Colorado Writing Project

Colorado Writing Project

Young Writers Camp

July 9-20, 2007

Jennifer Arzberger

Dawn Axelson

Essential Questions:

What are significant memories do I have and what do they tell about me?

What did I learn about myself and life from this memory?

How can I write about significant memories in a powerful way?
How can I use what I’ve learned from mentor authors to craft my memoir?

Who will read my memoir?

What we want our writers to know, understand, and be able to do as a result of participating in this unit:

Be able to identify the characteristics of memoir.

Be able to collect seed ideas involving significant memories of people, places, and things in their Writer’s Notebooks.

Be able to identify people who might read their memoir.

Be able to plan a structure and organize their memoir including a beginning, middle, and end or snapshot structure.

Be able to draft their memoirs in their Writer’s Notebooks.

Be able to craft their writing (leads, vivid details, scene setting, snapshots, thought shots, explode the moment, heartbeats, use of repetition, varying sentence beginnings and lengths, satisfying endings.)

Be able to use revision and the writing process to improve their drafts.

Be able to edit using their Editor’s Checklist (varies for each individual child).

Monday, July 9, 2007

Objectives:

Students will learn each others names and begin to develop a community of learners.

Students will learn the norms of the classroom.

Students will begin to learn the structures of the workshop.

Students will begin to define memoir.

Students will produce several quick writes.

Students will begin sharing with partners and the class.

Students will begin a neighborhood map.

Take class picture and individual pictures when all kids are present.

Approximate time / Resources & Materials / Pedagogy / Instruction
9:15-9:30 / Nametags.
Markers.
Handout:
Writer’s Notebooks
Pencils
CWP Folders / Create a welcoming environment. / Include name, grade, and illustrations of personal favorites.
9:30-9:45 / Final CWP projects. / Share personal information to help students know us better. / Introduce ourselves:
What CWP was like and what we learned from the course.
9:45-9:55 / Share personal information to help students know each other. Allow students’ voices to be heard. Begin establishing community. / Have students share their name and favorite food.
9:55-10:20 / Chart including the characteristics of memoir.
Chart “This memoir made me feel” and “This memoir reminds me of.”
Chart markers.
My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother by Patricia Polacco. / Utilize mentor texts to inspire writing and introduce students to the genre. Read like a writer. Utilize author as mentor/ mentor texts. Make connections to the text. / Review characteristics of memoir. Connect to students’ prior knowledge of autobiography.
Read aloud.
10:20-10:45 / “Find Someone Who…” worksheet.
“Find Someone Who…” chart. / Build community. Invoke memories and generate ideas for writing. / Explain the task. Provide time for students to get to know one another. Chart responses.
10:45-11:00 / Writer’s Notebooks.
Pencils. / Establish norms for Writer’s Workshop. Encourage all students to write in a peaceful environment. Allow students to work like writers while making responsible choices. / Set the norms for free write:
*Work where you feel comfortable.
*Quiet for ten minutes, when the timer goes off, you may write about a topic of your choice, read, work with a writing buddy.
11:00-11:25 / Large paper for Neighborhood Maps. / Gather ideas and memories based on places. / Split the class into two groups (one teacher per group). Model and explain the task.
11:25-11:30 / Young Writer’s To Do List Handout (homework). / Make connections to today’s learning at home. Explain the task(s). / Homework:
Add to your Neighborhood Map.
List “Special Places” in Writer’s Notebooks.
Bring a picture (strong emotions).

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Objectives:

Students will continue to build community.

Students will continue to learn the norms of the classroom and the structures of the workshop.

Students will increase their understanding of memoir.

Students will produce several quick writes; including writing from a photo.

Students will continue sharing with partners and the class.

Approximate time / Resources & Materials / Pedagogy / Instruction
9:15-9:20 / Neighborhood Maps. / Build community. Establish ideas for writing while sharing our personal experiences. / Share Neighborhood Maps with a partner. Tell stories about the places on your map. Ask questions.
9:20-9:50 / Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher.
Neighborhood Map to post.
Chart “Writing that Inspires;” including “Ideas for writing” and “Ways Ralph says it.” / Understand the characteristics of memoir. Make connections to the text while generating ideas for writing. / Read aloud chapters 1-3
“Marshfield,” “Junior,” and “Statue.”
Read like a writer.
Make connections to Fletcher’s Neighborhood Map.
9:50-10:00 / Neighborhood Maps. / Add vivid details to their memories based on specific places. / Add more details:
A place where you were scared; the house of a friend or bully. Create a key/ legend.
10:00-10:15 / Writer’s Notebooks.
Pencils. / Establish norms for Writer’s Workshop. Encourage all students to write in a peaceful environment. Allow students to work like writers while making responsible choices. / Free Write based on Neighborhood Maps
Prompt: “I remember…”
10:15-10:40 / Writer’s Toolbags
Characteristics of Memoir Card
Looking Back by Lois Lowry
Chart including the characteristics of memoir.
Chart “This memoir made me feel” and “This memoir reminds me of.”
Chart markers. / Utilize mentor texts to inspire writing and introduce students to the genre. Read like a writer. Utilize author as mentor/ mentor texts. Make connections to the text. / Hand out memoir card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Read aloud “1943” from Looking Back by Lois Lowry
10:40-11:00 / “Find Someone Who…” worksheet.
“Find Someone Who…” chart. / Build community. Invoke memories and generate ideas for writing. / Explain the task. Provide time for students to get to know one another. Chart responses.
11:00-11:25 / Teacher’s pictures and sample of their memoir.
Writer’s Notebooks.
Pencils. / Establish norms for Writer’s Workshop. Encourage all students to write in a peaceful environment. Allow students to work like writers while making responsible choices. / Share pictures and draft of memoir (Power Point Slide Show).
Free write:
Use picture to inspire writing.
10 minutes: Quiet work time
5 minutes: Options: read, view Power Point, write about a new topic, continue working.
11:25-11:30 / Young Writer’s To Do List Handout (homework).
Marshfield Dreams
“Characteristics of Memoir” Chart / Make connections to today’s learning at home. Explain the task(s). / Homework:
Read “Kids,” “The Pratts,” and “Teeth.”
Complete “Characteristics of Memoir” Chart.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Objectives:

