Thinking, Drawing, Writing - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - One Teacher, One Classroom

This chapter took a look at how a teacher would teach the same topic in different ways on multiple days.

My big takeaway from this is to be sure to use the same terms on all of the days.  You can present it in different ways but have that common language to tie it all together.

I know...not much...but it was the main thing I got from that chapter!

Hope you enjoyed hearing about the book.  It was a great read!

Hop over to Teaching with Grace to hear what everyone else has to say!

Thinking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Moving Writers Forward

This chapter provides examples of lessons that usually occur but not the only ones you will include:

*Making Sure the Story Makes Sense (Consistency in Clothing, Setting, Characters from Book to Book, and Physical Features)

*Writing About What's Important (can tell a whole story about something that happens in just a little bit of time; pick most exciting part to detail out; include only important parts of illustrations that really emphasize what is being said on the page)

*Time and Place (Revealing Daytime - doesn't have to be blue sky and sun; Showing Nighttime - lights on, darkened sky, etc.)

*Being Specific (Actions of Characters, Feelings, Thoughts)

*Revision (it is reseeing; not whether not it is right) (Adding page to include more parts, taking out blank pages, taking out pages that you no longer want in, moving pages to help it make sense) (Using Caret to Insert a Missing Word)

*Topics (it needs to be something that matters to them, something they know) (Use a page to jot down ideas for topics so we don't forget them) (Teach them to pay attention to ideas that come from things they tell others, books they read, and others stories)

*Proofreading (start with checking for procedural things such as name, title, and date so they can learn what proofreading is) (use a student example to practice this and talk about what to do if missing something)

*Conventions (spaces, capitalizing I, punctuation, lowercase letters, capitals at beginning) 

*Beginnings, Endings, and Titles (different kinds of endings - one really important piece or information, a good feeling, a surprise)

*Making Characters Come Alive (Using Exact Words People Say, Speech Bubbles, Dialogue between Two People)

I love that the authors really use student work to show how to do things or how the students did things rather than their own work most of the time.  They also mention that you need to present the same mini-lesson topic in different ways on multiple ways to help it stick!

Be sure to head over and link up at Teaching with Grace!

Next up Chapter 9!

Thinking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Introducing Booklets

*Booklets are used when you have a lot to say about something!

*Booklets have at least 5 pages (3 says beginning, middle, end and doesn't encourage enough middle)

*Can introduce using booklets to the whole class using a students work that needed more space, individual students as they are ready for it, or using your teacher journal to show needing more space

*Mini-lesson on asking what happens next to keep the story focus and getting all the details

*Remember to encourage students to use whichever medium is best for their story

*Model, model, model procedures when introducing new materials

Check out others comments over at Teaching with Grace!

Next up: Chapter 8 - Moving Writers Forward

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - Assessment

This chapter spent some time providing samples of student work to use to discuss how to look at what they are already doing and where they need more guidance.

*Find time to really look at your students work outside of student conference time

*Look at what they can do in the domain of the craft of writing, not just mechanics

*Know what the student already does and pick one or two goals for them to work on

*Decide the best time to work on those goals (mini-lessons, interactive writing, conference, read aloud, conversation, morning meeting, word study)

*Like the recording sheets they use for both individual and whole group tracking 

*Use a group to study each week as a snapshot of what lessons the students need

Head over to Teaching with Grace to check others comments on Chapter 6!

Next up:  Chapter 7 - Introducing Booklets

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Writing Words

With a million things on my to do list and not much time before school starts, these are going to be very concise notes on the chapter!!

* Includes lessons on Listening for Sounds in Words, Writing a Whole Sentence, Looking at the Illustration When You Can't Read the Text, Going Back and Touching, Valuing Differences in How We Write Words, Some Words You Don't Have to Sounds Out, and Writing Big Words We Use in Telling Our Stories

*Sequence of writing:

- Think of what you want to say

- Say the word slowly

- Listen to the sounds in the word

- Think about what letters makes those sounds

- Think about how to make those letters

- Write the letters for the sounds you hear

*If you can say the word, you can write it!

