It’s True: If you don’t use it you lose it
Inquiry:
I want to run a writing/reading workshop but I am not sure how to do that and still
keep the students on task?
How do I give them choice to make it meaningful and relevant while still covering
the standards?
How would I teach grammar in a meaningful way?
Rationale:
I am demonstrating a strategy that I used for framing writing in my
classroom. I am specifically highlighting teaching grammar and it’s use in writing. I
am framing the aspects of grammar as a way of enriching and adding to students
writing. I am showing one aspect of what Harry Noden called the “brush strokes” for
writing (Noden). By teaching the different aspects of grammar through application
research shows that students actually remember the use of it more than simple
worksheets that are meaningless drill. The rationale behind this is that if students
can use the different constructions then it does not matter if they know the technical
terms behind them or the rules, but rather what is important is that they can use
them.
Plan:
1. Write the story of a bad break up and write entire story from beginning to end in
3 minutes.
2. Share stories with small group
3. Showing vs. Telling (Across the Universe Clip)
4. GO through a few examples (LAMP HISTORY ALPHA)
5. Would have students complete 10-15 sentences and go over in class
6. MODEL MY PARTICIPLES
7. Have students go to their drafts and add at least 2 participles for detail
8. Share your stories now
9. COULD HAVE Switch papers see if the other person can find your phrases
10. Show brushstrokes (BRUSH STROKES 2009)
Standards:
10.6 Students write using Standard English Conventions
Extensions:
More of the authors of the students actually read as examples of the participles.
Take a common passage, and take out participles and see the difference
Give them common texts and add brushstrokes to the text and see the difference
Trade and circle/ identify participles
Showing that they already use them in their writing
Attach the brushstrokes to standards
Draw the brushstrokes…. description
Switch papers and draw before the bruhstrokes, and draw after the brushstrokes
Comic life- using computers create the same image through comic strips???
Reflection on Demonstration:
I think that the one thing that I got out of performing the demonstration in
front of the workshop was that I need to do a little more refining in the examples,
and definitions that I present to my class. Several of the extensions that people gave
me were to use different examples, especially from authors/ texts that the students
are already familiar with before hand. I think that this is a great idea because it
allows students to see how the constructions truly are used.
Also, the idea of showing the students the technique beforehand and then
giving them the name of the construction almost as an afterthought is an approach
that I had not thought of before. By doing this, I would take the pressure off of the
students that get hung up on the names of constructions. Also, it allows for students
just to play around with the construction instead of getting hung up on labeling it
ect…
All of these allow for a more deliberate and a more meaningful way of
teaching grammar constructions to students.