This is the first of three blog posts that will focus on sharing resources for teaching writing. The activities posted as comments come from participants in the All Write! class that took place on June 26 in Eugene, Oregon. These activities are Six Traits related. Here’s an example:
Trait: Ideas/Content
Focus: Clear and focused writing
Book/Author: The Secret Knowledge of Grown-Ups by David Wisniewski
Publisher: Harper Trophy
ISBN: 0-06-443753-1
Summary: This creative book takes simple rules that adults make up such as “Eat your vegetables,” “Comb your hair,” and “Don’t play with your food” and provides imaginative, humorous explanations.
What you need: Paper, pencils, file folders or large construction paper to make folders
What you do: Read a couple of entries from the book. Then, as a class, identify a school rule (e.g No running in the halls) and write the “Official Reason.” Next, brainstorm a list of possible “Real Reasons” for this rule using the book as a model. Choose one of the reasons and show how this could be written as a short, focused narrative. Have students think of a rule (school, home, community) and go through the process themselves. Use folders to display finished copy: “Rule #” on the tab, “Official Reason” on the outside, and “The Truth” on the inside. Share completed folders then display outside the classroom for others to see.
Letter Writing Project
Trait: Organization
Focus: Format and Sequence of a Friendly Letter or Thank You Note
Book: The Elves and the Shoemaker retold by Paul Galdone
Publisher: Clarion Books
ISBN: 0-89919-226-2
Summary:
A retelling from the Brothers Grimm, Paul Galdone retells and illustrates this tale of a poor but honest shoemaker and his wife who are eking out a living. Down to the last of his leather stores, the shoemaker wistfully prepares for the next day’s shoe making, but while he and his wife are slumbering, two skillful elves finish the shoes. Expertly crafted, the shoes sell for a good price allowing the shoemaker to purchase more leather. As the pattern continues–prepared shoe leather is transformed into splendid shoes while the shoemaker and his wife are sleeping–the curious shoemaker and his wife spy out the mysterious craftsman only to discover two unclothed elves! Lovingly, the shoemaker’s wife sews handsome garments for the elves and leaves the garments out with the prepared shoe leather. Late in the night, the elves discover the garments, delightfully adorn themselves, and skip off into the night, never to be seen again.
-This activity is part of a larger language arts project where students will be reading (or read to) various fairy tales, and they will be charting characters, plot, climax, conclusion. Using The Jolly Postman or Other People’s Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, Little, Brown and Company, the students will be working on “mail” correspondance between or to fairy tale characters.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/385250.The_Jolly_Postman_or_Other_People_s_Letters
-Materials:
*Chart paper or large whiteboard space
*A version (or several) of The Elves and the Shoemaker
*Paper for student letters or actual thank you notes
*Envelopes
*Chart of the parts of a friendly letter such as:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/trcabcwww/pdf/FriendlyLetterTemplate.pdf
-Activity:
*The students will generate ideas and will write thank you notes from the elves to the shoemaker and his wife thanking them for the clothes.
*The elves may also want to write and let the shoemaker and wife know what they have been up to now that they have gone off in their fancy clothes.
*These letters can be compiled and added to other correspondances that students write from or to fairy tale characters, and these correspondances can be collected into student versions of the Jolly Postman.
*Idea extensions include:
-A letter from Goldilocks to the Three Bears apologizing for trespassing.
-A letter from the student to the dog, cat, etc. in The Little Red Hen exhorting them to be more helpful.
-A letter from Henny Penny to the King warning that the sky is falling since traveling to see the king is a perilous thing to do.
-A letter from Cinderella to her fairy godmother letting her know how life in the palace is with prince charming or a postcard from Cinderalla from a honeymoon destination.
-A warning sign from Hansel and Gretel to post at the entrance of the forest.
-A get well letter from Little Red Riding Hood to Grandma or a letter from Grandma to Little Red and her mother letting them know that forest travel is suspended due to a sketchy wolf.
Trait: Ideas and Content
Focus: Paragraph with relevant details
Book: The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth
(This can also be done with other Magic School Bus books that are written using a similar format.)
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 0-590-40760-0
Summary:
Miss Frizzle’s class is going to study the earth, and each student will need a rock to bring to class, so she loads them on the magic school bus and takes them on a magical rock-gathering field trip into the layers of the earth. After tunneling through the earth and learning along the way, the magic school bus surfaces on the far side of the earth on a volcanic island where each student collects a rock sample before the steam from the island’s volcano floats them back to school.
