tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79291769138947148302024-02-08T05:19:24.485-06:00Madre's Cadrepat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-85178045659147660722008-04-26T09:07:00.001-06:002008-04-26T09:07:56.249-06:00My Day at North Starpat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-48510500141250915942007-09-11T20:29:00.001-06:002007-09-11T21:02:16.040-06:00Back to SchoolI can't believe we are in the third week of school already! I have three blocks of language arts classes that total 100 students. My classes are huge, but the kids are really awesome. My 6th graders are so smart I don't know if I can keep up with them. They want to know everything about everything. I am presenting a lesson this week based on the book <em>Dreams</em> by Susan Bosak. Has anyone read it? Leslie and I attended a workshop last summer where the author presented and read the book to us. It was awesome listenting to her read her own words! Since the book focuses on dreams and goals, I plan to have the kids make their gold stars and write their own goals and dreams for this year on them. After they make their stars, I'll hang them from the ceiling for the parents to see on open house night. What do you think? I think I'll bring the book to share with all of you on Saturday.<br /><br />Is everyone writing? So far, my students love to write--my 6th graders do, the 7th graders are more reluctant. We talked about modeling this summer, and I have really taken it to heart. I am writing everyday with my students. When I ask them to write in response to a jounal topic, I write with them. So far we have all responded to <em>Chrysanthemum, Alexander and the Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day</em>, and numerous poems. This dinosaur is right there with them.<br /><br />Do I sound excited? Am I rambling? I guess it's because I am so pumped about this new school year and sharing my experiences from this summer. My principal, assistant principal, and counselor are coming to share the 'dream' lesson on Thursday.<br /><br />Okay all you Bluebonnets out there. I want to hear back from you.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-41151261994021721542007-08-08T08:57:00.000-06:002007-08-08T08:59:53.794-06:00Response to Janelle<span style="font-family:arial;">Life is a journey that we all make. I want my classroom to be a positive stop on that journey. Students dance in and out of our school lives, and we should let them sing. We should encourage them to sing during that stay. When we present lessons that encourage choice and creativity, we allow them to sing and dance their way to learning. Choices help students develop voice in their writing. We have to prepare students to pass that pesky test in April or February or June or whenever they take it, but we don’t have to participate in that hoax of drill and kill. All we do with that is kill creativity and voice. In short, we perpetuate the hoax. Keep things real for kids. Give them skills they can use when they leave our studios. Give them the skills to sing and dance and perform on the stage of live.</span>pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-43606822885248939502007-08-06T09:35:00.000-06:002007-08-06T09:39:08.769-06:00Aunt Sister<div align="center">Aunt Sister</div><div align="left"><br />She resembled a penguin in her back and white habit, but she wasn’t one. Her voice lilted with a very slight brogue from her parents’ homeland. She was my Aunt Sister—Sister Joseph Catherine to be exact. My dad’s big sister. Her entry into the convent just out of eighth grade was expected of the eldest daughter from an Irish Catholic home in those days, and my Aunt Sister heeded the call. Her hair was shorn; in fact, I had never seen her hair. I think she had some. Nuns really never took vacations; they were lucky to spend time with family. Most people thought they were born as nuns. The kids who went to St. Benedict’s with me thought schools came with nuns. Build school, sprinkle holy water, nuns appear.</div><div align="left"><br />Yes, Aunt Sister was a nun from the old school of nuns, but that didn’t stop her from having a great time. I knew a different side of this ‘penguin.’ A secret side. </div><div align="left"><br />The cars were crammed full of people and possessions on that trip to Florida in 1966—all 10 of us, including Aunt Sister. How uncomfortable she must have been in that penguin outfit what with the black wool dress and veil and starched white collar and wimple, but Aunt Sister didn’t complain; she waited for her chance to be free. Her sights were set on the beach—the water, the sand, the shells. </div><div align="left"><br />I traveled to Florida before with my family and strolled the beach many times, but this was Aunt Sister’s first venture to this new world. She had traded that hot, hot suit for a pair of long black shorts and a long-sleeved white blouse adorned with her silver cross. I didn’t see this as a major difference, but Aunt Sister relished it. Her eyes lit up at her first glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico, and I hate to admit, her feet were much faster than mine as she dashed to the shoreline and scooped up some wet sand. Granules slid through her fingers and floated back to the ground, but something remained.</div><div align="left"><br />“Patty, come here. What kind of shell is this? Ooh, there’s a creature in here! A snail, do you think? Would your dad let us take this back to the room? I could slip it into my suitcase before we leave. Have you ever seen anything like this before? Do you think we can find more?”</div><div align="left"><br />Question after question, comment after comment, smile after smile. The joy was there.</div><div align="left"><br />Aunt Sister only made that one trip to Florida with us, but her joy in seeing the beauty of God’s creation stayed in her heart and mine for a lifetime. </div>pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-61870170255101337162007-08-06T09:33:00.000-06:002007-08-06T09:34:25.231-06:00Six Word Stories<strong>Jeannine</strong><br />Feisty leader, soar, up and away.<br />Jeannine, leader, soaring to new heights.<br /><br /><strong>Institute</strong><br />Workshop fosters voice. Sing on, writers.<br />Choices are good for writers—challenging.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-26921005694715864652007-08-05T19:51:00.000-06:002007-08-05T19:54:27.639-06:00Literature Review<div align="center">Abstract</div><div align="left"><br />So much emphasis is put on high stakes tests. Not only do we want students to pass these tests, but we want them to be commended. Sixth, seventh, and eight grade students must now pass the reading test in order to move onto the next grade level. What happens when a student does not like to read? Does not want to participate in class? How can this student be encouraged? By modeling. This is the path I took with one seventh grade student. She entered my classroom as a nonreader, but she left it hooked on reading. I kept a pile of books on my desk for her to see, I read during her RICH time, I responded to the very short letters she wrote about her books, and I recommended books to her. All of this modeling helped her become an avid reader. This modeling helped this one student not only pass the test, but she made commended. Since this method, modeling, worked so well with my reading students, I wanted to see if it would work with writing as well. That was the emphasis of the research for this review: Since the practice of modeling is helpful to student success in reading, can it also be helpful to student success in writing?</div><div align="center"><br />Review</div><div align="left"><br />Research shows that a reading/writing workshop is the best approach to get students to write. As I read article after article, not only was the emphasis placed on the workshop method, but also on teacher modeling. Keaton Shenk (Writing from the Heart, 1996) implemented the reading/writing workshop in his classroom and determined that not only was this a good way to encourage student writing and participation, but it was vital that teachers write alongside their students, sharing drafts of their work with students. “I could identify more keenly with my students’ feelings each day in class as I asked them to write and revise, persuade and publish.” (Shenk 1996).