Responding to Reading Beyond Answering Questions

Shared by: Dr. Melissa Caraway University of Dallas The “experts” and my colleagues And all of the wonderful children who have shared their writing with me!

I used to… Ask lots of questions after every picture book to evaluate student understanding Assign written questions for every chapter of a novel Students learned over time how to “properly” answer the questions And a few kids loved reading, the rest would moan when the questions began!

What do the “experts” say? Writing anchors your thinking Students need to have choice We should write across the curriculum Integrate subject areas It is necessary to differentiate for students Reader response should not be so involved that it takes away from the reading Lucy Calkins’ story about reader response!

You have to plan, plan, plan! Gradual release of responsibility Break down the task: M - How will you model? It may take a lot of input to breed success! Gather models. S - What part of the task will be shared? Work together to prime the pump. G - How will writers be guided? Consider small groups. I - What will independence look like? A draft? Final product? Class, group, or individual? Or choose to write about something else?

What do the “experts” say? Prewriting has probably been the most neglected stage in the writing process; however, it is as crucial to writers as a warmup is to athletes…the activities are 1) choosing a topic, 2) considering purpose, audience and form, and 3) generating and organizing ideas for writing. Gail Tompkins in Teaching Writing

One modeling experience leads to multiple projects Gail Gibbons’ book Sunken Treasure M: Story in basal reader, along with Robert Ballard’s Titanic and other sea exploration book S: Created list of what underwater exploration is all about, B-M-E or fact paragraphs G: Students worked with partners to learn more and draft I: Many ideas for topics, some published for the “treasure” Carrot was a gold doubloon for writers!

Double Entry Journal Used for students to choose part of what they are reading and create a brief response Similar to Cornell notes Can later be used as prewriting for a longer piece of writing

Other Journal Examples Student’s choice You can post a list of choices - be sure to model them one at a time as you post so students know what you expect.

An open-ended graphic organizer Model with class on something you’re reading Shared - make a large chart on chart paper, complete as a class on something you read aloud or something that all have read

What do the “experts” say? Many people still assume that most writers bring a mental text that is more or less assembled when they encounter a blank piece of paper. It turns out that many writers actually discover what they want to say in the process of writing it. Ralph Fletcher in What A Writer Needs

Report Writing First experience - dolphin sample M: Read lots of short nonfiction text S: Decide on 4 questions to answer M/G: Teach notetaking using 4 cards M/G: Teach writing a paragraph for each card G/I: Make a draft and final copy

Additional Reports Fish Facts - used pictures and note paper from a purchased book All About Amphibians - Interesting intro and ending, paragraphs with facts Reptile Reports - our first experience with word processing and inserting a picture

What do the “experts” say? When our youngsters begin the writing process by collecting bits and pieces - entries - in their notebooks rather than by listing and choosing among possible topics for writing, they are more apt to experience writing as a process of growing meaning. Lucy Calkins in The Art of Teaching Writing

Collecting Bits and Pieces for Pioneer Journals 4th or 7th grade Texas history M: lots of “going west” stories - Laura Ingalls Wilder, A Paradise Called Texas, stories in basal, nonfiction and textbook excerpts S: covered wagon project - what to pack S: planner sheet - 6 to 8 boxes with designated headings

Collecting Bits and Pieces for Pioneer Journals Why are we going to Texas (GTT) Packing the wagon Event - ideas from our reading Getting settled Map of the journey

Collecting Bits and Pieces for Pioneer Journals Create the journal - smashing paper sacks (fake leather) Yellow paper May add drawings or sketches Graded with a rubric - social studies and language arts grade.

What do the “experts” say? If you can stack it, you can teach it. Katie Wood Ray, workshop in Feb and in her book, Study Driven

Create the stack Gather texts on a single topic or theme: Slice of life Restaurant reviews Fairy tales Nonfiction writing Movie, book, or video game reviews Journeys on boats And whatever else you’d like to try!

Discover and “make paper” Read two texts the first day; students talk and teacher writes for them - what is the same about these two texts? Continue for 2-3 days - read more texts and add to chart to “discover” what this genre is and how it works; list or table Invite students to “stand on the shoulders of these authors” by writing something similar

Listing discoveries Slice of Life charts My Big Brother Car Wash When You Visit Grandma and Grandpa One More Time, Mama The Grandad Tree The Baby Sister Work together to create lists of what’s in your library - consider putting some books on reserve. Enlist librarian, teams, specialists, kids.

Listing discoveries Journeys on boats Viking stories Titanic The Mayflower voyages Columbus, Magellan, other explorers Work together to create lists of what’s in your library - consider putting some books on reserve. Enlist librarian, teams, specialists, kids. Grade-appropriate writing projects

Follow the plan M: Allow students to use your chart and the mentor texts for inspiration S: Discuss ideas for stories G: Work alone, in groups, with partner to draft I: may revise and publish - evaluate using the criteria on your chart, or create rubric with students from chart

Chart for stack - Stephanie Parsons, First Grade Writers Title, author We notice… Why? What effect? Name itWho has tried it?

Jeff Anderson - Mechanically Inclined How to address style, grammar, and usage in the writer’s workshop. Music links Mentor texts to get students started.

Mentor texts - what do you notice? If you can’t annoy somebody, there is little point in writing. Kingley Amis, The King’s English When summer comes to the North Woods, time slows down. Jennifer Donnelly, A Northern Light

You try it… If there were an Olympic contest for talking, Shelley Stalls would sweep the event. Flipped, 2001

Spend time to get results Plan, plan, plan for gradual release - gather models and materials Increase your prewriting - read, talk, make lists and charts, read some more Spend time in sharing the task Guide - more time for those who may need more help Independent - not all work has to be “published”, but all children must draft and think! How did this project help you to be a better writer?

A final word…. Read like a writer. Reading becomes prewriting - stand on the shoulders of great authors! You and your students collect ideas, words, and models. Write like a reader. As you write, think about purpose, audience, organization. Lean on what you’ve read. Models and imitation helps us learn to fly on our own. Thanks so much for being here today!