Memoir Publishing Party!!

Last Friday was my students' 5th grade Memoir Publishing Party.

Last Wednesday, I was collecting the students' memoirs, just two days before the scheduled Friday Publishing Party. Suddenly I realized I needed to publish these as a class collection. They had worked so hard to combine all they knew about narrative writing and all they knew about essay writing and had now written amazing memoirs. So, I stayed Wednesday late and got the copiers going! After making a cover, I ran 30 copies of each for my four classes. The collections were between 30-40 pages each, making it hard to staple together so I stopped at Staples to buy a new stapler that staples up to 60 pages. By Thursday night, I had a memoir book to distribute to each 5th grader at the publishing party.

On Thursday, we practiced for Friday by reading our memoir aloud with a partner. Our partner's job was to listen and ensure that we used expression and used a loud enough voice. Then the listener practiced asking questions using the questioning cards. I modeled this first by reading my memoir with LOTS of expression and answering the questions from the comment cards politely.

I also asked who thought they would have a parent or grandparent come. I spent Thursday night (after stapling was done) making groups. I wanted to group the kids into 6 groups - 4 in the classroom spread out across the classroom and then 2 groups in the hallway. By being spread out, my hope was all could hear the reader. And I wanted to ensure that at least one parent was with each group.






I prepared this handout for the parents because I also wanted them to share a memory during the Publishing Party. All who enter my room get to be writers!

Friday was my favorite celebration yet!! WHY?

* I loved that there was time for each kid to read their entire meaningful memoir aloud.
* I love that so many parents/grandparents came (even my sister and mom came!)
* I love that the adults shared meaningful memories with their table group with many even writing very moving 6-word memoirs!
* I loved hearing students and parents say so many specific comments about how a writer crafted their memoir.
* I loved all the smiles each student-reader had as they listened to their table group's comments about their writing.
* I loved that the table groups started to sound a bit like a book club discussion...and the "book" being discussed was authored by one of my students...so powerful!!

a memoir

My 5th graders are writing memoirs right now. 

Here is the memoir I wrote while guiding them through their memoir unit of study.

Chores Can Also Bring Positive Energy

By Mrs. Donnelly

 “I can’t right now. I have to drive my mom and her friends to a luncheon,” I reminded my husband. I would much rather go hang out with him but I couldn’t that day. Instead, I had, what I call, a chore to do - chauffeuring my mother and her friends. I often have chores to do. Looking back on all my time spent doing chores, I realize something. Chores sound boring. Chores can be tiring.  Chores can take up my time, time I’d rather being doing something else. However, I realized now looking back, that many unexpected experiences often occur while doing chores. And because of the unexpected, I sometimes end my chore time actually feeling energized.

For example, there was the time I gave my mother and her friends a ride downtown. I thought it would just be a boring ride. I knew I'd have to fight the downtown traffic. It also was a chore that took me away from spending a Saturday afternoon with my husband. On a beautiful Saturday last May, I was tasked with driving my 80-year old mother and her friends to a birthday luncheon at a restaurant in downtown D.C.. All those in the car, including my mom, had grown up in D.C. As we passed landmarks, they shared their memories while I drove and listened.

“How did we survive without AC?” my mother said to all in the car as we drove in my air-conditioned Subaru when the temperature on the dashboard read 92 degrees.

“My brother and I would go to Rock Creek Park and sleep there overnight on hot days,” one woman replied. “You probably can’t do that today.”

“You just camped out?” I asked, thinking how that doesn’t sound like a safe thing to do.

“It was a different time and the park, with all those trees, was so much cooler on a hot night,” she answered.

“That house reminds me of Dr. Brennan’s row house on my block,” another said as she pointed to a row house with a corner tower on its right side. “His house was the first with an indoor bathroom.”

“Your house didn’t have indoor plumbing?” I asked.

“Not until I started school,” she replied. “I remember we were all a little skeptical about using an inside bathroom. We were used to the outhouse.”

“That’s where I use to get the bus to ride back home after school,” a third friend said pointing to a street corner. “I remember once my mom gave me a dime to ride the bus home. But I wanted to buy candy from the candy store instead. So I did. Then I stood at the bus stop and pretend-cried. A lady asked me why I was crying and I said I’d lost my dime and can’t ride the bus. She felt sorry for me and gave me a dime.” Laughter filled the car after hearing that third story.

