Katie+Wood+Ray

A note from Annie - March 14, 2010: This weekend I returned from the EL Writing I course. It was excellent. It helped me think about Writer's Workshop in a completely different way. During the 2009-2010 school year it will be impossible to implement all of the things that I learned during this workshop - but I think we should look at this year as an experimental year to think about some of these strategies and try some of them out. I think it will be crucial for the Grade 2 Team to read __About the Authors__ by Katie Wood Ray. If not the entire book - then the first 4 chapters.

__Starting Students Out__

Day 1: How To Start a Story
__Learning Target:__ I can think of an idea and start writing my own book.

__Prep:__ Create some five page notebooks for students to work with. Create some blank pages books.

__Connect:__ In Writer's Workshop we have been spending a lot of time writing letters and writing about what we have learned in the various Boston Neighborhoods that we have visited. We are going to continue doing this work but it is important that we still make creative stuff as writers. You see - writers are like artists... they make stuff... they make books about things that interest them and about things in their lives. Our job today as writers are to think about something - anything that you want to write about. Some of you might want to write about a time in your life, some of you might want to write a non-fiction book about a neighborhood or about an animal... (Ymarii might want to write about her pet rabbit, Omavi might want to write about taking care of his baby brother, Joshley might want to write about using chopsticks in Chinatown)... your job is going to be simply to start writing. But there is going to be something different about the paper you write on today. Some of you will have booklets like you have seen before but some of you might just want some blank paged booklets. You have a choice...

__Guided Practice:__ Now, when I go to my desk I am going to think about what I want to write about. Once I have an idea - I am going to go ahead and start writing. But there are a couple of things that we can do to think of what to write about next. I'm going to show you some strategies and your job is to watch me. When I'm done I am going to ask you what I did to help me think of ideas.

//Teacher models looking in her small moment notebook.// //Teacher models looking asking her friend.// //Teacher thinks aloud about things that happened this past weekend that might be interesting.// //Teachers gets an idea - and then gets a small booklet - teacher talks through deciding what kind of booklet she wants.//

What did I do to help me get ready for writing? //Students share ideas.// //Teacher creates an anchor chart of student thinking. The chart is labeled: "How I can Decide What to Write About..."//

__Teach__: Teachers re-caps. Off You Go!

__Share/Debrief:__ Teacher chooses a few students to share their writing. Teacher gives a five minute warning. In that time, students clean up and come to the rug or finish up. Students who are sharing bring their work to the rug.

Reflection: At the end, the teacher leads a discussion about how the day went.

__ **Day 2: Writing Like Jeff Kinney: Author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid** __
__Learning Target:__ I can continue making a book. If I finish a book, I can think about what to write next and get started.

__Prep:__ Create some five page notebooks for students to work with. Create some blank pages books.

__Materials:__ __Diary of a Wimpy Kid__ Chart Paper: one teacher writes while the other leads the discussion. The chart should be labeled, "What Jeff Kinney Does in His Writing"

__Connect:__ Yesterday students started creating books. Today we are going to look at what one author does in his book to see if any of the authors in here would like to try out this author's style in their own books. I have been noticing how popular this book: __Diary of a Wimpy Kid__ is. I am going to read the first few pages of this book and show you the illustrations. I want you tell me when I'm done, what you notice about what this author - Jeff Kinney does.

__Guided Practice:__ What were some of the things that you noticed that this author does? One teacher records students thinking. Teacher asks if students can think of ways that they might use this style in their own writing.

__Teach__ Re-cap what students said... Teacher Re-caps. Off You Go!

__Share/Debrief:__ Teacher chooses a few students to share their writing. Teacher gives a five minute warning. In that time, students clean up and come to the rug or finish up. Students who are sharing bring their work to the rug.

Reflection: At the end, the teacher leads a discussion about how the day went.

Day 3: I Am Not Afraid of My Words: Teaching Students How To Write Difficult Words
__Learning Target:__ I can takes risks and try to write words that I don't know how to spell.

__Prep:__ Create an anchor chart that looks like this:

//** I AM NOT AFRAID OF MY WORDS **//
 * ** Student Name ** || ** Word ** || ** Conventional Spelling ** ||
 * The students will write their name. You will write the word as they spelled it and you will show students the conventional spelling. After the initial lesson with this chart - this chart will be a permenant and live chart in your room. Also - this chart and this fixture in the room provides an anchor for mini-lessons you have with a student or a small group of students around tapping or banging out words.
 * The students will write their name. You will write the word as they spelled it and you will show students the conventional spelling. After the initial lesson with this chart - this chart will be a permenant and live chart in your room. Also - this chart and this fixture in the room provides an anchor for mini-lessons you have with a student or a small group of students around tapping or banging out words.
 * The students will write their name. You will write the word as they spelled it and you will show students the conventional spelling. After the initial lesson with this chart - this chart will be a permenant and live chart in your room. Also - this chart and this fixture in the room provides an anchor for mini-lessons you have with a student or a small group of students around tapping or banging out words.
 * The students will write their name. You will write the word as they spelled it and you will show students the conventional spelling. After the initial lesson with this chart - this chart will be a permenant and live chart in your room. Also - this chart and this fixture in the room provides an anchor for mini-lessons you have with a student or a small group of students around tapping or banging out words.