</div><div align="left"><br />This same line is shown in articles by Tom Romano. In his April 1996 “Crafting Authentic Voice,” Romano shares his own writing with students in his writing class and together they analyze his craft—how he develops his authentic voice. Romano encourages the “death of adverbs’ and the “use of verbs with muscle” to craft voice. Romano revisits this idea of voice<br />in “Writing with Voice” (2003). Students used prompts from 100 Quickwrites by Linda Reif (2003) and When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant to spur writing. Not only did Romano write as students wrote, he shared his writing with them. Modeling.</div><div align="left"><br />William P. Bintz and Karen S. Shelton focus on a unique strategy in their 2004 article titled “Using Written Conversation in Middle School: Lessons from a Teacher Researcher Project.” Bintz and Shelton showed that note passing is a way for students to do something they enjoy, passing notes in class, and combine it with something they really do not like all that much, studying a novel. Shelton modeled the note passing procedure for her students. The model included: the format for each note, the manner in which students respond, and reflection at the end. Once again modeling for students.</div><div align="left"><br />Joyce Armstrong Carroll, in “Drawing into Meaning: A Powerful Writing Tool.” (1991) relates how drawing is not just for children who cannot write, but images at any age are part of making meaning. Use of images can be a valuable writing tool. This is shown many times over, I think, when we utilize a slideshow presentation. These slideshows are full of words and pictures to make our points. Even though Carroll does not make a direct case for teacher modeling as a strategy or idea, she shows models of drawings and books to enhance her idea of ‘drawing into meaning.’</div><div align="left"><br />Students must be exact in their writing by ‘showing not telling’ (Anderson, 2003). He shares how teachers can take skeletal sentences and flesh them out into full images. Use concrete nouns to help writing stick in the readers mind. Add absolutes and participles to create a telephoto lens that enhances the focus on specific details. Pull passages from novels to model this for students.</div><div align="left"><br />These ideas can be used in drafting as well as in revision. Writing is all about revision (Saddler 2003). Revision is hard for students, I think it is hard for all writers, but it is easier if teachers model specific revision strategies and give students time to practice them.<br />Students need several things to help them develop as writers. They need time, choice and models (Rief 2006). Students need good models of writing, professional writing and peer writing, to help them develop their skills. Using these models is learning to read as a writer. Models from all genres should be shown and shared to allow students to step inside and gain understanding of its characteristics.</div><div align="left"><br />Nancy Atwell, in my opinion, offers language arts teachers the best model for teaching reading and writing, the reading/writing workshop. Atwell encourages teachers to keep things real for students. She tells us writers thrive and create when they are motivated to work hard, have regular opportunities to practice and reflect, and benefit from the knowledge and experiences of a teacher who writes and knows writing (Atwell 2003). In other words, a teacher who models writing for them. She brings this to the forefront once again in “Hard Trying and These Recipes” (Atwell 2003). Students can accomplish good writing if they have lessons about topics, lessons about principals, lessons about genres, and lessons about conventions. The information she collected for this article became the focus for her book Lessons That Change Writers (2002). Each of these types of lessons is modeled for teachers and students in the book. </div><div align="left"><br />Much of the research I found cited Atwell’s workshop method for language arts classes. Sherry Guice (“The Second Time Around” March 2000) chose to implement the workshop when she returned to a middle school classroom. Sheryl Lain states, “My students learn to write better when I use the writing workshop because they write more and practice more thoughtful process.” (Lain 2007). No matter where I turned or what research I read, writing workshop was a main focus. Not only was writing workshop the method chosen for students, modeling was a major strategy used.</div><div align="left"><br />Modeling takes on many forms. It can be sharing examples, models, of your expectations for students, sharing examples, models, of your own writing with students, and simply doing the same thing your students are. No matter how your look at it, modeling is a must for student success in both reading and writing.<br /> </div>pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-81569588936624235762007-08-05T13:47:00.000-06:002007-08-05T13:55:16.816-06:00Article 11<strong>I. Title:</strong> What’s Right with Writing<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Linda Rief<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> Linda Rief shares with readers the progress that<br /> has been made in writing and the teaching of writing over the past twenty years.<br />IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they <br /> support the need for the study? Rief tells readers that teachers must<br /> be researchers in our own classrooms, gather information from our students over time, <br /> question ourselves about what is working and not working, and act on this information to<br /> help students reap the benefits of writing. Rief comments, as well, on the following points:<br /> A. Writing is thinking; it is a way of communicating our understanding and <br /> misunderstanding of ourselves and the world around us.<br /> B. There is no one process that defines the way all writers write. Writing is recursive, and<br /> the writer shifts back and forth between steps to make ideas clear.<br /> C. We learn to write by reading extensively and writing for real audiences. Model for<br /> students and share samples of good writing for students to read and imitate.<br /> D. Writers need constructive response. Let students know what you noticed about their<br /> writing, what was done well and questions that came to mind as you read. Put away<br /> the red pen.<br /> E. Evaluation of writing should highlight the strengths of process, content, and <br /> conventions, and give the writer the tools and techniques to strengthen the<br /> weaknesses. Allow students to verbalize their thinking as they moved through the<br /> process helps them. Evaluation should move the writer forward and help them grow in<br /> their thinking.<br /> F. Writing is reading. For too long, the past ten years, the focus has been on literacy as<br /> reading. We have forgotten writing. Since writing is a recursive process, students<br /> engage in critical thinking and questioning and reading and writing.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question/s:</strong> What is right with writing and the <br /> teaching of writing? How did we reach this point and where do we go <br /> from here?<br /><strong>VI Author’s Methodology:</strong> Observation of and reflection on the<br /> development and progress of writing instruction<br /> A. Who is being studied? Students and teachers<br /> B. Over what length of time: Twenty years<br /> C. What data is being collected? Rief gathered teaching methods and strategies,<br /> student writing samples, and other literature on writing to analyze ideas on how the<br /> teaching of writing has changed over the past twenty years or so.<br /> D. How is it being analyzed? Rief has taken the information gathered and looked at <br /> where we were twenty years ago and where we are now<br /> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data: Rief tells readers what our students need to<br /> help them write well. They need time, choice, and models. This seems to sum up most<br /> of the articles I have read for this review. She also mentions the need for professional<br /> development for teachers that focuses as much on writing as on reading. Certainly,<br /> The National Writing Project has done this around the United States.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information?