Good Writing Does Not Just Happen

7/29/2019 Good Writing Does Not Just Happen

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"Good writing does not just happen. The best writers spend a great deal of time thinking, planning, rewriting,and editing."

Elizabeth West

1. Variations on a theme

1. Find a number of pictures (6-10) that are not very different in theme. (For example landscapes of variousplaces.) Place them so that each student can see them well.2. Ask the students to choose one of the pictures and write a description of it within a given time limit.3. When they are done, put all the descriptions on the wall/board.4. Give each picture a letter and each description a number, and ask students to match them.5. If you want to make it into a competition, you can award a point for ech correct guess, and give the author

of a description points according to the number of students who guessed his/her description correctly.6. You can also take these descriptions home and get valuable data on the common mistakes in your group.

2. Running dictation (Annex 1)

Running dictation is a great way to enliven a tired class. Use your own short text. Cut the text intosentences and place them around the room. Split the class into groups or pairs. Each group must have one

runner and a designated writer. The runner has to go around the room and read the sentences - committing themto memory - they are not allowed to touch the paper, take the paper back to the group or shout the sentenceacross the room. Once they think they can remember the sentence they return to the group and repeat to themwhat it said. The writer of the group writes down the sentence as it is dictated, if the runner forgets part of thesentence they are allowed to go back to the paper and re-read it (same rules apply). The group can then electanother runner and a writer and they have to find another sentence. The group then has to put the sentences inthe correct order.

3. Shiritori

Instructions

1. Divide the class in half2. Divide the blackboard/whiteboard in half with a line3. Students all stand up and form lines on opposite sides of the room and can only write on their side of the

board4. Provide a first word in the middle of the board5. The first student in each team writes a word to follow the first word6. The word must start with a letter that is the same letter as the last letter of the previous word7. For example, if the first word is "dog," then the next word is "good"8. The list goes one: dog->good->deer->read...9. Each student takes a turn and opposing teams attempt to make the longest list10. Set a 5 to 10-minute time limit11. Words cannot appear twice on the list

4. Discovering Sentences

Instructions

1. Give each student a photocopy of a list of 150-300 mixed words2. Have students make sentences with the words

Variations

Who can make the shortest sentence?

Who can make the longest sentence?

Who can make the most sentences?
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Notes:This is a great time to emphasize capitalization and punctuation, and teach sentence types and giveexamples such as:

Imperative: Do it!

Interrogative: Do What?

Declarative: Do this. Exclamatory: Help me! etc. (Annex 3)

5. Writing about Daily activities

Students get pictures with daily activities. The first task is to put the pictures in order. Then they have towrite one sentence about each picture. When they are ready with the first two tasks in small groups they discussthe order and they agree upon one correct sentence to each picture. Together with the teacher students see ifthey were right about the order and if the sentences are correct. Next they have to write a short paragraph usingthe sentences from the previous activity. They work in small groups.

Teacher can help students by giving some signal words such as first, second, next, then, finally, etc.

6. Write Now!

Instructions

1. Break students into teams2. Each team will select a student to be the writer3. The teacher writes a sentence on the board with a blank in it, such as "I like ___."4. Each team must fill in the blank with as many English words as possible in one minute5. Have teams turn in their papers and mark the correct answers6. Explain the incorrect ones.7. The team with the most correct answers wins8. Have teams change writers, write a new sentence, and play again

Notes: Make sentences structures that allow students to practice grammar structures they are learning, such ascountable and uncountable nouns. Students get pretty loud shouting out answers to their writers so be sure toclose the doors and windows.

7. Run and Write

Instructions

1. Give each team a list of words2. Have each team select a leader3. Teacher says one word from list several times

4. Teams search for word, then have leader go to board and write word5. Leaders must give teach a Hi-five after writing the word correctly6. First leader to give the teacher hi-five gets five points

Next leader to finished gets 4 points, next one 3, etc

8. Story starters

One way to start a mystery story is to use writing prompts or story starters. Give students the beginning of thestory then let students to finish the story. They can even work in pairs or groups.

E.g. The Alien School

I dont know why but today I got up early so I decided to go to school early and do my homework. When Igot there, I had a problem with math so I went to the teachers room to find Mr. Barnaby. I opened thedoor and was surprised to see that my teachers were all aliens
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9. Acrostic poem

An acrostic poem is very easy to write. It can be about any subject. This kind of poem can be written indifferent ways, but the simplest form is to put the letters that spell your subject down the side of your page. Whenyou have done this then you go back to each letter and think of a word , phrase or sentence that starts with thatletter and describes your subject.

Halloween

H_______________________________________________

A_______________________________________________

L_______________________________________________

L_______________________________________________

O_______________________________________________

W_______________________________________________

E_______________________________________________

E_______________________________________________

N_________________________________________________

10. Movie Time

Objective: Kids create their own story board and movie script.Supplies: Six sheets of paper. Kids will draw five movie scenes and write a script following a simple plot outline.Combining some form of art - like coloring or drawing - will keep kids who don't enjoy writing from getting boggeddown by the thought of the writing part of the game. If the drawing part gets in the way, pull out old magazines andhave kids cut out five pictures from a magazine they could use to create their movie plot.

Drawing 1: The beginning scene - should include at least two characters and lots of detail around the setting,place, time of day, and weather conditions.Drawing 2: First action scene - What happens to surprise the characters in the scene? A dinosaur, a storm, arace car. Have them think of something unexpected.Drawing 3: Second action scene - How do the characters respond to the surprise? The characters should showsome sort of emotion - surprise, happiness, joy, shock.Drawing 4: Third action scene - Draw the characters leaving the scene. How do they leave? Do they walk, get on

a train, sprout wings and fly away?Drawing 5: Fifth action scene - Draw the characters relaxing after their surprise. Suggest kids think about wherethey would like to go to celebrate a special event.

Script:

The sixth piece of paper should be used for writing the script. Have the child write three sentences describingwhat's happening in the picture and one line for each of the characters in the scene. (By line, I mean a statementsaid out loud by the character as actors would say in a movie.)

*Have them show you their movie and give them a score for creativity, accuracy, and attention to detail. Build a"movie wall" where you post their latest movie or their highest scoring movie. You can even award "movie bucks"as prizes for the highest scoring movie script.


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Annex 1

running dictation - text

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela called. Shesaid she was calling me on her cell phone from her biologyclassroom at UCLA.

I asked her if she was waiting for class, but she said that the

professor was at the front of the hall lecturing while she wastalking to me.

I couldn't believe she was making a phone call during the lecture. Iasked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of thestudents were actually sleeping in class.


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Annex 2

LIST OF WORDS

name the from sentence look base little

very of or set more hear only

through to had three day horse round

just and by want could cut man

form a hot air go whole write

much in but well come king like

great is some also did size so

think it what play my heard these

say you there small sound best her

help that we end no hour long

low he can put most possible make

line was out home number plane thing

before for other read who age see

turn on were hand over dry thencause are all port know wonder them

same with your large water laugh would

mean as when spell every began take

differ I up add good idea get

move his use even me fish place

right they word land give river saw

boy be food open our car far

old at sun seem under feet sea

too one four together reach care letter

does have thought next fast second until

tell this let white five group mile

how than keep children sing carry boatsaid call eye begin listen took common

an first never got six rain gold

each people last walk table draw where

she may door example travel left after

which down between ease less late back

do side city paper morning run song

their been tree often stop don't measuretime now cross always island while state

if find since music foot press product

will any hard those yet close black

way new start both busy night shortabout work might mark test made numeral

many part story book record live class


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Annex 3

Pictures daily activities


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Documents

Good Writing Does Not Just Happen