digital learning

Monumental Women: A Timely Short Text Set

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

Did you know that August 26, 2020 marks the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment?  As women, we are thankful for the many who fought for our right to vote.   The very first statue of women in Central Park will be unveiled this week to commemorate the 100th Anniversary and the millions of women it took to get the 19th Amendment into law. The statue will feature three suffragists -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth -- who represent this hard work.  You can watch the unveiling LIVE on Wednesday, August 26th beginning at 7:45 a.m. by visiting THIS LINK or visit it at a later time where it will be archived.   

This post will feature short texts at your fingertips focused on women and women’s suffrage that can be used in real time or to look back in the days and months to come.   

BUILDING SOME BACKGROUND

There are a lot of great books, texts and resources about women and the women’s suffrage movement.  Here, we highlight a few of our favorites that can be used as:

  • Whole group mini lessons, shared reading, or read aloud

  • Small group work led by the teacher, by students, or a combination of both

  • One-to-one during teacher/student conferring or for independent reading

PICTURE BOOKS

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES [for reference or purchase]

Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by Veronica Chambers  and The Staff of the New York Times

Equality's Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America By Deborah Diesen

History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote By Kate Messner

Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote by Kristen Gillenbrand

Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women's Suffrage by Claire Rudolf Murphy 

How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 

My Name Is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth by Ann Turner 

Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport

OTHER ARTICLES, VIDEOS & OTHER SHORT TEXTS

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Share one (or more) picture books or resources with students about the Women’s Suffrage Movement.  Invite conversation around the ideas that are shared.  Ask students if they have any questions or wonderings about voting rights, either related to today or in the past.  Jot those questions down to reference later.  Or, show the students a photograph or drawing of the new statue.  Ask them what they notice about the three women depicted. There is a great deal of symbolism included.  Then introduce the three important figures through some of the resources above.

Step 2

Pose the following questions and ideas to students, with the whole group or in small groups, and provide time and space for some conversation.

  • Did you know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth were all from the same state?  Do you know what state they are from? [New York]

  • Was Susan B. Anthony alive when the 19th Amendment was passed?  

  • What is an Amendment and how does it become official?

  • In 1872, fifteen women voted illegally.  Who were they and what happened to them?

  • What are the rules around voting today?  Can everyone who lives in the U.S. vote?  

  • Why is this new statue so important?  Why do you think there are so few statues of historical women?

  • What other historical women do you think should be depicted in a life-sized statue?  Why?

As students share, listen in and note students’ background knowledge, misconceptions, and wonderings.  For more on ways to kidwatch, check out the Kidwatching section.

Step 3

If time and interest permit, invite students to form mini-study cohorts (small groups no larger than 3-4) to research and learn more about a voting topic of their choice. Each mini-cohort can focus on the same topic OR they can research a variety of topics.  The main goals would be for students to have an opportunity to:

  • Read more (volume!) about a related topic of interest

  • Collaborate with peers, either by researching together or sharing new information they’ve learned with others

  • Use short texts to pique interests, potentially leading to reading even longer texts 

Step 4

Determine how long you’d like to dedicate to this learning experience and share that timeline with students.  A reminder that this opportunity can be a one-day exploration or more, depending on the time you have available and the goals you’ve set with students.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT TEXT SETS

This is the perfect opportunity to use a text set.  We love to use a curated set of texts about a topic or related topics.  Start general and get more specific (e.g show an image of the new statue and then explore the woman depicted and the movement.  Or, go the other direction and read one of the woman’s life stories and then talk about the Suffrage Movement and the statue.  By reading a number of different short texts, the readers get a broader view of the topic.  And, they get to explore the topic further.  You can start by reading a text together and then inviting your students to pick another text that is of interest to them.  

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021).

Building Capacity: "Learning in the Loo"

I’m so fortunate to hang out with wicked smart administrators, coaches, and teachers across states and learning environments. I am so much smarter and better positioned to support others because of their knowledge and experiences.

In this guest blog post, I’d like you to meet Kristy — a teacher, coach, colleague and friend extraordinaire! Every time I’m at her school, I learn so much from her. Check out this simple and sweet capacity building move she harnesses called “Learning in the Loo”.

What is “Learning in the Loo?”

Authored by Dr. Kristy Rykard

“Learning in the Loo” is not my own original concept.  It’s been around for a while, and a quick Google search will show you plenty of examples.  It has a variety of creative names, such as “Potty PD” and “Tissue Issues.” Basically, it’s a 1-2 page newsletter with some quick tips and ideas to share with your “captive audience” by posting it in a conspicuous place in the restroom.  Everyone visits the potty daily, so “Learning in the Loo” is a poofect way to do some light coaching asynchronously.  I use Canva to create my Loos, and I leave sheet protectors on the walls of the restrooms so I can easily swap in the new issues (or tissues, if you please).  I publish a new Loo on the first school day of each month, and I also include a link in my email signature so that faculty and staff can pull it up on their computer if they want to explore more about a specific tip.  

