Developing the Writer’s Notebook and Drafting, Revising, and Publishing Narrative

1. Introduction: Importance/Rationale of the Unit

My reasoning for developing the writer’s notebook, drafting, revising, and publishing a

narrative is to explore different methods for teaching the language arts while sharing my process

with others who may wish to do the same. According to an article in School Talk entitled the,

Writer’s Notebook: A Place to Dream, Wonder, and Explore, written by the National Council of

Teachers of English, a writer’s notebook is “a place to react”, a “safe place” for students, writers,

and researcher’s alike with “no grades, no one correcting the grammar”” (Fletcher, R.,

Herschlein, L., Gallagher, B., Portalupi, J. (2001), p. 1). Therefore, the best approach to writing

instruction is to launch a writer’s notebook, one in which the writer has the freedom to write

anything that is important to themselves without the focus being on the content they are writing

on, grammar, or literary mistakes. At a later point in time, the students will be given the

opportunity to do more drafting, create a revision of their work (where grammar will be focused

on), and then do a publication of their revised work.

During this particular unit we will explore personal narratives from several mentor texts

then begin forming our own personal narratives using those texts. By using this process, the

students are free to see what parts of the mentor texts resonates with their own lives. It is there

where the true story begins. This also allows for each student to tell their own story and

everyone’s story is important. Alongside this we learn about our writers and we get a more in

depth look at who the writer is as a person and the value of each person’s uniqueness. Through

doing this we ignite a writer’s passion. The practices which I suggested implementing above

allow for this process to occur naturally. Therefore, they are the best evidence based practices

which need to be implemented to give the writer the freedom they need to grow and enjoying the

process of doing just that, writing.

A writer’s notebook is kind of like a journal which is unique to the individual writer

themselves. For some it may be a place to write down big ideas or short notes for later referral.

For other’s it may be a place to jot encouraging ideas or a short poem that brings meaning to

one’s life and lifts their spirit during darker days. The writer’s notebook can be the place to

return to remind oneself of the beauty life beholds or of dreams hoped for. Then again, maybe

it’s a place to write your statistics and a place to store calculations for the mathematician. While

for the artist, it could be a place to store images of unusual moments or deep memories guarded

by the soul for only the artist themselves to see. The most important thing for a teacher to

remember when launching a writer’s notebook in a class is to remember “to dedicate the

precious time it takes to let the students do it” (Fletcher, R., Herschlein, L., Gallagher, B.,

Portalupi, J. (2001), p. 2). The idea is that the student writes something down. This will become

easier the more the students do it.

As most of us know writing, especially academic writing, is not deemed as exciting or

fun. This is where the value of the writing notebook becomes a crucial part of one’s continued

writing existence. However just as with anything else in writing, specifically writing well for

publishing, it is developed through stages. The specific stages one must encounter for this to

occur are: “word work, moving to paper, revising/editing, and then the final form” (p.3). In the

article, Writer’s Notebook: A Place to Dream, Wonder, and Explore, one exercise used to get

writers started is the “Three by Three” (p.4). In this approach you select a single word to

designate as the the subject such as; summer, beach, school, or any other. Then form three word

phrases. It doesn’t matter if they make no sense. The object of the game is to get the writer

started. If they get stuck, that’s okay, they can put anything on the paper as long as they put

something. The point in launching a writer’s notebook is to “write…some little or big thing

every day,” not stuff like your daily routine, but stuff like “feelings or emotions, smells or

sounds, overheard conversations or family stories” (Fletcher, R., Herschlein, L., Gallagher, B.,

Portalupi, J. (2001), p. 3-5). One of my own favorite entries came to be collecting Dove

chocolate candy wrappers which held inspirational quotes written by others. I found this to be

both encouraging and an unusual, but useful approach for later writing.

At this point it is a good idea to incorporate mentor texts, especially for those students

who really struggle to write. No matter what we are learning in life, “we all need mentors in our

lives---those knowledgeable others who help us learn how to be teachers, mothers, musicians,

artists, athletes---who help us do what we could not do before on our own” (Dorfman, L.,

Cappelli, R. (2017), p. ix). However, when we choose these mentor texts we should consider

looking for balanced criteria which represents each of the students who will enter our classrooms

and then learn how to use the mentor text to achieve these goals. What we do know is, the text

must be a thought provoking literature companion which evokes and unlocks thoughts and

memories for the individual reader. By doing this we can help the individual student realize that

they have something important to say. According to Mentor Texts we need “books rich in stories

about families, children, animals, and special places” which should be “introduced to our

students as read-alouds. In addition to being the kinds of books students can easily relate to, they

provide, models of the type of writing we expect our students to do” (Dorfman, L., Cappelli, R.

(2017), pp. 22-23).

One book that came to mind for me when speaking of this was The Night Diary by Veera

Hiranandani, even though it is not a poetry book, because she has a created a book which does

just that while developing a global perspective in the process. Within this book you can find

many topics to come back to for writing, you give students the opportunity to choose which

theme or character they choose to write about. Maybe it’s not even a character. Maybe it’s a food

or piece for a cultural perspective. We chose to focus on a specific character, Naisha, and her

own struggle to identify with who she was as person since she was both hindu and muslim. From

there we discussed how we could branch out into other global topics and reach into a worldwide

perspective. As far as our class projects we decided to do a trans-medial approach. My own

approach was to research some of the traditional dishes she mentioned within the story and make

those for our class to try. I thought a traditional Indian food would be an excellent trans-medial

project.

