Persuasive Writing

Here is a class chart we created together discussing the pros and cons of homework.  Once we brainstormed them, we filled in our OREO to guide our shared writing.  The discussions around whether there should be homework or not was enlightening!

Persuasive Writing

 This was the first time I used the OREO (opinion, reason, explanation/example, opinion restated) graphic organizer to guide students in writing a persuasive essay.  To begin with, after reading the book, "I Wanna Iguana", the students brainstormed ideas about what they wanted or things they wanted to change.  After generating their lists and discussing reasons they could use to persuade someone, they started to write some rough drafts in their journals.


Once students became comfortable with using the OREO and writing persuasive letters, we transferred that skill to our unit in social studies on the Pilgrims.

Students were asked to state opinion as to whether or not other family members should come to join them in the New World.  We put together a class anchor chart of pros and cons about coming to the New World.

 
Students then took a position and wrote a letter back home to a family member.

Here are some examples of their writing.

They made a wonderful hall display right around Thanksgiving.

Writing Folders

Using two pocket folders taped together, I created a way for students to manage the writing process.

The first pocket is for the pre-write (AKA: graphic organizer).  The second pocket is for their first draft (AKA: sloppy copy).  The third is for revision and the last pocket is for editing before publishing.  We use these folders when we want to take one of our journal writes and bring it through the whole writing process.  These worked out very nicely and lasted all year.

Writing/ Show, Don't Tell

During the process of writing our personal narratives, we studied how author's engaged their readers.  One of the most powerful strategies writers use is to 'show' their thoughts and feelings as opposed to just 'telling' them.  Here is an anchor chart created with students to help them understand this concept.

When creating these charts, I modeled through a 'think aloud' how someone might 'look' if they were sad.  Then I asked students to share how someone might 'look' when they were happy.  Students then worked in partners to develop words or phrases to 'show' anger.  By the time we got to the rest of the words, the students were off and  flying!  (This was over the course of several days.)

It was so exciting when I began to see students using some of the showing examples in their own stories.  Samples of student work coming soon!

Planting the seed in writing

Here is a writing activity that went very smoothly. Students were given multiple opportunities to read about plants, their parts and how the parts all function together to ensure their survival. Vocabulary was woven into lessons as well as 'dressing' bare bone sentences. Once the theme, idea, and mechanics were heavily implanted, we began our write. We chose to use a basic outline format for the graphic organizer. We implemented the gradual release of responsibility to teach and produce this outline.

Students were then asked to write an expository essay explaining how the various functions of a plant worked together to help it survive. The results were spectacular! Here is a sample of some of the third graders' work.

When students were finished, their writes were assembled into a book, and put into the reading center for all to enjoy.

Interesting Leads

"Would you stand in the front line of a battle?" "What kind of a person would you do business with?" These are some of the interesting leads our third grade students came up with to 'hook' the reader! Each student choose a famous historical figure from the American Revolution and was asked to write about one of their character traits with supporting evidence from their research. Students then had to 'hook' the reader with an interesting lead. A great way to write a report through the lens of character traits.

"What would it be like to be a scientist?" Read about Benjamin Franklin and find out what it takes to be a famous inventor.

"Do you know who the first African American poet was? Well, it was Phillis Wheatley...."