My students are working on designing a paragraph visually. Beginning writers often have a hard time putting their thoughts on paper. BUT students at this age are drawn to graphics/drawing. I began by brainstorming my favorite vacation with the students. My final consensus-Ireland, July 2008. I brought in items from my trip for the students to look at, and then I showed them my graphic web of ideas. I used the 6 W's and turned my ideas into a picturesque graphic organizer using drawing/paint tools. Then I turned my students loose:
Step 1 - What is your favorite vacation?
Step 2 - Create your graphic web using drawing/paint tools.
Step 3 - Fill in your deli sandwich graphic organizer which transforms the pictures into descriptive words
Step 4 - Write a rough draft paragraph in their Writer's Notebook
Step 5 - Conference with me
Step 6 - Final draft in cursive.
My students are learning so much and having fun doing it! What is so great about this assignment is that when we come back from back from break, they are going to write about their spring break vacation in friendly letter format (paragraph) to a person of choice. They will learn how to address letters, etc. Extending lessons into other areas of learning is very important! I wasn't sure how my class was going to take off with this writing lesson, but they are doing great! The hardest part may be that there is only one of me and 21 of them, so spreading myself out when they have questions can be tricky. But I certainly put those early finishers to work helping those around them get through tough spots...
Terrific! You are combining all of these great elements as scaffolding for their project. I love the use of drawing/paint tools as a step towards helping them with the words. It gives them the chance to design visually with the graphic web and the deli sandwich organizer. (We call it the McParagraph) I also like your use of other students to become the "experts" and help out. Good life skills. :-)
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