Another important thing to consider is the importance of a read aloud. Dorfman and

Cappelli suggest “the best books for reading aloud are those that can be returned to for many

purposes throughout the day and especially in the writing workshop” (Dorfman, L., Cappelli, R.

(2017), p. 29). Yes, poetry can do just the same as Hirananandani’s book. Brown Girl Dreaming

written by Jackie Woodson is a great example of a narrative poetry book which capture’s the

same vital stances. In Brown Girl Dreaming Woodson tells the story of her own life. Within her

book she has captured pivotal points of history which she or her family lived through and

changes they have witnessed. Each of Woodson’s pivotal accounts are memories from different

aspects of her life while others are life-lessons meant to be understood. One such life-lesson

comes from how to listen #7 (Woodson, J. (2014), p. 278).

how to listen #7

Even the silence

has a story to tell you.

Just listen. Listen.

This was such a powerful piece for me. I can totally resonate with what Woodson has

written. The power of realizing that silence can tell such a compelling truth. Sometimes words

are not needed to be understood. This is only one example where poetry can play its life

changing role on the reader which consumes the piece wholeheartedly.

However, the mentor text alone is not enough. It is important for the students to see the

teacher as a writer as well, so that they can see themselves as a writer. Because our students have

often been taught that poetry cannot be written in free verse our students also despise the

thoughts of attempting to read something they cannot understand and something written so many

years ago. Oftentimes, students don’t realize that the writer of the poetry which they are reading

is even alive. This is the point where the teacher can show students how to write, while writing

themselves, amongst a mentor text. When the students see the teacher as a writer they can begin

to see themselves as a writer also. “According to Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (1978),

children learn best when they are in the “zone of proximal development” and can work in

collaboration with a more knowledgeable other (teacher, student, and/or mentor text) to help

them reach their full potential” (Dorfman, L., Cappelli, R. (2017), pp. 13). When we model our

own work as teachers, through our own writing and guided experiences, students will eventually

be able to try out new strategies and skills on their own.

Through this process students will begin to grasp the Gradual Release of Responsibility

as more strategies are learned and applied. It is here that students are beginning to produce their

own work within their writer’s notebook, in whatever manner fits them best, which is the first

step to writing anything. As we begin to use the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model of

Instruction it is important that we teach students how to use a magnifying lens and the steps

necessary to grow a narrative from the beginning to the end. Within this process, one of the most

important aspects to teach our students is how to use a magnifying glass to focus in on just “one

moment of time.”

We often see students telling every detail of their day, while that is okay for conversation,

those details probably will not be the aspects to grab your reader’s attention. However, when we

teach students to think about the “important things” of their day we teach them to focus on things

such as “smells, sounds, visuals, and other unordinary occurrences” that might have happened in

their day to make it special or unique. Those are the moments we want the students to escape

into and expound upon. It is those particular moments where each student finds their own

individual story and realizes their own importance in the writing process. Once the writer finds

the exact moment to begin, they need to the think about where the story will end, afterwards they

can go back and fill in the middle to create a full story. Slowing down to focus on “one particular

moment in time” is the main strategy to learn in this process.

The more students think about it, talk about it, and write about it the more they will

understand how to control a narrative in time and finally be able to take on the full responsibility

of narrative writing on their own. As we stated before writing is developed through several

stages. For a writer to write well they must go through these stages. The more freedom a writer is

given to write, whatever and however they please, the more a writer will develop a productive

writing piece. What may seem unimportant to some may be just what sets the writer off on that

journey. The writer’s notebook is where this begins. As I said before, it could be just a thought,

a phrase, a poem, memory, or anything else which grabbed the person’s attention that provided

the inspiration to write. If we save these and return to our writer’s notebook’s in the future, we

will always have a topic on which to write. Once that piece of writing has went through the

writing process it is important to publish the writer’s work for a wide array of audiences so that

the writer’s work can be read and reread.

2. Features of the Unit

a) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.10By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. Students will be able to…

read out of a poem, instead of reading into a poem to derive meaning write their own narrative poem using a mentor text as their guide understand how language impacts the meaning within a poem break down ideas to a “specific moment in time” to develop a “small

moment narrative” and understand the importance of doing such understand the importance of a peer-workshop

understand the importance of revision in the writing process understand where stories come from realize they too are writers understand that poets are alive today and living amongst us understand that free verse is a very substantial form of poetry

widely accepted and appreciated today understand that poetry is everywhere and in everything

b) I will be working with 9th grade-12th grade. For this particular piece my focus group will be 9th graders.

c) For this particular group I will involve whole group, small group, and individual work for the participating structure.

d) The anticipated length of time for the unit will be approximately three months. My justification for this is to let the students have time to learn how to explore and read poetry. Before I teach them how to write poetry I must teach them how to read the poetry first and that takes some quality time. It’s easy to read into poetry, but when we understand that poetry is meant to be read out of and not into that is when we discover the

true beauty of poetry. This can be a hard concept for students to grasp if they have been taught that poetry has to follow a rigid form and that poetry was meant to read into to it to derive meaning. I learned from a dear mentor, Adrian Rice, last summer while taking a poetry class with him the essence of this crucial point and now I know.

e) Text and literary models to be used within the writer’s notebook invitation and minilessons: A Quiet Place, Douglas Wood all the small poems and fourteen more, Valerie Worth brown girl dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson Daniel Finds a Poem, Micha Archer Family pictures Cuadros de  familia, Sandra Cisneros Love That Dog, Sharon Creech Mentor texts: Teaching writing through children’s literature, K-6, Lynne R. Dorfman &

Rose Cappelli Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Not exactly a memoir, Amy Krouse Rosenthal Thirst, Mary Oliver

3. Writer’s Notebook Invitation and Plan for Instruction…

To begin the writer’s notebook, we are going to draw a self-portrait of ourselves which

tells something about your personality, the many thoughts that run through your head, or

activities that you like to do which would describe you. The following draft is from my own

writer’s notebook and was how I felt at a pivotal point in my own life. It centers around my

thoughts during that time. Each one of you know yourself and you know yourself better than

anyone else. This is the beginning of a unique writing notebook revolving around the person you

know best, you.