*Awesome lesson on what to do when the kids forget how to stay focused an work quietly; model how to do writing like a kid only with thinking aloud; when they start to shout out ideas and letters to use, talk about how noisy it is and move to another spot; work for a while and they should get the idea  and get quiet; then move back to finish; lesson=we need to be able to focus on our own work

Check over at Teaching with Grace to see other bloggers notes!

Up next, Chapter 6 - Assessment

Summer Bucket List Writing Activity (freebie)

2 more days of summer school!  It's been tough with no break between regular school and summer school this year due to snow days.  The end is in sight however!

For our summer school program we have to have some products to show on our last day for our Learning Expo.  I made up a simple writing project to use as one of my products.  And I'm sharing it with you!

It is very basic.  Have the kids think of 8 things they want to do this summer and draw them on their plan sheet.

Then have them decorate their front and back covers and cut them out.

Finally have them write each thing they want to do on a separate piece of paper.  Assemble them and staple.  

See...super easy.  If you would like this activity, you can click on any of the pictures above to grab it for free!

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - The Craft of Drawing

This chapter included a lot of lessons to teach different aspects of drawing.  It included lessons for drawing people in different ways and angles, clothing, hairstyles, skin, eyes, etc.  There is a lesson about how to go about planning what you will draw.  

I had two general things to note:

*the connection between their sketches (during their drawing lessons) and their writing pieces needs to be made for them; it needs to be explicitly shown for them to generalize from one place to the other

*drawing is not about filling the whole space; it is being specific in what you include so it helps provide meaning to the readers

Don't forget to check out the linky party over at Teaching with Grace.

Next up Chapter 5 - Writing Words

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Drawing

The title of this chapter says it all!  : )  There was a good chunk devoted to walking you through a sketching session.  I was glad they included examples of what the kids work actually looked like because as I read it I was afraid they were going to have all these perfect pictures.  I know this would not be the case as I always have a lot that have not really ever held pencils before.

My notes from this chapter:

*Take time to show what it is to really observe and draw realistically rather than symbolically

*Look for shapes in things to help aid in drawing them

*When doing sketch times, rather than just saying "I think it looks great" when a child is not happy with their drawing, try things like "What is it you are not sure about" to help them know you are there to listen and help

*Create a drawing center/learning station (include different pencils, sketchbooks/paper, objects to sketch - loved the ideas of finding the things students are already interested in like their favorite toys, etc.)

Favorite quote:

"Drawing itself is a part of learning: learning to use one's eyes to see more intensely."

Don't forget to stop over to Teaching with Grace to see what others thought.

Next up: Chapter 4 - The Craft of Drawing

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is the Drawing and Writing Book.  This chapter introduces the children to using the journal style books the authors use and all the writing materials.  I am not able to use the journal style books based on the model we are using but I was still able to glean some ideas from this chapter.

*One thing I really liked was saying what I notice.  Using " I notice how" or "I see you are remembering" instead of just "Thank you for putting that back."

*Really focus on visualizing what the drawings need to tell the story.  Details, details, details!

I'm too late to link up but be sure to check out the others that did over at Teaching with Grace.

Next up Chapter 3 - Drawing

Talking, Drawing, Writing Book Study - Chapter 1

So it's been a while but that seems to happen for me.  I have come to the realization that this blog is something for me to do to share with others.  It is not my job or an obligation.  If I feel I have something to share, then I will.  If not, I don't think you want a dull post just because.

Anyway...

I was excited to get my hands on this book!  I heard about it last summer and never got to it.  Jennifer over at Teaching with Grace has a book study linky party to go along with it.  I'm in no way saying I will have something to say about every chapter but thought it would be fun to follow along regardless.

My district went to a writers workshop model this year.  I like many aspects of it.  But I felt like we dove in to them going out to "write" too quickly.  I realized even at the end of the year that a lot of my kids can't even put together a story orally.  How could I expect them to do it in writing??

This first chapter, Storytelling, helped me see what to do next year.  I am going to devote time time to talking....okay, storytelling : )  I'll still read the mentor texts.   I'll model how to do it using my own every day type stories.  But then I will make sure they get a chance to share.

