Writing ITS REAL

1. Writing ITS REAL Phyllis Hostmeyer Madison County ROE

2. Reading – input Reading feeds the mind Writing – output Writing feeds the soul, organizing the mind Writing has been called the kinesthetic form of reading Students are often more reluctant to write Writing involves a greater risk on the part of the student Reading Versus Writing

3. Read like a Writer • After students have read a text several times for content, read it a few times to notice the craft of writing. • Pay special attention to the openings and closings found in books. • Students will begin to imitate these openings which will help them earn focus points.

4. I learned how to write from writers. I didn’t know any personally, but I read.” Cynthia Rylant. Just read for about four years before you even start. Read everything you can get your hands on. Gary Paulsen

5. Why teach writing • Writing is a route to reading. • Students make a connection between speaking and writing. • They see writing as functional – it has a purpose. • It builds skills in communication.

6. 4 Problems for Writers • Lack of motivation • Lack of content knowledge • Automaticity • Writing is not talking

7. 4 Ways to Revise • Add • Subtract • Rearrange • Combine

8. Writing Process • Prewriting • research • gathering information • discussions • Writing • Revision • the craft of writing • Editing • the rules of writing Inquiry!

9. Descriptive vs. Prescriptive • Teach the craft of writing. • Use inquiry to teach good writing. • Throw away those lists of rules, rules and more rules. • Make writing a celebration of language not a drudgery of grammar. • Keep the teaching of writing grounded in writing, not in a grammar book.

10. ISAT RUBRIC FOCUS 6 POINTS ORGANIZATION 6 POINTS SUPPORT 6 POINTS MECHANICS 2 POINTS INTEGRATION 6 POINTS x 2 TOTAL 32 POINTS

12. FOCUS • Effective Opening • Strong Closing • Stay on Topic The opening provides an opportunity for the writer to help the reader to make connections.

13. Topic vs. Focus

14. Topic vs. Focus

15. FOCUS Powerful openings Effective Closings

16. Title: Support Sentences

17. Title: Sky Support Sentences

18. Title: Dessert Support Sentences

19. Title: Cars Support Sentences

20. Title: Baseball Support Sentences

21. Title: Special Buildings (weak support) Support Sentences

22. Title: Special Buildings Support Sentences

23. Title: Dr. Seuss Support Sentences

24. Title: Dr. Seuss Support Sentences

25. Title: Baseball Support Sentences

26. Baseball I like to play baseball. I like to be the catcher. I get to wear a face mask. I make signs to the pitcher. Sometimes I tag players at the plate. I like to bat. I swing the bat as hard as I can. Then I take off and run the bases. Baseball is fun.

27. Title: Cars Support Sentences

28. Cars Cars help us to go places. We drive cars to the stores. We take our car to the grocery store. If we want a video at night, we drive our car to the store. We also drive our car to school. When it rains, my grandma takes us to school in her car. Sometimes I oversleep and then Grandma takes me to school in her car. Cars take us many places.

29. Statement of Fact Some trees are over 4000 years old. They are the oldest living things on earth. That means that trees have been helping people for a lot of years. They can help us to breathe. Trees also help us by giving us medicines.

30. Figurative Language - Metaphor A huge oak tree stands guard outside my bedroom window. Sometimes, I imagine that it is a soldier that protects me from harm. Imagine my surprise when I recently learned that trees really do protect and help us. I learned that they give us oxygen to help us breathe and they even give us medicine to keep us healthy.

31. Figurative Language - Simile Trees can sway like a ballerina when the wind blows through their leaves. When the wind blows hard, trees can shake their branches like an angry person. But the best thing trees can do is to help us by giving us oxygen and medicines.

32. Figurative Language - Simile The oak tree in our backyard is as tall as a giant. I realize that these giants help us every day. They give us oxygen to breathe. They give us medicines to keep us from getting sick.

33. Figurative Language - Onomatopoeia Crack! Crash! I watched my dad cut down the huge oak tree that had been damaged by the storm. It made me sad to see the tree die because I know how much trees help us. I know that trees provide oxygen for us to breathe and they give us medicines.

34. Figurative Language - Personification The old oak tree in our backyard cradled me in its arms. I felt as safe as a baby. I sat there and thought about the many ways that trees make all of our lives better. Trees help us to breathe. Trees also help us by giving us medicines.

35. Alliteration We climbed to the clubhouse constructed in the branches of the oak tree. My friends and I have lots of fun in that clubhouse. But trees give us lots more than just a place to have fun. Trees give us oxygen to help us breathe, and they give us medicines to keep us healthy.

36. Open with a Bold Statement People should think twice before ever cutting down a tree. They need to think because trees help us every day. First, trees help us to breathe. Trees also help us by giving us medicines.

37. Open with a Definition Webster defines a tree as a woody perennial plant having a single long stem with few or no branches on the lower part. I define a tree as something that helps us. Trees help us to breathe. Trees also help us by giving us medicines.

38. Open with a Personal Definition In the fall when we rake leaves, my dad defines a tree as a plant that creates lots of work for us. I define a tree as a plant that gives us lots of help. Trees help us to breathe. Trees give us oxygen and medicine to keep us healthy.

39. Definition Format My dad defines a ________ as a _______________ . I define a _______________ as ________________________ .

40. Open with a Question Have you ever wondered about how much trees help us? Did you know that trees help us to breathe better? I’ll bet you didn’t know that trees also help us by giving us medicines.

41. Open with a Quote Joyce Kilmer wrote, “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.” I like looking at the trees too, and this year I learned that trees give us a lot of help. First, they help us to breathe. Second, they give us medicine.

42. Open with a Personal Quote My aunt says that trees make a house beautiful. I agree, trees do make a house beautiful, but they also make our home healthy. Every day trees give us oxygen to breathe. They also give us medicines to keep us healthy.

43. Open with a Setting As we sat around the picnic table, we laughed as falling leaves drifted onto our sandwiches and salads. As I enjoyed the fall colors, I thought about how much trees give to us. I know that trees give us oxygen to breathe, but I recently learned that they also give us medicines.

44. When should your students write these strong openings?

45. After the first rough draft

46. It's your turn Statement of Fact Bold statement Metaphor Definition Simile Question Onomatopoeia Quote Personification Personal Quote Alliteration Setting

47. Bulletin Board Display

48. Changing the Closings

49. Opening: I like Six Flags for two reasons. First, they have great rides that flip me upside down. I also like Six Flags because they have the yummiest food. Closing: I like Six Flags for two reasons. First, they have great rides that flip me upside down. I also like Six Flags because they have the yummiest food. Repeated closing

50. Opening: I like Six Flags for two reasons. First, they have great rides that flip me upside down. I also like Six Flags because they have the yummiest food. Closing: I can’t wait for out next trip to Six Flags. I hope their wild rides don’t upset my stomach when I find myself looking at the world upside down. Because besides enjoying the rides, I plan on enjoying bunches of snacks and goodies. Six Flags is a great vacation day. Restated closing