Now we are going to read a non-traditional textbook. Yes, a textbook, but one which has many

pages with no words or very little words per page. You’re probably asking, “there’s a textbook

like that?” Yes, there is! The other aspect is the ease of reading and the brevity of the passages

based on the style Amy Rosenthal chose to use when writing her book, an excellent choice in my

opinion.

The writer’s notebook is exactly what we need to capture our thoughts and memories so

that they can be returned to later when we need a topic to write about. After we complete our

self-portraits we will begin our unit with Rosenthal’s, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Not

exactly a memoir, so that you can observe the complexity while exploring the simplicity of

writing within a writer’s notebook. She teaches us what a writer’s notebook is about and what

it’s purpose is, but in an unusual manner. To develop a writer’s notebook, a lot of time is not

required. One only needs to have a special book that carries meaning for themselves and to have

it close by to record whatever funny thought, poem, or idea comes to mind. By doing this we

collect many special thoughts and ideas that are meaningful to us as individuals which offer

ideas for us as writers. One example from my own writer’s notebook would be the collection of

Dove chocolate wrappers with inspirational quotes or my page of promised fortunes. Often

times, these short clips of our lives are the clique we need to get the writing piece started when

we experience a writer’s block. In Textbook, Rosenthal explains how to do that.

It is here, with the writer’s notebook in hand, that I want you to start. After reading

Rosenthal’s book I jotted down two quotes which struck me as something important that later I

could come back to and write about. One of these was the words of philosopher Wittgnstein

which stated, “The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their

simplicity and familiarity. One is unable to notice something because it is always before one’s

eyes” (Rosenthal, A.K. (2016), p. xv). This quote took me many directions, but really resonated

with me in how true it is. As people in general, we often see ourselves and our thoughts as

unimportant or mediocre at best. We simply are used to them and think of them as nothing more

than an everyday occurrence without examining the “important” things that make each day

unique for us. Now, I am looking for the small unique thing each day that truly unlocks the gift

each day brings. Take a look at my discovery.

The other quote which resonated with me early on was from the words of Albert Einstein,

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as

though everything is a miracle” (Rosenthal, A.K. (2016), p. 33). In my opinion, this was just a

beautiful view. I choose to see everything as a miracle even my chocolate wrappers and

promised fortunes. If they make my day brighter and give me something to write about then I am

on the right track and so are you. Here is a sample of my chocolate wrapper and fortunes that

give me inspiration and hope. Now it is your turn to choose two things that resonate with you

and make two entries based on those. Follow my examples.

Another inspiration for me was also found within Rosenthal’s Textbook. For me, this

brought back a vivid memory of something I did while my husband was stationed abroad in Iraq.

I had always loved languages, listening to people speak, and trying to figure out dialects or what

people meant by what they said, in particular, the Spanish language. I felt this was my

opportunity because for the first time in my life I was totally on my own in a sense and my

interest was still there, eating at me from the inside.

“Matching

To be matched (via email) with two other readers, go to Match Me at textbookamykr.com.

Perhaps the three of you will become dear, digital companions. Or start a business. Or end up

vacating together in the Caribbean” (Rosenthal, A.K. (2016), p. 128).

Compelled that this meant something and I should act upon it I decided to put an ad in the

newspaper. I would teach English in exchange for Spanish. To my surprise I received three

phone calls and met with each one. What’s even more surprising is that I am still friends with

one of them and not just her, but her whole family. This became the inspiration for my future

writing. The whole story can be found at https://badrblog.home.blog/modeling-where-writing-

comes-from-blog-3/. The newspaper ad and reaching out beyond what I was accustomed to is

what made this friendship a reality.

Without that newspaper ad I never would have had these awesome souls in my life. I

would have never have known the beauty of what others could bring to my life. I would have

never known that unconditional friendships could exist. Today, we are the best of friends and

more like siblings, which I never had. Our lives have been very similar in a lot of ways, but

knowing that we are not as different, but more alike has brought a new realization to all of us. It

has helped us understand the cultural diversity that each of us brings into the world as

individuals, helping each of us better understand the other. I’m so glad for that newspaper ad, I

did not only gain one friend, but as you can see I gained a whole family. Now it is your turn to

choose a particular passage, quote, or phrase from Rosenthal’s social studies unit. Begin your

own personal entry based on what resonated with you and tell us why the entry you choose

resonated with you.

As we continue, our mentor text will come from a variety of children and adult narrative

poetry along with free verse poetry books, children’s books, and both children and adult poems.

These will be demonstrated through; two minilessons on finding topics, three minilessons that

address discovering personal narratives and narrowing the focus, and one minilesson that will

address the revision process. Within in each lesson, I will provide you with one of my own

modeled writings and gradually release responsibility over to the students themselves. After, the

writers have completed and revised their own stories they will be published for a wide array of

audiences to read depending on what the school protocol programs which can be used.