I kept driving the car through the city with these friends who grew up in a different time. I loved hearing how different the city was 70 years ago. I loved hearing how different these women’s lives were from mine. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the restaurant, completing my driving chore. However, instead of feeling tired or annoyed, I actually felt energized. I helped out a group of ladies and in return, I enjoyed their stories.

Looking back at my life, I realize I spend lots of my time doing chores. Sure, I say I would rather be spending my time doing other things. But now, I must admit that my time spent helping others through chores, leaves me feeling energized.

Before That...a poem written by Pigeon who finds a hot dog

Before That

by Pigeon 

 Pigeon and Duckling share a hot dog while Pigeon realizes that the Duckling is very clever!

Before that, Pigeon states all the many, many reasons why this is his hot dog and why he should eat the whole thing by himself.

Before that, Duckling asks if a hot dog tastes like chicken (for the second time), 

using a very curious voice.

Before that, Pigeon goes berserk due to all the staring and questions from Duckling.

Before that, the Duckling asks if a hot dog tastes like chicken (for the first time).

Before that, Pigeon tells Duckling he should really try tasting a hot dog.
He says it in a very poetic way - a hot dog is a “celebration in a bun”
but reminds Duckling that this is HIS hot dog.

Before that, Duckling says he hasn’t tasted a hot dog before and innocently asks about its taste.

Before that, Pigeon tells Duckling that the food in his hand is called a hotdog.

 Before that, the Pigeon finds a hotdog and is very, very excited to eat it all by himself. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I see this poetry form as another way for a student to RETELL a story. 

Why not start at the end and go backwards!

I will admit, I read and reread this book MANY times in order to write this poem accurately. 

What a fun way to encourage multiple close reads!!

Beginning the TUESDAY SOL habit - Writing Poetry in Reading Workshop

Spoiler alert... 

If you haven't read the novels Rain, Reign by Ann Martin or Wonder by R.J. Palacia, 

READ THEM! 

and then you can appreciate my poems!

It is only Thursday and I awoke thinking about a Poetry PD I am planning for my district in May and I thought about the new poetry forms I learned this year during the 2015 SOL Challenge - Currently and Before That. Then I thought about the current read-aloud in my classroom - Rain Reign and Wonder before that (already I am thinking like a poet!).  So here I am on a Thursday morning drafting out what Rose, the character in Rain, Reign might write if she were writing one of these poetry forms. Also, I'll try one by Auggie from Wonder and then post this on Tuesday, my first TUESDAY (not during March) SOL! Yes, I'm going to make Tuesday SOL slicing my new thing to do! Thank you, TwoWritingTeachers for the opportunity and the nudge.

Writing Poetry in Reading Workshop
I see poetry as being a perfect way to let readers show their comprehension of a character. It allows the reader/writer to stand in the shoes of a character and share a synthesis in a fun, creative way. It could also be used during a biography unit or in Social Studies or Science to synthesis content material. I find that kids like writing poetry because it is quicker and seems easier because less words are often used. When a poetry form, like Currently or Before That is involved, they definitely can try it and feel successful.

Here's my attempt to use the Currently Poetry Form written as characters in two read-alouds:

1. This is written from the perspective of the main character in Rain Reign by Ann Martin on the day that Rose returns to school after being off from school due to Superstorm Hurricane Susan - the place I am in the book now with my students.

Currently

...standing alone on the porch awaiting my ride to school

...running to(two, too) Uncle Weldon's truck 

...adding packed/pact to my homonym list

...sharing my plan to get Rain (Reign) back by describing my map with rings, the list of phone numbers and my code (like CB) with Uncle Weldon as he follows all the driving rules while driving me to school

...chanting a string of prime numbers in(inn) my head as I'm a little nervous to return to school after the storm

by: Rose


2. This is written from the perspective of the characters in Wonder by R.J. Palacio at the end of Auggie's school graduation

Currently
 ...Auggie is walking up onto the stage after his name is called for winning the Beecher Prep MS Award

