choice · COVID-19 · craft · demonstration · dialgoue · SOLSC Classroom Challenge · writing workshop

All Aboard! Virtual Field Trips and Writing Experiences

In these days where we are home so much, take your class on a virtual field trip or two and allow them choices of what they will write about! This post includes 6 trips all ready to go with writing menus for each trip. Many thanks to Clare Landrigan and Pernille Ripp who both inspired what I am sharing here with you today.

craft · dialgoue · dialogue · ralph fletcher · SOLSC Classroom Challenge

Classroom SOLSC: Blogging Strong in Week 2

We are heading into our second week of blogging in the Classroom SOLSC during extraordinary times. Please let us know in the comments how we can best support you and your students at this time.

dialgoue · grammar · mentor author · mentor entries · mentor texts · notebooks · noticings · process · reading · wn entry · writer's notebook · writer's-reader's notebook · writing · writing process

I’ve been studying sentence structure…

I was watching or listening or reading something this week --- I don't remember what -- but the message was: You can't be a writer if you're not a reader. True. (And probably the reason I don't remember who said it since this little tid-bit is fairly common knowledge.) The person went on to say:… Continue reading I’ve been studying sentence structure…

dialgoue · punctuation

Punctuating Dialogue

Have you ever noticed how challenging it is for kids to punctuate dialogue correctly?  (Let's be honest... there are many adults who have this problem too!)  I'm not in favor of utilizing grammar worksheets to teach this to kids since that doesn't get them to really notice how real authors do it.  Sure, they can… Continue reading Punctuating Dialogue

dialgoue · mentor texts · narrative

Making Characters Talk

Dialogue. It's something we wish students would use purposefully inside of a piece of writing. Too often, when our students do write with dialogue, it sounds like this: "Hi," I said. "Hi," my sister said. "What do you want to do today?" I said. "I don't know," she said. "Let's go to the park," I… Continue reading Making Characters Talk