4. “Your Turn” Minilessons

a) Lesson 1: Using Imagery (photos), Drawing, and Talking to Find Topics

Hook: Read “When I Am Among The Trees” by Mary Oliver, Family Pictures (Cuadros De Familia) by Sandra Cisneros, or A Quiet

Place by Dan Anderasen. Through sketching, conversations, and imagery (oftentimes photos) a writer is able to dig up memories connected to objects, events, special places, or events of treasured memories. The joy of doing this is the fact that the author can be anywhere and go anywhere they would like to. It could even be a place they have not yet visited.

One of the two examples which I will provide was inspired by “When I Am Among The Trees” which triggered a special “moment in

time” for me and I remembered a photo that I took which captured the essence of my story and the feelings that aspired from this particular encounter. We were asked to write our own nature poem. After much thought and thinking about one moment of time in a naturalistic setting this particular moment was chosen.

My photo, my memory

In partial, I believe it was because it captured the essence of what we were being asked to do and also it was a moment in time which opened up the

understanding and insight into an autistic’s world, for me, which was an area I had been studying and was very interested in how this moment connected to one story I had read about. It was like I had received a revelation into another person’s view of the world and truly begin to understand theirs. It felt wonderful. The completed example I will provide will be from this moment of time.

The other example which triggered a memory of a special place for me came from Family Pictures. I know this is a book which thrives

around pictures, but the pictures were done in the form of drawings and the drawing of the community center, lots of people gathered, and cake walk jogged a memory of a special place from my childhood. I had never thought about writing about this place. But, this drawing, this imagery drew me in and would not release it’s hold. It was my community center in my neighborhood. No, it wasn’t really a drawing of my neighborhood, but still my community did these exact same things. People were gathered around, cars parked all down along the road for every event they held, and at various times throughout the year including Halloween were the cake walks. They were so fun. My dad and I went to all of them because he liked them and I liked them too. I won a lot of cakes there. Unfortunately, upon my journey to return to this place I found it almost deteriorated, but still I took a picture. These are my memories and my “moments of time”. They have become my inspiration for writing topics. A picture or a drawing is similar in many ways and take the reader to even a “place in time”. I’m grateful for this memory. I have not written my story for this one yet, but in the future I am sure that will change.

Another form of writing is to discuss a special place such as is the case in A Quiet Place. I have not done this particular one. However, for

starting this particular topic I would begin with reading this beautiful story about all the quiet places one could find. For me I would definitely describe one of mine as being down by the river while asking students what theirs was. Then probably ask why? For me, it would be so I could listen to the waters flow. I find the sound of water very comforting and I can get lost in thought while being close to such. Not only this it clears my mind of all other thoughts and that I cannot explain. But, then again maybe mine would be a museum as suggested in A Quiet Place because it is a place where every painting is a magic window into my imagination and I can let myself be draw into that time period. I’m usually very quiet there as are the surroundings. Then maybe not, the best place yet might be if, “You could go to a secret corner of the library where the only people talking are between the covers of books. They speak so softly you can only hear them in your head as you read about forests and oceans and deserts and caverns and museums and a thousand other things. A library could be your quiet place” (Andreasen, D. (2002), np), but either way I could go anywhere I want if I begin here. Where do you begin to find your “quiet place?”

Andreasen, D. (2002). A quiet place. Aladdin Paperbacks. New York, NY. USA.

Purpose:  Just as an author tell stories about things that happened in a special place so does the writer. Who is to say the writer is not the next big

author? Today we will learn how to use a familiar setting to help dig up memories and find topics and stories for our writing.

Brainstorm:  I would like for you to find a drawing, picture, or use some sort of mentor text to help you create a list of your favorite places. It can be

anywhere. Afterwards, turn and talk with a partner sharing your ideas with one another. You may make revisions and add to your own list if your conversation sparked another “moment in time PLACE” for you. Choose one that you would like to use, a photo or hand drawn sketch for, and want to write about.

Model:  Distribute a plain piece of paper for those students who wish to draw. If you are going to use some other form of imagery that is fine, but

you must still participate with the rest of the class. As we are doing this exercise think about the other objects around this place that your camera did not catch and sketch or make a list of those if using some other form of imagery. Writers, close your eyes and think about the place you have chosen and the experiences you have had there. Think about the objects in this place. Remember that this is only a sketch and a sketch only takes a few minutes. Give students about 5 minutes. Now turn to your partner and talk about the different things in your sketch or list. Tell the stories that you remember when you think or talk about each part of your sketch or list. What new things did you discover? What had you forgotten that you now remember?

Oliver, M. (2006). Thirst. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

For me this came through the mentor text “When I Am Among The Trees” by Mary Oliver and it flickered a memory of a photo. This

is why I decided to include imagery or drawing for this project. Some people are artist and some are not. But, through conversation and reasoning I thought it appropriate to use for this lesson because it is a moment I could have easily have sketched as well, but the real imagery catches the memory of this beautiful encounter so much better than my non-artistic abilities. You will see the process that followed within writing and then last the photographic memory that this poem

jogged in my mind as you meet the real chimp whose actions inspired my own naturalistic poem.

When looking at my writing above one can see how I began in the forest, but overall this simply was not flowing for me. You can see where

I began to change and revise as I went along. Below is the printed manuscript I now share with you.

When I Am Among The Society Of The Zoo

When I am among the society of the zoo especially the gorillas and the chimpanzee’s, equally the lion, the lioness, and their young cubs, they give an aurora of strength and strong Sense of Self. I would almost say

they are one with me in Spirit and Soul.

I am so distant from the hope of humanity, in which I find little comfort, but much discernment, and always in a hurried state of being without learning to walk slowly, and see often.

