Information Writing - New Resource!

Yahoo!

I just uploaded my new unit, Information Writing, to my TPT store.

In this unit of study, students craft informational books about topics of their choice. Their chapters will feature topic sentences, facts and supporting details, and summary sentences.

This unit of study is organized around 14 big ideas of persuasive texts. The primary goal of the unit of study is to help students become stronger writers. The development of writing skills and strategies are the emphasis.

The 14 sessions include:

1.  Launching The Unit 
2. Learning From Mentor Texts 
3. Identifying Facts 
4. Noticing Text Structure 
5. Introducing Topics
6.  Hooking Readers 
7. Adding Details 
8. Concluding Topics 
9. Adding Text Features 
10. Linking Paragraphs with Transition Words 
11. Enriching Vocabulary (Using Technical Terms) 
12. Detailing Content (Creating A Table of Contents) 
13. Revising and Editing 
14. Publishing and Creating 

Each big idea has been developed into a session, or a lesson plan, which consists of the following:

1.  Anchor Chart(s)
2.  Preparing to Write (Mini-Lesson) 
3. Independent Writing 
4. Partner Share 
5. Reflection

Enjoy this 88 page resource as students delve into and navigate informational texts!

What if? Video

In today's session, we looked at apps and web-based tools to enrich student's understanding of craft and composition. We created What If...? videos to demonstrate how to harvest stories from seed ideas.

Fostering Reading with Technology

Yesterday, I had the privilege of facilitating Fostering Reading with Technology. This workshop was designed for elementary educators and teacher-librarians who wished to explore how the thoughtful integration of technology can enhance deeper comprehension and fluency of read texts. We closely examined how digital technologies can positively impact students’ literacy skills, personal expression and creativity, and facilitate collaboration and differentiation.