Writing Activity: On a sheet a paper please take the next 5-7 minutes to write down your thoughts on the following topic: Capitalism versus Communism (pros and cons of each). Please start writing! Let’s discuss how you felt about this writing prompt!

Act Prompt: In recent years, many schools have adopted a curriculum based on “great books.” These schools require students to study certain classic books of Western civilization, arguing that familiarity with these “great books” is essential to education. However, opponents of this curriculum argue that forcing teachers and students to use only the “great books,” most of which are written by white, European authors, results in a biased view of the world. In your opinion, should schools adopt a curriculum based on “great books”? Traditional Writing Prompts:

“The Power of Choice in the Writer’s Workshop” Amie Pincumbe Lakeview Community Schools Lake Michigan Writing Project 2011

Price of a pen… $1.00 Price of a pad of paper… $2.00 The “power of choice” to write what one wants…Priceless

Today’s Agenda Group Anticipatory Set: “I have to write about what…?” “Why Won’t My Kids Write?” – Description of problem within my Writer’s Workshop “Let’s Go Shopping for Stories!” Choosing a topic to write a personal narrative Share Time/ Wrap up with questions 10:00-10:10 am 10:10-10:20 am 11:00-11:15 pm 10:20-10:40am 10:40-11:00 am Prompting Choice in Narrative Writing Strategies used to generate topics to write

* The Problem: “Why Won’t My Students Write?”

Classroom Observations Students having a hard time getting started Head down on desk Students writing a few sentences and then were finished Doodling in Writer’s Notebook Moaning about writing time No matter how creative I thought my lessons were they still were not producing quality samples

Parker High level student Read at a 7th grade reading level entering 3rd grade Was a “sponge” when it came to learning Loved school Hated Writer’s Workshop but loved to write in his morning journal First time I asked him to write about a personal narrative he moaned and groaned and refused to write.He stayed in for detention and still did not produce more “Why did Parker like to write so much in his morning journal but hated Writer’s Workshop?”

Tanner Low level student Read at a middle second grade level entering 3rd grade Little motivation to do anything Title student for reading and writing Always needed one on one support to write when given an assignment “How was I going to motivate him to want to write?”

Morgan Average student Read at a beginning 3rd grade level at the beginning of 3rd grade Was considered “lazy” by her mom when it came to school I saw a lack of interest and motivation when it came to writing “How was I going to make writing “click” for Morgan?”

In ord er for chil dre n… “In order for children to learn to write and to grow as writers, it is absolutely essential that they are invested in their writing and they care about writing well.” Lucy Calkins “

How Can I Get my Students to Write ?

Prompting Choice In Narrative Writing “The concept of student choice is believing that the best, truest topics lie deep within each of us.” Ralph Fletcher

“My Treasure Map of Stories” My Authority List/ All About Me My Writer’s Notebook Strategies to Generate Topics:

“My Treasure Map of Stories” Think of a place where you have a lot of memories about or stories you could tell Draw a sketch of that place Then place a “X” on your sketch where a memory happened that you could tell or write about Let’s give it a try!

“My Authority List”/”All About Me” Take a few minutes and label a sheet of paper “My Authority List” Then list all of the things you know a lot about OR Draw a picture of yourself Then write words or short phrases about things you know a lot about Choose one of the strategies a and give it a try!

My Writer’s Notebook Take a plain notebook or writing journal and find pictures of yourself, family friends and decorate the journal or notebook with things that are important to you. You can also get even more creative and decorate it with cut outs, magazine pictures, write quotes to saying s you like that may inspire you to write.

Let’s Write! First choose a a topic from either your Treasure map, Authority List or your All About Me page. Circle it Then begin to write your personal narrative story You will have about 10 minutes. “Off you go writers!”

Share Time Turn to a person sitting next to you. First, describe what strategy you chose to use. Then, read your personal narrative piece..

Week 1: Introduce New Strategies for Generating Personal Narrative Writing * Treasure Map * Authority List * All About Me * Use the strategies to build up “seed stories” Week 2: Introduce New Strategies for Generating Personal Narrative Writing * Review strategies from week 1 * My Writer’s Notebook * My Shoebox Week 3: Review strategies taught continue to build up a collection of personal narrative “seed stories” in Writer’s Notebook. * End of week 3 begin to choose “seed story” to begin publishing or “growing.” Timeline to The Strategies for Writing:

Wrap Up Important Things to Remember: Giving students the choice in what they write is powerful! Teach students the strategies to help them develop topics to write about Personal Narrative Strategies: “My Treasure Map of Stories” “My Authority List”/ “All About Me” Writer’s Notebook

REFLECTION: 1.What strategies presented today do you see yourself using in your classroom? 2. Is there a writing strategy you currently do that helps your students generate topics on their own to provide a writing atmosphere that promotes “choice?”

“ You only learn to write better by actually writing.” Doris Lessing If you want to get your students to “actually write” simply give them the power of choice.”

References Buckner,A.(2005) Notebook Know How:Strategies for the Writer’s Notebook. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers Calkins, Lucy. (2007) Units of Study for Teaching Writing 3-5. Heinemann; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Fletcher, R. (1996) A Writer’s Notebook: Unlocking the Writer within You. Avon Books Portalpui. J & Fletcher, R. ( 2000) Teaching the Qualities of Writing. Heinemann; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt