Effective Writing LessonsAdrienne Gear

Contact Adrienne: Email: adrienne@readingpowergear.com

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Effective Writing Lessons (based on Donald Graves “Writing Process”)

Good Writers…

Plan – Draft - ReviseLesson 1: PLAN (Monday) 30 min.

Generate a topic Read an anchor book Partner share Teacher models a plan Students generate a plan: 4 corner picture plan or web or list plan

(examples of these are in this handout)

1) Lesson 2: DRAFT (Tuesday) 45-1 hr. Students “point and talk” their plan with a partner Teacher introduces a writing technique – mini lesson and makes

reference to WHICH WRITING GOAL students will be focusing on Teacher models writing Students begin to write (use the GUM it and No Excuse Spelling )

2) Lesson 3 – Conference/Editing (Thursday) 20 min. Students take turns reading their piece to a partner Each student gives feedback (see next page) Students use green pencil crayon to edit/revise (use the 3,2,1, Check

it!) Teacher has individual conference with 1-2 students

3) Lesson 4 - Sharing – choose students to share their piece (10 min)

The idea is this is a writing routine that the students become familiar with. Over the course of the school year, students need to be engaged in regular writing practice. If possible - they are writing a new piece every week or two weeks. The

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purpose of this weekly writing is to learn new writing techniques and practice their writing skills.

My Writing Goals

1. Make sure my writing is INTERESTING for the reader!

Interesting details Interesting words

(triple scoop) Similes Senses

Voice2. Make sure my writing is not

CLEAR for the reader!

Spelling Punctuation Spacing Organization It makes sense! Stay on topic

Nonfiction features

3. Suggest Mini Lessons:

Adding Details (see lesson detailed below)

Triple Scoop WordsBooks: The Boy Who Loved Words - Roni Schotter Max’s Words – Kate Banks

Similes: Books: Quick as A Cricket – Audrey Wood (P) Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School – David Mackintosh (upper P, I) My Dad – Anthony Browne (P) Also: My Mum, My Brother (same author) My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks – Hanock Piven (P,I) My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil – Hanock Piven (P,I) Mole’s Sunrise – Jeanne Willis

Let’s Get Organized! – “Fill your drawers!” - how to group sentences into paragraph

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REVISION EDITING

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PersonificationBooks: Calendar – Myra Cohn Livingston Red Sings From Treetops – Joyce Sidman The Red Shoes – Eleri Glass

Using the SensesBooks: The Black Book of Color – Menena Cottin

Transitions – see lesson details below

Example Mini Lesson: Adding Details: Ways to make my sentences more interesting.

Add a fact plus a detail. Try to make your details interesting by giving your reader a little piece of

you! Try to give your reader something to visualize, connect to or to question! Good writers engage their readers by activating their thinking!

Invite students to write 3 BORING sentences about things they like. You model your own:

I like snow. I like books. I like red licorice.

Model adding interesting details:

I like snow because it’s fun. I like books because they’re awesome. I like red licorice because it’s good.

Ask the students if they think your details make your sentences more interesting. NO! Because they did not give the reader anything to think about! Using the word “because” is not a good choice for explaining something but NOT a good word to use for adding details.

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Model AGAIN, asking the students if these are more interesting sentences: I like snow. When it snows, I sometimes do a snow dance in the

kitchen.

I like books. Sometimes, in a book store, I sniff new books.

I like red licorice. Once, I ate a whole bag in the movie theater.

Remember that your added detail can be written as a separate sentence or combined with your fact using the word “and”

Explain that these are the “magic” words that help make sentences more interesting:

Once If Sometimes When

Example:

I like my books. Sometimes I sniff new books in the book store. I like books and sometimes I sniff new books in the book store.

Invite the students to practice making their sentences more interesting by using “if”, “once”, “sometimes” or “when”

Example mini lesson - Transitions

Transition words are used to indicate TIME PASSING in personal narratives.They are necessary when children are writing a story (climbing) or about an event (event) to help indicate beginning, middle and end. They are not necessary when writing on a topic (walking story)

Fiction Transition Words:Then, Last weekOne day Just thenLater on On Monday, Suddenly, All of a suddenAfter a while After that

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The next day Just thenNext week, Before,

Anchor Books for showing Transition words:Rotten Ralph – Jack GantosLoud-Mouth George and the 6th Grade Bully – Nancy CarlsonLily and the Purple Plastic Purse – Kevin HenkesThe Most Extraordinary Thing – Ashley Spears

If students are writing “Walking Stories” – choosing a topic such as Crofton School, My Friend, My Dog, Winter, Nail Polish, When I Feel Happy, transition words are not used. To help with transitions with topic stories, use an anchor line! An anchor line is a repeating sentence or phrase that links each idea. Anchor Books with anchor lines:

