9/14Materials: 4 different colored pieces of paperLaptop

Objectives: 1. Use critical thinking to develop an overall “point” for literacy narrative2. Identify strengths and weaknesses as a writer3. Work independently and as part of a group to discover different writing processes

Question of the Day: worst or best song on the radio right now

Today is going to be about gathering information for our literacy narratives. We’re going to talk about writing styles, “so whats,” and strengths and weaknesses.

1. 12:10-12:15Let’s brainstorm together about different writing processes and styles. What are some different ways that you all approach writing? The procrastinatorThe super-plannerThe “just write like your hair’s on fire”The outlinerThe “thesis statement first!”-er

….now pick a phrase that describes you, and write it on your pink sheet.

2. 12:15-12:20For our literacy narratives, it is important to have a point or a “so what.” Otherwise you will ramble to me for 3 pages about grandma’s cookies and how you read sto-ries while she baked.

To establish a “so what,” we need to think about how and why writing affects us as adults, what impact it has on us, WHY THE HECK WE CARE ABOUT WRIT-ING AT ALL!

So, for 3 minutes, you will write/make a list about all the ways be-ing able to write and read has affected you on your orange sheet.

Examples:

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Being literate got me into college.Being literate allows me to read Buzzfeed and find out that Kim Kardashian is the worst human being on planet earth.Being a good enough writer to get into grad school has allowed me to become a

teacher.

Blah. Blah. Blah. You take it from here….think outside the box.

***Remember, the idea here is to figure out the most significant way reading and writing impact you so that you can base your lit-eracy narrative around this.

Group work: 12:25-12:35Now, share your ideas for your “so whats” with a partner. Next, steal one of their ideas.Then, free write again. This time, on your yellow sheet, use your stolen idea and write as much as you can in 3 minutes about it. Maybe tell a story from your life that relates to it. Maybe just write about how that experience has to do with reading or writing.

Now you not only have some ideas for a “so

what,” you also have 1 paragraph written!

Quiz time! 12:40-12:50

Another thing you could talk about in your papers is how your strengths and weak-nesses in life affect your experience with literacy.

So, here is a short quiz that will tell you about your “top three intelligences.” It asks the question:

Not, “How smart are you?” …...

but, “How ARE you smart?”

Log onto this website, and take the short quiz:http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

When you have your results, brainstorm about how your top three strengths play into your “so what” on your WHITE sheet

Example: my “so what” is… “being told that I was a good writer encouraged me to become a teacher so I could help others with their writing.”-my strengths were, language, nature and self awareness. -can you draw any connections between your strengths and your “so what”?

SO. After today you now have a nice, little collection of different things to talk about in your papers. We identi-fied our writing style, our “so what”,

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and our top three intelligences in life. Now you can use these things to start piecing together a great literacy nar-

rative :)

Ok Ms. V, now what do I do?

1. Pick a starting place. 3years old? College? Middle school?2. Write according to your own writing style.3. When you’ve told your story, wrap it up. Your last paragraph should give

me your “so what.”

Go over example student paper 12:50-12:55