What Can We Write About? Poster

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1 What Can We Write About? Poster This Really Good Stuff product includes: What Can We Write About? Poster, laminated This Really Good Stuff Activity Guide Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff What Can We Write About? Poster a handy reference when students are struggling with what to write about. Meeting Common Core State Standards This Really Good Stuff What Can We Write About? Poster is aligned with the following Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: Text Types and Purposes W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. Displaying and Organizing the What Can We Write About? Poster Before displaying the What Can We Write About? Poster, make copies of this Really Good Stuff Activity Guide, and file the pages for future use. Or, download another copy of it from our Web site at Hang the Poster where students will be able to see it easily. Introducing the What Can We Write About? Poster Encourage students by indicating that everyone has had trouble imagining ideas to write about and that the What Can We Write About? Poster will help them with this. Draw students attention to the Poster, and read the categories. Discuss possible topics that would fall under each category, and ask whether anyone has written about sports, hobbies, or another category of ideas. Remind students to check the Poster whenever they get stuck. What Can I Write About? Reproducible Copy and distribute the What Can I Write About? Reproducible. Tell students to write as many ideas as they can under each category on the reproducible, and if they think of any new categories, they are to write them on the back. Direct students to keep the reproducible in their writing folder and to refer to it when they need an idea. I Like It Here! Make two-sided copies of the I Like It Here Reproducible, and distribute them. Point out to students that professional writers often find topics from subjects all around them and that similarly everyday places and things can give us ideas to write about, too we just need to look at them carefully. Ask students to pretend that they are in a place where they spend a lot of time, such as in their bedroom or at a park. Tell them to think of things that they might write about related to that place. Model this process for students by drawing a simple picture of a place with a few objects that you can talk about with students. For example, draw a picture of your kitchen, and include a pot holder or magnet on the refrigerator that someone made you. Label the special items in your picture, and show it to students. Ask students to draw a picture of a special place, to include items that they might want to write about, and to label them. Ask for volunteers to share their drawings. Remind students to answer the subsequent questions on the reproducible. Have students keep the reproducible in their writing folder and to refer to it when they need a writing prompt. All activity guides can be found online Really Good Stuff Made in USA #161948