</strong> I think Rief collected her<br /> information through reading the works of John Dewey, Donald Murray, Peter Elbow,<br /> Donald Graves, Tom Newkirk, Shelley Harwayne, Tom Romano, and Nancie Atwell in<br /> addition to observations in classrooms and analysis of student work.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> Rief<br /> also mentions in her article that testing is standing in the way of powerful writing<br /> instruction. She even mentions that she met two young teachers who had to sign a clause<br /> in their contracts that if they didn’t raise the scores of the students in their classrooms<br /> from one year to the next, they understood they would be let go. What a difficult task to<br /> accomplish! We need to do what is best for our students. In addition to her thoughts on<br /> testing, Rief wants teachers of writing to stay focused on their own writing because this<br /> helps us to understand what we are asking our students to do every day. Rief feels that we<br /> have come a long way in the past twenty years, but we still have a long way to go.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-79353384283679504092007-08-05T12:42:00.000-06:002007-08-05T12:49:39.891-06:00Article 10<strong> I. Title:</strong> “But teacher, I added a period!” Middle Schoolers Learn to Revise<br /><strong> II. Author:</strong> Bruce Saddler<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> The author describes how writers at different skill levels approach<br /> revising, the difficulties they encounter, and shares several successful methods to help<br /> middle school students.<br /><strong> IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they <br /> support the need for the study?</strong> Saddler shows readers that skilled <br /> writers view revision as a whole-text task; they often revise and retool<br /> a piece as they write. Many middle school students do not view<br /> revising in this manner. Saddler offers suggestions to use within the<br /> writing workshop, again modeling for students.<br /> A. Students need to know why revising is important. Writing is all about making the<br /> things the writer knows known to others in a particular way and for a particular<br /> reason.<br /> B. Conferencing—have someone else read the paper for clarity and understanding. It is<br /> important to hear what you have written out loud. Peer conferencing can be viewed as<br /> an interactive dialogue between writers.<br /> C. Provide students with a checklist to guide their review of their own and each other’s<br /> drafts. Students have concrete tasks and clear-cut goals set out for them. This is helpful<br /> for all writers.<br /> D. Have several pieces of writing being worked on at the same time. This way a student<br /> can step back from a piece that is giving them some trouble and work on another piece.<br /> When a student returns to the first piece after this reflective pause, their mind is clear<br /> and refreshed, ready to tackle writing again.<br /> E. The author also suggests that you grade the process as well as the product. Writing is a<br /> process, and having multiple pieces being worked on at one time allows you to see a<br /> student’s progress.<br /><strong> V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> I think the main question this author had was focused<br /> on ‘how can I help my students to not only revise their writing, but to see that there is a<br /> need for revision.<br /><strong>VI Author’s Methodology:</strong> The author is teaching revision skills through<br /> modeling<br /> <strong> A. Who is being studied?</strong> Students in a middle school language arts writing <br /> workshop are being studied to see how well they develop their revision skills.<br /> <strong> B. Over what length of time:</strong> No specific length of time is given.<br /> <strong> C. What data is being collected?</strong> Student writing samples are being collected and<br /> studied to see how well they implemented revision strategies.<br /> <strong> D. How is it being analyzed?</strong> Saddler is looking for progress in student writing after<br /> learning new strategies.<br /><strong> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data:</strong> Saddler included two samples of<br /> revision guides for teachers to use. These are very user friendly and can be easily<br /> adapted for classroom use.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> He used student writing from <br /> student journals, essays assigned, and other samples of their writing to<br /> analyze for this study.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> The<br /> author concludes that a teacher can change how students approach<br /> revision as you model specific revision strategies and give them time<br /> to practice those strategies. Here again, the idea of model is discussed<br /> and applauded as a means of helping students achieve success in their<br /> writing.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-34457677521774540282007-08-05T11:41:00.000-06:002007-08-05T11:45:35.960-06:00Article 9<strong>I. Title:</strong> Reaffirming the Writing Workshop for Young Adolescents<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Sheryl Lain<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> Lain writes this article to show that a writing workshop approach to<br /> teaching writing is the best way to help students learn to write and is instrumental in<br /> raising students’ scores on state tests.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they <br /> support the need for the study?</strong> Lain shows a successful way to set up<br /> and implement a successful writing workshop:<br /> A. Minilessons (modeling what students should do)<br /> B. Variety of writing modes<br /> C. Use of writing folders<br /> D. Revision practices<br /> E. Sharing work with peers<br /> F. Publishing student work<br /> G. Teacher wrote more and keeps in tune with writing tasks <br /> expected of students<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> Is there a more direct way to ensure <br /> student success in writing than trough the use of writing workshop?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> Observation and analysis of student writing<br /> A. Who is being studied? Students in middle school language arts classes<br /> B. Over what length of time? No specific timeframe given<br /> C. What data is being collected? Samples of student writing, discussion of students <br /> about their writing, scores students receive on state tests<br /> D. How is it being analyzed? Lain looked at the quality of the students’ examples and<br /> noticed the depth and complexity of their writing. This is how she could see that the<br /> workshop approach was beneficial to her students.<br /> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data: Lain made sure that she modeled lessons<br /> for her students through minilessons and sharing her own writing with them<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> Lain asked students to write<br /> for different purposes, peer edit drafts, participate in minilessons, and<br /> take pieces to final copy so they could be analyzed to progress and<br /> success as writers.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> Lain<br /> definitely feels there is not better or more meaningful method for students to<br /> achieve success as writers than the writing workshop that includes teacher modeling. She<br /> says that her students learn to write better when they use a writing workshop approach<br /> because they write more and practice a more thoughtful approach.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-84527960356595308162007-08-05T07:22:00.000-06:002007-08-05T07:25:54.360-06:00Article 8<strong>I. Title:</strong> Drawing into Meaning: A Powerful Writing Tool<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Joyce Armstrong Carroll<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> The author wants readers, teachers, to see how<br /> drawings, pictures of some sort, add meaning to writing.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they <br /> support the need for the study?