My Dad – Anthony BrowneWhen I Was Little – Jamie Lee CurtisWhen I Was Young in the Mountains – Cynthia RylantBirthday Presents – Cynthia RylantIt’s OKAY to Make Mistakes – Todd Parr

Weekly Practice Writes with Suggested Anchor Books:

Connecting to MeBooks: I Like Me! – Nancy Carlson The Best Part of Me – Wendy Ewald

Connecting to FeelingsBooks: The Great Big Book of Feelings – Mary Hoffman The Way I Feel – Janan Cain

Friendship (and friendship challenges) Books: I’m Sorry – Sam McBratneyRosenthal, Amy Krouse - Friendshapes

Brown, Peter. You Will Be My Friend Carlson, Nancy. My Best Friend Moved Away Fergus, Maureen. Buddy and Earl

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Ferry, Beth. Stick and Stone Fitzpatrick, Marie Louise. The New KidHenkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way. O’Neil, Alexis. The Worst Best Friend Rodman, Mary Ann. My Best Friend

Special Grown – Up Books: My Dad – Anthony Browne (also My Mum) My Mother’s Voice – Joanne Ryder (also My Father’s Hands)

Applesauce – Klaas Verplancke

My Special PlaceBooks: I Know Here – Laurel Croza The Hello Good-bye Window – Norton Jester See You Next Year – Andrew Larsen Specific Ocean – Kyo MacLear Island Morning – Raschna Gilmore All the Places to Love – Patricia MacClachlan

My Imaginary PlaceBooks: Imagine a Place – Sarah L. Thomson My Garden – Kevin Henkes If I Built a House – Chris Van Deusen

Imaginary Character/CreatureBooks: Imagine a Dragon – Jackie Morris The Windago (poem) – Odgan Nash

StudentWriting Folder

Editing checklist

Here

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Students can check “tick” the boxes, as they learn each of these techniques.

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Writing Power

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3,2,1 – Check It!3 – Convention Correction Spelling, punctuation, spacing

2 – Word Wind-Up: Add, erase, replace

1 – Sentence Shake-Up: Add, erase, replace - to make your sentence sound

better

1, 2, 3, 4… Check!

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1. Fix – capitals, periods, spelling

2. Change – a word that doesn’t sound right

3. Erase – a word that doesn’t belong

4. Add – something to make your writing better

Partner

Conference

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A Star – what did you like?

A Wish – what could make it even better?

A Think – what __________ did you

make?

Web Planner

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List Planner

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_____________________ Revised Story Strip

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4 – Corner Picture Planner

_________________________________________

1. 2.

3. 4.

Triple Scoop Word Chart Single Scoop Triple Scoop

hot sweltering, melting, scorching,

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roasting

coldwetfun

goodbadtired

hungrysad

happymad

prettybig

smallsaidnice

scared

Simile and You Will See! Familiar Original

As cold as… ice monkey bars in winter.

Hot like … the sun

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As brave as…

a lion

As slow as… a turtle

As white as…

snow

As quiet as… a mouse

As black as… night

As funny as…

a clown

As annoying as.

a mosquito

Boring like … a sloth

As busy as… a bee

Soft like … a kitten

As wise as… an owl

Quick as… a bunny

Name: _____________________________

Let’s Get Organized!

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Name: _____________________________

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“No Excuse” Spelling ListsGrade 1 – “No Excuse” Words

a for onam he sheand I thatare in theat is tobe it wascan of you

Grade 2 – “No Excuse” Wordsa from is theyall had it thisam have not toand he of wasare her on weas his one thisat I or werebe in she wherecan it that withfor in the you

G rade 3 – “No Excuse” Wordsa for on they

about have one thisall had or to

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am he other upan her out wasand his said weare how she wereas I so whatat if some whenbe in that whichbut is the whycan it their will

could many them withdo not there would

each of these youevery off they your

Grade 4 – “No Excuse” Wordsa had of time

about has one toafter have only twoall he or upan her other veryand him people was

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as his said waterat how school webe I see wear

because if she werebeen in so whatcan into some where

could it than whendid just that whichdo know the who

down little their willeach many them withfind more there wordsfirst most these wouldfor not they you

from now this your

Grade 5-7 “No Excuse” Wordsa down know she

about each little soafter even many someagain find more tell

all first most themalso for much thatan from new the

and great not theiranother had now them

any has number thereare have of these

around he off they

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as her on thinkat here one this

away him only throughbe his or time

because hour other tobeen how our toobut I out two

came if people upcan in place very

could into play wasdid is right water

different it said wedo just school wear

does knew see werewhat who words yourwhen why wouldwhere will writewhich with you

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Name: _____________________________