Writing Project: Earth Science (can be adjusted for other science topics)
-Using elements of Robert Young’s “Beginning Research” process, each student will write a research report of one or more paragraphs, and he/she will create a final, polished product such as an illustrated poster featuring the report.
http://realwriting.us/home/workshops/writing-rocks/
Materials:
-Magic School Bus book (several copies)
-Earth science books or other resources such as Kids Discover that the kids can use for research materials.
-Robert Young’s “Beginning Research”
-Document reader or large chart of the research reports written by the Magic School Bus book characters and featured in the margins of the pages of Magic School Bus books.
-Copies of student research printable templates or organizers you plan to use.
Activity:
-Read The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth in literature groups, or read to the class.
-Have students look through copies of the book, or as a group, use a document reader or enlarged versions of the student reports from the book.
-Examine the elements of each report for topic and relevant details.
-Work with the students to determine what they wonder about and would like to research about earth science. If needed, have a word bank of topic ideas, or have them peruse earth science books for inspiration.
-Bring students through the process of choosing a topic and researching it.
-Develop final, polished, one paragraph (or more if you are scaling this for higher abilities) reports.
-Have the students make their paragraph into a displayable poster project to share with the class and to display in the classroom or the library.
Trait: Word Choice
Trait Focus: Descriptive Words, Adjectives
Book: Frederick by Leo Lionni
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 0-590-97939-6
Summary: A family of field mice begin to collect nuts, seeds, and other necessities for winter, but Frederick, one of the mice, dreamily sits out of the gathering chores. When winter comes and supplies run short, the mice are cold and discouraged, but Frederick, as it turns out, was gathering summer images and memories. When he shares descriptions of summer he also gives his family a new perspective on the seasons–including winter!
This activity is intended to be done in more than one session.
Opening activity:
Materials:
-soft, stuffed bear
-plastic (or wood, etc.) toy bear
-bag (grocery bag?) labeled “Describing Bag”
-several descriptive words written on index cards for each bear: brown, soft, fuzzy, squishy, warm, tan, hard, smooth, cold, (etc.)
-pocket chart divided into to columns (with tape, or with labels such as Stuffed Bear, Plastic Bear)
*For the opener, pass around and then display the two toy bears.
*Out of the describing bag, pull the word cards one by one.
*Have the students decide which bear each word describes, and place it in the pocket chart in the appropriate column.
*Talk about how words describe.
*Encourage the students to come up with even more words. Write on cards and add them.
Book:
*Show book, Frederick.
*Tell how Frederick has a special talent for describing things, and how this special talent will help his mouse family get through the cold winter.
*Read the book
Activity:
Materials:
-magazine (or other) pictures of the sun
-pictures of periwinkles, poppies (several varieties), wheat (dried and green), leaves (several varieties)
-if possible, actual samples of a periwinkle, poppy, wheat, leaf to touch.
-butcher paper chart with five columns, each labeled Sun, Periwinkles, Poppies, Wheat, Leaves. Include a graphic of each.
-Have a bag labeled “Summer Bag” (I use a big, brown grocery bag). Inside have index cards with summer ‘’thing’’ words such as: popsicle, daisy, sunset, fireworks, ice cream, fair, tent, campfire, barbecue, sprinkler, tomatoes, apples, river, pool, heat, sunburn, bug repellant
-Have a chart ‘’word bank” of all of the summer words that are written on the index cards
*For each item from the Frederick book (sun, periwinkle, poppies, wheat, leaves), look and touch (if possible)
*For each item, generate descriptive words. (Older students may use a Thesaurus or Rodale’s Synonym Finder for more ideas.)
*Have students share words with the group and list them on the butcher paper chart.
*Reread Frederick, and at the point in which Frederick shares descriptions, call on students to verbally add additional descriptive words from the chart.
*Post the chart for reference and inspiration.
*Have each student draw a card out of the Summer Bag and come up with at least two (but hopefully more) descriptive words for the word drawn. E.G. Popsicle, “cold”, “orange”, “sticky”, “sweet”, “melty”, etc. Have the students write their describing words on the backside of their summer word card.
*Place the cards in the pocket chart with the student descriptions facing out and the summer word turned toward the back.
*As a group, read the descriptive words and try to determine what the student was describing. Reference the word bank chart for clues.
*Focus on using descriptive words in upcoming writing projects.