Around me the chimpanzee spots me and calls out, “Stay a while and play with me.” The creature whose body sprang to life so suddenly, his face radiates a smile.

And again he calls, “Stay awhile and play with me.” He says, I too understand you Take my hand, see my world, and know that I too understand you.

BADR

Inspired by: Mary Oliver’s poem, “When I Am Among The Trees” and of course the chimpanzee and his playful actions which inspired this

poem from the NC Zoological Park in Asheboro, NC (Randolph County).

Now, you think about the one thing your imagery or sketch which gives you the most to talk about. Talk to your partner about it. Write as

many details as you can. You can list words or short phrases that come to mind as you sketch or begin to form your writing on the imagery of your special place.

Shared/Guided Writing: In my imagery I could have chosen to focus on my son (Isaiah), the reflection from a window, the habitat behind the two,

the color of the grass, or the chimp. I chose the chimp because of what he did. He was the inspiration for this small moment that made our day. It was about what he did for my son and I. It evoked such a beautiful memory.

Turn, and talk again with your neighbor about your detailed drawing or detailed list based on imagery. As you talk, create a list of words or phrases that describe your object or memory. For example, the

chimp was my focus and he was funny, playful, and yet serious. Afterwards, share your list with your partner.

Independent Writing:  Now it is your turn to write a small story or notebook entry on your drawing or imagery based on your memory of the place

being discussed.

Reflection: For those of you who chose to sketch did the sketching help you focus your thoughts? How?

If you used a photo or other form of imagery di that help you focus your thoughts? How?

When could you use this strategy?

Discuss in pairs. Then discuss and share ideas in whole group. Afterwards reread your own writing and think about the things you do well as

a writer. What revisions could you make?

Ideas taken from Chapter 2 Mentor Text’s, Your Turn Lesson 1 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), p. 40).

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Lesson 2: Finding Topics and Using Senses to Create First Memories

These can be as simple as a first memory of an event, place, person, smell, or sight as long as there is some strong sense which creates a strong emotional appeal. One such instance for me was a scent of a person’s cologne. No matter where I was I would recognize the

smell of that cologne and associate it to that person and that moment. When I came upon a small wooden box I imagined what it could hold. Then I thought, “why not the fragrance of that person?” These are the things that give writers the ideas for narratives, poems, and even informational pieces.

Hook: Read Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer. As Daniel sets out to find what poetry means after he sees the sign in the park that read

“Poetry in the Park.” In the end Daniel finds what poetry is through the answer from each of his nature friends when he discovers that their words together make a beautiful poem all inspired by nature. The

idea to be discovered is that poetry can be found anywhere and amongst everything. Ask the students the following questions:

Where can poetry be found?

How did the mentor text inspire you?

What words and images from the text stayed with you?

Note: When using this lesson, it is important to consider geographical location and what part of nature surrounds the students. If your students live

in a city you may want to find a book which describes life within the city. If your students live near the beach it would be better to find books which talk about seashells, the ocean, or the sand.

Purpose: Most people, whether they be a writer or not, can recall much detail towards experiences, senses, or feelings which have impacted them greatly. A lot of these are based upon first impressions. Because

these memories are strong it is often easy to write about them. Today I will show you how to use your senses to create a first memory for your writer’s notebook.

Brainstorm: As a class we are going to create a list of first memories based on the story we read. Some examples are the smell of water, smell of

flowers, the sound of crisp leaves, the warmth of the first summer’s sun, the coolness of the pool on a hot summer’s day, the sight of the bright stars at night.

Model: Now, we need to choose one of the things from the brainstorm list and create our first memory with strong appeal to the senses. For my

example, I will choose the smell of flowers because they are the closet to my own personal encounter with a special fragrance which I remember well.

I am standing in a corridor when I see a beautiful yet delicate carved box of ivory. Then such a sweet scented fragrance fills the air. The

fragrance, one which I am familiar with, but I can’t seem to place to whom it belongs. Then all of the sudden my heart skips a beat, it was the fragrance of you. I stand frozen in the middle of the room, shivering, unable to move for fear of your memory fading away.

Shared/Guided Writing: Just as Daniel experienced many senses while on his journey through the park and discovered poetry. I found my own

poetry while reading a mentor poem from all the small poems and fourteen more by Valerie Worth. Pay close attention to how the senses are

used within my model and think about how it effect’s you. Discuss your ideas with a partner or in small groups if you are having a difficult time getting started. While doing this note powerful words and phrases that appeal to one’s senses. What other words could you use?

Box

Such a PreciousCube of

Memories: Packed with theBeauty,

the Magnificent Wonders, theEarthlyDelights

And the Fragranceof you,

All fittedPerfectly within.

by BADRAfter, all the small poems and fourteen more by Valerie Worth (p. 194)

Independent Writing: Now, you will choose an idea from the brainstorming list and write your own narrative about your own experience in your

writer’s notebooks.

Reflection: Examine your first-memory piece. We are going to share as a whole group using the following questions as our guide:

How did the use of the sense strengthen your writing?

What writing strategies did you use to help the reader “be there” with you?

What other first memories could you write about?

Ideas taken from Chapter 2 Mentor Text’s, Your Turn Lesson 1 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), p. 44-45).

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b) Lesson 3: Using Illustration to Add Details

Oftentimes writers are in a hurry to get from the beginning to the end or they are in a hurry to jot down what comes to mind as quickly as

possible. However, in doing this, writers often leave out the middle, the small or big details, that actually aid in telling the story and creating a clearer picture for the reader. We need to hook our audiences as writers. So today we are going to look at a drawing my son did for me as I described a “moment in time” from my own childhood. You can tell by the picture below that he knew the layout of the place being described well, but what details could he had left out that might enhance the story telling of this particular “moment in time?”

