Ways to End Our Stories

As we continue our revision process, my students worked on their endings. We talked about how stories about our lives need to have all the lose ends tied up nice and neat so that the reader has the complete story from beginning, middle, and end.

A few things we put on our chart for ending

• our stories tie up all the lose ends.
• can end the same way it begans (repeated line or phrase)
• don't use "the end"
• don't end in "happily ever after" that is reserved for fairy tales
• reflect the mood of the author and what they were thinking

We looked at my writing and that of our mentor text.  Then I had students meet with their writing partners to discuss what type ending would work for their piece and then revise three different versions of an ending.  I have found that allowing students a time to play with words and work on endings in their notebooks  helps them see things from a different perspective and really use the notebook as a place to revise before putting it on draft paper.

Happy Revising!!!

SOLC--It's the Little Things

I love my job. I love watching kids grow themselves as readers and writers, but I know I am missing out on watching my own kids grow.  Today as Emma and I came home with fries in hand from Mickey D's we heard Gracie playing in the backyard. I told Emma to go on outside and I put the "pile-o-stuff" from the day away.  Within in seconds I hear a small voice excitedly saying, "My mommy's here!! She's really here!! I love her and miss her!!"

My heart literally skipped a beat as I turned and eneveloped my Gracie goose girl.  She grabbed with all of her mighty might and kissed my face, "I love you Mommy! Miss you!"  She squeezed me and then told me to go play outside.

I miss her too when I'm gone. I hope my girls will understand when they are older that sometimes Mommy's work, but we make the most of it when I'm home!!!

The Art of Seeing Again

The revision process of writing used to be grueling and gut wrenching for my writers until we had George Ella Lyon speak at our school.  She brought the many revisions to her picture book Mother to Tigers taped together and had the students hold a piece until the completed strand decorated the entire media center. I remember being in awe that day as I looked at this published author and how she slashed through pages of prose to ultimately have the perfect edition of the book.  My writers were astonished as well. One of the conversations in our room after was how we use different lenses to revise. That  revising means to see the piece in a different way.  Today as I began this process with a new group of writers I explained that sometimes to grow as  a writer it hurts a little bit.  Letting go can provide a new opportunity for a better sentence or mental image for the reader.  Meaningful revision, albeit sometimes painful, opens the door for a better writer and a published piece worthy of celebration.

from Flickr Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/lytfyre/4425745183/sizes/m/in/photostream/

SOLC-Thank You Mommy

You too can participate in a slice of life at twowritingteachers.wordpress.com

Princess lovin' Gracie. All things glittery, tiaras, scepters. My princess.  I have been on the hunt for Cinderella. I had sticker shock when it cost 35.99 for a dvd.  Last week on Amazon, I was getting a new book for my classroom and decided to just see if there were any used ones cheaper.  Guess what!  I brand new store opened and had the platinum 2 disc set for 19.99.  It arrived in the mail 2 days later.

"Guess what Gracie!"

"Yes, Mommy."

"I got you Cinderella the movie!"

"Oh, thank you mommy." She squeezes me tight. "I love you soooo much!"

My three-year old dirt dauber princess sat and watched the whole thing.  Uninterrupted.

It is true. Cinderella is perfect. Perfect for us!

Conferring With My Writers

Conferring time has become one of my favorite pieces of the writer's workshop.  It's taken me a few years, but I've finally figured out what works for me.  I make appointments with all my kids M-TH.  Each day I meet with 5-6 students.  These are the same each week.  Before I begin conferecing I ask if anyone would like to sign up for a conference. If I have a list, I will try to get to them after I finish with my scheduled appointments.  Typically at the beginning of the year not many students request one, but by the end of the year it can get quite long. The format I use when keeping notes is below.

Basic Conference Form for a Student

During my conferences, I stick with teaching one thing. This one thing will need to be something that will make them grow in their writing craft.  We discuss their writing goal and look for evidence that they are working on it withing the piece they share with me.

This time is something that I have grown to cherish. What is your favorite time in writer's workshop?

Drafting A Piece

On Friday, my students and I began looking at the ways we use our notebooks on a daily basis and deciding when it was time to move from our notebook to drafting a lesson.  My activity idea stemmed from a post last year from Two Writing Teachers.

As we began to brainstorm what works in our notebooks and how it looks different outside the notebook. I realized how far these kids have come in four short weeks.  As we began to discuss the importance of choosing a seed idea to grow their excitement began to take over. At this point in the workshop I stopped and we made the plan for our writing time together and I was then able to watch as my fifth graders dialogued with their writing partner about their notebooks and why certain entries are in the running to draft and others were not.  By the end of the 20 minute session most of my students had an idea and were writing away adding to the entry and discussing with their partners how to make it better.

This next week students will be drafting and honing in on their writing craft in whole group and small group instruction.  I will also meet with kids daily to confer about their writing and growing real writers.  Where are you at in writer's workshop? Generating ideas?  Honing the craft through drafting?  Publishing? 

Awesome site:Tagxedo

I love Wordles, but it's very difficult to save. Here is a great site TAGXEDO that does the same thing!! So excited to use this with my students. I made the word cloud below using the text from this site.