Jessica Whelan
#1
Trait: Organization
Focus: Transitions link ideas, repetition
(also Ideas and Content/Quality Details)
Book/Author: I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt, Illustrated by Cyd Moore
Publisher: Troll Communications, LLC
ISBN: 0-8167-7244-4
Summary: The story begins, “Mama said, ‘I love you, my wonderful child.’ But I had a question. ‘Mama, what if I were a big, scary ape? Would you still love me then?’” Mama replies, “If you were a big scary ape, I’d make your birthday cake out of bananas and I’d tell you, ‘I love you, my big scary ape.” Throughout the rest of the story, the child continues to ask “what-ifs” and they get more and more far-fetched, but each time the mother answers in a way that assures her unconditional love for her child. Every question the child asks begins, “But Mama, but Mama.” And every response ends with the mother saying, “I love you my dangerous alligator/ sweet, terrible dinosaur/slimy swamp monster/etc.”
What You Need: paper, pencils, examples of “Worst Case Scenarios” (can make them up or find examples from The Worst Case Scenario Handbook online)
What You Do: “What if?/I would”
1. Read “I Love You, Stinky Face.” Discuss the use of repetition and how the what-ifs get more and more detailed and far-fetched
2.In pairs or small groups, students will brainstorm and write 3 worst-case scenarios. Each scenario must begin with, “What if…?”
3. Groups will trade worst-case scenarios and new groups will make the scenario even worse. For example, if the original scenario described being stuck adrift at sea with no means of communication, the scenario could be made worse by being in shark-infested waters, not having sunscreen, springing a leak in the boat, etc.
4. Groups trade one more time and make new scenarios even worse!
5. Groups trade scenarios yet again, but this time, they are to describe what they would do to get out of the situation, addressing every foil (the leaky boat, the lack of sunscreen, etc.). They should begin with “I would…”
5. Read What-ifs and I woulds aloud. Highlight good use of quality details, transitions, repetition.
#2
Trait: Organization
Focus: Endings
Book/Author: The Berenstains’ B Book by Stan and Jan Berenstain
ISBN: 0-394-92324-3
Summary: Using almost exclusively words beginning with the letter B (with the exception of a single and and the conclusion), this repetitive, rhythmic book concludes by stating that the ridiculous chain of events leading up to the book’s finale, is what “broke Baby Bird’s Balloon.”
What You Need: students standing in a circle, a prompt (you could use “It was a dark and stormy night,” or “Once Upon a Time.”) a recorder to write down what the students say (classroom assistant, parent), a piece of paper on which AND THAT’S HOW is written in large bold font.
What You Do:
1. Read “The Berenstains’ B Book” aloud. Break down the sequence of events leading up to the conclusion (on overhead or white board). Discuss the ending. Was it a surprise? What made it funny?
2. Organize the class in a circle. The teacher stands in the circle as well. The teacher gives the AND THAT’S HOW card to the student to his/her left.
3. The teacher begins, “It was a dark and stormy night, when…” The student to the teacher’s right continues with a short phrase describing what happened next. (ex.: I ran out of gas.) The next student adds a bit more and the story continues on, often getting more ridiculous as it goes from student to student. If a student is stuck, the teacher may prompt with “but,” “and suddenly…” or another similar prompt.
4. When the story makes it to the last student (the one holding the AND THAT’S HOW card), that student will make up an ending that makes sense. For example, that student might say, “And that’s how I developed my paralyzing fear of heights/bugs/babies (something that was brought up by another student in the go-around).
#3
Trait: Sentence Fluency
Focus: Sentences with repetition, rhythm and rhyme
Book/Author: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.
ISBN: 0-590-43889-1
Summary: This rhythmic alphabet book describes the letters of the alphabet as they climb up and fall from the coconut tree.
What You Need: Book, paper, pencils
What You Do: Begin by reading the book slowly and unnaturally, without any inflection. After the first couple pages stop and begin again, but this time read the book fluently, vibrantly, and to the beat. The students will notice the contrast. After finishing the book, discuss the rhythm and the effect of sentence fluency when reading this book aloud. It is almost like a song, without music. The words are musical. Read the book again and as students to identify the rhyming words on each page. Invite students to work in pairs to describe a given object using rhythm and rhyme.
Trait: Organization
Focus: Effective Sequence
Book/Author: A Play’s the Thing by Aliki
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN: 0-06-074355-7
Summary: Miss Brilliant celebrates everything, and is full of ideas. She guides her students through the planning and performance of a play, even though one of her students is not excited about it. Miss Brilliant encourages him to participate, and he reluctantly does. He ends up learning a very important lesson, and enjoying the spotlight.
