All posts tagged: writing

The First Two Weeks of School

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School starts in two weeks and while my mind is still in summer mode, I am starting to think about the beginning of the year.  This is the plan I have for the first two weeks of school.  My students have 7 period days and attend class for 45 minutes, so these lessons are designed with that time frame in mind. Week One Day 1–One Word Challenge  This is a great activity for allowing students to think about the upcoming year.  I put this up on a PowerPoint slide deck and you can find it here: One Word Challenge. Day 2–Get to Know You Icebreaker Students create a name tag.  After they are done with their name tag, they place it at the edge of their desk and we go around the room sharing and listening to everyone.  I hang on to them and pass them out at the beginning of each class for two weeks.  It allows me to learn names quickly (instead of always referring to the seating chart) and for others to learn …

Responding to Non-Fiction Texts

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My students have an easier time writing about fiction texts than they do non-fiction texts.  The initial thought was that, at least in English class, students read more fiction.  But in their day-to-day reading throughout the school day, they read more non-fiction.  So why were my students struggling to write about non-fiction texts when most of their day was spent reading it? Looking at the curriculum, students read poetry, short stories, novels, novellas, and a lot of choice books.  The hole was staring at me in the face.  There was very little devoted to reading non-fiction. That was when my teaching partner and I spent some time figuring out how to help our students respond to non-fiction texts and settled on the acronym RACER.  The idea of this is not new.  You can conduct an internet search for RACE or RACER and see lots of ideas out there.  In my school, when students write about fictional texts, they use the CER format.  Acronyms help in memorization, and I wanted students to think CER = fiction; …

The Beginning of the Year

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You’ve probably already heard this before, but setting the right tone at the beginning of the school year is very important.  For me, it’s important to create an inviting and safe classroom, establish expectations and routines, develop a reading and writing culture, and build a place of community trust.  None of this could be possible if I didn’t invest the time and energy specifically the first few weeks of school.  (And as veteran teachers know, you continue to reinforce those expectations throughout the year.) Here are six things that I do, within the first two weeks of school, to set the right tone for the school year. I take my class roster, a clipboard, and a pen and stand in the doorway.  Students cannot walk into class without passing me first.  I introduce myself with a big smile and ask their name.  If it’s pronounced different than it looks on paper, or a student goes by a nickname, I jot that down next to their official name. Not only does it help me know exactly how …

Independent Reading Assignments

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Have you ever read a book where, after you finished, you just couldn’t stop thinking about it?  I just finished reading Vincent and Theo and it has moved me.  So beautifully written about a man who has been largely misunderstood.  As I have been reading through this book the past few weeks, I shared what I was learning with my parents, my husband, and my walking partner.  Van Gogh’s story is fascinating, and so much of it I didn’t know, especially about the bond with his brother.  I didn’t even know Vincent Van Gogh had a brother. When my students choose their own books to read, they not only bring in their experiences as a reader, but their excitement to share what they’re learning.  It’s contagious watching their faces light up discussing what they are currently loving.  Required independent reading is a mix of enjoying books for fun and demonstrating understanding of literary terminology.  They’re reading for pleasure but also critically, to be able to write about characterization, author’s craft, imagery, tone.  They’re creatively writing as …