2 What Can I Write About? Reproducible 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #161948

3 I Like It Here Reproducible Really Good Stuff Made in USA #161948

4 I Like It Here Reproducible Really Good Stuff Made in USA #161948

5 Ideas for How-To Writing Poster This Really Good Stuff product includes: Ideas for How-To Writing Poster, laminated This Really Good Stuff Activity Guide Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff How-To Writing Ideas Poster a colorful reference that helps your students brainstorm how-to ideas for their writing pieces. Meeting Common Core State Standards This Really Good Stuff Ideas for How-To Writing Poster is aligned with the following Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: Text Types and Purposes W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic. Research to Build and Present Knowledge W.1.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of how-to books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions). Displaying the Ideas for How-To Writing Poster Before displaying the Ideas for How-To Writing Poster, make copies of this Really Good Stuff Activity Guide, and file the pages for future use. Or, download another copy of it from our Web site at Hang the Poster where students will be able to see it easily. Introducing the Ideas for How-To Writing Poster Draw students attention to the Ideas for How-To Writing Poster. Tell them that this Poster will help them think of ideas when they are writing their own How-To pieces. Read each of the ideas aloud and elicit suggestions for specific topics in each category. For example, students may suggest the different sports they play or what kinds of things they have constructed as subjects for their writing projects. Remind students that they should refer to this Poster whenever they need help thinking of how-to topics. Ideas for How-To Writing Reproducible Copy and distribute the Ideas for How-To Writing Reproducible. Have students store their copies in their writing folders. At the beginning of each how-to writing segment, remind students to use this reproducible as a reference for ideas. I Am an Expert! Make copies of the I Am an Expert! Reproducible prior to the lesson. Begin by asking students if they know what an expert is and elicit thoughts about what makes someone an expert. Explain that experts have special skills and knowledge of a particular subject, and elicit from students what they do masterfully. Some students may say that they can throw a ball really well, while others might say they know how to ride a bike. As students offer ideas, you may want to say, So, you are an expert at riding your bike! You are a master cyclist. As a model for students, pick something you do well and write it on a blackboard or whiteboard. Next, as you describe all that you know about your topic, write those ideas on the board. If you choose planting flowers, for example, you may want to list the tools you use, how you water and feed the flowers, and anything else you know about planting. Encourage students to think about one thing they do well and what they would list. Distribute copies of the I Am an Expert! Reproducible, and direct students to record their topic and ideas on their copy. Encourage students to use their copy as a guide for writing their How-To pieces throughout the process. Step by Step Writing How-To pieces requires students to pay close attention to the steps in a process. This lesson will help How-To writers identify the steps they need to include so that their readers will understand how to do something. Tell students you want to teach them how to do something and that you need their help deciding which steps to include in your How-To piece. You may want to choose a simple idea, such as tying a shoe or throwing a ball, as your model. As you describe how to do the activity, leave out an important step. Ask students if they were able to follow your instructions. If they weren t able to, ask them what steps were missing. Explain that in order to teach someone how to do something, each step in the process is important. Ask students to create their own step-by-step piece. Divide the class into pairs. Each member of the pair should read his or her How-To draft to his or her partner. Ask students to follow the steps described by acting them out, if possible. At the end of the writing segment, ask students to share if they found a missing step, if they were able to complete the process without that step, and what they could have added or changed to make their How-To piece easier to follow. The Right Tools for the Right Job Another important step in the How-To process is to identify the tools, materials, and/or ingredients to use. Some How-To books include pages that list the items readers will need in order to complete the project. Recipes are great examples of How-To pieces that include lists of ingredients. After showing students some examples, ask them to reread their How-To pieces, and to underline or highlight all of the tools, materials, and/or ingredients they included in their instructions. Then, direct students to create lists for their How-To pieces. How-To Center Extend your students reading practice and further support their understanding of How-To writing by creating a How-To Center. The center should include three to five folders, each with a set of simple directions to follow in order to complete a task or project. One might be how to draw a house without picking the pencil up off the paper; another might be how to make an origami fortune-teller. You will be able to monitor your students understanding of the How-To process by checking their final products. Variation: One way to differentiate the How-To Center activities is to include pictures that support the list of steps in the process. To challenge students, try leaving out an important step in the process and ask them what was missing. How-To Celebration Celebrating How-To writing can be a learning experience for the whole family! Consider having a How-To Writing Celebration during which students read their pieces to visitors and then visitors follow the steps in the process. Some How-To ideas will be better suited to this type of celebration than others. If students have created more than one How-To piece, they should choose the project that can best be re-created at this type of celebration. You should take space into consideration when planning a celebration that involves supplies and an area for visitors to try out the How-To activities. All activity guides can be found online Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162406

