http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=75
I really like this lesson. In my internship right now, my 7th grade classes have been working on writing. North Carolina requires 7th graders to have a Writing Portfolio, and submit 2 Research Papers and 2 On-Demand Papers throughout the year. My cooperating teacher has been talking with me about how difficult it is to teach writing, as compared to teaching reading. I like this lesson because it helps students understand the power in their word choice. This lesson helps students look at connotation by providing them a chance to identify how certain words can give a weaker or more powerful connotation. This lesson is fun and creative in that students look at the names of cars and connect what those names mean to the particular car it is attached to (example: strong car names- Mustang, Thunderbird, Charger…weaker car names- Rabbit, Pinto, Colt). I would use this mini-lesson when students have written a bigger piece of writing. We would use this lesson before students revise their writings. After doing this, students should be able to go through their writings and revise and edit words to put stronger vocabulary in, to paint a better picture and make their writings better for their readers!
I also love this lesson. In my previous placement in a 7th grade writing class I certainly encountered many students who had no idea what power their words could hold. I saw the same words being used over and over. This would allow students a chance to examine their own writing and improve it using these concepts.
–Amanda Klinger
I never thought about it being harder to teach writing than reading, but I can see where she would say that now. I like how this concentrates on the value of words, and teaching students those values.
Jessica
Jami,
I have recently heard that teaching writting is hard. I have no idea how I would begin to teach a student how to write. I don’t even know how I was taught.
I think a major step in writing is reading, and then you can mimic what you read. If students are not reading, I have no idea how you would get them to understand a proper writting style.
I think that it is great that you found a way that it can be fun and exciting.
I hope this works well in your classroom.
Lianna Beard
This is a great lesson! I’m glad you posted it, I can see myself using this. Thanks for providing the examples. I’m a little slow and they helped.
haha