The Writing Process
PRESTO-CHANGE-O GAME-O (A.K.A. THE REVISION GAME)
I have the kids line up in pairs in a tunnel-- their partner should be across from them. I tell them to look over their partner carefully to notice for details-- how things look, how their hair is, etc. Then I have them turn toward the outside of the tunnel. I remind them that the rules are NO TURNING AROUND until I say the magic words... PRESTO CHANGE-O. AND... school appropriate choices! You will have to remind of this as you go...
Then, while their backs are to each other, I say, “Okay-- change three things about how you look.” I give them a few ideas to get them moving. I am standing on top of the desk while they are doing this, watching for appropriate behavior (and sometimes taking pictures to add to a poster of revision later) and giving ideas as I see they are running out of ideas.
Then, after a few minutes to make changes, I say the magic words and tell them to figure out what was changed in their partner when they turn to face one another.
Then we do that again-- keeping the original changes and adding three more. I give them some ideas here about looking side to side to get ideas, getting a bit more creative and focusing more on details, not the big, obvious changes.
Again, they face one another and guess.
Then we do it again, but this time I tell them to change seven things-- which they think is impossible. But I remind them to look around for things they could use, borrow from a friend nearby, etc. I try to keep talking and giving suggestions this time since they think it's more of a challenge. If a person is really stuck or without a lot of resources nearby, I suggest they change places with a friend to change everything.
Again, they face one another and guess.
Then I have them turn around again--and if there's time, I may have them change seven more things. It's usually been about 20 minutes into the hour at this point, so it's also a good time to stop and discuss. Use your judgment with your own students.
Then, once they are all dressed normally again, we sit down and make a HUGE list together of how this activity was like revision. Be sure to get them to say IT'S FUN... so you can hold that over their heads whenever they need to revise! Extend the metaphor of the game as compared to revision through your discussion. Everything they say will give them strategies for revision, so later in the year, when they say, “My paper is perfect-- it's good the way it is,” you can get them to look at the list you will whip on the projector (or on a poster) and remind them what THEY said revision is!
I have the kids line up in pairs in a tunnel-- their partner should be across from them. I tell them to look over their partner carefully to notice for details-- how things look, how their hair is, etc. Then I have them turn toward the outside of the tunnel. I remind them that the rules are NO TURNING AROUND until I say the magic words... PRESTO CHANGE-O. AND... school appropriate choices! You will have to remind of this as you go...
Then, while their backs are to each other, I say, “Okay-- change three things about how you look.” I give them a few ideas to get them moving. I am standing on top of the desk while they are doing this, watching for appropriate behavior (and sometimes taking pictures to add to a poster of revision later) and giving ideas as I see they are running out of ideas.
Then, after a few minutes to make changes, I say the magic words and tell them to figure out what was changed in their partner when they turn to face one another.
Then we do that again-- keeping the original changes and adding three more. I give them some ideas here about looking side to side to get ideas, getting a bit more creative and focusing more on details, not the big, obvious changes.
Again, they face one another and guess.
Then we do it again, but this time I tell them to change seven things-- which they think is impossible. But I remind them to look around for things they could use, borrow from a friend nearby, etc. I try to keep talking and giving suggestions this time since they think it's more of a challenge. If a person is really stuck or without a lot of resources nearby, I suggest they change places with a friend to change everything.
Again, they face one another and guess.
Then I have them turn around again--and if there's time, I may have them change seven more things. It's usually been about 20 minutes into the hour at this point, so it's also a good time to stop and discuss. Use your judgment with your own students.
Then, once they are all dressed normally again, we sit down and make a HUGE list together of how this activity was like revision. Be sure to get them to say IT'S FUN... so you can hold that over their heads whenever they need to revise! Extend the metaphor of the game as compared to revision through your discussion. Everything they say will give them strategies for revision, so later in the year, when they say, “My paper is perfect-- it's good the way it is,” you can get them to look at the list you will whip on the projector (or on a poster) and remind them what THEY said revision is!
| revision_ideas.pdf |
100 WORD SENTENCE
We all would love for our students to write artfully crafted, well elaborated, beautifully constructed, punctuated correctly sentences; however, we know that our students do need a bit of help. To help them get to where we want them to be, ask your students to write a 100 word sentence that cannot be a list or a run-on. Of course, they will moan and count (many times) their words hoping that they have made it closer. This exercise will force your students to stretch their minds and their writing. Once they have completed this exercise, show them the opening to Great Expectations (found below) - this sentence is over 100 words! Obviously, Dickens is quite an established author, but we want to challenge our students and give them something to strive for. In future essays, you can then require students to have a certain number of sentences with a certain number of sentences.
| 100_word_sentence-1.pdf |
WHERE'S WALDO-- WRITING WITH THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, DIALOGUE
Scan a two-page spread from your favorite Where's Waldo book. Print enough of the same two-page spread so your class could be divided into groups of two or three with each group having the same Where's Waldo page. Mount these on poster board and laminate (they will last much longer this way!)
Divide the class in pairs or groups of three. Give each group a piece of lined paper and a Where's Waldo page. Explain that they will be writing as though they are one of the people on the page--and not one of the obvious, one-of-a-kind people on the page. Their job is to BE the person--get into character and write as though they are describing what they are thinking and feeling at that moment. What do they see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Feel? Are they saying anything out loud? What are they doing? What are the thoughts, actions and dialogue? They are to write about a paragraph in this manner.
Then have them switch with another group. The new group's job is to find the person who is narrating by using the details to figure it out. Each group will check to see if they are right. You could have them keep score, but they also have enough fun without the score element. Have the locating group identify what the key details were to help them correctly locate the person on the page. If they weren't successful on the first guess, have them identify what would have helped make the writing stronger.
Repeat as often as you have time for!
