Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell is an expertly crafted biography that can be used to teach students a variety of craft moves during a biography writing unit of study.
Category: mentor texts
Q&A with Patricia MacLachlan + a Giveaway
Like you, I read lots of books. One of my favorite authors has long been Patricia MacLachlan, who I believe is one of the most exquisite writers of our time. Her newest book, Nora's Chicks, with illustrations by Kathryn Brown is yet another book filled with the kind of writer's craft we'd like young writers… Continue reading Q&A with Patricia MacLachlan + a Giveaway
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Behind the Scenes of I Haiku You + a Giveaway
Betsy Snyder shares a behind-the-scenes process for writing and illustrating I Haiku You, her newest picture book published by Random House. Read through her post and then leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this book.
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Two Books to Honor MLK
May tomorrow be more than just a day off from work and school. May tomorrow be a day when we commemorate the life of a great man who worked peacefully for justice and equality in this country. May the example set by Dr. King inspire us all.
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Talking Poetry with Lynne and Rose + a Giveaway
Poetry Mentor Texts: Making Reading and Writing Connections, K-8 is the latest gem from Lynne Dorfman and Rose Cappelli. Not only does their book help you hone your poetry workshop instruction using mentor texts, but it also provides suggestions with ways to infuse poetry throughout the school day. Just like their previous books, Poetry Mentor… Continue reading Talking Poetry with Lynne and Rose + a Giveaway
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Step into a biography with an author-illustrator team + a giveaway
Every now and then a book comes along I want to tell everyone about. When I say everyone, I mean blog readers, my family, friends, teachers with whom I consult, and other parents. Today I'm sharing one of those books with you because this is as close as I can get to shouting out how… Continue reading Step into a biography with an author-illustrator team + a giveaway
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A moose, penguins & book giveaways
This Moose Belongs to Me and Baby Penguins Everywhere are new books with strong messages that contain craft moves we can teach young writers.
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The Intersection of Poetry and Informational Writing + a Giveaway
When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders can be used as a mentor text to help students craft poems, instead of biographies or informational reports, about people they read about and research.
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An Interview with the Author of The Tooth Mouse + a Giveaway
The Tooth Mouse, written by Susan Hood and illustrated by Janice Nadeau, is a fable that allows young readers to learn about another country's version of the Tooth Fairy. The Tooth Mouse is ready to move on and Sophie, who is a dear little mouse has to prove that she is honest, brave, and wise… Continue reading An Interview with the Author of The Tooth Mouse + a Giveaway
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An Inspiring Mentor Text, an Interview, and a Giveaway
I love, LOVE, L-O-V-E Ralph Tells A Story (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), which is a story about a boy, Ralph, who has trepidation about writing. (It’s already become a book I suggest to teachers when I speak about mentor texts!) Ralph is that kid in your writing workshop who claims he doesn’t have anything to… Continue reading An Inspiring Mentor Text, an Interview, and a Giveaway
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Crafting a Tribute Poem
Did you read Katherine Sokolowski's Slice of Life post this past Tuesday? She crafted a poem that was a tribute to a dear family-friend, Vel, who passed away. Crafting the poem was a way for Katherine to practice what she preached, by writing beside her students during independent writing time. The poem she wrote was… Continue reading Crafting a Tribute Poem
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Informational Writing that Dazzles + a Giveaway
A couple months back I promised to be more intentional about finding nonfiction picture books to recommend as mentor texts for writing workshop. I've been looking at a lot of informational texts in that time and found a few books by the same author and illustrator team that have dazzled me. A Rock Is Lively,… Continue reading Informational Writing that Dazzles + a Giveaway