...Mr. and Mrs. Pullman are wiping the tears of joy from their cheeks as they realize that overcoming their fears of allowing their unique son to leave home and attend school, though scary, was definitely the right choice to make

...Via is jumping up and down, clapping proudly and realizing that others now are able to see beyond Auggie's physical deformities

...Charlotte, Summer, Jack Will are clapping and whooping as they realize how wonderful their school year has been, thanks to Auggie

...Julian is at home packing, as his family decided he did not need to attend the school ceremony, especially since he is not returning to the school and he is preparing to fly to France to see his grandmother

...Auggie's grandmother is looking down from heaven saying "Amen" and is feeling very proud of her daughter, son-in-law and grandkids who act so bravely every day

...Auggie is smiling, looking out at the sea of standing classmates and parents of classmates, thinking he will send this precept to Mr. Brown: "Everyone should have a standing ovation once in their life!"


by: The Characters in Wonder

March 31 - I did it, 2nd year in a row!!

This year, I wasn't so worried.

Not like last year. Last year was my first year doing this challenge. Last year, I was worried. I wasn't sure about the technology. Could I post a blog entry daily? Would I have a topic to write about every day? Would I have time to read and leave a comment? Would anyone give me a comment?

This year, I made 31 entries.
I gave at least three comments every day.
I did it!!
And I received 128 comments.

I wasn't expecting how much the comments would mean to me - both getting them and giving them. The process involved in commenting is so powerful. When reading others' slices, I noticed the craft moves made and thought about whether I could try this same craft move in my writing. I especially noticed what craft moves made me laugh or cry and then tried to write to elicit similar emotions. I would notice possible genres and structures of writing I could try. Without reading other slices, my slices would have been same old, same old. Probably all small moments.

But instead, I wrote:
3 poems
2 letters
5 memoirs
4 reviews
4 essays
3 informational pieces
and 10 small moments.

I spent lots of time revising and editing. This year I consciously tried to add hyperlinks and photos. I can now use the "LINK" button and photo button in blogspot! I can point to many places in my writing where the word choice and the structure and the elaboration are stronger than my writing from last March. A part of me feels surprised by this reflection. Yet, another part hears the saying "You get better at writing by writing." Of course, you do!

I can't thank the TwoWritingTeachers enough. Thank you for providing this space for a community of writers to gather. Thank you to all who left me comments. They gave me the energy to keep going. Thank you to my friends who did the challenge with me - Scott, Mary, Fran and Marilyn - I loved getting to know you all more through your stories and having your actually physical presence gave me energy to keep going. And know I can add Tara and Fran and Catherine to this list as I have met you too, though briefly! Finally, thank you to the 5th grade Janney students. So many of you wrote optional small moment stories and that also gave me energy to keep going.

Though I independently wrote and posted daily to the blog, I am so grateful that I could be together with so many SOL writers. As I celebrate today with my students - An Orange Party complete with the wearing of orange clothing and eating orange food - Scrabble Chees-its), I plan to show the scene from the movie The Wizard of Oz. That moment when Dorothy gets hit in her bedroom during the twister and then awakes, walks to the front door of her house and opens the door. Suddenly, the screen goes from black and white to vibrant techno-color! She begins to walk with Toto and says, "I'm not in Kansas anymore." Being part of a writing community has this same feeling - during March, as I wrote daily, I was so many other places. Just as Dorothy, I was on an adventure that only writing my stories can lead!!

Thank you Fran! I LOVE the roses!!!

March 30 - Before That

I entered my house, sat down on the couch, and closed my eyes for a moment, before making dinner

Before that, I walked my homeroom class downstairs for afternoon dismissal

Before that, I reminded M to pass out his birthday donuts, but "just to those students who are sitting and writing"

Before that, my homeroom class and I stood, according to height and said "Cheese" as the visiting photographer took our class photo for the school yearbook

Before that, my homeroom class listened to the writing mini-lesson and began to write independently

Before that, I sat next to O from Ms F class who has trouble focusing and when his pencil stopped, I said another prompt, to keep him writing ("For example...another example...I realize...Some people think...But I think....")