</strong> <br /> A. Keep drawing as part of writing<br /> B. The use of drawings to enhance writing keeps kids going<br /> C. Drawing enhances thinking skills<br /> D. Practicing writing is one way to help students develop voice in<br /> their writing<br /> E. Model this for students<br /> F. There is a relationship between words and images<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> If drawing, scribbling, and doodling, <br /> fascinate us all, if all these loops and lines hold tacit meaning, why don’t <br /> we use drawing in middle and high school as the powerful writing tool it<br /> is?<br /><strong>VI Author’s Methodology:<br /></strong> A. Who is being studied? Students and teachers in middle and high school classrooms<br /> B. Over what length of time: No exact length of time is given; maybe over a school year<br /> C. What data is being collected? The author uses samples of drawing and writing from<br /> students<br /> D. How is it being analyzed? Discussion on how the visual and auditory work together to<br /> enhance creativity<br /> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data: You need to use both visual and auditory<br /> skills to learn, the two modes release human creativity.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information?</strong> The author visited many <br /> middle and high schools, interacted with the teachers and students, and<br /> discussed this information with them.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications</strong>: <br /> Drawing is not just for children who can’t write. Images at any age are<br /> part of making meaning. Use images as a writing tool.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-86644093132786006162007-08-05T06:49:00.000-06:002007-08-05T06:54:23.323-06:00Article 7<strong>I. Title:</strong> Naming Names: A Concrete Way to Help Students Write<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Jeff Anderson<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> Anderson wants to share with his readers ways in<br /> which students can add detail and voice to their writing by showing not <br /> telling.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they <br /> support the need for the study?</strong> Students need to be given specific<br /> ways to ‘show not tell’ in their writing. Some of these methods are:<br /> A. Showing nouns: by using concrete nouns, readers get a good idea<br /> of what the author is trying to say<br /> B. Fleshing out details: add detail, name names and the ideas will<br /> stick with the reader<br /> C. Absolutes: use a noun + -ing (participle) to show action and<br /> description<br /> D. Appositives: start with a simple sentence and choose a noun to<br /> amplify<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question/s?</strong> How do I get students to be more exact<br /> and concrete in their writing and how do I help this idea to stick for <br /> them?<br /><strong>VI Author’s Methodology:</strong> Anderson shared models of good writing,<br /> writing that incorporated concrete details, absolutes, and fleshed out<br /> sentences.<br /> A. Who is being studied? Jeff Anderson studied students in his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade <br /> classes.<br /> B. Over what length of time? No specific time is given, but it seems that it was a school<br /> year.<br /> C. What data is being collected? Samples of student writing and how they incorporate <br /> concrete nouns, fleshed out detail, absolutes, and appositives in their essays<br /> D. How is it being analyzed? Anderson is studying the affect of these techniques on<br /> students’ writing<br /> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data: Anderson took some interesting ideas and put<br /> them into practice. Some of these ideas come from Harry Noden and his <em>Image </em><br /><em> Grammar</em>, a book that I have used in my class. This is a book that gives a lot if ideas on<br /> helping students to put their all into an essay and how we , as teachers can model this<br /> for them.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information?</strong> He collects samples of student writing<br /> from class assignments<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> The<br /> author determined that naming names, using concrete names for <br /> nouns, offers students a concrete way to revise their writing so<br /> that it conveys their ideas clearly. Again, Anderson shows us that<br /> we, as teachers, need to model for our students. We can model with <br /> our own writing or share professional models with our students.<br /> There are many ways to model for them, but we can’t expect<br /> them to just do it on their own.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-80858448477224316172007-08-02T10:45:00.000-06:002007-08-02T10:46:38.030-06:00ShowcaseJoin us for a reflective of our Bluebonnet time.<br /><a href="https://mavspace.uta.edu/pkh8515/bluebonnet%5B1%5D.ppt">https://mavspace.uta.edu/pkh8515/bluebonnet%5B1%5D.ppt</a>pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-72272293633004177902007-08-02T09:50:00.000-06:002007-08-02T09:59:30.397-06:00Article 6<strong>I. Title:</strong> Using Written Conversation in Middle School: Lessons from a Teacher Researcher<br /> Project<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> William P Bintz and Karen S. Shelton<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> This article focused on two different topics—teaching as researching<br /> and a specific lesson, written conversation.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support the </strong><br /><strong> need for the study?</strong> The author and the teacher-researcher showed that note passing is<br /> a way for students to do something they enjoy, passing notes, and combine it with<br /> something they really don’t like all that much, studying a novel.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> How can note passing in class be used as a potentially<br /> positive, rather than always a negative activity for students?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> Qualitative research methodology<br /><strong> A. Who is being studied?</strong> Students in 7th and 8th grade language arts classes are being<br /> studied.<br /><strong> B. Over what length of time?</strong> The time frame is not stated, but it appears to be over <br /> one novel study.<br /><strong> C. What data is being collected?</strong> The teacher-researcher, Karen Shelton, collected <br /> writing samples and written reflections from students during her language arts class<br /> and sharing this at a summer conference and during visits to teachers’ classrooms.<br /><strong> D. How is it being analyzed?</strong> The teacher-researcher, Karen Shelton, used a three step<br /> process to analyze her research:<br /> <strong> 1.</strong> She read through the data recording comments and not stopping to reflect on the <br /> data; she wanted to determine the reading process the pairs of students used to <br /> create and represent meaning from the text.<br /><strong> 2.</strong> She then read the data set a second time more critically and reflectively to construct<br /> her working hypotheses by seeing patterns in responses, what similar reading<br /> processes were used.<br /><strong> 3.</strong> She read the entire set again focusing on refining emerging patterns by comparing<br /> them against the data.<br /><strong> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data?</strong> Shelton notices six patterns or<br /> categories of reading processes in her research:<br /> <strong> 1.</strong> making a prediction<br /> <strong>2.</strong> drawing an inference<br /> <strong> 3.</strong> making a personal connection<br /> <strong> 4.</strong> taking a position<br /> <strong> 5.</strong> asking a question<br /> <strong> 6.</strong> detecting an anomaly<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> The teacher-researcher <br /> is keeping anecdotal records, looking at writing samples, and also looking at student <br /> reflections to determine the effectiveness of written conversation in student learning and<br /> retention of material.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> <br /> Written conversation is a great strategy to help students learn in a fun, creative way. The<br /> author also shows that teaching and researching are the same thing; teachers have <br /> to support their own learning in order to support the learning of students, and teaching as<br /> researching is rewarding but very hard work.