Four Square The Total Writing Classroom for Grades 5-9 PDF
Preview Four Square The Total Writing Classroom for Grades 5-9
ETLC10334Four Square Teaching & Learning Company The Total Writing Classroom A Companion to the Four Square Writing Method a d e s G r 9 f o r 5 - Part One Part Two connects language includes management learning to students’ tools for writing interests and knowledge. projects. A great resource for writing instruction! Part Three Part Four contains activities for features exercises and warm-ups, mini lessons, activities to improve and strategies for composition and create troublesome writing an enriched habits. writing environment. Written by Judith S. Gould and Evan J. Gould Illustrated by Ron Wheeler Four Square (4 ) The Total Writing Classroom for Grades 5-9 Written by Judith S. Gould and Evan Jay Gould Illustrated by Ron Wheeler Teaching & Learning Company a Lorenz company P.O. Box 802 (cid:127) Dayton, OH 45401-0802 wwww.LorenzEducationalPress.com This book belongs to ________________________________ Cover photos by Images and More Photography Pictures © Corel Corporation Copyright © 2002, Teaching & Learning Company ISBN No. 997788---05-773817-70-383545-23-9 Teaching & Learning Company a Lorenz company P.O. Box 802 Dayton, OH 45401-0802 www.LorenzEducationalPress.com The purchase of this book entitles teachers to make copies for use in their individual classrooms, only. This book, or any part of it, may not be reproduced in any form for any other purposes without prior written permission from the Teaching & Learning Company. It is strictly prohibited to reproduce any part of this book for an entire school or school district, or for commercial resale. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. 2 Table of Contents Section 1: The Language Arts . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Section 2: Activities for Your Writing Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Section 3: Working with Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Section 4: Improving Compositions Four Square and More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 3 Dear Teacher or Parent, This book is a resource for educators of students at all ages and all levels. The activities have been tried and tested in elementary and sec- ondary classrooms including students with disabilities, second language learners and students of different learning modalities. While the proj- ects and activities are tailor-made to work with the Four Square Writing Method books, they can be used to round out any program of writing instruction. The first section of this book contains an overview and discussion of writing as it relates to the language arts. Exploring and taking advan- tage of the ways that all language learning is connected can help stu- dents use what they already know to learn new things. Section two is designed to provide ideas for the big picture. It includes an overview of a total writing classroom, as well as management tools for writing projects. The third section has a collection of activities that can be used as mini lessons, warm-ups or whole class instruction. These activities are geared to target the most troublesome of student writing habits. Section four’s exercises can be used as an addendum and accompani- ment to the Four Square Writing Method. They are geared to improving composition writing. While direct reference is made to the Four Square organizer, the lessons transfer easily to any organizational tool in use. We hope you will use this book as a reference to provide a variety of exercises, activities and instruction and to make your writing class- room a fun and enriched environment. Sincerely, & Judith S. and Evan Jay Gould 4 Section 1 The Language Arts Incoming Outgoing Printed Reading Writing Oral Listening Speaking T he four language arts do not exist in isolation. They are on a continuum. First, there are the two language arts that concern themselves with getting a message and decoding it. They are the incoming language arts, speaking and reading. Then, there are the two lan- guage arts that concern themselves with transmitting a message that others can interpret. They are the outgoing language arts, speaking and writing. Why include this basic informa- tion? Herein lies the answer to some key questions. W hy do so many kids have trouble with the idea of writing? Think about the family struc- ture. In today’s busy world, family time is shrinking. When we are scurrying about, there is less time for discussion. Less discussion means that kids have less opportunity to pro- duce outgoing language (in the oral form). Also, think about the increased class sizes and packed standards manuals. In the classroom we have less and less time for kids to develop ideas in spoken discourse. H ow can this information help? Tell parents to talk with their children. Talk about a spe- cific topic. Retell the events of a day. Explain why they liked or disliked a particular event or occasion. Structuring language for an oral outgoing message requires similar thought 5 processes to the writing exercise. When you share a story, movie or television program, discuss it. This is the most natural way to reinforce the comprehension skills that are a part of the reading program. W hat about classroom applications? Sometimes kids need to see the big picture. Show students the way that the language arts fit together. This may be all that reluctant writers need. We need to remove the aura of mystery from the act of writing. Showing kids that “talking on paper” is all