Hook:

Drawing by Isaiah Ritchie

Bat Attack (Manuscript)

We lived in a trailer with an added on addition. As seasons were changing it was now time to do the annual chimney sweep which my dad did

every year. However, this particular year was a little different because we had a very special visitor, Mr. Bat. My dad was not particularly “bat intelligent.” Knowing this, it could have been the reason for the events that led up to the “bat attack.”

My dad had just taken down the pipes to the wood stove, which provided the heat for the winter months, as he had so many years before. It

was now time to put the chimney cover on and my dad was just about to do that when all of a sudden out flew a bat from that cold black chimney.

Sweeping past my dad’s forehead and grazing it along the way my dad hollered for me and my mom to “get inside the trailer and shut the door!”

It was at that moment that my dad decided to grab the broom for protection and take care of this bat for good! As I said before, my

dad was not “bat intelligent” and had no idea that bats were not harmful to humans, nor did I at that time. My dad was my idol. As dad began to swing at Mr. Bat, he flew higher and far away from my dad. Of course, as any of us would, Mr. Bat was not having this and his angered infused by my dad’s actions decided to give my dad a good scaring! He swooped down fast and low and dashed for the forehead attack!

I was hollering for my dad and telling him to come get inside too while Mr. Bat calmed down, but mom was not having it and refused to

let my dad in! My dad trying to escape to safety and me begging mama to let daddy in. “NO, she said he needs to get that bat out of my house! They carry rabies and bite humans.” Knowing this I asked, “will it hurt dad and will he get rabies?” Mom stood silent and watching.

Daddy deciding that he had to find a solution then donned a bowl over his head. Now fully armed my dad was ready for the “bat attack” at

full force. However, I began to laugh because my dad could not see a thing with that bowl over his eyes and every time he tried to swat the bat it came swooping in for the “forehead attack!” Although, I was still concerned about my dad, this was funny. My dad was swinging at thin air most of the time. Finally, he had had enough and gave one last throttle and then there was no more Mr. Bat.

Today my dad is Bat educated and knows the facts about Bats. This knowledge came through my own education and I felt it important

to educate my dad. Since then no more “bat attacks” have occurred. Rest in peace, Mr. Bat.

Purpose: “Writers, sometimes authors use illustrations only to add details to a story. When we write, we aren’t always able to add illustrations, so important

details must be added to the text. Today I’m going to show you how building content with details helps our readers better visualize what is happening in the stories we write” (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017).

Brainstorm: Below is the picture provided in the hook. Look at the picture closely at the picture to discover what descriptions the writer did not mention

in the story. Talk with a partner and see what important details might be added to the story to enhance the story even further. Afterwards, we will come together as a group and discuss possible details which could have been added.

Some possible responses could be:

The author could have added the time of year (season) (shown, but not in color)

The size of the bat

The size of the bowl (pictured)

The color of the bowl (pictured)

The moms mouth-gapping stance

The authors own age at the time of the story (picture)

If the day was sunny or cloudy (picture)

If it was daylight or night when the story took place (picture)

But, the most important was the significance of the large green bowl, and the purpose of why that large green bowl is the only color provided

in the drawing.

Drawing by Isaiah Ritchie

Model: Since we decided that the color of the bowl was the most important aspect that the writer left at we will look back at the first mention of the

bowl and see how that might enhance our story, provided with the illustration which accompanies it.

Daddy deciding that he had to find a solution then donned a large green bowl over his head. Now fully armed my dad was

ready for the “bat attack” at full force. However, I began to laugh because my dad could not see a thing with that large green bowl over his eyes and every time he tried to swat the bat it came swooping in for the “forehead attack!” Although, I was still concerned about my dad, this was funny. My dad was swinging at thin air most of the time. Finally, he had had enough and gave one last throttle and then there was no more Mr. Bat. The importance of the large green bowl is the significance it held for the writer. The bowl and the color was what jogged the writer’s memory so this story could be told. It was an important fact that was drawn into the illustration of the story, but eliminated from the story. They still have

this same bowl today which adds an extra layer to the importance.

Shared/Guided Writing: Now with a partner, choose a mentor text and choose one picture to practice this activity with. Feel free to come to the board

and add your own charted detail ideas to the chart on the board as you discover more ideas. This provides students with more insight and ideas to choose from based on the text being used. What are some other details one might look for in a drawn text that is not presented in writing?

Independent Writing: Now choose a funny “moment in time” story to write from your own perspective accompanied by a drawing or choose a

mentor text from which you can look at the drawings provided and add to the text from the picture provided to see what the writer omitted,

but what details could have been added. Through the process of developing your own writing we will have peer conferencing so that you may ask your peers to review your work. Why? We do this because it helps each of you to identify where the reader might need more detail to have a clear picture in their mind about what is happening.

Reflection: As a whole group let’s discuss how the illustrations help you imagine important details in the story? Do writing these out help you to

better visualize the story? Does color needed to be added to provide more detail? Would you have missed some important details if you hadn’t taken the

time to study the illustration? If so what? What’s the importance of details which are embedded in writing? In your own writing did you find places that you need to expound on what was being said so that your readers would get a clearer view?

Ideas taken from Chapter 4 Your Turn Lesson 2 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), pp. 102-103).