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-66463354342566932132007-08-01T20:31:00.000-06:002007-08-01T20:39:39.794-06:00Article 5<strong>I. Title:</strong> Hard Trying and These Recipes<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Nancie Atwell<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> Atwell wants teachers of writing to look for and think about<br /> writing lessons that will make the intangible tangible for students. She wants to make it<br /> real for her students.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature?</strong> Do they support the<br /> need for the study? Writers will thrive and create when they are motivated to work<br /> hard, have regular opportunities to practice and reflect, and benefit from the knowledge<br /> and experiences of a teacher who writes and knows writing, a teacher who models for<br /> them.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> Can writing ability be learned, or do good writers have a<br /> natural ability?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> Observation, discussion, and analysis of writing were the<br /> methods employed.<br /><strong> A. Who is being studied?</strong> Students in Atwell’s class over the last 10 years.<br /><strong> B. Over what length of time?</strong> 10 years<br /><strong> C. What data is being collected?</strong> Atwell is collecting pieces of student writing to<br /> see which lessons had an impact on students and their growth as writers.<br /><strong> D. How is it being analyzed?</strong> Atwell looks at the quality and creativity of her<br /> students' pieces.<br /><strong> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data?</strong> Atwell used much of this<br /> information in her book <em>Lessons That Change Writers.<br /></em><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> Atwell used observation and questioning<br /> of students, analysis of students’ writing, and their verbal and written response<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> Students can<br /> develop their writing skills if given the opportunity to do so. This can be accomplished if<br /> they had the following:<br /> <strong> A.</strong> Lessons about topics: ways to develop ideas for pieces of writing that matter to kids<br /> and to their readers.<br /> <strong>B</strong>. Lessons about principals: ways to approach drafting and revising deliberately, in<br /> order to craft meaningful, literary prose and poetry.<br /> <strong>C</strong>. Lesson about genres: ways kids and teacher collaborate to observe and name the<br /> qualities of good poetry, short fiction, memoirs, essays, book reviews, and other<br /> genres.<br /> <strong>D.</strong> Lessons about conventions: what a reader’s eyes and mind will expect from a piece of<br /> writing, and how marks and forms give writers voice make reading predictable and<br /> easy.<br />It is important that students have a predictable structure, a regular schedule, and student’s discretion on topics. Atwell presented all of this in her article and again in her book.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-88316274450574082372007-07-31T19:11:00.000-06:002007-07-31T19:18:27.418-06:00Article 4<strong>I. Title:</strong> Crafting Authentic Voice<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Tom Romano<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> Romano wants to make sure students don’t lose their voice when<br /> they write. He feels that voice can be crafted and developed through practice and<br /> modeling.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support </strong><br /><strong> the need for </strong><strong>the study?</strong><br /> <strong>A.</strong> Voice is created when you write authentically-with a purpose and about something <br /> you care about<br /> <strong>B</strong>. Quick writes and journaling can be great tools for helping to develop voice<br /> <strong> C.</strong> Voice can also be crafted; he shows this through an analysis of his own writing<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> What is authentic voice and how can it be crafted?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> The author studies and analyzes his own writing and<br /> applied the research of others to analyze it.<br /> <strong> A.</strong> Who is being studied? Tom Romano himself as well as his students<br /> <strong> B.</strong> Over what length of time? No length of time given<br /> C. What data is being collected? He wants to look at pieces of his own writing and<br /> student writing and find voice<br /> <strong> D.</strong> How is it being analyzed? The author took a close look at his writing and analyzed<br /> it based on research put forth by other writers and researchers<br /> <strong>E.</strong> Any other interesting or pertinent data? I think it is interesting that he analyzed<br /> his own writing but also applied it to students writing as well. He used a number of<br /> strategies to accomplish this:<br /> <strong> 1.</strong> Death of adverbs—they lure writers into laziness<br /> <strong>2.</strong> Use of verbs with muscle<br /> <strong> 3.</strong> Use adjectives of exactitude<br /> <strong> 4.</strong> Add tension—character conflict<br /> <strong> 5.</strong> Pull in other voices<br /> 6. It’s okay to say it simply<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> He took articles, essays, syllabi from his<br /> own writing and essays of his students to examine. He also listened to what his<br /> students had to say and took notes on that information.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> The author<br /> shows us that there are many ways to craft and develop voice in writing, no one single<br /> way. He also shows that it is necessary to model this for students in our own writing.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-9779714094371363902007-07-31T18:45:00.000-06:002007-07-31T18:56:06.652-06:00Article 3<strong>I. Title:</strong> The Second Time Around<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Sherry Guice<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> The author wanted to present information/findings from CELA<br /> and the ways she can implement her findings in her 8th grade reading club to assure<br /> student success on high stakes tests.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support </strong><br /><strong> the need for the study?</strong><br /><strong> A.</strong> Strategic curriculum requires ongoing consideration of students’ knowledge and<br /> needs—base curriculum on student interest and needs.<br /> <strong>B.</strong> Knowledge from action engages students in meaningful conversation within the<br /> fields of study. Guice will focus on folklore including pulling in folklore form their<br /> own families and communities.<br /> <strong> C.</strong> Thinking communities understand that learning is a social activity. Learning<br /> communities are both supportive of learning and challenging for students. Students<br /> and teachers interact developing ideas, challenging one another, encouraging risks<br /> necessary for new learning to occur. Quite an interesting way to manage a class. In<br /> this case, all students will read different books that lend themselves to discussion on<br /> broad topics with big ideas and questions. The questions the teacher asks must<br /> model her thinking and stretch students to go beyond what they think they are<br /> capable of doing.<br /> <strong> D.</strong> Orchestrated connections create coherence and continuity within what students are<br /> learning. Again the teacher must model for the students. S/he must create and<br /> orchestrate situations for students to make coherent connections rather than just<br /> presenting isolated skill land knowledge. By making these connections, students will<br /> learn and retain the information more easily. For this Guice will have the students<br /> write and talk about how books connect to their personal lives, other books they<br /> have read, and their lives beyond school.<br /> E. Generative learning allows students to go beyond what is taught. Students must be<br /> able to transfer these new skills to other learning, take it beyond the language arts<br /> classroom. Guice wants the students to participate in an oral history study focusing<br /> on the post World War II boom of the late 1940s and 1950s. For this students will<br /> interview members of the community after writing their own interview questions.