After two switches, it's chaotic, and their writing has improved greatly. I usually have them do a third writing individually and read them aloud to the whole class while the person who wrote circulates to see if the others have correctly identified the character on the page. Then we discuss each one.
NEW NOTE: After being observed, my administrator recommended that when the students first choose their character while in groups, each student focus on brainstorming for ONE of the elements (thoughts, actions or dialogue) in a group of three. That way, when they begin to write, they have ideas to contribute, so that all are participating equally. This worked well to add in more balanced content and to be sure that each group included all of the elements!
Thanks to DIONE HICKOK at Riley Middle School in Hudsonville, MI for this fantastic idea! Thanks to Louise Moore at Baldwin Street Middle School for helping with the new note ideas!
Scan a two-page spread from your favorite Where's Waldo book. Print enough of the same two-page spread so your class could be divided into groups of two or three with each group having the same Where's Waldo page. Mount these on poster board and laminate (they will last much longer this way!)
Divide the class in pairs or groups of three. Give each group a piece of lined paper and a Where's Waldo page. Explain that they will be writing as though they are one of the people on the page--and not one of the obvious, one-of-a-kind people on the page. Their job is to BE the person--get into character and write as though they are describing what they are thinking and feeling at that moment. What do they see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Feel? Are they saying anything out loud? What are they doing? What are the thoughts, actions and dialogue? They are to write about a paragraph in this manner.
Then have them switch with another group. The new group's job is to find the person who is narrating by using the details to figure it out. Each group will check to see if they are right. You could have them keep score, but they also have enough fun without the score element. Have the locating group identify what the key details were to help them correctly locate the person on the page. If they weren't successful on the first guess, have them identify what would have helped make the writing stronger.
Repeat as often as you have time for!
After two switches, it's chaotic, and their writing has improved greatly. I usually have them do a third writing individually and read them aloud to the whole class while the person who wrote circulates to see if the others have correctly identified the character on the page. Then we discuss each one.
NEW NOTE: After being observed, my administrator recommended that when the students first choose their character while in groups, each student focus on brainstorming for ONE of the elements (thoughts, actions or dialogue) in a group of three. That way, when they begin to write, they have ideas to contribute, so that all are participating equally. This worked well to add in more balanced content and to be sure that each group included all of the elements!
Thanks to DIONE HICKOK at Riley Middle School in Hudsonville, MI for this fantastic idea! Thanks to Louise Moore at Baldwin Street Middle School for helping with the new note ideas!
| wheres_waldo_page.pdf |
| wheres_waldo_slides.pdf |
| waldo_student_examples.pdf |
GOOGLE DOCS
This is a free service offered through google mail or gmail. Within this email service, there is a document section that serves as a word processor. Essentially, students can type their essays within their gmail account in google docs, thus making the essays accessible in any location without formatting issues. Additionally, google docs has a sharing function that allows a document to be shared with another gmail user. By sharing a document, it becomes live to both owners. Also, there is an insert comment function that allows an editor to comment on the essay in a different color; this allows the original owner to easily see the comments and the person who commented as well as date and time of the comment.
This has been an amazing means for students to share ideas and edit each others' essays. Also, once all my students get a gmail account, I ask them all to send me an email. In turn then, they are all added to my contacts, and instantly I can communicate with them about assignments or reminders.
Click here to sign up for a FREE Google account and begin using google-docs with your students!
| gmail_communications.pdf |
| integrity_statement-1.pdf |
NING
A NING is a social network that is similar to Facebook, but because a teacher can create the network, he/she can control the features, photos, videos, and contacts that are allowed.
For an advanced English class (8th graders), a NING is a great discussion tool, especially when the student discussion carries on after class is finished for the day. Often, students will respond to an end discussion question on-line, rather than on paper. This allows the students to read one another's work, respond to the ideas others have, and have a stronger voice in the conversation. Students who aren't as vocal in class often share some of the best ideas online. Their online discussions even make their way into the in-class discussion as they reference one another's comments.
For summer reading, NING allows students to discuss virtually, wherever they may be. Because of the Facebook qualities of the NING, students easily pick up on the social networking part, but we use it instead to discuss very academic topics. Using this also allows the teacher to push the discussion a bit more than might be comfortable in class. Because students can respond from their home computers, they have the luxury of thinking before "speaking"-- it's not as on-the-spot as an in-class discussion. Classes from across town or across the nation could also discuss together, if they were reading or writing the same assignment.
Below, you will find a screen shot of a few discussion pages from the 8th grade advanced English class. For security purposes, only students currently enrolled in the class can view or enter the conversation.
Connect to create your own NING
A NING is a social network that is similar to Facebook, but because a teacher can create the network, he/she can control the features, photos, videos, and contacts that are allowed.
For an advanced English class (8th graders), a NING is a great discussion tool, especially when the student discussion carries on after class is finished for the day. Often, students will respond to an end discussion question on-line, rather than on paper. This allows the students to read one another's work, respond to the ideas others have, and have a stronger voice in the conversation. Students who aren't as vocal in class often share some of the best ideas online. Their online discussions even make their way into the in-class discussion as they reference one another's comments.
For summer reading, NING allows students to discuss virtually, wherever they may be. Because of the Facebook qualities of the NING, students easily pick up on the social networking part, but we use it instead to discuss very academic topics. Using this also allows the teacher to push the discussion a bit more than might be comfortable in class. Because students can respond from their home computers, they have the luxury of thinking before "speaking"-- it's not as on-the-spot as an in-class discussion. Classes from across town or across the nation could also discuss together, if they were reading or writing the same assignment.
Below, you will find a screen shot of a few discussion pages from the 8th grade advanced English class. For security purposes, only students currently enrolled in the class can view or enter the conversation.
Connect to create your own NING
| ning_discussion.pdf |