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Lesson 4: Creating a Heart Map

Hook: Read Love That Dog by Sharon Creech. This is a beautiful children’s story that a child of any age can relate to. It’s about a boy and his love for one

special dog. After reading the book ask the students where the author might have gotten the idea for the story. Think about things, people, or places that might have been important to the author.

Purpose: At some point in time we all face the challenge of being able to think of a topic on which to write about. However, it is best to remember that

your best writing will come from your mind and your heart. Our writing is more meaningful when we write about what we know or experience in our lives. This is what makes each person’s work unique and unlike any other person’s. Today, I will show you how to make a heart map. A heart map is a way to remember what is in your mind and heart and it’s a place which you can return to when you think you have nothing to write about. It is here where things that make you unique reside and offer you something to write about.

Brainstorm: Think about the things that make you unique, things you like to do, places you like to travel or where you would like to travel, the important

people in your life, or special memories that you might have. What’s in your mind and heart? It could be family, school, a hobby, or anything else. These are big ideas and do not need to reflect one moment in time. Let’s share some things, orally, each of us put on our heart maps.

Model: This is a sample of my own heart map. You do not have to fill it in all at once. It’s okay to revisit and add a few things at a time until its

filled. Keep in mind that you do not have to draw words, you can also sketch within each square or shape of your heart.

Shared/Guided Writing: In a small group of four students share your heart map ideas with others. See what similarities you have with others.

Maybe, you’ll discover something new. Find inspiration, have fun. Ask questions to help your partners formulate ideas. Some questions to help guide your thinking may be:

Who are the special people in your life? Do you have any pets? Are there any places where you go that hold special

memories for you? What things do you like to do?

Independent Writing: Now it’s time to draw your own heart map in your writer’s notebook. After you complete your heart maps think of a small

story from one of the areas you’ve created on your heart map. Feel free to share with a partner. After sharing, write a short entry in your writer’s notebook as well.

Reflection: How can the heart map you’ve created help you think of things to write about. Questions which guide their thinking are:

How can a heart map help you find a writing topic? What will you write about next? What are some stories you have about _____________? (Choose

a section from the map)

Did listening to others share their heart maps give you ideas for your own?

Ideas taken from Chapter 3 Your Turn Lesson 2 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), pp. 68-69).

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Lesson 5: Creating a Hand Map

A hand map is a prewriting technique which helps bring memories to a conscious level.

Hook: The idea is to find a personal narrative that has a deep emotional effect on your targeted grade level. In our case this would be the ninth grade

level. Happy Like Soccer by Maribeth Boelts is our chosen mentor text for this lesson.

Purpose: Within Happy Like Soccer we find the emotions from the viewpoints of two characters, Sierra and her auntie. The emotions felt about the

auntie’s appearance at the soccer games is real and pivotal for Sierra, but it also has a great effect on her aunt’s emotions as well. After we have read Happy Like Soccer we are going to make a list on the board. As we read did you realize how much the emotions of this story played on and how that changed during the telling of the story? When we write it is important to find something specific to focus on so that we have a specific topic on which to concentrate. For this book it would be the soccer game. Today, we are going to use a hand map to find a specific topic on which to write on from this book.

Brainstorm: Turn and talk with a partner. Brainstorm some emotions each of you noticed as we read the book. Afterwards, we come back together

as a whole group and discuss what you’ve noticed. At this point we make a list on the board of the students comments. Being that these emotions are based on two characters it would be a good idea to list the character’s and put the character traits or specific emotions under the relevant character.

Model: I am going to share my own hand map with you which will based on general emotions surrounding the book, but not tied to a specific

character. The emotions I will use are loneliness, fear, sadness, relaxed, happiness, and excitement. These are emotions that we all experience at some time and I feel that all can relate to at some point in their life. After, I have drawn my hand and wrote an emotion on each finger I ask

myself what are things that make me feel these emotions. The results are as follows in the diagram below.

When you begin to write about the emotions you choose consider why you chose those emotions for your hand map. For each of the five emotions

you list you will make one entry per page about that emotion and what you have brainstormed around it.

I like to begin with the date so I know when I first had the original thought. The emotion I choose to do my example notebook entry

from will be excitement.

March 27, 2019Exciting Vacation Times

Excitement to me means having absolutely nothing to do,

but relax. Therefore, I began thinking back to my vacation time in Cozumel, Mexico with my guys and how exciting that trip was. Then I drifted off to camping trips which we had taken or

swimming time at the pool. Lastly, but not least, are the times my son and I spend listening to music while sometimes trying our hand at Karaoke. We loved Karaoke night on the ship.

Shared/Guided Writing: For this lesson, students will create a “whole group” hand map, choosing form the list of emotions and/or character traits and

volunteering ideas that are stated as complete thoughts. Students must use complete phrases or complete sentences.

Examples:

scared-----The whole hill was on fire behind our house.happy-----I will be graduating soon.

nervous---first time I played a solo in my school concert

Independent Writing: Now, pick one description from your hand map and write a short entry about it in your writer’s notebook. You may return to

your hand map to choose a different example if you find yourself having a hard time getting started. You may create more than one hand map and it may take more than one sessions. The teacher should model this. If you make another hand map, try out different emotions or character traits. Make one based on your own life.

Reflection: Students examine their writer’s notebook entries, work-in-progress folders, and portfolio pieces to find examples that started with

ideas from their hand map(s).

What are your opinions about doing a hand map?

How effective is your hand map as a tool for finding specific writing topics?

What kinds of writing seem to spring from your hand maps?

Ideas taken from Chapter 3 Your Turn Lesson 2 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), pp. 70-72).

