What I Am Reading Now!

 

One of the changes in the common core standards is going from persuasive writing to argument writing. It is more difficult to write and also to teach. These skills may be the most important ones teachers pass on to their students. That is why I am reading: Teaching Argument Writing by George Hillocks, Jr.

The book is advertised for grades 6-12, but I feel 4th and 5th grade teachers would gain from it, too. I've only begun reading, but already in the first three chapters it teaches simple arguments showing step-by-step how to teach students how to write and evaluate.

Anything that helps teachers teach students to problem solve, write arguments and support their claims---it gets my attention!

The Interpretive Essay or Argument Writing

The Common Core State Standards have focused on three basic types of writing: narrative, informational, and argument. The interpretive essay/argument writing, is the next unit of study for many fifth graders. When I first saw this, I thought about how tough this would be for ten-eleven year olds. But if we break it down as it is done in A Curricular Plan For The Writing Workshop, Grade 5, it is manageable.

This month students will be writing two essays--one grounded in their lives and one in the lives of characters they have been reading about in literature--read alouds, independent reading, book clubs. To start this unit it will be easier for the children to write about an opinion and theory. They will dig deep to grow ideas about themselves. They might want to start by writing a list in their notebook: "I am the kind of person who..."

The students will choose a theory and write a thesis statement, for example: "I am the kind of person who cares about others." Taking the statement they will notice events and happenings that support or challenge that theory. Collecting these small stories can be done in their notebooks. This is where gathering evidence come into play. The stories, quotes, and observations will be the evidence to support their statement.

The organizing of these collections has to be done in a logical fashion. Perhaps, lessons on transitional phrases to show how each part supports their thesis statement will need to be done. Seeing what students are doing as they write, will drive your instruction.

They will need to learn how to use quotes, anecdotes and observations within the essay. It will take about two weeks to draft and revise this first essay. It will be rigorous work, but remember it will be approximating. You are teaching the writer...not the writing!

Writing for Readers

The unit of study for first grade in October is: Writing for Readers. This isn't a new unit, but the issue is to be sure it meets the rigor of the common core standards. They require that by the end of first grade, students are able to write narrative texts with a high level of proficiency. They should be able to use end punctuation and spell common words. These are what they need to be able to do at the END of the year...not in October. Right now they are learning!

Since students have been writing stories as they launch the writer's workshop, they will have a collection to sort through from their writing folders. As they sort, they will decide which are readable and which are not and have two piles. Now they need to decide how to move a story from the unreadable side to being readable.

The list of strategies used for this will differ from class to class. Some ideas are:

• How to stretch words to hear more sounds
• How to use the word wall to find words
• How to use what you learned in Word Study

Another thing to be taught the first few weeks of this unit is to be focused on a small moment. The lessons for One day, One time, Once...will help with this focus. Those lessons have been done before, but it is important to do it early in the year so students have time to practice this.

When telling/writing a small moment story, staying on focus on that story is important. One way to do that is to tell the story across their fingers and then moving page to page. It might sound like this: "On this page I'll write..." and "On the next page I'll write..." They might want to sketch (not draw) it across the pages and then come back and add the words.

If students get more focused with the stories they write, their writing will get better!  Happy Writing!

Approximating Small Moments

Meron adding details to her book.

Next month in most kindergarten classes, the unit of study is going to be Approximating Small Moments. So far these children have been launching their writing workshop. This meant they were telling stories and listening to stories and doing some writing. Some of the writing might have been in journals. Some of it might have been on single sheets of paper. Still, they were learning that they could be authors, too.

Now it is time to bump up their writing and go to new levels. They will be writing a story over a day or two. They will be invited to choose books that have been stapled together and placed in a tray, basket or shelf. The books might be various sizes. They might be stapled on the side or on the top. Those are choices the little authors will make. But the biggest part is telling their stories.

Telling stories is an important part of kindergarten. As I have been working with Meron, four-years-old, she would tell me lots of stories. They would be about going to the zoo with her family. Or what her older brothers did at breakfast. Or how her older sister broke her arm. She is full of stories! This was a perfect set-up for me to get her to do some writing. I had a basket of various sizes of blank books that I made. She would choose a book, we would tell the story she decided to write. We would touch each page as we planned what it would say.

One day she wrote about how Lane, her brother, threw a tomato at a squirrel in the yard. It was a very funny story. Another time she wrote about how she and her little brother, Bamlaku, played house in a big refrigerator box. That was a very inventive story.