__Materials:__ Anchor Chart

__Connect:__ Last time we talked about writing we looked at a famous author from Boston - Jeff Kinney. He has written the __Diary of a Wimpy Kid__ books. We looked at him because many of you are experimenting with writing books that are like comic books. When we looked at Kinney's books we noticed many things that he does as an author. And many of you tried to used his style in your own writing. (Point out the anchor chart you created and highlight some of the things you discovered about Kinney). Well, today I want to talk to you about not being afraid of trying to write very long words or hard words to spell.

__Guided Practice:__ I might want to write the word entomologist in my writing - but I might be too afraid. But I am not going to be afraid of my words. I want you to watch what I do as I try and write the word entomologist in my sentence.

Practice writing the sentence, "The woman who entered the classroom with an ant farm was an entomologist." Do a think aloud as you try and spell the word. Spell the word slightly incorrectly. Then ask students - what did you watch me do as I tried to spell the word entomologist? After students share out answers show them how you will fill out the chart.

__Teach:__ Today as you write - we will be looking for students who are not afraid of their words.

Off you go!

__Share/Debrief:__ Share out students who took risks in their writing. Check in with students to see how they think they did on their Learning Target.

Day 4: Defining what Voice is in Writing
__Teacher Thinking:__ According to Ruth Culham, author of __6+1 Traits of Writing__, Voice is "the writer's passion for the topic coming through loud and clear. It's what make ans essay about camels fascinating, even though we didn't think we cared all that much about camels." Writing is not personality. It's not a students' personality coming through - voice changes with the writing. A students writing a non-fiction text might have a different voice when that same child writes a small moment story. Voice is carefully chosen language that helps get the writer's point across. Asking the question - who is the audience for this writing will help students decide what the voice of the piece will be like.

__Learning Target:__ I can start to think about using voice in my writing.

I can choose a voice for my writing and start to show it.

__Prep:__ Create a chart for the "Voice Song" (sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It") If you're happy and you know it, that's your voice. If you're thoughtful and you know it, that's your voice. If you're spunky and you know it, then your words will surely show it. If you're happy and you know it, that's your voice.
 * The Voice Song**

__Materials:__
 * A chart that has The Voice Song written out
 * A chart that says, "What do you think Voice Is?"

__Connect__ "Last time we wrote together we talked about how important it is not to be afraid of your words when you write. Just because you don't know how to spell a word - you still need to try and get it on the page. Today and everyday, we will be looking for students who are not afraid of their words when they write." //Teachers should start looking for opportunities to add to this list.// Today we are going to talk a little bit about what voice is in writing.

__Guided Practice:__ "Let's brainstorm what you all think voice is in writing." //Teacher collects students responses on what voice is...//

"I am going to teach you a song to help you think more about what voice is..." //Teacher teaches song - students practice a couple of times...//

__Teach;__ Today as you write - I want yo to think about how you can show your emotions in your writing. If you are writing and you are showing that you are really happy, then you want to chose words that show that you are happy. If you are feeling spunky or firey in your writing - then you want to chose words that show that you or your character are feeling spunky. If you are feeling thoughtful or angry or serious - then the words you chose in your writing should show that. Today - as we walk around and conference with you, we are going to be looking for students who are really using their voice in their writing...

If you are writing a How To book, you want to have the voice of an expert, that people will listen to and follow. If you are writing a comic book, you will have different voices: the voice of your hero will be different from the voice of your villain, and the narration might have a different voice. Your own voice in your small moment story changes as your mood changes. Nia has a sarcastic voice in her story when she talks about her dad being cheap. If you were describing something sad, you would have a sad voice in your story. If you were excited, you might use a lot of exclamation points and strong words to show how excited you were!

As they go to write, check in: which voice are you going to work on?

__Share/Debrief:__ As you circulate - look for strong examples of voice to point out. Share out.

Reflect on how the day went. Check in with students to see how they did on their learning target.

Day 5: Making Your Voice Stronger By Thinking About Your Audience
__Learning Target:__ I can add voice to my writing by thinking about who my audience is.

__Materials:__ Ella's piece on food in Mattapan An anchor chart titled, "Ways to Make Your Voice Stronger in Your Writing"

__Prep:__ Write out Ella's piece on "Food in Mattapan" as an example.

__Connect:__ "Yesterday we started talking about making sure that we have voice in our writing. We learned a song that helped us think a little bit about adding voice into our writing. Let's look at that song and sing it once." Look at the Voice Song and sing it once or twice.

"Today we are going to continue to think about our voice when we write. And we are going to teach you a trick today. If as a writer, you can think about who your audience is, then you will have an easier job adding voice to your writing. Audience means the people who you are writing your piece for. Today, we are going to look at a piece of writing that Ella wrote. And as we read it, I want you to think about who her audience is. Who did Ella write this piece for?"