Before that, I sat with the team and the administration to discuss a prank-texting occurrence by some students

Before that, I took bites of my lunch while writing sub plans as tomorrow I need to be out

Before that, I sat with the 5 students from Ms L's class who did not put up their thumb when they heard "Thumbs up if you know what memory you want to write about now in your notebook" and I brainstormed with these 5 writers, until all had a story to go off and write

Before that, I watched the district evaluator come through my door after the first group of writing students arrived and my heart began to beat a bit faster, even though I had control of the first writing class of the day and had an engaging lesson ready to deliver

Before that, I was greeted by A who said, "Good Morning, Mrs. Donnelly. I am rooting for Duke" and I greeted F by saying, "Good Morning, F. I am rooting for UVA"

Before that, I turned the alarm off at 5:23am, showered, dressed, grabbed breakfast at Starbucks and drove to school, ready for a fun, busy day

Before that, I plugged in my phone that read Sunday - 11:11pm next to my bed, feeling ready to start a week of generating memoir ideas with my students during Writing Workshop

March 29 - Highlights of my day at TCRWP 88th Saturday Reunion

1. Kathy Collins suggested a way to know more about a reader is to look at a reader's SHELFIE - a photo of the stack of books they recently have read. What can we infer about this reader? Who in the room do you think matches THIS "Shelfie" photo? This reminds me of tweeting out this picture of my kindle of what I read over Winter Break:

What does this tell you about ME, the reader of these four books?

2. Lucy has me wanting to teach READING again (presently, I teach 5th grade writing). The grade-level specific Reading Units of Study come out in a few months (click HERE foor info ) and she gave a workshop overview of them. She reminded us that both reading and writing need to be taught differently now in the 21st century. Then she challenged us: What are the pathways of my teaching to get students to read in this new way? She suggested in her hour workshop doing three things:
* Kids need to be assessed in reading using a running record and the data needs to be used and valued. It can be an informal RR - as they read their own book, listen and note their rate and miscues and then tell the reader what level of book to read.
* Running Records aren't enough. Performance assessments (developed and included in the new Reading Units of Study!) based on a progression of reading skills need to be used. This provides a clear pathway for a reader to know what they are able to do and what needs to be done. How to get better at a skill is named and known because the progressions name the skill, grade by grade so a skill can be deliberately practiced!

"Deliberate practice of a skill makes us better, not just doing a skill."

*Writing About Reading - we need to show HOW to write about reading in Reading Workshop. Mentor texts showing how the writing of a post-it needs to be shared and displayed so when writers stop to jot, they are using this non-reading time wisely.

3. Kylene Beers - this was my first first hearing this funny, smart voice of literacy. A Texan, she was appropriately wearing very cool red cowboy boots! I was able to get a seat for her first workshop on Fiction. As I was leaving, the line to get in was 3x as big as the room. All wanted to hear about her new book coming out - Notes and Notices for reading Nonfiction which she talked about in the next session.

In this session, she walked us through the Six Signposts to look for when reading fiction. I honestly have not taught using this language but I own her book and have skimmed it. Hearing her, it makes perfect sense to me as to why it works. As Ellin Keene got readers to notice what THEY were doing as they read (connecting, questioning, inferring, etc), Kylene tells us to notice what is happening to the CHARACTER and to pay close attention when the character acts out of character or has an ah-ha moment. Notice when another character asks a tough question of the character. Notice when something keeps appearing or is repeated again and again. When these moments are noticed, the reader is sure to get what the author is really saying through this book. Kylene's strategies build on how I thought about reading comprehension and I need to actually READ her whole book and get her new Nonfiction book coming out soon.

She also had us read a poem called Forgive My Guilt by Robert Tristram Coffin (read it here)
With a partner, we were to fill in the chart Somebody-Wanted-But-So for the narrator and for the birds. Then she asked for volunteers to share sentences written. She asked us: Was the hunting deliberate? Accidental? What is the text evidence? She had us notice words we didn't immediately know, like frostflower, headland, plover, and quicksilver. This summary lesson still has me thinking about this poem! And such a simple strategy - using SWBS chart!