She knew right away what she wanted to write. We talked about each page of the story. The first page would say: "Meron and Bam play." The next page was to say: "Meron and Bam make a house."  The last page was: "Meron and Bam play with a big box."  At first, the last page didn't seem to fit the story, but after talking it over, she let me know that the big box was the house! She drew the pictures on each page along with an M for Meron and a B for Bam...labels!

Yes, she is approximating small moments! Happy Writing as  you start your next month's new unit of study!

Meron and Bam play with a big box.

Invite Others into the Discussion

As I have worked with groups of students learning to have purposeful discussions, I've noticed many times it's the same few students doing the talking. Last week as I did a read aloud, the teacher would say, "I keep seeing the same people talking. What do others think?" But no one commented or entered the discussions.

In Martha Heller-Winokur and Marcia Uretsky's book: Fourth Grade Readers, they suggest inviting others into the discussion. By talking to the group about being a strong speaker and listener and sharing the fact that it is important that everyone has a chance to share, hopefully all will soon feel welcome. They need to realize some have difficulty taking part in the discussion. The students all need to be aware of those who have not had a chance to talk and invite them to participate. They could simply call on someone and say: "What are you thinking?"

Give the students a chance to practice this by turning to a partner and say those words. Asking the class for other ways to say it might also help. When students invite others to join the discussion, it shows they care about their ideas. They need to realize this!

Using this strategy as you read a short story to the class, gives them a chance to actually try it out. Prompting individuals to invite others into the discussion may have to be done for awhile! This is not something that happens over night or in one session. It will take many reminders! So, what are YOU thinking?

Fun Memoirs!

Next week is the last week in September. For many of you fifth grade teachers, that means you are wrapping up the unit of study in memoir. Students are finalizing their editing. They are deciding how to publish. Maybe there is even a celebration planned. Where ever you and your students are in this unit, I hope you are doing some reflecting.

As I was glancing over my writing journal this week, I was reminded of something I had started earlier in the year. At the end of each day's writing, I would summarize the day into a six-word-memoir. It is quite challenging, but fun. I began to think---if I was in the classroom, I would have the students do at least one of these to put with their Memoir Unit of Study.

Here are a few samples from the book: Not Quite What I Was Planning edited by Smith Magazine.

• Cheese is the essence of life.---Mary Lynch
• Was rebellious teen. Now raising one.--Michelle Ganon
• I wouldn't change it a bit.---Ann Pacton

Here are a couple of mine:

• Cold, windy day, sinus-y and tired.
• Math isn't easy, but it's important.

Now you can try it! If you want to know more go to www.sixwordmemoir.com  Do some with your class and send them off to have some fun!

Happy Writing!

Happy Reading!

Happy Weekend!



Focus Lessons in Reading and Writing

Today I was thinking of the parts of the writing workshop in classrooms.  One of the important parts is the mini lesson or the focus lesson.  This is not the old 'teacher-talking-student-listening' maxi lesson.  It is the time to give a teaching point that students can learn from and possible use that day in their writing. I do say possibly. It is not a requirement. Sometimes, if I really want the student to try it to just get a feel for how to do it, I might challenge them to try it. I would even bribe them with, "...and if you try it, you can share today!"



 It is another Gramma Preschool day today. When Meron, my four-year-old grand daughter, comes, I have a plan...a schedule. For the reading part of our day, we will review the book we read last time, but we will also introduce a new read aloud book. Today's book is: In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming. I chose this book because in science we are going to be going outside to look at sunflowers. This is a connection between science and reading. I also chose it for the pictures and word choice.

We will start the read aloud... focus lesson by talking about the author, illustrator and title. We will take a fast picture walk. As we do the walk, I will help her to notice the passing of time. It is never mentioned in words. At the beginning the sun is high in the sky and it ends with the fireflies blinking and moon rising above. This is a great book for the beginning reader, but it is also one that could be used for passing of time with the older writer, too. Picture books are wonderful treasures for all ages.

My challenge for Meron today will be to try that in her writing. I want to connect the writing time into the learning areas of reading and science and possibly math as we count sunflower seeds!

It will be important for me to remember to keep my focus lesson short, even though I will be incorporating a read aloud. This is one of the things teachers forget...mini lessons are not maxi lessons!  Happy Reading!