Beyond the Basal: Day #4, Reading/Writing Connection Everything we know as writers, we know as readers first. - Katy Ray Wood

Today’s Class Discuss the reading/writing connection- Reading like a writer Explore mentor texts Discuss strategies that teachers can use to develop language and vocabulary Participate in vocabulary instruction minilessons Real time to work with Inquiry Topic (WE PROMISE!)

Thoughts about Writing (Lucy Caulkins, Katie Ray Wood, Donald Graves and Carl Anderson)  Writers need a sense of purpose. Make plans for what they will do- set goals  To teach writing well, we should know at least 5 details about the lives and interests of each of our students.  Read like a writer- notice how things are written.  The little things that happen everyday make wonderful writing topics- jumping on the bed your brother throwing his food on your plate, your dog getting into the garbage can. (Mentor Text: Night Shift Daddy, Spinelli, The Paperboy, by Dav Pilkey)  Rich conversations cultivate writing  Our goal is to offer children the opportunity to bring their lives to school and put their lives on the page

Things to consider when writing with children Writers need to read. Allow children to talk about a story with another. Have them “turn and talk” with a partner to tell their stories before writing them. Focus on Ideas instead of handwriting, spelling and conventions Children should have the opportunity to write throughout the day and throughout the content areas

Analyzing your Current Practice What does your writing program look like? Fill out the continuum about writing and your school Then, “Dot the Chart.” What types of writing do the children in your classroom have the opportunity to engage in?

Process Writing Components of the Process –Prewriting –Drafting –Revising –Editing –Publishing Things to consider: –Writing is not linear, nor should it be necessarily –Think about how to integrate multiple sign systems into the process (i.e., drama, music, movement/dance, art)

Connecting Reading and Writing The Small Moment (Lucy Calkins) –Watermelon vs. Seed Use mentor texts to see how authors use the writer’s craft Teacher writing sample

Connecting Reading and Writing How do writers “open the door” for the reader? Looking at leads: Take a look at the leads for some popular children’s books leads Notice what the author did to “open the door” to the story What are some of the different ways they did this?

Connecting Reading and Writing Read Like a Writer! What do authors do to share ideas? Your Turn: Select a mentor text. What do you notice in your book? How can you use this text in your classroom to teach about writer’s craft?

Vocabulary How do people learn words? We notice the names of things We hear others use words and attach the word to a situation We look for parts we might know and then figure out the meaning We experiment and try words out