Group items tagged

This pack of text samples is designed to help children learn the essence of each text type. Please note that these texts have been specially written so that they do conform to the same rules. They should be seen simply as a basis. Once children have assimilated these and are regularly using them in their writing, they should be encouraged to look at variations and more sophisticated models. It is assumed that the order of teaching is as follows: * Teacher reads texts and encourages the class to suggest what the framework is (shared reading) * Teacher shows more texts and encourages children to see if their framework still applies (shared reading) * Teacher uses framework to model their own writing (modelled writing) * Teacher and children write a text between them using the framework (shared writing) * Groups of children write texts with teacher support (guided writing) * Children write texts independently (independent work/extended writing)

Interactive Tools and Lessons for "Persuasive Writing"

One initial lesson for writer's notebooks is to Read Ralph Fletcher's opening story in Keeping a Writer's Notebook. It's about digging a ditch and catching all kinds of critters. He compares writer's notebooks to that ditch -- a space we dig in our busy lives to catch stuff. After reading the story, my students and I brainstorm the different kinds of things we could catch in our writer's notebooks. Then I typed the chart in a format that made it easy for students to tape it to the inside cover of their notebooks. Here's what we came up with:

Text structure refers to the ways that authors organize information in text. For example, some texts are organized as a chronological sequence of events, while others compare two or more things. Teaching students to recognize the underlying structure of content-area texts can help students focus attention on key concepts and relationships, anticipate what's to come, and monitor their comprehension as they read.

Discussion protocols for learning together from and through texts

A-Z the characteristics of each level of text

Year-long sequence from Juli Kendall

Collated lessons for grades 6-8 around the use of the writer's notebook

"The Writing Workshop, similar to the Reading Workshop, is a method of teaching writing using a workshop method. Students are given opportunities to write in a variety of genres and helps foster a love of writing. The Writing Workshop allows teachers to meet the needs of their students by differentiating their instruction and gearing instruction based on information gathered throughout the workshop."

"This lesson helps students understand copyright, fair use, and plagiarism by focusing on why students should avoid plagiarism and exploring strategies that respect copyright and fair use. The lesson includes three parts, each framed by a KWL chart. In the first part, focusing on plagiarism, students discuss plagiarism and look at examples to determine whether the passages are plagiarized. Part two introduces copyright and fair use. Students use a Think-Pair-Share strategy to explore questions about fair use, then read several scenarios and determine if the uses described are fair use. In the third part, students develop paraphrasing skills through direct practice with paraphrasing text book passages using an online notetaking tool."

Teaching English Language Learners to Read Featuring Diane August, Margarita Calderón, and Fred Genesee discussing best practices for teaching English language learners."

Fierce Wonderings lesson using Ralph Fletcher's book "A Writer's Notebook" and "Amelia's Notebook"