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> How can I help my students prepare for high stakes<br /> tests when I return to a middle school classroom after an absence of 10 years and reach<br /> their full potential as learners, readers, and writers?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> I am assuming the teacher would observe students during<br /> discussions and keep copies of their writing for analysis.<br /> A. Who is being studied? Students in a 7th and 8th grade reading club who need<br /> extra help to pass high stakes tests will be studied when this is put in place.<br /> B. Over what length of time? A school year<br /> C. What data is being collected? Student writing, participation in discussion, and level<br /> of answers to discussion question.<br /> D. How is it being analyzed? Guice will observe her students during discussion and<br /> reading time and read their essays to determine progress.<br /> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data? The author studied various aspects of<br /> literature, writing, and reading as a doctoral student, as a co-director of a five-year<br /> longitudinal study, and as a director at CELA. She wanted to put these ideas and<br /> practices into place with a group of reluctant 7th and 8th grade reading club<br /> students.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> I assume the teacher would keep<br /> anecdotal records of observations and copies of students writing.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> There were no<br /> conclusions given since the study had not yet been put in place. I did not find a follow-up<br /> article to know how the study turned out.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-57497902520804525912007-07-31T10:12:00.000-06:002007-07-31T10:21:01.979-06:00Article 2<strong>I. Title:</strong> Writing With Voice<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Tom Romano<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> The author wanted to share with readers how students can <br /> develop voice through drafting and crafting.<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they</strong><br /><strong> support the need for the study</strong>? Romano works with students in class and<br /> workshops, and he wants them to find ways to develop their own authentic voice in<br /> their writing. In order for him to do this, he must model the skill for them; share his<br /> method and his writing.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> How can I, as their teacher, help students develop<br /> their own, authentic voice?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> The author used student writing and student ideas and<br /> comments throughout his study.<br /><strong> A. Who is being studied?</strong> Students in Romano’s classes and workshops<br /><strong> B. Over what length of time?</strong> Semester; not really stated<br /><strong> C What data is being collected?</strong> Student writing and reflections were collected<br /> and analyzed.<br /><strong> D How is it being analyzed?</strong> Romano is looking at the writing created by his<br /> students for content and to determine the best way for him to help his students<br /> can be improved.<br /><strong> E. Any other interesting or pertinent data?</strong> Romano shows the reader how to<br /> work with students to create or develop voice. I enjoy reading Romano and have<br /> used his books and methods in my class. He makes writing easy and fun for<br /> students.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> The author based this information on<br /> research by Linda Reif (100 Quickwrites, 2003). Students used the prompts from her<br /> book plus readings Romano shared, such as <em>When I Was Young in the Mountains</em> by<br /> Cynthia Rylant to spur the writing. He showed his students how to penetrate the<br /> barriers to writing, “how to break free with a string of words that generates more<br /> words, more thinking, more meaning.” (Romano, 2003).<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> The author<br /> discovered that it is in both the gushing and the cultivating that voice is developed. He<br /> doesn’t want his students to write in a stilted, academic manner; he wants them to<br /> bring forth a unique and authentic voice that can be identified as theirs. He discovers,<br /> or perhaps rediscovers, that one of the best ways to do this is to model, and model<br /> again.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-45608038237890806982007-07-30T19:34:00.000-06:002007-07-30T19:50:53.402-06:00Article 1<strong>I. Title:</strong> Writing from the Heart<br /><strong>II. Author:</strong> Keaton Shenk<br /><strong>III. Author’s Purpose:</strong> The author wanted to share his ideas on incorporating a reading<br /> and writing workshop method of teaching in his middle school classroom<br /><strong>IV. What are the points made in the review of the literature? Do they support </strong><br /><strong> the need for</strong><strong> the study?</strong> The author presented the following points about the workshop<br /> model he incorporated:<br /> <strong> A.</strong> 25 minutes for reading<br /> <strong> B.</strong> 20 minutes for writing<br /> <strong> C.</strong> Self-selection of both reading material and writing topics<br /> <strong> D.</strong> Teacher needs to write with his/her students<br /> <strong>E.</strong> Teacher needs to share his/her writing along with students<br /> <strong> F.</strong> Keep a fairly low key atmosphere in the classroom<br /> I found this to be in keeping with Nancie Awell’s model of the reading/writing workshop.<br /><strong>V. Author’s Inquiry Question:</strong> How do I get my students to write pieces that matter and<br /> write from the heart? When did my students and I ache with caring over what we are<br /> writing about?<br /><strong>VI. Author’s Methodology:</strong> The author implemented the workshop and observed<br /> students’ reactions and quality of their work.<br /> <strong> A.</strong> Who is being studied? Students in a sixth grade language arts class.<br /> <strong> B.</strong> Over what length of time? Not stated, but I’m assuming over at least one school year.<br /> <strong> C.</strong> What data is being collected? Student writing and the changes they experience<br /> through participation in the reading/writing workshop.<br /> <strong>D.</strong> How is it being analyzed? The teacher looked at the quality of student work, ideas<br /> expressed in the writing, willingness of students to share writing, quality of editing<br /> and had the students write a reflection of the model.<br /> <strong> E.</strong> Any other interesting or pertinent data? I really didn’t look at the date the article<br /> was written until was reading when I discovered it was written in 1996. This author,<br /> Keaton Shenk, was giving the reading/writing workshop a first go.<br /><strong>VII. How the author collected information:</strong> He implemented a reading/writing<br /> workshop in his class and gave the students a bit of free reign in their topics by allowing<br /> them to write about things that were important to them. He then looked for changes<br /> and development in their writing.<br /><strong>VIII. What the Author Discovered or Conclusions/Implications:</strong> The author used<br /> strategies he learned at a workshop to develop his students’ writing and discovered that<br /> this was a great way to bring out the best in his students.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-24967267962160981542007-07-30T17:07:00.000-06:002007-07-30T17:16:54.816-06:00Irish Tenor<strong>Bluebonnet Writing Project<br />Teaching Demonstration<br /></strong><br /><br /><strong>Title of the Book:</strong> <em>Song and Dance Man</em><br /><strong>Author:</strong> Karen Ackerman<br /><strong>Illustrator:</strong> Stephen Gammell<br /><strong>Publishing Information:</strong> Alfred Knopf <br /><strong>ISBN:</strong> 0-679-81995-9<br /><strong>Suggested Grade Level:</strong> This lesson was developed for a 6th grade class, but it can be used for grades 4-12 with a few modifications.<br /><br /><strong>Goal:</strong> Students will weave thick description into a piece of prose to create a poem.