Discover the transformative power of independent writing projects for students as they embark on their summer break. Explore a range of captivating mentor texts, from science and poetry to cooking and forgotten skills, that will inspire and engage young writers. Don't miss out on the chance to enter the book giveaway for a chance to win ALL EIGHT featured books.
Category: mentor author
Make and Take: Poetry Lesson
Do you need a print-and-go poetry lesson? This can serve as a starting point for multiple age groups.
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A Closer Look
Try typing out a mentor text to get a closer look.
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Creating Classroom Environments: Places for Writers to Grow
Every summer I dream of my classroom. When considering my third grade writers, what do they need to grow and how can I provide classroom spaces for that?
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Writing Mentors
All writers need mentors. Who are yours?
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Writing Fiction? Author Megan Jean Sovern Provides a Host of Inspiration
Today's interview holds a host of insights into the way in which Megan Jean Sovern, author of The Meaning of Maggie, develops characters, brings themes to the fore, and plans plot trajectory. Suffice it to say, I came away more than a little inspired.
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Wow. Just Wow.
Awhile ago I was a 7th grade language arts teacher. My last year in the classroom I had one of the coolest classes that may have ever been compiled. It was the last block of the day. There were 22 of them, and they all came from very different walks of life. Outside of the… Continue reading Wow. Just Wow.
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The Book Stack…
Or maybe this post should be called: "The Book Stack?" with a big bold question mark. Seriously, I have stacks and stacks and stacks of books we've read, books we want to read, and books we are reading again and again. The problem is getting them from the stack to the blog. (Which is a… Continue reading The Book Stack…
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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…
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The Carpenter’s Gift + A Giveaway
Every year, just before December sets in, I ask the publishers who are kind enough to send review copies to me for books about Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanza so I can inform readers about some of the best new books that are out there. This year The Carpenter’s Gift came from Random House and touched… Continue reading The Carpenter’s Gift + A Giveaway
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New Thinking About Mentor Texts + a Giveaway
I was recently offered a position as an adjunct professor starting in 2012. I will be teaching a graduate course about using children's literature to teach writing. As I prepare to teach this course, one of the things I have to think about are the professional texts I will require my students to read, as… Continue reading New Thinking About Mentor Texts + a Giveaway
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Showing a Story
Recently, I taught a minilesson about showing a story. In typical intermediate grade fashion, students were writing stories filled with struggles, but slim on creating a picture in the reader’s mind. My minilesson went like this (and, yes, it was less than 15 minutes!): Share this chart – all of which we’ve discussed in previous… Continue reading Showing a Story