6 Ideas for How-To Writing Reproducible 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162406

7 I Am an Expert! Reproducible 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162406

8 What Can Writers Add? Poster This Really Good Stuff product includes: What Can Writers Add? Poster, laminated This Really Good Stuff Activity Guide Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff What Can Writers Add? Poster a handy resource for showing students what they can add to their writing to make a piece more exciting to read. Meeting Common Core State Standards This Really Good Stuff What Can Writers Add? Poster is aligned with the following Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: Text Types and Purposes W.K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened. W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. W.2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a wellelaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. W.3.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing W.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed. W.1.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed. W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing. W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. Displaying the What Can Writers Add? Poster Before displaying the What Can Writers Add? Poster, make copies of this Really Good Stuff Activity Guide, and file the pages for future use. Or download another copy of it from our Web site at Hang the Poster where students will be able to see it easily. Introducing the What Can Writers Add? Poster Gather students around the Poster. On a piece of chart paper or on a whiteboard, write several simple sentences. (For example, Sam left the house.) Then add items from the Poster. (For example, Sam left the small, red house and met Chris at the candy store down the street.) Ask the students to identify which sentences are more interesting. While pointing to the Poster, explain that writers add these details to make their writing more engaging to readers. Give a brief definition and example for each addition on the Poster. (For example, Memories are thoughts about things that have happened already. Jamie remembered learning to tie his shoe in preschool.) Elicit from student volunteers additional examples of each add-on. Copy and distribute the What Can Writers Add? Poster Reproducible for students to put in their writing journals as a reference tool. Have them complete the thought bubbles (with words or pictures) the next time they have to write or revise their stories. Guess the Additions Copy and distribute the Guess the Additions Fillin Reproducible. Ask students to use the Poster to fill in the blank lines. Students should use each word or phrase only once. Answers: 1) a sign of things to come, 2) facts, 3) dialogue, 4) a surprise ending, 5) memories, 6) who else was there, 7) thoughts, 8) describing words, 9) details, 10) a lesson learned, 11) action, 12) questions All activity guides can be found online Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162474

9 What Can Writers Add? Poster What Did the Writer Add? Gather students around the Poster along with a story or book. Before reading the story or book, ask students to focus on what the writer adds to the story to make it more interesting. After reading the story, point to each thought bubble, one at a time, and ask student volunteers to ascertain if the writer has included that detail. Discuss answers with the class. Extension: Keep a running tally of additions in the stories or books read in the classroom. Were some add-ons more popular than others? If so, why? Discuss answers with the class. Tell Me More Peer Review Assign a topic or allow the students to write a story of their choosing. When they are finished, divide the class into groups. Using the Poster or What Can Writers Add? Poster Reproducible, ask each student to exchange his or her story with someone in the group to critique and then return to the author for revisions. Variations: For those students who have trouble composing an entire story, ask them write a few sentences or draw a picture. For students who have finished their initial critiques, ask them to exchange their work with other available classmates. Add-on Make copies of the What Can Writers Add? Poster Reproducible and cut out the thought bubbles. Put all the thought bubbles, with the exception of A Surprise Ending, upside down in a pile. Gather students around the pile. Suggest a story starter to the group. Have students take turns picking one of the thought bubbles from the pile and adding it to the story. Transcribe the story onto a piece of chart paper to hang in the classroom. Variations: For those students who may have difficulty adding to the story on the spot, share the story starter and distribute the thought bubbles before the activity so that they can think about what details to add in advance. Same Subject, Different Details On a piece of chart paper or on a whiteboard, write a story starter or topic. Assign or allow students to choose one or more of the additions from the Poster. Instruct students to write about the given story starter or topic using the selected detail(s). When they are finished, ask students to compare and contrast stories to find similarities and/or differences. School/Home Connection: Stories from Home Request that students collect stories at home. They can choose their favorite book or search newspapers, magazines, or the Internet for stories to copy, cut out, or print in order to share with their classmates. Using the Poster, have students discuss what add-ons the author included and what details were missing. Encourage students to write to the authors for answers to their questions Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162474

