Strategies for Motivating Young Writers

1. Strategies for Motivating Young Writers Maria Trapani 5/6 Language Arts Unity Point School mtrapani@up140.org

2. Pre-Assessment

3. The Write Attitude: Interactive Student Survey • Rate your attitude about writing in a journal. • Rate your attitude about writing creative pieces such as comics, commercials, and poems. • Do you write in your free time?

4. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

5. Struggle #1 • Mr./Mrs./Ms. ______ “I don’t have nothin’ to write about.”

6. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

7. Struggle #2 • Mr./Mrs./Ms. ______ “I’m done.”

8. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

9. Struggle #3 • Mr./Mrs./Ms. ______ “Why do we have to do this?”

10. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

11. Struggle #4 THOUGHTS TO PAPER DISCONNECT A.K.A. BLANK PAPER SYNDROME

12. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

13. Struggle #5 “WRITING??? SO I’M TEACHING WRITING… INTERESTING.”

14. Pre-Assessment 1 2 3 Often Sometimes Never

15. Goals for Today • Big Picture Strategies • Applying these Strategies throughout the Writing Process • Share Suggestions and Insights

16. Major Goal “ Okay, so I already do this, this, and this. That doesn’t really apply to me or my subject area. I can take this and try it in this unit.”

17. My “Go-To” Website Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. http://www.smekenseducation.com/

18. Big Picture Strategies • ENTHUSIASM • MODELING • CHOICE • MANAGEABLE STEPS • TO DO LIST (FOR ME)

19. Beginning of the Year • Organize Materials • Generate Topics • Journal Time/Writing Conferences • Giant Cheat Sheet • First Writing Assignment

20. Organize Materials • 5-Subject Notebooks • Brain Warm Ups • Journal • Writing Assignments • English/Spelling Practice • Dictionary • HELP Tickets

21. Generate Topics • Expert List • ABC Chart • ME Chart • Jar O’ Topics

22. My Expert List 8-24-12 • Being outdoors • Softball • Reading biographies • St. Louis Cardinals • Country music

23. ABC Chart 8-24-12 • A- • B- Bullies • C- Cardinals • D-

24. ME Chart Inside- Likes Outside-Dislikes ME

25. Jar O Topics • Student Generated • Copied from Teacher Resources Books/Websites

26. Journal Time/Writing Conferences • Steps of a “Normal” Writing Conference • This is a lesson or two. • Modeling!

27. Group Conferencing • I will ask each of you to read a PORTION of your writing. • This is what’s working… • This is how you can make it better… • What will you do next? Let’s Practice!

28. Giant Cheat Sheet • Read Examples of Student Writing and Create Rubric Together • http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/showcase/ • http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/

29. What is Great Writing? Brainstorm (Teachers Must Facilitate)

30. First Writing Assignment • My “To-Do” List • Pick a Journal Topic for a Grade • vs. • Lead into Regular First Writing Assignment

31. Journaling All Year Long • My “To-Do” List • Make Time for Journaling

32. “I don’t wanna write about…” • Scholastic Story Starters http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/storystarters/storystarter1.htm • Write What You See: 99 Photos to Inspire Writing http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877673838?ie=UTF8&tag=writi-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1877673838

33. The Writing Process • Different Than Journaling • Successful writers follow these steps…

34. Sixth Grade Biographies-Getting Started Wilma Unlimited http://books.google.com/books/about/Wilma_Unlimited.html?id=F9TVJd8luVMC BrainPop http://www.brainpop.com/free_stuff/ Guess Who

35. Technology • Computers with Internet Access • Interactive Whiteboard • Word Processing

36. Guess Who? • I was born in Akron, Ohio. • I was selected in the first round of the NBA draft in 2003. • My charity helps children all over the world through acts like rebuilding playgrounds that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and raising money for after-school programs.

37. LeBron James http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron_james/bio.html

38. Prompt • Choose one person that you know or know of that inspires you. You will write a five paragraph essay explaining this person’s background and accomplishments. You will also explain why this person inspires you, and what positive goals you will reach for using this inspiration.

39. Prewriting • Brainstorm • Research • http://www.up140.jacksn.k12.il.us/class/5th/trapani/default.aspx • Research Handouts

40. Research Rules • Look at the websites on my website first. • Then, search your person’s name + biography. • Make sure the website is reliable. • Use your research handout to find at least 3 facts for each column. • Cite your sources. Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Ready

41. Drafting • Paragraph by Paragraph – Beginning of Year or More • Outlines • Blank Paper • Quick Conferences • Example: Topic Sentences

42. Drafting Work Time • Longer Conferences • Refer to Giant Cheat Sheet • HELP Tickets

43. Editing • Whole Group Exercise • What will you look for in your partner’s writing? • The “BE RESPECTFUL” Talk

44. Revising • Two-Sided Handout

45. Publishing • Grade Final Draft BEFORE Publishing Opportunity • BookBuilder http://bookbuilder.cast.org/create.php

46. Student Quote • “This is the coolest thing we’ve done in here.” • “No…in this class…ever.”

47. Questions or Concerns

48. mtrapani@up140.org