Drafting the Retell

Grade

6 (Junior School)

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Unit Overview

Unit: Retelling Percy Jackson Adventures
Lesson: 5 of 8
Focus: Drafting a clear and coherent retelling of Episode 5 of Percy Jackson using outlines and added details.

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Ontario Curriculum Expectations

English Language Arts, Grade 6 (The Ontario Curriculum, 2023):

• Language:
  • Writing
    • 1.1 generate, gather, and organise ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience
    • 1.3 draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, narrative, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience
  • Reading:
    • 1.1 read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning
  • Media Literacy:
    • Overall expectations support understanding narrative structures and purpose

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Learning Goals

• Students will draft a retelling of Episode 5 of Percy Jackson using their outline and added descriptive details.
• Students will focus on clarity, coherence, and sequence in their writing.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to write for an audience, organising their thoughts into paragraphs.

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Success Criteria ("I can" statements)

• I can use my outline to draft my retelling of Episode 5 clearly and sequentially.
• I can include added details to make my writing more interesting and vivid.
• I can use paragraphs to organise my ideas so my reader can understand my retelling.
• I can re-read my work to check for clarity and coherence.

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Materials Needed

• Copies of students’ Episode 5 outlines and notes from previous lessons
• Writing notebooks or laptops/tablets
• Visual anchor chart: “Features of a Clear and Coherent Retelling”
• Sample paragraph from a retelling (teacher-prepared)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes or graphic organizers for peer feedback

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Review (10 minutes)

• Teacher shares lesson goal:
  "Today, you will draft your retelling of Episode 5 of Percy Jackson using your outlines and extra details you’ve added. We will focus on writing clearly so our readers can follow the story easily."

• Review “Success Criteria” and display anchor chart:
  Features of a Clear and Coherent Retelling include:

  • Clear sequence of events
  • Interesting details
  • Paragraphs that group ideas
  • Using transition words (e.g., first, then, finally)

• Mini-teach: Model drafting a paragraph from the outline using teacher’s sample on the board. Emphasize clear sequencing and adding descriptive details.

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2. Independent Writing: Drafting (30 minutes)

• Students draft their retellings independently or with digital devices, referring to their outlines and notes.

• Teacher circulates to support, reminding students to:

  • Use their outline as a roadmap
  • Add details that bring the story to life
  • Stay focused on telling the story clearly in order

• Encourage students to write in paragraphs, using transition words.

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3. Peer Feedback & Conferencing (15 minutes)

• In pairs, students exchange drafts and provide feedback using sticky notes or a simple graphic organizer addressing:

  • Is the story clear and easy to follow?
  • Are there enough interesting details?
  • Are the ideas organised well in paragraphs?

• Teacher conducts brief one-on-one conferences with students needing extra support or extension.

• Collectively discuss examples of great details and coherence from volunteer students.

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4. Plenary & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Invite students to share a sentence or paragraph they feel proud of.

• Reflect with students:
  "How does drafting your retell help your writing? What did you find easy or tricky about keeping your story clear?"

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Need	Strategy
ELLs/Language learners	Provide sentence starters; visual word banks of transition words; buddy supports for vocabulary; use digital speech-to-text tools
Students with IEPs (writing difficulties)	Allow oral retell drafts to record for transcription; break drafting into smaller chunks; graphic organisers for paragraph planning
Advanced learners	Challenge them to vary sentence structure and vocabulary; integrate dialogue or descriptive similes in their retelling; begin revising for vivid verbs and engaging introductions

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Extension Activities (For Advanced Learners)

• Create a parallel retelling from another character’s perspective in Episode 5.
• Add a creative writing element such as a diary entry or letter from Percy Jackson summarizing the episode.
• Use multimedia tools (digital storytelling apps) to create an illustrated retell with audio narration.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through teacher observation during writing and conferencing.
• Peer feedback used as formative input.
• Review student drafts for clarity, coherence, appropriate sequencing, and use of details according to success criteria.
• Use rubrics designed for narrative writing per Ontario ELA standards to guide feedback.

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Notes for Teacher

• Remind students this is a draft: encourage risk-taking and creativity.
• Emphasize the link between their outlines and the final narrative so they understand the drafting process.
• Use positive reinforcement to motivate students.
• Plan to dedicate the next lesson to revision and editing following Ontario curriculum focus on revising for clarity and effectiveness.

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End of Lesson Plan