A few notes:

*really give that wait time for students to try to figure out their words; then guide them with open ended questions (don't take over their story)

*have other students repeat what they understand from the story or ask clarifying questions

*jot down oral stories in conferring notes

Now I am ready to go make a share can to keep track who is ready to share a story with us every day!  

Anxious for Chapter 2 - The Drawing and Writing Book!

Writer's Workshop Writing Paper (freebie)

So we are doing things a little differently so that is why I haven't been on as much.  We are doing reader's and writer's workshops this year.  We are busy making plans that look like this.

Exciting to share, right?  I did make some new writing paper to use during writer's workshop since my little darlings are nowhere near ready for the double check writing paper.  It is pretty basic but if you want it come grab it.  The box at the top is for the date stamp!

I am totally using this idea from Giggle and Squeals to post the papers on the wall and they get to sign it when they have "mastered" writing on that many lines.  I think they will love it!

If you like the freebies, please consider giving to my Donor's Choose project (I even have a double your impact time going on from Kaplan) or check out my TpT or TN stores to check out my other items.  

Thanks for stopping in!

Time for a Giveaway!

I'm sure most of you already know of Deedee Wills from Mrs. Wills Kindergarten.  If not, you don't know what you've been missing!  I was fortunate enough to get to proof part of her Writing Work Stations Set.  She was kind enough to give me a copy to share with one of you!

This set is truly amazing!  I can't wait to use it this year!  This set has vocabulary cards to go with each month, different types of paper for writing, and "I Can" charts for the different kinds of writing.  This will be an awesome resource for my kiddos to use during Daily 5 writing time.

This giveaway is done Friday at 12:01am so hurry and enter now!

(If you just can't wait you can go grab the complete set in Mrs. Wills store!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How To Eat a Gingerbread Man Writing Unit (freebie)

Here is a writing unit (similar to my Thanksgiving one) about how to eat a gingerbread man.  There are directions on the last page.

Click the picture to go get it at my Teachers Notebook shop.

My Thanksgiving Foods (freebie)

I uploaded a writing unit onto my Teacher's Notebook shop for free.  I've given up on google docs.  So click the picture to go grab it! : )  It uses the Step Up to Writing format.

 

Tree Journal (freebie)

We do the Foss unit on Trees.  I started this journal for my students to use throughout the year as we talk about this topic.  Right now, I have my students put their completed pages in a file folder and we will bind them later when we are finished.

(as always I will put this in my Teachers Notebook store as well in case Google Docs doesn't want to work)

I thought I would go ahead and share this for now.  I will be adding more pages later on as I get through different parts.  If there are any pages you would like me to add, please let me know and I will happily try!

I See Colors (freebie)

 

I'm not sure where I found this SMART notebook file (look under Beginning Readers; it is the 9th one down; called I See Colors Emergent Reader and Activity) from Mrs. Sears originally but I loved the idea.  So I searched until I found it again on her site this time.  We practiced this together as a class for the color we were learning each day.  Then we made a word map of things that are that color as a class.  Then the students used the writing sheet below to practice writing their own sentences to make a book (the cover is in the file below too).

I have been impressed with how well most of my kiddos have done with this being their first 'real' writing on their own.

As always I will put this in my Teacher's Notebook store in case Google Docs decides not to work!

Popcorn Word Wall Headers

I just uploaded a new item to my Teacher's Notebook shop.  It is a set of word wall headers on popcorn containers.  I think they turned out pretty cute!  Click the preview to go to my store!  Thanks for your support!

Birthday Writing Prompts (freebie)

In case you missed Hadar's post over at Miss Kindergarten for her birthday freebies, be sure to check them out.  Here was my contribution.

Click the picture to download!

Are you sick of my writing prompts yet? (freebie)

Here are some more writing prompts.

Click the picture to get the free download.

If there are any other topics you would like me to add, leave me a comment or send me an email!

Thanks for stopping by!



Another Set of Writing Prompts (freebie)

Here is another set of writing prompts.

Click picture to download.

I have gotten a few emails/comments about ideas to add and I will continue working on some more.  If you have a prompt you would like me to do just let me know!