10 What Can Writers Add? Poster Reproducible 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162474

11 Guess the Additions Fill-in Reproducible 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162474

12 Why Do Writers Write? Poster This Really Good Stuff product includes: Why Do Writers Write? Poster, Write Again wipe-off laminate This Really Good Stuff Activity Guide Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff Why Do Writers Write? Poster a useful resource that explains why authors write and offers students possible writing ideas. Meeting Common Core State Standards This Really Good Stuff Why Do Writers Write? Poster is aligned with the following Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts: Text Types and Purposes W.K.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...). W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic. W.K.3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened. W.1.1 W.1.2 W.1.3 W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure. Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure. Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section. W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section. W.2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. Displaying the Why Do Writers Write? Poster Before displaying the Why Do Writers Write? Poster, make copies of this Really Good Stuff Activity Guide, and file the pages for future use. Or, download another copy of it from our Web site at Always use a dry erase marker on the Poster in order to preserve its Write Again wipe-off laminate surface. Hang the Poster where students will be able to see it easily. Introducing the Why Do Writers Write? Poster Pointing to the Poster, explain that the Why Do Writers Write? Poster offers reasons why writers write. Give a brief definition and an example of a topic idea for each reason. (For example: Writing to persuade means writing to convince someone of something and supporting it with reasons for that opinion. One topic idea for persuade would be to write about how blue is the best color.) As you move through the reasons, ask a volunteer to add a topic idea for each reason. Copy and distribute the Why Do Writers Write? Poster Reproducible for students to keep in their writing journal. Ask them to refer to it the next time they are thinking about why they are writing, another writer is writing, and/or for possible writing ideas. Which Why? Copy and distribute the Which Why? Fill-in Reproducible. Ask students to refer to the Poster to fill in the blank lines. Review the directions and remind students to use each phrase only once. Answers: 1) to describe their families, 2) to persuade, 3) to express their feelings, 4) to help, 5) to share events, 6) to teach, 7) to describe the things they love, 8) to entertain All activity guides can be found online Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162517

13 Why Do Writers Write? Poster What s the Reason? Gather a dry erase marker and a well-known storybook near the Why Do Writers Write? Poster. Write the name of the story in the blank thought bubble at the top of the Poster. Ask students to focus on why they think the author wrote it. Read the story and, one at a time, point to each reason on the Poster. Ask students to raise their hands to vote for why they thought the author wrote the story. Count the raised hands, and write the tally next to the corresponding thought bubble. If students disagree about why the author wrote the story, encourage them to discuss their reasoning. Storytelling Guessing Game Make copies of the Why Do Writers Write? Poster Reproducible, and cut out the individual thought bubbles with the reasons writers write on them. Determine the topic, and write it in the blank thought bubble at the top of the Poster. Asking students not to share their reason with each other yet, distribute a thought bubble to each student. Tell students to write a short story using their assigned reason to write. After the students complete their stories, ask each of them to read it to the class. Invite the other students to guess the reason why each student wrote his or her story. Variations: Have students who cannot write an entire story write just a sentence or two or draw a picture. Allow students to choose their own reason for writing a story. To make it more challenging, have students take turns choosing a reason for writing, and improvising a story orally on the spot. Classroom Newspaper Ask students to decide on the name for a classroom newspaper. Using a dry erase marker, write the name in the blank thought bubble. Have students use the topics on the Why Do Writers Write? Poster to write news stories. Compile the completed stories in a classroom newspaper that includes a front page, opinion page, sports section, etc. A few potential articles to get you started are: to share events: A recent class trip for the front page to persuade: Chicken nuggets should be served every day in the cafeteria for the opinion page to describe the things they love: My favorite sports team for the sports section School/Home Connection Stories from Home Ask students to collect stories at home written for the different reasons listed on the Why Do Writers Write? Poster. Encourage them to search newspapers and magazines or to interview family members for stories. Have students copy, cut out, or transcribe the stories and bring them to class. Ask students to share their stories. Discuss any similarities or differences in students selections. Have students tally the number of stories brought in for each reason. Did any students choose the same article for the same reason? Did students bring in more of one type than the others? If so, discuss why that might have happened. All activity guides can be found online Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162517

14 Why Do Writers Write? Poster Reproducible Helping Teachers Make A Difference 2014 Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162517

15 Which Why? Fill-in Reproducible Name: Why did writers write these? Directions: Using each phrase only once, fill in the blank with the best phrase from the phrase bank. Phrase Bank: to teach, to describe their families, to share events, to help, to persuade, to express their feelings, to entertain, to describe the things they love 1. My Dad is an electrician, and my mom is a teacher. 2. Blue is by far the best color, because it is the color of the sky. 3. I am sad that math class has ended for today. 4. If you skin your knee, go find your teacher. 5. At the playground, we went down the slide. 6. The capital of France is Paris. 7. My favorite teddy bear has a beautiful bow tie and fancy hat. 8. The sparkling magic castle floated by in the purple sky Really Good Stuff Made in USA #162517