Wondrous Words: Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom

Grades   3 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Unit

Fairy Tales from Life

Picture books provide the basis for an analysis of fairy tale elements before students write their own original tales.

 

Grades   6 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Cut up, Cover up, and Come Away with Ideas for Writing!

Students rework their forgotten/abandoned drafts by cutting and covering up selected words. By creatively manipulating text, they explore portal writing, a strategy for envisioning a new story or story direction.

 

Grades   5 – 9  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Fairy Tale Autobiographies

Students read and analyze fairy tales from several cultures, identifying common elements. Choosing common situations, students write original fairy tales, using picture books as models and a peer review process.

 

Grades   4 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Minilesson

Creative Writing in the Natural World: A Framing

Students practice writing detailed, sensory-rich descriptions by framing a small piece of nature and freewriting about it. From this minilesson, students can develop a variety of types of writing.

 

Grades   3 – 6  |  Lesson Plan  |  Minilesson

Creating a Feast for the Senses With Mentor Texts

This lesson teaches intermediate students to "use the experts" to learn how to revise to create sharp, sensory-rich experiences for their readers.

 

Grades   K – 2  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

As Slippery as an Eel: An Ocean Unit Exploring Simile and Metaphor

Students play with simile and metaphor as they study the ocean and use figurative language to write a class book about it.

 

Grades   3 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Unwinding A Circular Plot: Prediction Strategies in Reading and Writing

Students use graphic organizers to explore plot in circular stories while focusing on prediction and sequencing. After exploring the features of circular plot stories, students write their own stories.

 

Grades   3 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Using Picture Books to Teach Characterization in Writing Workshop

Students explore character development through experiences with picture books. They learn about the connections between reading and writing and apply the information they learn to revisions of their own writing.

 

Grades   6 – 8  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Reading and Analyzing Multigenre Texts

Students develop a definition of multigenre texts by exploring multigenre picture books. They brainstorm what it takes to read these texts successfully and discuss strategies needed to comprehend the texts.

 

Grades   K – 2  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Ferocious Fighting Fish: An Ocean Unit Exploring Beginning Word Sounds

Focus students' attention on alliteration in this ocean-themed unit. Students explore alliteration in framing texts then compose their own class book to explore figurative language in their own writing.

 

Grades   3 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Using Picture Books to Teach Setting Development in Writing Workshop

Students use a graphic organizer to analyze setting development in picture books. They then apply what they have learned to their own writing.

 

Grades   K – 2  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Completing the Circle: The Craft of Circular Plot Structure

Students identify, explore and apply the elements of circle plot structures to their own stories by using graphic organizers, reading and writing stories, and using checklists to assess their work.

 

Grades   K – 2  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

A Bear of a Poem: Composing and Performing Found Poetry

Children find favorite words, phrases, and sentences from familiar stories. Working together, they combine their words and phrases to create a poem. The poem is then shared as performance poetry.

 

Grades   3 – 5  |  Lesson Plan  |  Standard Lesson

Using Picture Books to Teach Plot Development and Conflict Resolution

Students read picture books to explore the concepts of plot development and conflict resolution. They first learn about the connections between reading and writing, and then revise their own writing.