Snapshots of my Week

I finally got my Writer's Eyes up in the wall...I used binder clips on the dropped ceiling.  Check out my previous post to make your own.

I created my MINTS poster with the kids.  Look at my previous post to get your own candies.

Here are my Rock Stars finished and hanging!!!

We are in the process of creating their "I am Poetry."  This student is still publishing but I had to take a picture!  My class is really getting into it.  Link for publishing sheets.

Using Capitals

I finally remembered today to take pictures of all the things that I have been doing in my classroom lately and I left my camera at school!  Ughhh!

I need to teach a lesson tomorrow on using Capital Letters in our writing.  I will start the lesson by reading the book below.  I love Grammar Tales and so do my kids!!!!!  Scholastic has them in a set.

 I found a great printable on Pinterest.  It is a free download on Teacher's Notebook.

I was inspired to create mint candies with letters to make an anchor chart.  I will cut them out and place on top of columns in a row.  Then we will write words with capitals under each heading.  Here is my printable below:

MINTS printable

C.U.P.S.

I bought several writing units from Rundee's Room last year, which I highly recommend!

Rundee's Room has a great poster that uses an acronym to helps the kids with editing their work called "CUPS."  It stands for capitals, usage and grammar, punctuation and spelling.  I taught my children to write the acronym on their class writing assignments and on their MCAS long composition.  As I introduce each skill they will use that color highlighter.

I made a set of "CUPS" to introduce the acronym this year.  Each letter has a different color high lighter.  The cups are from the Dollar Tree and the letters are vinyl stickers from Target.  I hope this will help my friends!

Tools for Long Composition

Today I dressed up like Ms. Fix-it MCAS!  I know that I have stooped to gimmicks...but they are loving it!  I have to admit...I am too!!!!

Can I just say that overalls are not flattering???
I am so glad they never came back in style after the 80's.

Tomorrow is our MCAS long composition day!!!  My first one as a fourth grade teacher.  We have been working on strategies all year and today we are reviewing the acronyms:  VOICES and CUPS.  I have (hopefully) taught the children that these two words are their revising and editing checklists.  Everything in the room has to be covered and the only resource they can use is a dictionary.  I am sending home the sheet for them to study for homework.

  

My tool belt is full of tools that have the acronyms on them! 
Voice
Organization
Ideas
Conventions (see CUPS)
Excellent Word Choice
Sentence Fluency

Capitals
Usage
Punctuation
Spelling

Hallwarts School of Writing

We are getting ready for the" MCAS Long Composition" in a couple of weeks.  We have had two practice days as a grade level and over the next two weeks I am reviewing the six traits of writing and empowering writers. (plus many months of writing practice) I don't want to burn out my students so I was inspired by something fun that I saw on Writing Fix http://writingfix.com/traits.htm.  I tweaked her lesson!  We are going to spend the week at "The Hallwarts School of Writing." 

Click on the image:

First, I reviewed the 6 traits of writing by creating anchor charts with my students and using the posters from http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/sixtrait/menu.htm.  I did one trait a day and had the kids do that step in the writing process.

I used the Fourth Grade MCAS prompt from last Year.  Write about a special memory of a teacher, a funny memory, something your teacher taught you, a field trip or a time that your teacher made you feel proud.

Day 1- Ideas (Brainstorming)

Day 2- Organization (organization)

Day 3- Voice and Word Choice (Drafting)

Day 4- Sentence Fluency (revising)

Day 5- Conventions (Editing)

I continued going over these  6 Traits of Writing at the "Hallwarts School of Writing." I put the 6 areas of writing cards into my sorting hat and had the children each draw a trait.  The child read over their final draft and identified where and how they used that trait.  The children became the experts on that trait and highlighted the skill. I had each group use a specific color marker. (The teacher could assign the traits prior to the activity but I am going to take my chances with the luck of the draw)

I took pictures of each child with their trait hat.  (for those with the dreaded bug problems...I cover each head with paper towels for pictures)  I found a star border at Walmart.

I even downloaded some musical scores from the Harry Potter movies to play while the children worked on their writing.  The children enjoyed their magical week!

Revsing...Revising

I am sooooooooo embarrassed!!!! I posted a writing lesson on November 20th that I did with my class on writing a five paragraph essay.  I posted Revising and Editing signs that could be printed out.  I made a set and they have been hanging in my classroom since the beginning of November.  Well, yesterday one of my little cherubs, in the middle of snack time,  pointed out that it said REVSING!  How ironic is that?   I misspelled the word REVISING! (It was more like a typo)


I need to practice what I preach!!!!  Check over your work.

Here is the correct version:

The Battle of the Five Paragraph Essay

YEAH...we did it.  My class wrote their first five paragraph essay and there were no tears...including mine!  I am so proud of my fourth graders.

 

The first lesson that I did with the kids was discuss  narrative vs. expository writing.  We created a great anchor chart for the room.

Then, the children brainstormed memorable events.  We talked about different feelings to think about memories and memorable events in their lives. (ex. happy, scared, sad, nervous, etc.)  We also talked about narrowing down the topics. (ex. trip to Disney vs. ride on Space Mountain)  They choose an idea and I had them draw a detailed picture that helps tell the story.  I wanted a visual for their memory.  We had read a story called "Family Pictures" in our basal.  The book had great illustration that told stories.  I also read "Tar Beach" which is a personal narrative.  We talked about the story quilts of Faith Ringold.  I had the students draw a quilt border on their illustrations.

Next, we did a mini-lesson on great beginnings using ideas from empowering writers and a unit from Rundee's Room on TPT (has great posters and resources).  We made another anchor chart.  The kids wrote their great beginnings on a Four Square graphic organizer in the center of the paper.  The children used a piece of white drawing paper to create a four square.  

The next step was writing a major event from the beginning, middle and end on the four square.  Then we went back and added details under each major event using bulleted ideas.  After that the children wrote their feeling for the closing  in the fourth box.

Once the organizer was complete we added a transition word to each box and circled it.  There are many lists of transition words on the web and some ideas in the "Four Square" book.  I also modeled how to add details to the introduction and conclusion. The intro might include who, what, where, and when.  The ending could have thoughts, connection, hopes, etc. 

The children had no problems taking their four square graphic organizers and putting them into paragraphs on paper.  They still need reminders about indenting on a new line  when starting a new paragraph.

The revising and editing process involved making an anchor chart.  I had them using two different colored pens for this step.  Revising is blue and editing is green.  They completed this process with a buddy and then by themselves.  I did the final conference in red.  My anchor chart was a mess so I typed up one for the room.  The font is teachers's pet and is size 48 if you would like to make your own.

Click on the images on the left to download:

My children copied over their stories and added creative catchy titles.  They will be saved in a hard cover portfolio book along with their illustrations. 

We spent about 2-3 weeks on our personal narratives.


Now on to the next piece... 

Expository writing here we come!!!!!