Response Journals Content Areas Topics for Writing Personal Writing

Integrating Reading and Writing Reader's Response

Response Journals - Materials Materials in creating a reading response journal: Assigned or chosen text: literature or informational, paper or online, emagazines such as Time for Kids, eNational Geographic for Kids Notebook, ejournal, graphic organizer, paper Sticky notes, Word highlighting function

Reader’s Response: Co-creating Criteria Teacher think aloud: use a poem or song lyric, write quote on one side, respond on the other side Together create criteria: What do you notice about reader’s response? What would make it a powerful reader’s response? Create a T-Chart: listing criteria on the left side and examples or details on the right side (see example) Teacher keeps in mind the criteria from the BC Quickscale for Personal and Impromptu Writing Create a self assessment form

Criteria

Double Entry Journal (Adam #1)

Double Entry Journal (Adam #2)

Reflection Prompts Students can choose a quotation and respond to it Teachers can provide a prompt that helps students to reflect on the reading process in general, which helps students to develop metacognition (thinking about your thinking) Teachers can provide a prompt that helps students to reflect upon how various authors use literary elements such as ‘theme’, ‘metaphor’ etc. (see handout) When students write to explain their thinking and provide examples or proof, that will help them achieve the standards based on the BC Performance Standards for Personal Writing, by integrating writing and reading

Prompts to focus on reading process Is what you are reading challenging you in any way? What way? What is puzzling you as you are reading? What questions are being raised by what you are reading? What connections can you make between the book and your life?

Blogging Edublog.org Moodle Students respond online and others can read and respond to their entries Literature Circles Online

Miley Cyrus: The Climb

Informational Personal Response Using journals in the content areas is a way to reinforce concepts students are learning. Teachers also gain insight into students’ understanding of the concepts being taught. KWL Chart Threaded Journa l Carousel: prompt question about content, each student responds, then moves on, reads the previous and makes another response Simulated Journals: Pretend you’re a character from history, pretend you are a cell, pretend you are a tsunami

KWL Chart: Underground Railway WHAT I KNOWWANT TO LEARNLEARNED Trail from US to Canada Slaves from the Southern US hid and travelled into Canada to be free People helped them along the way Where the trail actually went Some of the key people and what they looked like Did any get caught? What happened to the black people who made it to Canada? Did they see their families again? I learned that the Underground Railway was an important part of Canadian history. It is piece of our heritage that we can be proud of as we stood against racism. I learned about some of the families, specific people in our history who helped the slaves escape to freedom. I learned that a few people who believe in a cause can and do make a big difference.

Threaded Journal Carousel What’s the most important thing to remember about the rainforest? The rainforest has many animals and plants that are not found anywhere else. The trees in the rainforest give off tons of oxygen. The plants in the rainforest have different medicines in them. There are tribes of people in the rainforest that are losing their homes because of logging. I believe that it is good that the villagers have found a way to make money for their families but there needs to be rules. The rainforest is unique and is a huge area. The Amazon River is the longest river in the world. The fresh water is needed by the people of South America. They use it for power, for drinking, for transportation and for fishing. The rainforest helps our earth to stay healthy. The oxygen that is given off by all the trees in the canopy help to balance the carbon dioxide in the air from human pollution.

Threaded Journal Carousel Prompt: Describe the most vivid “first day of school” memory you have.

Personal Journals Ejournals Topics Personal Writing Motivation

Why keep a journal? Different than a diary – less on what happens but more your reaction to what happens in your life A place to dream, imagine, vent and to figure things out The primary rule for keeping a journal is that you write honestly – record observations, work out worries, indulge ideas and write, write, write Students can choose entries to share for feedback or journals can be a conversation between student and teacher about the topic Teachers gain insight and understanding Students become better writers

Prompts for Personal Response Journal Jumpstarts Toni’s List of Websites What does freedom mean to you? Should little kids be allowed to get dirty? Why or why not? What kind of parent would you be? What makes people popular? Describe the best teacher in the world.

Heart Mapping Materials: outline of a heart Draw a map of the contents of your heart: all the things that really matter Our hearts are crowded with memories: people, places, moments, experiences Prompt: What has stayed in your heart? What memories, moments, people, animals, objects, places, books, fears, scars, friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers, other people, journeys, secrets, dreams, crushes, relationships, comforts, learning experiences? What’s at the centre? What’s at the edges? What’s in your heart?

HEART MAPPING: FOLLOW UP Follow up lessonFollow up assignment The next day ask students to gather in small groups, with pencils and writing paper Teach one another about what has stayed in their hearts Purpose of sharing is to listen for new inspirations, record new ideas for writing on your topic list Whip Around: What’s something that stayed in your heart that surprised you? Choose one topic you’re excited about Create an Inspirations web Allow your memory to come forward and WRITE Edit for description/voice to bring it all alive Table Tennis, Sour Patch Kids, Emerald Memories

Math Prompts See folder for ideas

Reflection