Writing Camp: Fishing for Stories

  Our last two days of writing camp this week focused on using real life events and sketching to generate details in our stories.  We took the boys fishing.  I know, me, fishing ; o )  Live worms and all!

After a morning of fishing we sat out on the back patio and spent some time talking about it.  I gave the boys an opportunity to really think about the experience and steered the conversation toward the details of the trip.   The next day we met again and spent some time sketching our stories.

As the boys were drawing they began to talk about the details they remembered and would then add them into their sketches.  When it came time to write they had written their stories with lots of interesting details and even some interesting embellishments that took their stories into the fiction genre ; o )

Of course the goal was to get to the digital publishing.  The kids love to see their work on-line and read the comments they receive!

All in all it was a fantastic week of writing : o )

Little Cottage Writing Camp

This week I am teaching a writing camp for boys.  I have always been interested in how boys write, why most seem to hate writing, and how to get them hooked on writing.  Two books that I highly recommend to better understand the differences between boy writers and girl writers are Real Boys by William Pollack and Boy Writers by Ralph Fletcher.
If you teach writing and think that there are no differences between boys and girls you are sadly mistaken.  I have observed that girls tend to write about relationships and feelings while using a lot of dialogue.  Boys on the other hand write about action/doing and use a lot of descriptive words.  Boys also love to write about fighting, poop, farting, blood and just about any other body function/fluid you can think of.  One of the main points that stuck with me from Ralph Fletcher's book was that because most of us who teach writing are girls we tend to try and make our boys write more like girls.  That's like trying to get your cat to act more like a dog.  Not an easy task to undertake, and not beneficial to the cat in any way.
So this week is all about doing and then writing about it.  Monday we did some investigating into our origins of our name then wrote about it.  We studied rocks, wrote descriptives, then had to guess who had what rock based on that description.  Tuesday we visited the splash pad- gross motor movement and water!  As the boys ran through the water features I asked (from the sidelines) ways that they could describe what they were experiencing, what the water reminded them of, what games they were playing/imagining and so on.  The result?  Writing.  Lots and lots of great writing.  They wrote about the dead bird we saw on the sidewalk, the splash pad, even the cookies my mom made for them to have as a snack.  It was a great success and the boys were excited to share their writing with each other.

Today we will be writing a how to piece.  We will be making milkshakes and then generating descriptive words to create writing that would explain what a milkshake tastes like to someone who had never had one along with the steps on how to make a milkshake.  Thursday will find us "fishing for stories".....yep, live worms and all : o )

back to work...

I hosted a luncheon for my new third grade team last week. I love to entertain, but sadly get to do little of it during the school year. I decided on serving chopped salad with homemade balsamic vinigarette, fresh baked french rolls, bananna pudding, raspberry tea and homemade lemonade.

We had a nice lunch and got to spend a little time getting to know each other better. I am excited for the new year and new challenges at work. I love learning new things, and since I will be teaching third grade (self contained) I know that I will!

In other news, my birthday present to myself showed up on my doorstep yesterday...love : o )

Also, stumbled on this picture and I think Travis is excited about a new project in the Bear's room:

No rest for the weary...

I am presenting at a conference tomorrow and Tuesday on technology in the classroom.   Our topic is Blogging & Glogging in the classroom.  I'm excited, but a bit on the nervous side.  This is a big conference!
Wednesday & Thursday will find me at math training: Number Talks in the Classroom.  I am still having a hard time wrapping my brain around calling myself a math teacher.
Late Thursday I am meeting with a group of teachers to head up a book study on Hidden Gems by Katherine Bomer.  Love her! We are meeting at my neighborhood pool...trying to fuse learning and summer.
Friday is a meeting to quilt...more on that later!
Saturday is my EC-6th generalist teaching exam....I found out this week that I aced my Special Education exam : o )  Now I am ESL, GT & Special Ed...a full circle.

Next week is Science Institute...but only 3 days worth and I will get my GT update hours as well as certification to have and handle animals in my classroom.  (Another thing I am trying to wrap my brain around!)

Life is good...

Locked in...

We are having a lock in at the school tonight. All the teachers, all night. Lesson planning, bulletin board prepping, room arranging, sharing...and pizza : )

I love the beginning of school!

Coming together...

I worked in my room yesterday afternoon for about three hours after my class let out at the University. It was hot, but thankfully cloudy- so the temps were probably only in the mid-90's in the building. Ha! I said "only".

Today is my one day workshop on strategies for struggling readers and writers. I am really looking forward to this class. The Professor is awesome and what I learn I can bring back not only to my classroom kids but for the Bear too.

I am bringing my camera today so I can snap some pictures of how the room is coming along. I will post those tonight.

Y'all have a great day!