that writing really is can remove the barriers for many kids. As edu- cators it is also important for us to understand that the four language arts affect one anoth- er. The writing that students do effects the reading they will choose. Language they hear comes out in the writing. Effective instruction in the language arts takes place when one form supports another. So many of our young students learn to read because they write. U nderstanding and employing the basic ideas of language learning is important for all teachers and parents, too. As we . . . It helps us to . . . Listen Speak Speak Write Write Read Read Listen Write Speak Listen Write Read Speak 6 Dear Parent, As your child’s teacher I am concerned with all of his or her language learning. Together we can help your child become a successful reader and writer. You have already provided your child with many language lessons yourself. Because all language learning is related, I want to remind you of the importance of language in the everyday life of your child. By listening to you, your child learned about producing oral language. To help your child learn to read and write, continued listening is needed. We are models for the language that children will produce. If we want our children to become efficient writers, it is important that we also help them become efficient speakers. Research has proven that practice in oral language helps build the skills in written language. I have included some strategies that you can apply at home that will help build your child’s communication and comprehension skills. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions you may have regarding these strategies. Sincerely, Your Child’s Teacher 7 Everyday Activities to Improve Language Skills Everyday Activities to Improve Language Skills 1. Ask your child about his or her day. 1. Ask your child about his or her day. “What did you do in school today?” “Nothing.” “What did you do in school today?” “Nothing.” Don’t let that be the end of your discussion. Ask your children to be specific. Don’t let that be the end of your discussion. Ask your children to be specific. Have them order the events. Encourage their “storytelling” by asking ques- Have them order the events. Encourage their “storytelling” by asking ques- tions. “How come you didn’t get to go out for recess?” “Were you nervous when tions. “How come you didn’t get to go out for recess?” “Were you nervous when you took the quiz?” “What did your teacher say about your work?” Model the you took the quiz?” “What did your teacher say about your work?” Model the kind of response you would like from your child by talking about your day. kind of response you would like from your child by talking about your day. 22. . HHaavvee a a d disisccuussssiioonn aafftteerr rreeaaddiinngg aa bbooookk oorr wwaattcchhiinngg aa mmoovviiee.. AAsskk y yoouurr c chhilidld t too rreetteellll tthhee ssttoorryy.. AAsskk tthheemm ttoo ccoommppaarree iitt ttoo ootthheerr t thhininggss t thheeyy h haavvee rreeaadd o orr s seeeenn. . W Whhaatt wwaass tthhee bbeesstt ppaarrtt?? WWhhyy?? WWhhiicchh cchhaarraacctteerr((ss)) ddidid y yoouu l ilkikee?? W Whhyy ddoo y yoouu t thhininkk t thhee wwrriitteerr wwrroottee tthhiiss ssttoorryy?? HHaavvee yyoouu rreeaadd oorr vviieewweedd aa s simimilialarr s sttoorryy?? HHooww a arree t thhee s sttoorrieiess aalliikkee?? HHooww aarree tthheeyy ddiiffffeerreenntt?? WWhhiicchh ddiidd yyoouu lilkikee b beetttteerr?? W Whhyy?? TThheessee a arree t thhee kkiinnddss ooff qquueessttiioonnss tthheeyy aasskk oonn rreeaaddiinngg ccoommpprreehheennssioionn t teessttss!! 33. . EEnnccoouurraaggee c cuurriioossiittyy.. TTuurrnn eevveerryyddaayy aaccttiivviittiieess iinnttoo ddiissccuussssiioonn t tooppicicss.. WWhhyy d doo y yoouu n neeeedd ttoo bbrruusshh yyoouurr tteeeetthh?? WWhhaatt tthhiinnggss sshhoouulldd wwee ppaacckk f foorr o ouurr vvaaccaattioionn?? W Whhyy?? WWhhaatt ddoo wwee ddoo eeaacchh ddaayy ttoo ttaakkee ccaarree ooff oouurr ppeett?? W Whhaatt a arree ssoommee o off t thhee tthhiinnggss wwee ddoo iinn tthhee ccaarr ffoorr ssaaffeettyy?? InIntteerrvvieieww o onnee aannootthheerr.. AAsskk yyoouurr cchhiilldd qquueessttiioonnss aabboouutt ssoommeetthhiningg h hee o orr s shhee i sis ddooiningg ( (sshhoooottiningg bbaasskkeettss,, wwaasshhiinngg tthhee ddoogg)).. HHaavvee yyoouurr cchhiilldd aasskk yyoouu a abboouutt a ann aaccttivivitityy ( (mmoowwiningg tthhee yyaarrdd,, ppllaannttiinngg aa ggaarrddeenn)).. 44. . TThhininkk a alolouudd.. DDisisccuussss t thhee sstteeppss ttoo pprreeppaarriinngg ddiinnnneerr.. VVeerrbbaalliizzee yyoouurr mmeennttaall cchheecckklilsistt o off tthhininggss t too r reemmeemmbbeerr ffoorr tthhee nneexxtt ddaayy.. SSoollvvee pprroobblleemmss oouutt lloouudd. . MMooddeel lt thhoouugghhtt pprroocceesssseess.. 5. Play with words. 5. Play with words. Play Scrabble™, hangman, Wheel of Fortune™ or other word games. Look for Play Scrabble™, hangman, Wheel of Fortune™ or other word games. Look for new words or typos in the newspaper. Buy a word-a-day calendar and learn a new words or typos in the newspaper. Buy a word-a-day calendar and learn a new word together. Play car games. Ask your children to be specific. Don’t let new word together. Play car games. Ask your children to be specific. Don’t let them get away with “because” for an answer. When they say, “It was cool,” ask them get away with “because” for an answer. When they say, “It was cool,” ask them what made it “cool.” them what made it “cool.” 8 8
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