Unit of Study: Fiction Writing

This is a link to a great write up about one of Lucy’s units of study:  fiction.  I am always searching for references to Lucy’s units since many of the teachers I work with use the units as a resource. 
http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/unit-of-study-fiction-writing-grades-3-5/

How-To make crayons!

This was one of my FAVORITE VIDEOS when I was a little girl!  This is an awesome procedure lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgyR8

Essay Writing Ideas

Many schools are using Lucy Calkins’ materials and Units of Study.  One of her units includes an essay unit.  Jim Trelease has a site that includes a weekly essay.  It is awesome!  http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/essay-of-week.html  
I am always looking for resources.  This is another site of wonderful resources for us.

Nice to be talked about

Thank you for mentioning and writing about my writing on your blog.
http://lindaazeez.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/finding-mentor-texts/

Kevin Henkes

http://firstgradecce.wikispaces.com/Author+Study+-+Kevin+Henkes 
This wiki writes about one of my favorite author’s, Keven Henkes.

Conventions Do Matter

I wrote extensively about dialogue
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/writing-and-reading-dialogue-week-1/
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/writing-and-reading-dialogue-week-3/
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/dialogue-writing-lessons/

 
 Jeff Anderson is the author I use extensively for editing and conventions. He wrote Mechanically Inclined. He wrote Everyday Editing:  Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop.  I have written about his work numerous times here at Writing Every Day Works.

Hair Lesson by Jeff Anderson
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/hair-lesson-by-jeff-anderson/

Great Sentences Blog
http://greatsentences.blogspot.com/
http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/InPerspective/Issue/2007-05/Article/feature.aspx
Books that Help [...]

All In A Day by Cynthia Rylant

All in A Day by Cynthia Rylant 
So live it well, make it count,
fill it up with you.
The day’s all yours, it’s waiting now…
See what you can do.
I often use picture books as mentor texts.  As I studied this Cynthia Rylant text I realized that on just one page there are lots of options for [...]

Touchstone Text or Mentor Text Activity

“With a room full of authors to help us teach, teaching writing doesn’t have to be so lonely  (Katie Wood Kay, page 150, Wondrous Words).” 
 
Mentor Text and Touchstone Text are synonyms in some circles and different words in some classrooms.  Both are correct in professional literature in my experience.  Teachers might want to define the [...]

Choosing Five Books…

Sarah at amick’s articles is suggesting we choose five books for teaching in our classrooms. If you choose five books and only five what would they be? Why?
link to amicksarticles/
Here is a link to Sarah’s article:Sarah’s favorite 5 books link
My 5 books…
1. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon link to amazon.Stellaluna
It is a wonderful book about tolerance [...]

Mentor Text Suggestions

Owl Moon by Jane YolenHarvey Slumfenburger’s Christmas Present by John BurninghamSmoky Night by Eve BuntingSomething Beautiful by Sharon WyethWilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem FoxThe Day Gogo Went to Vote by Elaine SisiluThe Relatives Came by Cynthia RylantSnowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs MartinGooney Bird Greene by Lois LowryThe Rag Coat by Lauren Mills