Students will identify the “heartbeat,” or strong emotions, in memoirs.

Students will find the focus in their own writing and in other students’ writing.

Students will reread entries from their Writer’s Notebooks and identify “heartbeats.”

Students will share seed ideas and discuss their “heartbeats.”

Students will decide on the best idea for their memoir/ final project.

Approximate time / Resources & Materials / Pedagogy / Instruction
9:15-9:30 / Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher.
Neighborhood Map to post.
Chart “Writing that Inspires;” including “Ideas for writing” and “Ways Ralph says it.” / Refresh students’ memory of last night’s reading. Make connections between the text and ideas for writing.
Give students a forum to share their writing and be inspired by others’ ideas. / Chart “Ideas for writing” based on last night’s reading: “Kids,” “The Pratts,” and “Teeth.”
Share 1-2 lines from Writer’s Notebook.
*Collect memoir charts.
9:30-10:00 / Copy of “Thank You Mrs. Abruzzi”
Chart including the characteristics of memoir.
Chart markers. / Utilize mentor texts to inspire writing and introduce students to the genre. Read like a writer. Utilize author as mentor/ mentor texts. Make connections to the text. / Read aloud “Thank You Mrs. Abruzzi.”
Chart characteristics of memoir.
10:00-10:30 / Copy of “What I Did With My Coin Collection” by Tiger Woods.
Chart including the characteristics of memoir.
Chart markers. / Develop an understanding of “heartbeat” and explore writing from the heart. Utilize mentor texts to inspire writing and introduce students to the genre. Read like a writer. Utilize author as mentor/ mentor texts. Make connections to the text. / Discuss characteristics of “heartbeats” (refer to card). Read aloud “What I Did With My Coin Collection” by Tiger Woods
Chart characteristics of memoir.
Discuss strong “heartbeats.”
10:30-10:45 / Writer’s Notebooks. / Establish norms for Writer’s Workshop. Encourage all students to write in a peaceful environment. Allow students to work like writers while making responsible choices. Explore possible topics for final project. / Free write:
Write about a memory that has a strong “heartbeat.” E.g., a time your heart sank, cried really hard, where you had tears of joy, you felt anger burning inside of you.
10:45-11:15 / Seed Ideas card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Seed Ideas Chart (one per student and one to model).
Chart to record students’ best seed ideas (Name/ Seed Idea).
Writer’s Notebook. / Prioritize ideas for writing. Narrow students’ focus for final project (class book). / Hand out Seed Ideas card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Hand out and explain the Seed Ideas Chart.
Review Writer’s Notebook to identify seed ideas and complete the chart.
Self evaluate using smiley faces.
Chart our favorite seed ideas.
11:15-11:25 / Heartbeat cards for Writer’s Toolbag.
A Writer’s Notebook by Ralph Fletcher. / Develop an understanding of “heartbeat.” Utilize mentor texts to inspire writing and introduce students to the genre. Read like a writer. Utilize author as mentor/ mentor texts. Make connections to the text. / Hand out “heartbeat” card for Writer’s Toolbag. Listen to the mentor text to determine the “heartbeat” of the story.
Read aloud “Bear Dog” from A Writer’s Notebook by Ralph Fletcher page 15.
11:25-11:30 / Young Writer’s To Do List Handout (homework).
Marshfield Dreams
My House Has Stars by Megan McDonald & Peter Catalanotto / Make connections to today’s learning at home. Explain the task(s). / Read aloud: 2 pieces from My House Has Stars.
Homework:
Read “Attack” and “Funeral.”
Discuss the “heartbeat” in these pieces with an adult.
Share seed ideas chart and select the two pieces with the strongest “heartbeat.”

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Objectives:

Students will decide on a planning strategy that works best for them: oral rehearsal, web, sequence chain.

Students will learn how writers begin drafting.

Students will continue to develop an understanding of the characteristics of memoir.