<br /><br /><strong>Objectives:<br /></strong>1. Students will write the lyrics of a song in poetry form<br />2. Students will write a description of the person who shared the song<br />3. Students will blend the two short pieces into a poem<br />4. Students will draft, revise, edit, and publish the poem<br />5. Students will work cooperatively with a partner<br /><br /><strong>TEKS:</strong><br />6.1) The student listens actively and purposefully in a variety of settings. <br />(A) determine the purposes for listening such as to gain information, to solve problems, or to enjoy and appreciate <br />(B) eliminate barriers to effective listening<br />(6.2) The student listens critically to analyze and evaluate a speaker's message(s). <br />(A) interpret speakers' messages (both verbal and nonverbal), purposes, and perspectives 6.3) The student listens to enjoy and appreciate spoken language. <br />(A) listen to proficient, fluent models of oral reading, including selections from classic and contemporary works<br />(6.12) The student analyzes the characteristics of various types of texts (genres). <br />(A) identify the purposes of different types of texts such as to inform, influence, express, or entertain <br />(B) recognize the distinguishing features of genres, including biography, historical fiction, informational texts, and poetry<br />(6.15) The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms. (A) write to express, discover, record, develop, reflect on ideas, and to problem solve (D) write to entertain such as to compose humorous poems or short stories <br />(E) select and use voice and style appropriate to audience and purpose <br />(H) produce cohesive and coherent written texts by organizing ideas, using effective transitions, and choosing precise wording <br />(6.16) The student composes original texts, applying the conventions of written language such as capitalization, punctuation, penmanship, and spelling to communicateclearly. <br />(A) write legibly by selecting cursive or manuscript as appropriate <br />(B) capitalize and punctuate correctly to clarify and enhance meaning such as capitalizing titles, using hyphens, semicolons, colons, possessives, and sentence punctuation<br />(6.18) The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated and assigned writing. <br />(C) revise selected drafts by adding, elaborating, deleting, combining, and rearranging text <br />(D) revise drafts for coherence, progression, and logical support of ideas <br />(E) edit drafts for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied sentence structure, and appropriate word choice <br />(F) use available technology to support aspects of creating, revising, editing, and publishing texts<br />(6.19) The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writings of others. <br />(A) apply criteria to evaluate writing <br />(B) respond in constructive ways to others' writings <br />(C) evaluate how well his/her own writing achieves its purposes<br /><br /><strong>Research Supporting this Lesson:<br /></strong>Atwell, N. (1998) <em>In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and<br /> learning </em>(2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.<br />Atwell, N. (2002). <em> Lessons that change writers</em>. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann<br />Bernabei, G. (2005). <em>Reviving the essay: How to teach structures without formula. <br /></em> Shoreham, VT. Discovery Writing Press.<br />Ward, C. (2006) <em>How writers grow: A guide for middle school teachers.<br /></em> Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.<br /><br /><strong>Introduction to author and/or story:</strong> <br />Think about people in your lives, especially grandparents.<br />What kinds of entertainment did they have when they were your age?<br />Sit back and enjoy a trip back in time to when these children’s grandpa was a young man.<br />Read the story Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman<br /><br /><strong>Previewing the Text:</strong> After reading the story answer these questions to prepare for writing lesson:<br />1. What did you notice in the story?<br />2. What was happening?<br />3. Who were the characters?<br />4. Who was the main character?<br />5. What did he do for the children?<br />**Get the students to notice that the grandfather shared his past with the kids. He shared song and dance.<br /><br /><strong>Procedures:<br /></strong>1. Hand out pieces of paper to each student<br />2. Draw a line across the middle of the paper, separating the top from the bottom. If you want, just fold the paper in half hamburger style.<br />3. Now look at the top half. Draw a line dividing the top half into two halves.<br />4. Show sample<br /><br />**Since we are in the computer lab, you may create this on your computer**<br /><br />5. Now, I want you to think of a song you remember someone singing to you when you were little. It might be a lullaby, a Broadway show tune, or any kind of song at all. The important thing is that you remember someone singing it to you. It might also be something they said, like a nursery rhyme, or a saying; the important thing is that you remember the sound of someone saying it to you.<br />6. In the top right hand section of your paper, write the words to the song. Write as much as you can remember, but please have at least four lines. Write the words in poetry form, not in paragraph form.<br /><br />**Use your computer if you need to get the words for your song**<br />**Show example of “I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen”**<br />***Time to write***<br />***Share***<br /><br />7. Now that you have your song in mind, think of the person whose voice that was. How did they look at the time they were singing to you? Picture this person in your mind.<br />8. On the left side of the top, write a paragraph describing them as clearly as you can, so that we can picture them as you do in your mind’s eye. Were they sitting? On what? What did their eyes look like? What do you remember most about how they looked? What might have been going on at that time?<br /><br />***Time to write***<br />***Share***<br /><br />9. Look at the lines on the right. Number every line using only even numbers.<br />10. Look at the paragraph on the left. Underline five or six phrases that are the most important (the best phrases or words) in the paragraph).Now number the underlined phrases using only odd numbers.<br />11. The hard work is done. Look at my fingers and see how I weave them together. That’s what you are going to do with your writing.<br />12. Write your poem on the bottom of the page. Start by copying line one first. Directly underneath it, copy line two. Continue until you’re finished. If you need to, repeat lines from your song.<br /><br />***Time to write***<br />***Share with table partner***<br />***Share with class***<br /><br />**Share mine at the end**<br /><br /><strong>Debriefing Questions for writing: <br /></strong>Did you hear any that “got you”?<br />What made those pieces so effective?<br />Did you hear any that didn’t work at all?<br />Was anyone surprised at what happened, how it sounded, when you wove the two together?<br /><br /><strong>Reading/Writing/Drawing Connection:</strong><br />Use a picture book to help students go back in time to remember<br />Write about a person who sang to you<br />Illustrate the poem you created<br /><br /><strong>Discussion Protocol:<br /></strong>What did you think of the lesson?<br />What was easy for you?<br />What was challenging for you?<br />What did you like about the lesson?<br />What will you remember about the lesson?<br />How could you use this lesson with your students?<br /><br /><strong>Extension/Service Projects:<br /></strong>Write a memoir that includes the person you mentioned in this poem.<br />Use lines from famous speeches and a description of the person who made the speech.<br />Use lines from famous speeches and a description of leadership.<br />Use significant lines of text from a piece of literature you are reading in class as one of the columns and a first person character analysis as the other column.<br />Share poems with residents of a nursing home and have them share song memories of theirs.