of class-created pieces from earlier units (informational page with heading/labels, a small-moment narrative page, a poem/chant page).
• A favorite short picture book author’s note to model a brief author message (if available).

Tools & Displays

• Anchor charts: “Portfolio Choices (Informational • Narrative • Poem/Art),” “Author Talk (Look • Point • Tell),” “Wow Words (big, tiny, zigzag, delicious, thunder, sparkle…).”
• Doc camera/projector, class laptop/tablet (teacher-driven), optional student devices (guided station).
• Class publishing template (e.g., one shared slide/page per student with photo of work + one caption).

Organizers

• Portfolio Choice Card (Pick 3 pieces • Why I chose it).
• Revise & Polish Card (Add a label • Fix a capital/period • Make picture clearer).
• Author Note/Caption Strip (This is my ___ because ___ • Wow word I used: ___).
• Presentation Cue Card (“Hello, I am ___.” “This is my ___.” “I used the word ___.”).

Preparation — before Session 1

• Gather each child’s work folder; pre-select viable drafts from earlier units.
• Create a shared digital deck or class page with one slot per student.
• Test the doc cam; prepare sticky name tags for the celebration audience.

IV. Lesson Procedure

Each session follows: Mini-Lesson → Guided Practice → Independent/Partner Practice → Share → Exit Ticket

Session 1: Curate the Mini-Portfolio (W.K.6; SL.K.4)

• Mini-Lesson (10–12 min): Model choosing three pieces that show learning (informational/narrative/poem). Think aloud: “This one teaches with labels; this one has a strong ending.”
• Guided (10–12 min): Class uses the Portfolio Choices anchor to sort model pieces into categories.
• Independent (10–15 min): Students select 3 pieces and complete the Portfolio Choice Card (draw/check and dictate a reason).
• Share (5 min): Turn-and-talk: “I chose this because ___.”
• Exit Ticket: Hold up your favorite piece and name its type (informational/narrative/poem).

Session 2: Revise & Polish (L.K.3; SL.K.6 support)

• Mini-Lesson (8–10 min): Quick conventions burst and clarity check: add one label/caption, fix one capital/period, strengthen one wow word (from chart).
• Guided (10–12 min): Teacher models editing a caption: “I had fun.” → “I had a gigantic splash.”
• Independent (15–20 min): Students use the Revise & Polish Card on one page; add a wow word to a caption or author note using the Author Note/Caption Strip.
• Share (5 min): Read your new caption; peers give a “Wow word heard?” thumbs-up.
• Exit Ticket: Point to your wow word.

Session 3: Publish With Our Class Tool (W.K.6)

• Mini-Lesson (8–10 min): Demo the publishing template: snap or place a photo of the work, type/dictate a one-sentence caption, insert a visual (emoji/shape or small drawing image).
• Guided (10–12 min): In small groups, the teacher helps each child add their best piece to the shared deck/page.
• Independent (15–20 min): Centers continue publishing (teacher station) while others rehearse author talk with Presentation Cue Cards.
• Share (5 min): Show one published slide/page on the projector.
• Exit Ticket: Touch the publish icon on a mock-up and say what it does.

Session 4: Rehearse the Author Talk (SL.K.4–SL.K.6; L.K.3)

• Mini-Lesson (8–10 min): Model the 20–30 second author talk: name, piece type, one craft move, wow word used; point to the visual while speaking.
• Guided (10–12 min): Fishbowl practice with 2–3 volunteers; class notices complete sentences and audible voice.
• Independent (15–20 min): Partner practice with Presentation Cue Cards; peers use two prompts: “I heard your wow word ___.” “Please say your sentence again loudly.”
• Share (5 min): Quick two-student preview talks.
• Exit Ticket: Give a thumbs-up if you used a complete sentence today.