4. Shana Frazin - Help Students Love Rehearsal, Revision and Checklists: Tap the Power of Merging Joy with Assessment. She joked that the real title is Turning the Titanic! She walked us through an inquiry lesson on What is Revision? After stating what we know, she told us to look at some writing and to notice: 1) what revision work did the writer make? 2) how did the revision affect us, the audience? 3) as educators, what was the teaching that happened between the two pieces of writing
Here's two of the before/after writing pieces she shared:

The last part of the inquiry asked us to complete this sentence: I used to think that revision was ___ and now I think revision is ____.

A gem that she shared at the end was a way to help the checklists work better for student writers.
She reminded us of the brilliance of the writing checklists - the same 3 categories (structure, development and conventions) across the three genres (narrative, NF, and essay) and the same skills with in each category. Maybe to help our students, we hang 3 charts up, one for each category. In the first column, we list the skill (the part of their writing, like lead), the middle column, we add the words from the checklist that is the grade-level expectation of this part. Then in the last column, we add an example. We talk about if this example meets the expectation and why.

WOW - Shana - you are SO clear. I'll be tweeting the charts I make and how the Revision Inquiry lesson goes with my 5th graders next week as I'm determined to turn this lesson you taught me around with my students!

5. Mary - Good to Great Pathways and Ladders for Strong Writers so They May Become Extraordinary - Teaching in a school with lots of great writers, I loved hearing from Mary ways to help these top students. As she said, often these are the kids who get the least attention because a teacher's time gets sucked up by the struggling writers. Yet, these strong writers deserve attention so they don't just get good but can become brilliant writers.

Basics:
* Make sure you actually confer with them
* Pair them up with other STRONG writers
* Suggest meeting with them at extra times or outside of class - give them the encouragement and the opportunity to work hard on this skill that they are strong in
* Offer them tools - the checklist at the next higher grade, a different mentor text, different inquiry questions

Strategy
* Show them how to draft an entirely different draft - use a different style, write it for a different audience, try the 1st paragraph 5 different ways. She reminded us that this is the strategy suggested by Don Murray, Steven King and Mark Twain!

* Do serious and open ended inquiry work with a mentor text.
For example, use technology - she showed us the music video of Wake me Up by Avicii and asked us to think about the work the author is doing with SETTING. How is the setting important?
Click here to watch Wake Me Up  Then she played it again, turning off the sound and voicing over a story as the images appear emphasizing the setting. Then she suggested: Now try this SETTING WORK in your writing. Mary - you are so brilliant!!

6. Final Keynote by Kylene Beers
I feel lucky that I got a seat in Riverside church as my one friend stopped to use the bathroom and got closed out and could come in. The nave and both balconies were filled. As I read tweets afterwards, Amanda Hartman tweeted "4,000 people today, wow!" This was my 12th reunion - I've come every Fall and Spring following my first Summer Institute in 2009. It definitely felt more crowded. More and more, teachers want to learn HOW to do literacy work well. And in my opinion (and probably the opinion of the 4,000 around me yesterday), TCRWP is THE place to learn.

Kylene opened by pondering What do I believe about teaching?

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."

She then gave a brief overview of the history of education in America. She pointed out that literacy has always been tied to wealth. First, you were considered literate if you could sign your name, sometimes just by making an X.  Next, great penmanship was valued (clearly, the poorest didn't have time to write using beautiful penmanship). Then great speeches and poetry recitation. During WWI, the assembly line led to analysis and things like diagraming sentences and cliff notes. But now, she remarked, instead of taking things apart, we need to put things together. 

We need education practices to not just be interesting, but to be relevant. She suggested we need CHOICE, a curriculum based on more than tests, and that through literature we teach COMPASSION. Only than can those with power through literacy can use their privilege to learn how to navigate life well. 

7. Meeting Slicers at The Kitchette!! Hi Tara, Catherine and Fran!!

Far right is Fran - see her reunion reflection HERE

Middle is Catherine - see her blog HERE

Far left is Tara - see her blog HERE

So glad I went to the TCRPW 88th Saturday Reunion.

So glad I know it is worthwhile to spend all day learning on a Saturday, miles away from my home.

So glad I have a place to write about it here to share these great ideas with others who also believe that teaching literacy well is important.