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-77116918255740795602007-07-29T11:39:00.000-06:002007-07-29T11:41:31.036-06:00How Writers Grow by Cynthia Carbone WardChapter 3 ‘Making Words Work’<br /><br />While I was able to just dive into chapter 2 and let the ideas flow over me, I had to wade through chapter 3 with care, not because of Ward’s presentation of the material but because of the depth and breadth of the writing formats presented. This is really the meat and potatoes of writing; these are the skills our students will need and use for a lifetime—the personal letter, the persuasive essay, and technical writing.<br /><br />Ward gives the reader simple, step-by-step instructions for each form of writing.<br /><br />The Personal Letter (pages 45-46) What an easy way to bring back a dying art-let’s keep this direct, personal connection! Kids can write to each other about the books they are reading, thank their parents or grandparents for a gift they received, or maybe their teacher for a particularly super lesson.<br /><br />The Persuasive Essay (pages 46-54) In this part of the chapter, Ward breaks the essay into its components and gives lots of examples to move from one step to the next. The revision methods are broken into meaning and style and self and peer. I think these will be particularly helpful for my students because they are easy to follow. This is one of the best ways I have seen for teaching the persuasive essay.<br /><br />Technical Writing Unit (pages 54-67) Ward gives us a means to help students develop skills they can use in a way that is fun for them and for us.<br />a. How to work cooperatively with others to solve problems is demonstrated on pages 59-60 with Legos.<br />b. How to communicate clearly in writing and speaking is shown on pages 61-66 with a means to write a business letter.<br />c. How to follow directions is presented on pages 57-59 and on pages 60-61 with drawing house plans and creating a how to manual.<br /><br />Again, Ward has put together some great ideas and presented them to the reader in a very user friendly way.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-87118133908878964762007-07-29T10:28:00.000-06:002007-07-29T10:33:21.582-06:00How Writers Grow by Cynthia Carbone WardChapter 2 ‘The Light in the Language: Looking at Poetry’<br /><br />Poetry is such an important part of language arts—or it should be. I can’t believe some teachers stay away from it. This is truly a way for kids to share their feelings without all of the restrictions placed on them by the formal essay. These longer writing tasks can be intimidating to some students.<br /><br />Ward shares a number of reasons for teachers to include poetry as a part of their writing curriculum:<br />1. Poetry is a way for kids to voice their feelings and fantasies<br />2. Poetry gives students a chance to experience the sheer pleasure of language<br />3. Poetry presents opportunities to unleash the imagination , unfettered by mechanics<br />4. Poetry helps kids to become better writers<br /><br />Ward shares a number of ides for embedding poetry into the curriculum:<br />1. Gather an assortment of poems to read to our class. (Don’t worry that you don’t have poems. Ward gives us some great resources on<br />pages 28-30.)<br />2. Talk about the poems-but don’t overdo it. Look at song lyrics. (Let the kids bring in lyrics to their favorite songs, school appropriate, of course. It gives you a chance to keep up with popular music, and the kids thing you’re really cool.)<br />3. Catch poetry with imaginary nets, close your eyes as you listen to a poem and then sweep the nets through phrases, images, and feelings that linger in the air. (I can’t wait to try this with my 6th graders. They can jot down the phrases that stay in their minds and cross out words until they get to the main idea of the poem.)<br /><br />Ward gives her readers some activities to share with students that, I think, are pretty good. I put together a poetry unit a number of years ago that included a lot of different formats for poetry writing. Over the years I have added and deleted some of the formats and finally put the unit away. I think I’ll pull it out of moth balls and try it again with a few additions from Ward:<br />1. List Poems page 36<br />2. Really Knowing page 40<br />3. Snapshot Writing page 43<br />4. Time Travel page 43 (I’m particularly anxious to try this one because it will tie in nicely into social studies.)pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-76250095968329953332007-07-24T13:03:00.000-06:002007-07-24T13:05:28.317-06:00Chicken SundayI think I would like to live in Aunt Eula's town. The people seem friendly and happy there. I wish we still had the community shops to visit. It does take me back to the days of ‘Bloom’s Drug Store’ with the friendly pharmacist who was also a ‘soda jerk’ who would step from behind the high counter that housed all of the pills, powders, and potions to dispense an egg cream or even whip up a banana split. Those places just don't seem to exist anymore.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-28412399576381453752007-07-18T16:17:00.000-06:002007-07-18T16:21:44.127-06:00River Legacy ParkThe Enchanted Forest<br /><br />Sun peeked through the tree canopy and lit the spider web woven through the branches. Gazing around me at the green of leaves and the red of berries and the look of pure awe on the faces of my fellow Bluebonnets, I was transported to days gone by and revisited an old friend from my youth, the Enchanted Forest. Not just any enchanted forest, my very own enchanted forest.<br /><br />Oh, the days spent picnicking, playing, and prancing among the trees and flowers were glorious when viewed through the eyes of a 10 year old girl and her merry band of friends. We took on the roles of prince, princess, ogre, knight. Robin Hood and Maid Marion teamed up with us as well. Our fair princess (my best friend Sharon because she was so pretty) was rescued from the hideous ogre (my baby brother Dennis, just because) by the handsome prince (Sharon’s brother Roger because he was older and, well, cute) in this magical fairyland. I was the troubadour, our story teller, who told of our exploits<br /><br />We didn’t know what kinds of trees grew in our forest, but we suspected leprechauns lived in them. After all, we found the crock (a broken flower pot discarded by the landowner) hiding their gold. There was simply no other explanation for that pot being there in our forest. Our feet seemed to take on a life of their own as we pranced with reckless abandon across the carpeted forest. Were they inhabited by fairies and sprites? Perhaps Pan himself fashioned this flute that could only be heard in our mind’s ear.<br /><br />All of these memories came flooding back to me during my walk through River Legacy Park. This tree-filled oasis is home to beavers, birds, bobcats, and other wildlife indigenous to our part of Texas. Serene paths meander throughout this lush garden rich with wonder and graced by sheer beauty. Wander the paths, stroll the riverbed, replenish your spirit and soul.<br /><br />Remember the lines from Joyce Kilmer’s inspiring poem Trees:<br /><br />Poems are made by fools like me<br />But only God can make a tree.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-62328834378235231772007-07-17T10:56:00.000-06:002007-07-17T11:03:52.336-06:00Weather ReportHere's the news from the 'Hometown Gals.'<br /><a href="https://mavspace.uta.edu/pkh8515/htownnews.mp3">https://mavspace.uta.edu/pkh8515/htownnews.mp3</a>pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7929176913894714830.post-46975564216808922462007-07-17T05:19:00.000-06:002007-07-17T05:42:53.867-06:00How Writers Grow, WardThanks so much for sharing this book with me. It's going to be a helpful tool for me when I return to my classroom in August. In Chapter One Ward shows teachers a way to get started with writing. This is always the hardest step. I already use a few of these with my students; they know a great deal about me and what I like to read, when I grew up, what my kids are doing these days. The prompts, starters, will add a bit of whimsy to the writing and the writing process.<br /><br />While Ward shared a wealth of ideas about writing and how to get the students stared on their journey, I feel the best part of this chapter was the focus on respect. We need to let the students know we respect them, their ideas, and their writing. If we don't show them respect for what they are doing, they will never find the value in doing a good job.pat husterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07202211568533538197noreply@blogger.com1