Session 5: Publishing Celebration! (Assessment) (W.K.6; SL.K.4–SL.K.6; L.K.3)

• Warm-Up (5 min): Chant: “Publish • Point • Wow word • Share!”
• Task (25–30 min):
  1. Student presents one portfolio piece on the screen/doc cam (SL.K.4).
  2. Uses one complete sentence to explain what it is and points to a supporting visual (SL.K.5–SL.K.6).
  3. Reads or says one caption/author note with a wow word (L.K.3).
  4. With guidance, places their piece into the shared digital class book (W.K.6).
• Share (5–7 min): Audience gives one glow (“I loved your wow word ___”) and one thank-you.
• Exit Ticket: Place a sticker by the skill you used best: Published, Spoke clearly, or Wow word.

V. Differentiation and Accommodations

Advanced Learners

• Add a second sentence to the author talk using because/so.
• Publish a two-photo spread (before/after revision).
• Lead as Tech Helper at the publishing station.

Targeted Support

• Provide sentence frames on the Cue Card: “This is my ___. It shows ___.”
• Scribe the caption from student dictation; student selects the wow word.
• Reduce portfolio to two pieces if stamina is a concern.

Multilingual Learners

• Bilingual/visual word bank of wow words (e.g., big/grande, tiny/pequeño, splash/chapoteo).
• Allow L1 rehearsal; produce one English sentence while pointing to the visual.
• Rehearsal buddy repeats the sentence for choral practice.

IEP/504 & Accessibility

• Enlarged caption strips; high-contrast slides; alternative input (switch/tap to add image).
• Option to audio-record the author talk and play during share.
• Goal simplification: publish one piece + say one complete sentence with a wow word.

VI. Assessment and Evaluation

Formative Assessment — Daily

• Check Portfolio Choice Cards for variety and rationale (W.K.6 process).
• Listen for complete sentences and audibility during rehearsals (SL.K.6).
• Review captions/notes for wow word use and clarity (L.K.3).

Summative Snapshot — End of Week; 0–2 per criterion, total 10

1. Digital Publishing (W.K.6)
   • 2: Publishes a piece with guidance; visual included; collaborates.
   • 1: Publishes with significant prompts or missing visual.
   • 0: Not yet.
2. Presentation Clarity (SL.K.4)
   • 2: Names the piece and what it shows in a clear idea.
   • 1: Partial description or unclear idea.
   • 0: Not yet.
3. Use of Visuals (SL.K.5)
   • 2: Points to the visual that supports the idea while speaking.
   • 1: Visual present but not referenced.
   • 0: Not yet.
4. Complete Sentences & Audibility (SL.K.6)
   • 2: Shares in complete sentences, audible to the audience.
   • 1: Needs cue to complete or speak up.
   • 0: Not yet.
5. Language for Effect (L.K.3)
   • 2: Uses a wow word in caption or talk appropriately.
   • 1: Attempted wow word with cue or mismatched use.
   • 0: Not yet.

Feedback Protocol

• One glow (“Your wow word ‘thundery’ painted a picture!”) + one grow (“Try one complete sentence to tell why you chose this page.”).
• Micro-goals: point to the visual while speaking; swap in one stronger word.

VII. Reflection and Extension

Reflection Prompts

• “Which piece shows your best teaching or storytelling?”
• “What wow word did you use, and why did you pick it?”
• “How did publishing with our class tool help share your work?”

Extensions

• Class E-Book: Combine slides/pages into one sharable class ebook for families.
• Hallway Gallery: Post a QR code linking to the digital portfolio.
• Future Author Note: Each student dictates one goal for next year (“Next year I will add more labels.”).

Standards Trace — When Each Standard Is Taught/Assessed

• W.K.6 taught Sessions 1 & 3; assessed Session 5 Criterion 1.
• SL.K.4–SL.K.6 taught Sessions 1–4; assessed Session 5 Criteria 2–4.
• L.K.3 taught Sessions 2 & 4; assessed Session 5 Criterion 5.