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c) Lesson 6: Building Content Through Showing Not Telling

Hook: In brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson we can see her emotions coming through in her writing of what i believe. Let’s make a

collaboration of contrasting words that Woodson uses to evoke strong emotions: God versus evolution, the Bible versus the Qur’an, Christmas versus the New World, and these are just a few of the compelling comparisons. However, these contrasts alone evoke power and passion.

Purpose: Woodson does not just tell us that she believes in God or that she believes in evolution. Instead she compares two powerful forces that

contrast each other to the bitter end. Within our world even today these topics and comparisons evoke strong emotions within people. Woodson is taking a brave stand here as she says she believes in both. How can that be? Can you believe in one while still believing the other? Today, we are going to learn to do just what Woodson has done, evoke strong emotion through what we have chosen to compare or

by our choice of words alone. When we do this we make a story more interesting and more believable, through showing not telling.

Brainstorm: In small groups brainstorm a list of emotions that you could show, not tell, that evoke strong feelings. This list could include many things, for

example, it could be excitement, disappointment, anger, sadness, happiness, anxiety, frustration, surprise, loneliness, joy, or

political views, to name a few. Consider how nonverbal cues or actions could show these emotions in a piece of writing.

Model: Now, I am going to share one of my own versions of what i believe with you. We will look at my version and pick out the words which

demonstrate and illicit strong emotions. We will also consider why these words are a good fit for what is being described. In my example you will be able to see what I crossed out of my original version and see what words I implemented to evoke a stronger conviction in my revision. The revision process is a necessary element when evoking strong emotions to demonstrate a point. These are developed over time and word choice is a crucial part of that work.

what i believeafter Jacqueline Woodson

I believe in God and unification.I believe in the Bible and the mysteries it beholds.

I believe in Christmas and the North Pole.I believe that there is hope for humanity

no matter who we are or what we believe in.I believe in the words of my mentor.

I believe in the United Statesand the North

the present and the future.I believe in Hispanic people and

White people unifying together.I believed in unified government, where

protection of rights to;Life, Liberty, and Property

Apply to all.I believe in my dad’s

strong armsAnd my own strong will.I believe in my husband’s

breadth of knowledge and thetoo expensive world

I love to travel.I believe in my grandpa

In an old yellow truck andHardworking people

Refusingto give in to

despair.I believe in

good hearts and good men.I believe in good-luck charms and bad-mitten,

Mozart and Dickson,Tarheels and North Carolina,

observing and learning,long words and short words

I believe in the power of Language.I believe in dreams and

miracles and thisparticular moment called

Destiny.

BADR

Shared/Guided Writing: We are now going to work as a whole group and try to compile a brainstorm list of nonverbal cues or actions which evoke

certain emotions based on the location you choose. Then we are going to create a scene around that emotion. Your choices of where this takes place

is up to you as a class to decide. Your choices are the cafeteria, nurse’s office, classroom, or somewhere else within school grounds.

Independent Writing: Now return to brown girl dreaming and choose a poem which resonates with you and which you can build your own

personal narrative poem which evokes strong emotion. You may choose to do your own what i believe poem.

Reflection: How did this strategy work for you?

How did adding details to show an emotion rather than just tell it make your writing better?

What kinds of words help you show an emotion? (For instance, strong verbs can be used to show actions that indicate anger.)

When is this strategy best used? Are there times when this strategy may not be the most useful?

As you read find other examples as you read independently where authors have used the show, don’t tell strategy and copy them into

your notebooks.

Ideas taken from Chapter 4 Your Turn Lesson 2 (Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017), pp. 104-105).

My plan for taking students through the process of Revising/Editing, Publishing, and Sharing:

I would ask my students to look back through their notebook entries and choose two they thought were their best work. Then I would have them pair up with their peer groups for peer review editing. First, I would have them read each other’s work and decide which of the two pieces they thought that their peer did the best on. Afterwards, I would ask them to review the chosen piece again and look for grammatical mistakes or suggestions that they may offer their peer group partner. Then it would be up to the author to revise their piece before publishing. Once these processes had been done I would take them to a computer lab where they would be asked to type their work into a work document and check for grammatical errors. They could also use other software, if available, to check for grammar mistakes. The final step would be to post their work to a public domain where a wide array of audience could read their work (example: wordpress or scribblit (https://www.scribblitt.com/)).

References

Archer, M. (2016). Daniel finds a poem. Nancy Paulsen Books. New York, NY. USA.

Cisneros, S. (2005). Family pictures Cuadros de familia. Children’s Book Press. San Francisco, CA. USA.

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. Harper Collins Children’s Books. New York, NY. USA.

Dorfman, L. R., & Cappelli, R. (2017). Mentor texts: Teaching writing through children’s literature, K-6. Second Edition. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Fletcher, R., Herschlein, L., Gallagher, B., Portalupi, J. (2001). Writer’s notebook: A place to dream, wonder, and explore. School Talk, 6(4), 1-6.

Hiranandani, V. (2018). The night diary. Dial Books For Young Readers Penguin Young Readers Group. New York, NY. USA.

Oliver, M. (2006). Thirst. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Rosenthal, A. K. (2016). Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal: Not exactly a memoir. New York,NY: Dutton.

Wood, D. (2002). Illustrator Andreasen, D. (2002). A quiet place. Aladdin Paperbacks. New York, NY. USA.

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Puffin Books.

Worth, V. (1994). Illustrator Babbitt, N. (1994). all the small poems and fourteen more. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. New York, NY. USA.