What You Need: Paper, pencils
What You Do: Read the story to students. Focus on the headings and the sequence of the chapters. After reading, create a list with students of some imaginary projects to do with the class (write a report, put on a play, write a story, etc.). Have students list the steps needed complete the project. Have students choose a few characters for the story, and add dialogue.
Trait: Word Choice
Focus: Vigorous Verbs
Book/Author: The Great Blue House by Kate Banks
Publisher: Frances Foster Books
ISBN: 0-374-32769-6
Summary: As a summer home is abandoned by a family for the rest of the year, readers find out the house really isn’t left empty. With colorful word choice and vivid descriptions, the reader learns about the creatures that occupy the house, and what they do during the seasons while the family is gone.
What You Need: Highlighters, chart paper, 16 index cards with the text from one page of the story on every card
What You Do: Read the story to students. Assign a page of the book to pairs or groups of students. On their index card, have students highlight the vigorous verbs from their page of the story. Have students share the verbs on their index card with the class, and record on chart paper. Have students write a description of the classroom during any given point of the school day using vigorous verbs from the class chart or of their own.
Trait: Ideas and Content
Focus: Quality Details
Book/Author: Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
ISBN: 978-1-4424-3385-4
Summary: Caterpillars go on a journey both through the garden as well as metamorphosis. Learn about ten different caterpillars and the insects they become.
What You Need: Paper, pencils
What You Do: Read the story to students, making sure to read the labels. Ask students how the labels helped them to understand the details of the story’s text. Have students work in pairs to re-write a page of the story; choosing a new spot in the garden and using quality details that will help the reader clearly understand. Add an illustration with labels as well.
ALL-WRITE Trait Response 3
TRAIT: Conventions
FOCUS: Proper use of Prepositions of Locations
BOOK/AUTHOR: ROSIE’S WALK/Pat Hutchins
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks (Simone & Schuster
ISBN: 0-02-043750-1
SUMMARY: Rosie, the hen, goes for a walk around the barnyard. She goes across, around, over, past, through, and under objects getting back in time for dinner. While Rosie is taking her stroll she is totally unaware that a fox is following her and having many mishaps falling on, into and under many objects.
WHAT YOU NEED: paper and pencil
ACTIVITY:
1. Read Rosie’s Walk with students showing them the pictures. Discuss what the fox is doing while Rosie is taking her stroll.
2. Reread it while walking around the room with them mimicking what Rosie did and then again with acting out the part of the fox.
3. Have the students rewrite and illustrate the story from the point of view of the fox making sure to use the correct prepositions of location in their stories.
ALL-WRITE Trait Response 2
TRAIT: Conventions
FOCUS: Sentence structures.
BOOK/AUTHOR: BORED-NOTHING TO DO/Peter Spier
Publisher: Zephyr Books
ISBN: 0-385-24104-6
SUMMARY: Two brothers are bored and so they decide to make an airplane out of borrowed objects around the home. They use a VW engine for the plane engine, baby carriage wheels for plane wheels, house window glass for the window shields, etc. All of a sudden the parents begin to realize that nothing is working around the house, and then they see the plane in the air. When they land the parents punish them by making the put everything back, but secretly they think their boys are very clever. But, children being children, they are once again bored at the end.
WHAT YOU NEED: paper and pencil
ACTIVITY:
1. After having introduced the different type of sentences, read through the book with the students. Discuss which phrases are sentences and why, and then if the phrase is a sentence determine through class discussion what type of sentence it is (declarative, imperative, question). Discuss why the phrases that are not sentences are not sentences and why that may be acceptable in this case.
2. Encourage the students to rewrite the non-sentence phrases into correct sentences.
.
ALL-WRITE Trait Response 1
TRAIT: Organization
FOCUS: Repetition and Rhyme
BOOK/AUTHOR: CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE/Maurice Sendak
Publisher: Harper Trophy (a subsidiary of HarperCollins Publishers)
ISBN: 0-06-443253-X
SUMMARY: A young boy travels through the months of the year stating the importance to him of chicken soup in rhyme. (Ages 4-8).
WHAT YOU NEED: copies of the book, paper and pencil
ACTIVITY:
1. Teacher reads out loud through the book with the students listening.
2. Repeat activity #1 but this time students and teacher read the refrain together.
3. Go through poem again underlining the words that rhyme.
4. Ask students to write down their favorite food.
5. Then have them write a list of words that rhyme with that food.
6. Have them put those words into sentences that describe a scene.
7. Finally, point out how Maurice Sendek has illustrated each month’s “story” and have them illustrate their food story.
Note: For students who are Visual Spatial Learners, have them draw the picture before they write the sentences.