1. LAKE COUNTY WRITE NOW! FAMILY INVOLVEMENT SERIES

2. WELCOME Series Goals: Learn together about supporting our children as writers at home Try out some ideas with our children Leave with writing activities to try at home

3. WHAT IS EASY? What is something that was hard for you to do at one time, but now seems easy? What are some ways things that were once hard to do became easy for you?

4. WRITING EXPECTATIONS IN SCHOOL By the time they leave high school, students will be expected to write: Narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events Informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey ideas, concepts, and information Arguments to support claims What are some kinds of writing you do yourselves, or that you see others do?

5. WRITING EXPECTATIONS IN SCHOOL By the time they leave high school, students will be expected to write: Narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events Informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey ideas, concepts, and information Arguments to support claims

6. SUPPORTING CHILDREN AS STORYTELLERS Every child develops at his or her own pace. Oral language is the foundation for all writing. Storytelling is a key part of learning to communicate. What are some ways you’ve observed your own child or children writing at home?

7. STORYTELLING ACTIVITY OAK PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TELL STORIES

8. SESSION ONE WRITING IS LEARNING

9. OUR TIME TOGETHER Share some of our at-home writing experiences Learn how children: build knowledge about the world around them. use writing to make the learning concrete and for themselves and others. Try out some ideas for writing to inform or explain Leave with writing activities to try at home

10. LIFELONG LEARNING What are some things you’ve been learning about or are interested in learning about? What are some ways you get information or learn new things?

11. WRITING EXPECTATIONS IN SCHOOL By the time they leave high school, students will be expected to write: Narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events Informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey ideas, concepts, and information Arguments to support claims When you think about getting or giving information, what kinds of writing come to mind?

12. SUPPORTING CHILDREN AS REPORTERS Every child has a unique set of interests. Observing and noticing details about things that interest them is the foundation for building knowledge. Talking, drawing, and writing are fundamental to making learning concrete. What are some things your child or children are interested in knowing more about?

13. OBSERVATION WALK

14. SHARING & REFLECTING Children: Did you both think some of the same things were interesting, or different things? Why? What does this mean about how you each see the world? Adults: What did you notice about your child’s point of view that interested you?

15. THANKS FOR COMING! See you at the next session: [DATE. TIME] Be sure to pick up your handouts on the way out.

16. LAKE COUNTY WRITE NOW! FAMILY INVOLVEMENT SERIES

17. SESSION THREE THE REASON I THINK THAT IS…

18. OUR TIME TOGETHER Share some of our at-home writing experiences Learn how children form and express opinions Try out some ideas for writing and giving reasons for opinions Leave with writing activities to try at home

19. AT-HOME WRITING EXPERIENCES: CHILDREN AS REPORTERS What did you try with your child? What did you learn about your child as observer and as a writer?

20. MAKING INTELLIGENT CHOICES What are some things we as adults must form opinions about? What are some ways you get the information needed to make intelligent choices?

21. WRITING EXPECTATIONS IN SCHOOL By the time they leave high school, students will be expected to write: Narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events Informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey ideas, concepts, and information Arguments to support claims When you think about how people express their opinions or arguments, what kinds of writing come to mind?

22. SUPPORTING CHILDREN AS DECISION-MAKERS Children express opinions starting at birth. Learning to give reasons for and to listen to the opinions of others helps children learn to make thoughtful choices. Forming an opinion that is based on credible information is fundamental to writing argument and other forms of persuasive writing.

23. FAVORITE THINGS

24. SHARING & REFLECTING Children: Who would like to share what they wrote about tonight? Adults: What did you notice about your child’s writing and/or drawing that interested you?

25. THANKS FOR COMING! See you at the next session: February 12 th 2015] Be sure to pick up your handouts on the way out.