Encouraging Students to Embrace Their Inner Author
Victoria
L. Jasztal
SUBJECT: Writing, Writing Process, Publishing
GRADE: Grades 3-5
DURATION: Two months
Research
has proven that granting students the freedom to write about the topics of
their choice provides them greater opportunities to emerge as an author. From
time to time, I go through the papers I saved from my school years to locate
publishing projects, creative writing attempts, school newspaper articles, and
research reports I once took pride in as a young author. Seeing how my own
confidence emerged when my teachers encouraged me to develop original prose, I
decided to develop a unit that helped my students to embrace themselves as
authors.
A student shares her published piece at our class’ Young
Author celebration with a reporter from The Tampa Tribune- Hernando Today.
OBJECTIVE
- Students will compose a
piece of creative writing with the desire to publish it in our classroom.
- Students will revise
their writing with the encouragement of classmates, teacher, and “expert
editors”.
- Students will create
illustrations for the different parts of their story.
A
student works on illustrating the cover of his blank book at the start of the
publishing stage.
LESSONS
FOR THIS UNIT
Lesson 1: Embracing Different Genres of
Writing
http://teachingvision.org/resources/encouragingwriters/1.pdf
Lesson 2: Preparing for Your First Draft
http://teachingvision.org/resources/encouragingwriters/2.pdf
Lesson 3: Developing Your First Draft
http://teachingvision.org/resources/encouragingwriters/3.pdf
Lesson 4: Revising Your Draft
http://teachingvision.org/resources/encouragingwriters/4.pdf
Lesson 5: Developing Illustrations and Text
Features for Your Writing
http://teachingvision.org/resources/encouragingwriters/5.pdf
REPRODUCIBLES
Different Genres
of Writing to Consider (PDF)
Student Writing
Example- Flaming Fury (PDF)
Peer Checklist
for Revising (PDF)
The Judging
Panel- Having Individuals Critique Your Writing (PDF)
CULMINATING
ACTIVITY
The primary goal I have for this unit is for my
students to produce original prose in which they can take pride. Students receive
blank books after developing their text features and illustrations, using acid free
scrapbooking glue or tape to adhere the papers to the pages. I did not include that
part of the project in the lesson plans because it is quite self-explanatory.
The culminating activity I have for this unit is a
Young Author’s Celebration, where the students share their stories with one
another, members of the community, and other classes at the school. Students by
then have their published books, bound in a white blank book with their
original illustrations and additional text features.
Sharing
Stories with One Another:
Students take the Author’s Chair to share their novels with one
another. Each student’s sharing time can be recorded and
copied onto a DVD to be kept as a keepsake.
Sharing
Stories with the Community:
Our class holds a “Press Conference” when invited members from the
community (such as newspaper reporters or the school principal) come to hear
about our published books. I read the books thoroughly first so I know an ample
amount of information about the characters and plot. I ask the students
questions, such as:
- What inspired you to write your book?
- Is your book based on a true event?
- Your book is still in the process of being written. Where do you
think you will head next with your plot?
- If you were to write a sequel, where would you start off in the
next novel?
- Classmates also ask questions.
Sharing
with the Other Classes at the School: Our class invites a
few classes from different grade levels to join us for a portion of the Young
Author’s celebration (this past year, it was a first- and third-grade class we
chose). The purpose of inviting classes from other grade levels was to prove to
my students that they are role models, both through behavior and achievement.
For the first-grade class, we invited the class to sit in our classroom library
as we shared one published novel for them that was age-appropriate. Other
students then shared some of the illustrations and text features they
developed, such as maps. With older classes, grades 3-5, your class can put
their books on display and have the visitors glance through their novels.
Awarding
Books: Traditionally, I have selected students to
receive the Newbery Honor award for Jasztalville. However, I may lean to give
individualized awards for each student, such as:
- Best Memoir/Real-Life Account
- Best Villain/Antagonist
- Strongest Hero/Protagonist
- Most Suspenseful Story
- Story That Can Become a Film
Of course, this is not a definitive list. Have fun
thinking about the personalities of your students as you develop your awards!
Honorary
Breakfast: To jump start our celebration, we had an
honorary breakfast where the students cooked pancakes and bacon as well as
served juice, muffins, and fruit.
SUPPORTING
BOOKS
Books
for Encouraging Young Authors
Grades: 3, 4, 5
|
Look at My Book: How Kids Can Write & Illustrate Terrific Books
by Loreen Leedy (Paperback - April 2005) |
|
You Have to Write
by Janet S. Wong (Author), Teresa Flavin
(Illustrator) |
|
Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices (Paperback)
by Ralph Fletcher (Author) |
|
How to Write Your Life Story (Paperback)
by Ralph Fletcher (Author) |
|