__Guided Practice:__ Read Ella's piece, "Food in Mattapan" aloud to the class. Follow along on the chart paper you have written the piece on. Then have students think about who Ella wrote this piece for. Students should understand that Ella wrote the piece for people who have not eaten at Bon Apetit before. Students should also be able to understand that Ella is writing this piece to convince people to go eat at Bon Apetit.

__Teach:__ With students, think about some of the words that Ella used to help convince her audience to eat at Bon Apetit.

Explicitly teach that there are three ways that we have learned to make your voice stronger in your writing. Add this to the anchor chart labeled, "Ways to Make Your Writing Stronger."
 * Think about who your audience is
 * Chose strong words to show that you really mean what you say
 * Chose words that show how you feel about the topic

__Share/Debrief:__ Share out student work - look for strong examples of voice. Reflect on how the day went. Reflect on Learning Target. Sing the voice song again.

Ella Hosford **Food in Mattapan** Have you ever eaten Haitian food? When you read this you’ll want to. You should go to Bon Apetit. They have chicken, beans, rice, plantains, and more! It’s like being in heaven but without being dead. The chicken is crispy and the rice and beans are delicioso. What could you want more from a restaurant and more importantly what more could you want from a Haitian restaurant? The point is Haitian food is really, really good.

Day 6: Writing Like a Character
__Learning Target:__ I can write in the **voice** of Princess Paulina or Queen Zelda.

__Materials:__
 * __The Princess and the Pizza__ by Mary Jane Auch
 * Students masks of Princess Paulina and Queen Zelda
 * Anchor Charts that looks like this (These anchor charts should have been created during reading: Look at Reading Plans/Making Inferences/Week 5)
 * Letter writing paper

Princess Paulina What Does Princess Paulina Do? / What Can you infer about Princess Paulina

Queen Zelda

What Does Queen Zelda Do? / What Can you infer about Queen Zelda

__Connect:__ In Reading you made masks of Queen Zelda and Princess Paulina. You also thought about what they said and did and then you made inferences about them. Today you are going to think about the character you drew a mask about. We are going to pass back your masks. And you are going to practice using voice with those characters. One thing that good writer's do is they write in the voice of the character who is speaking. Your job today is going to be to write in Princess Paulina's voice or to Queen Zelda. If you are Queen Zelda then you are going to write a letter to Princess Paulina. And if you are Princess Paulina then you are going to write a story to Queen Zelda. You have to make sure that you write in the character's voices.

__Guided Practice:__ Start students off for both characters briefly.

__Teach:__ Off you go!

__Share/Debrief__ Share students who do a nice job writing in a character's voice On the anchor chart: "How to Make Your Voice Stronger,": Add "write just like a character speaks"

Day 7: Bold Beginnings
__Learning Target:__ I can brainstorm strong leads so that a reader will want to read my whole story.

__Materials:__
 * 30 to 40 Index Cards
 * A binder ring
 * a poster of techniques and examples on how to start interesting leads
 * anchor chart/poster of types of leads: [[file:yasecondgrade/BoldBeginningsAnchor.doc|BoldBeginningsAnchor.doc]]

__Prep:__
 * Put a pile of index cards in each table group's area
 * Groups should be about 4 people, heterogeneous mixings

__Connect:__ In writing we have been talking about voice. Well today we are going to focus on something different. Today we are going to focus on starting our stories with bold leads. Before we can begin writing though we are going to do a little activity to help you think more about writing bold leads. Leads are how you start your story. You want the first lines of your story to be interesting so the reader feels like reading your story... you want them to want to read on until the end. There are lots of different kinds of leads and today we are going to show you what they are and then you all are going to practice writing them.

__Guided Practice/__Teach: First off - you need to chose one person in your group to be the recorder.

I am going to introduce a lead to you and on the index card you are going to try and write a lead for the story. If you need to add an illustrations to your index card - you may. But you are going to brainstorm some ideas for strong leads with your partners.

Introduce each type of lead. Give student five minutes to write. Share out. Do the next type of lead.

Day 8 - 9 (do this lesson for two days)
__Learning Target:__ I can go back to a story I have started and change the beginning so that it has a bold lead.

__Prep:__
 * Anchor charts from last lesson are hung
 * Index cards with certain kinds of leads are punched and on binder rings so students can look back at them.

__Connect:__ Yesterday we brainstormed all kinds of leads. Today you are going to have a chance to actually use one of these leads in your writing so that readers want to continue to read your story.

__Guided Practice:__ Let's look at some of the types of leads we brainstormed yesterday.

Share out.

__Teach__: Now you are going to go off to a story you have already started and you are going to try and change a lead of one of your stories to make it more interesting. That is what you must do right now.

Off you go!

__Share/Debrief:__ Share students who created interesting leads in their stories.


 * On the second day encourage students to go back and add bold beginnings to another story they have written.