One of the issues I seem to run up against is having too many different balls in the air. Yesterday the kids started a short poem to go with the piece of art they had created (also started yesterday- to go with the story Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco). I wasn't there, so I came in a little blind to it today. I thought that the art was done, and that the poem was almost tied up and ready to have a proverbial bow put on it. Ahhh, but not so fast Daniel-san.
I had a few kids who weren't here yesterday, some who hadn't finished their art (crayon resist), and some who didn't really know what was happening with the poem. The flip side to that would be a quarter of the kids who just needed to write it on final draft paper. Oy vey! What to do, and how to ensure that all needs are met? Well I opted to take the ones who hadn't gotten going on the poem (simple Adjective/Noun/Verb format) and grouped them together. We worked on going over what an adjective, noun, and verb were before transitioning into practicing with putting them together.
From there it looked a bit like triage, as we also have All-About books being written too! Those were the "when you finish with your poem" writing today. Really I wish I could have shifted priorities, as everyone needs more writing instruction for their All About books. Time is ticking away... 2.5 days to get everything done.
Showing posts with label All About Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label All About Books. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
All About...
Tomorrow is a big day for my writers. They get a chance to share their All About Me book with one of the 1st grade classrooms. Most are done, or just about done, so tomorrow will be a bit of a scramble to finish it up. By 1:30 or so we are heading downstairs to share... will the deadline be met?!
Why the rush? Well we've spent a week and a half on them, and the task of writing about themselves has run its course. Most have gamely taken to the task. Some... well, not so gamely. Sentences like "I like candy. It tastes good" accompanied by cries of "I'm done" are not what I had envisioned. Moving to revise and add to our writing has not been met with joy, which is understandable. My expectations for writing are a bit different than my MT's, to which they are adjusting.
For the most part this has worked out well though, and will serve us well going forward. We are going to get a chance to start an All About book on something we know/like after this. If you like soccer, and know enough to write about it, this is great for you! How about comics? Same! My hope is to learn from my earlier adventures in How-To writing, and steer people to topics that they A) have enough information to write about and B) are broad + specific at the same time (broad in that it isn't "Snickers candy bars" but more specific that "Vietnamese"- I can see both being possible topics coming my way!). At any rate, I am excited for us to celebrate tomorrow!
Why the rush? Well we've spent a week and a half on them, and the task of writing about themselves has run its course. Most have gamely taken to the task. Some... well, not so gamely. Sentences like "I like candy. It tastes good" accompanied by cries of "I'm done" are not what I had envisioned. Moving to revise and add to our writing has not been met with joy, which is understandable. My expectations for writing are a bit different than my MT's, to which they are adjusting.
For the most part this has worked out well though, and will serve us well going forward. We are going to get a chance to start an All About book on something we know/like after this. If you like soccer, and know enough to write about it, this is great for you! How about comics? Same! My hope is to learn from my earlier adventures in How-To writing, and steer people to topics that they A) have enough information to write about and B) are broad + specific at the same time (broad in that it isn't "Snickers candy bars" but more specific that "Vietnamese"- I can see both being possible topics coming my way!). At any rate, I am excited for us to celebrate tomorrow!
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