Students will begin drafting their final projects.

Students will learn how to evaluate sentences in their drafts with an emphasis on varying sentence lengths, sentence beginnings, and word choice.

Approximate time / Resources & Materials / Pedagogy / Instruction
9:15-9:30 / My House Has Stars by Megan McDonald & Peter Catalanotto / Make connections to yesterday’s discussion of home. Provide time for students to arrive. / Provide time for students to share their optional homework. My house…
9:30-9:45 / Chart including the characteristics of memoir. / Provide time for students to rehearse their ideas orally and evaluate their seed idea.
Upon return, share students’ processes for evaluating their ideas. What did they learn from the process?
E.g., Noticing their memory doesn’t have a strong heartbeat or lesson/ reflection. / Walk and Talk:
*Norms: Walk outside where we can see you. Monitor your conversation. Each person gets five minutes to share their ideas for writing.
Discuss seed ideas for final project. Listener: Listen for the five characteristics of memoir. Speaker: Share your story orally. Goal: Evaluate the worthiness of your topic. Does it contain the five characteristics (emphasize “heartbeat” and reflection)? Are you willing to be invested in it for the next week?
After students finish, ask, “Where is your ______?”
9:45-10:00 / Chart paper to model the options for getting started.
Storyboard worksheet. / Model the writing process. Demonstrate multiple ways to begin planning/ drafting. / Model using a web to begin planning your writing. Use the “Storyboard” to plan drafts using phrases of words or sketches. Give students the opportunity to try it!
10:00-11:20 / Chart paper to model the drafting process.
Quote to post. / Utilize think aloud strategies to help students work like writers. Model the drafting process and provide students with an extended period of time for writing. / Model diving into drafting. (Demonstrate how to insert numbers to add details.)
Share Bomer quote “The reasons to write memoir…”
Provide time for students to draft their seed ideas.
Differentiate: Meet with students who are stuck and use mentor texts to generate ideas for writing.
11:20-11:30 / Young Writer’s To Do List Handout (homework). / Make connections to today’s learning at home. Explain the task(s). / Read “Words,” “Jimmy,” and “School.”
Sentence Audit: Model the task.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Objectives:

Students will write a learning statement including what they’ve learned about working like a writer.

Students will learn about “snapshots” and be able to identify them in writing.

Students will revise by adding “snapshots” into their drafts.

Students will learn about “strong verbs” and incorporate them into their drafts.

Students will learn the students’ and adult’s role in a writer’s conference.

Approximate time / Resources & Materials / Pedagogy / Instruction
9:15-9:40 / Sentence Audits.
Chart “What we know about writing and working like writers.” / Build community. Establish ideas for writing while sharing our personal experiences. / Share “Sentence Audits” with a partner. Write a learning statement including what they’ve learned about working like a writer. Chart these statements.
9:40-10:10 / The House on Mango Street
Snapshot card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher.
Snapshots worksheet.
Quote to post. / Develop an understanding of “snapshot.”
Identify “snapshots.” Practice writing “snapshots.” / Read aloud “Hair” from The House on Mango Street.
Handout snapshot card for Writer’s Toolbag and define “snapshot.”
Look back to your favorite chapter in Marshfield Dreams and identify a “snapshot” using a stocky note. (Photocopy and have kids highlight the “snapshot.” Post with featured readings.) Students selected pages 3, 19, 29, 43-44, and 47.
Complete “Snapshots” worksheet and share aloud.
10:10-10:15 / Conferencing “What & Why” card and “Part 1 & Part 2” card for Writer’s Toolbag. / Understand the purpose and practice of conferencing. / Read aloud “What is conferencing?” Students will be able to answer the questions “What is conferencing?” and “Why do it?”
Hand out “What & Why” card and “Part 1 & Part 2” card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Choral read adult and writer parts aloud.
10:15-10:35 / Quote to post.
Writer’s Notebooks.
Pencils.
Revisions pens. (www.crayola.com) / Honor the effort it takes to work like a writer and the importance of doing our personal best.
Provide opportunities for students to “give it a go” in their own writing. / Share Lincoln’s quote “I do the very best…”
Try it! Reread your draft and find places where you can add snapshots to your writing.
Remind students of the number insert technique for improving our writing.
10:35-10:50 / “Strong Verbs” card for Writer’s Toolbag. / Explore writing “strong verbs.” / Hand out “Strong Verbs” card for Writer’s Toolbag.
Explain the task.
Share aloud students’ responses for each verb.
10:50-11:15 / Writer’s Notebooks.
Pencils. / Provide opportunities for students to practice using them in their writing. / Try it! Reread your draft and find places where you can add “strong verbs.”
11:15-11:30 / Young Writer’s To Do List Handout (homework).
Marshfield Dreams by Ralph Fletcher. / Make connections to today’s learning at home. Explain the task(s). / Homework:
Read “First Pen,” “Scuttlebutt,” and “Farmed Out.”
Write your “About the Author” page.
Read aloud examples of student work. Display Fletcher’s About the Author page.

Collect students’ drafts and type over the weekend.