Reciprocal Reading and teaching

1. Our Fieldtrip to Pioneer Elementary January 30, 2009 Reciprocal Reading and teaching

2. Second quarter of the 2008-2009 school year, Mrs. Kilby’s English 3 classes had the task of writing original children’s stories. The requirements were as follows: 1.) Original plot/concept 2.) Eight to twenty pages with correct grammar and written conventions 3.) Positive theme or message, 3rd grade appropriate 4.) Colored illustrations, bound pages The mission

3. Initial reaction of alison

4. Initial reaction of Ellie

5. Many high school students are hungry for creative writing opportunities. A children’s story is an approachable and non-threatening way to introduce students to creative writing. Giving students an audience enhances the quality of work. The rationale

6. Writing Strategies 1.2: Use point-of-view, characterization, and style. Written and Spoken English Conventions 1.1: Demonstrate control of grammar, diction, and paragraph and sentence structure. Written and Spoken English Conventions 1.2: Produce legible work with accurate spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. The standards

7. The students were promised that the top twenty stories (meeting all criteria) would be read to a class of third graders. Students worked for two months both at home and in the computer lab writing, revising, and creating their illustrations. Writing for an audience

8. Students turned in their stories right before semester break. When the students returned in January, they found out who had been chosen to go on the fieldtrip to Pioneer Elementary, Mrs. Walsh’s class, room 46. The Decision

9. The trip was a success for all involved! The third graders fully enjoyed being read original stories created by high school juniors. After the juniors read to the third graders, the third graders reciprocated by reading their Accelerated Reader books to the juniors. Juniors helped them with fluency and phonics. We hope to be able take more students and visit more classrooms next year. Success!

10. Student feedback “I liked being able to come up with different problems and solutions [for the plot]….” --Cindy

11. Maria “This project made writing fun. I learned to proofread everything I write.”

12. saraelena “It was difficult but exciting. It taught me to be organized and careful. I had to re-do certain pages because of my spelling errors.”

13. Julia “This project helped me realize that writing can be fun, and that it doesn’t always have to be boring.”

14. Mariah “I feel good about my writing [now]. I know I can be very imaginative if I put my mind to it.”

15. pablo “This was a great experience. It helped us share our writing. It shows you that your writing is really worth something.”

16. chantal “Is showed me a new way of writing; I improved on grammar a lot.”

17. Viviana

18. bert

19. Thank you Brenda Jones, principal of Pioneer, for welcoming us onto your campus! Thank you Mr. Chavez and Mr. Kollmann for approving the trip and transportation! Thank you Mr. Castillo for all the tech. support!