getting kids to love to write! julie constantino [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
WRITERS NEED…
Time To separate composing
from editing Response from a writing
mentorResponsibility/
Accountability Celebration !!!!
Recognizing GenreNARRATIVESCharacter/Setting/Problem /Solution
Personal ExperienceExperience/Activity/Setting through
feeling/emotion
EXPOSITORYTopicIntroduction/Body/
Conclusion sequence
Purpose: to inform
To get ideas started…HEART MAPPINGMakes a student
focus on things close to their heart.
Favorite placeVacationGiftAnimal/petSeasonSportFriendFoodRestaurantSpecial birthdayTime when you felt sadSurprisedScared/afraid
ABC BIG BOOK OF IDEAS…After discussing Written
Anything Good Lately?--an alphabet book that explores different forms, modes, and genres that writing can take in a classroom--students spend one or two weeks at the beginning of the school year slowly and thoughtfully creating their own alpha-lists of types/forms of writing they would be willing to create during the upcoming year of writing.
ABC BIG BOOK IDEAS…
Beginnings…Action
Dialogue
Thoughtshot.?
Sound
My hands trembled as I opened the creaky door of the deserted house.
“Here goes nothing! I said as I climbed through the window of the old haunted house.
I hope this place isn’t really haunted, I thought, as I tiptoed inside.
Boo! Hiss! I shuddered at the strange noises coming from the basement of the abandoned house.
ELABORATIVE DETAIL… Brings LIFE to the story!General vs. SpecificMake characters
setting objects and happening CRITICAL!
Show, Don’t TellFeelings look like….
Detail Generating ?I gazed at…What was it shaped like?What color was it?What was the texture?What were the features?What did it remind you
of?How did it make you
feel?And… any others that
come to mind!
ADDING SUSPENSE…Anticipation HOOKS
a reader. It raises questions in a reader’s mind…
It DOES NOT have to be scary but rather is the story tension making the reader eager, worried, anxious or full of wonder!
Story questionsWord referents to
describe , not name.Mythical beast instead
of dragonMagic of 3You hear a noise. You
look. Nothing. You dismiss it.
You feel something.You turn. There it is!
Endings… Make a character CHANGE or DISCOVER!MemoryFeelingWish or HopeDecisionDefining ActionA life LessonThoughtshotSurprise
Sarah looked out the window at her new neighborhood. It didn’t feel like home, she thought. Yet, there were many new places to visit and things to explore. She took a deep breath, pushed the memories of her old home aside, and headed out the door. She knew in her heart it was up to her to make this new place home.
SUMMER ADVENTURE…Students close their eyes and imagine their
favorite snapshot of summer OR DREAM of where they may have wanted to BE and DO!
Allow 10 minutes of SILENT DRAWING on a blank canvas of paper.
Give them the Magic Camera to SNAPSHOT the details of the memory or creation.
16 WORD POETRYChoose a special Life Experience that shows so much
feeling/emotion and means enough to you that you want to share it with others.
Begin your first line with SO MUCH DEPENDS ON…Choose your words so carefully that you can describe the event in
only 12 more words. Eliminate a, and, the.Now try it with a Math skill, science, or a favorite book/character.
So much depends onHelping those less fortunate
That last final stretchRunning for your life.
Create an EARTH DAY poem or a letter to Mother Earth...
to explain troubles with earth and creative ideas for how we can solve them.
Remember to use VOICE and EMOTION in your poetry or letter.
SECRET REMEDY by Karin Cates
Read story aloudHave students identify emotions and relate
own experiencesRecreate and chart sensory moments to
discussStudents work together to chart emotion
postersTeacher models a think aloud story about being homesickStudents create stories and share aloud
FROM THE BLACK LAGOON Provide all books published from this series
and read aloud the Teacher from the Black Lagoon pointing out descriptive text and chart BME
Arrange books on tables for students to visit on a timed rotation
Students choose book to summarize story elements as a writing work group (Window pane) and share
Students brainstorm characters to create and write wild creative imaginative stories.
Illustrate and CELEBRATE WRITING!
A Special PlaceRead Patricia McLaughlin’s All the Places to LoveHave students visualize their favorite place in the
world… from a remote island to Disney World to a tree fort to their grandma’s feather bed
Create sensory webs/refer to feeling posters/kalaiedescopes with descriptive color words
Provide kids a cardstock blank illustration sheet or 3-D fold out to design their special place
Model writing of your own using unique adjectives, THOUGHTSHOTS
Students write and CELEBRATE their own published pieces
COOKIES AND MILK…Pass out a cookie and milk
to each child to model BME for how to MAKE, DUNK, and EAT a cookie
ORCreate cookies from recipes
in cooperative groups Students create HOW TO
recipes/ stories while a partner acts each step out as directions are given
Read aloud If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
Students create Circle Story
Personal ReflectionDiscuss and chart character/personal traitsRead aloud a teacher biography previously
prepared and then show the model framework for planning
Play Michael Jackson’s The Man In Mirror Pass out reflection mirrors to glue into
journals as students create and share biographies
Friendship Writing Prewrite… List as many close friends as you can
think of in 5 minutes down the left side of journal page. Then write 3 adjectives to describe that person on the right side.
Share friendship poems/Chicken Soup for the Soul stories as model text.
Think of one special memory that stands out in your mind with one person from list. This should be the one with the best story for someone to read.
Write the story and illustrate with a paper chain connecting the two of you or a photograph of you.
SPOOKY STORIESBrainstorm list of spooky places, adding adjectives
to describe detailBrainstorm list of ACTION WORDS that are spooky,
being sure to not include violent words. Ask students to think of younger classmates as their audience.
Read aloud The Gobblins’ll Git Cha If Ya Don’t Watch Out
Brainstorm problems and surprise endings for spooky stories
Gather in dark room and celebrate spooky stories holding a flashlight under reader’s chin.
When I Was Little…
Read aloud the story by Arthur Howard When I Was Five
Prewrite in journals by folding down middle and label left side When I Was Little and the right side Now That I Am BIG
I wanted to be…Favorite
toy/game/place/friend/food/talent/subject/book
Choose one thing that has never changed for last page
A FUNERAL…SAID IS DEAD!Use these instead…
cried gasped grumbled hollered moaned mumbled muttered sang screeched shouted whined whispered yelled yelped
Create Dialogue Plates to show feeling/emotion
ROUND ROBIN WRITINGGrades K-1In laptop groups, students
type a word to begin the sentence.
After designated time, students move to next computer to read first word and add another.
(Use word wall wordsParts of Speech posters)Continue to create
elaborated sentences.Print and edit group stories
together.
Grades 2-5Differentiate with students
creating a topic sentence.Students move to add on
new sentence to elaborate story details (vivid color words, sensory details)
Create sentence for character, setting, problem suspense, solution and conclusion.
Print and edit independently and compare with group.
STUDENT CHOICE
THINK… PAIR… SHARE…
COMMENTS!! QUESTIONS ??
CREATE LANGUAGE TOGETHER…
GREAT WRITING HAPPENS WHEN…
We share GREAT LITERATURE
We MODEL our own thinking
We LISTEN, Don’t always FIX
We take time to CELEBRATE!