Learning on the Loo

Here are some examples of my past Loos.

Why I Publish “Learning in the Loo”

The year before I became the Digital Learning Coach (DLC) at my school, my predecessor had started “Learning in the Loo” in all the faculty and staff restrooms around the school.  As a teacher, I always loved it so much.  First of all, who doesn’t love some handy, interesting reading material in the potty?  The “Toots and Giggles” section was the first thing I always checked out when a new one was published.  Soon, however, I realized that I was really getting something out of the Loo each month.  I remember drying my hands and seeing tips or new tools and immediately thinking, “Oh, that’s so neat.  I could totally try that when I get back to my room” or “Omigosh!  That might work for the lesson I’m doing next week!”  My colleagues and I collaborated on trying out ideas we had seen in the Loo with our students.  We had no idea we were being “ninja coached,” but it was working.  So when I moved into the DLC role, I knew I had to continue that work.

What to Include in the Loo?

I’m smart and just FULL of ideas, but it’s a pretty big lift for a busy coach to get a four-section newsletter published every month without some help.  I subscribe to a plethora of digital learning newsletters, blogs, Twitter accounts, etc.  I’m surrounded by tons of amazing ideas, tips, and tools, and the Loo is a natural outlet to share them with my teachers.  Each month, I curate the tips, ideas, and digital tools I think will most benefit my teachers and their students, add them to the Loo, and credit the original sources.  Everyone takes their phones to the potty with them these days, so I always include QR codes for more information, videos, and/or the original source.

A Few of My Favorite Resources for Digital Tips, Ideas, and Tools

I also use the Loo as a place to share effective learning activities facilitated by teachers in our school, so I often include pictures and anecdotes from my classroom visits. With teacher permission, I link to their lesson plan or materials.  It’s a great way to lift the assets of the brilliant educators in our own building and encourage collaboration among our faculty. 

The Results

My teachers absolutely love “Learning in the Loo.” They come looking for me if I am even one day late putting the monthly Loo out, and when they see me coming down the hall with my stack of Loos to deliver, their eyes light up with excitement to see what’s in the new edition. I know it sounds crazy that anyone would look forward to something so simple, but it’s true. I’ve had teachers book coaching time with me, email me to ask for more information, or share how they incorporated an idea from the Loo in their classes. Some people take the tip and run with it, and others want to expand and collaborate on it. It’s been a fantastic way for me to open doors as a coach and get conversations started. And it’s the best feeling when I’m in a classroom, and I see something from the Loo coming to life with students. That’s why we’re all here in the first place, right?

Dr. Kristy Rykard has been in education for over 22 years. She began as a high school English teacher, and she now serves as a Digital Learning Coach in Lexington School District One in Lexington, SC. In her personal life, Kristy is an avid world traveler, reader, wife, cat mom, Netflix binger, and online shopper.

@DrRykardDLC
krykard@lexington1.net

A SHORT TEXT SET AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: CHOOSE A TOPIC & RUN WITH IT

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

One way to create a short text set is to explore a particular topic.  We recommend picking something you, or your students (or both!), are particularly interested in.  Once you start looking for resources, you will be surprised by how many things there are to find.  By using short texts, you can expose your students to a variety of text types all in the name of learning about something fascinating.

Elizabeth is a birder and she spends most of the Spring in Central Park being amazed by the migrating warblers.  In the winter she has been known to be on the lookout for Snowy Owls.  Once she walked a long way on a beach in Eastern Long Island with some friends toward something that looked like a bleach bottle and eventually, as she got closer, discovered it was actually a Snowy Owl snoozing on a log.   You may have read about or seen the post last year when a Snowy Owl was spotted in Central Park.  It was the first one recorded in NYC in 130 years!

When students and teachers inquire about a topic, then spend time curating resources to fuel that curiosity or interest, there’s a good chance that new knowledge and understanding about that topic will grow. In addition, reading, writing and talking volume will increase too.

If you liked our Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides we think you’ll appreciate this connection we’re making to a topic that we enjoy —> OWLS! It’s so much fun to take a topic and text you love and expanding it into a short text set.

TRY THIS

Step 1

We start this text set with the NYTimes article about the first Snowy Owl to be seen in Central Park in 130 years.  This could be read independently by upper elementary children and read aloud to younger ones.  What’s fun about this NYTimes Article about Snowy Owls is that there are other short texts tucked all across the article including photos and captions that showcase the snowy owl’s adventures.  Dive into the article and consider:

  • Orienting students to the features of a news article

    • Byline

    • Date

    • Structure of a news article 

  • Asking some questions that could get students talking about the article and about snowy owls

    • What is this article about?  Why is it being written?  Who is the intended audience?

    • Is there a photo, caption, graphic, or link to other information that helps you read, interpret and comprehend the text?  

    • What important details (data, facts, information) are shared in the article?

Step 2

Talk to students about some vocabulary words associated with birds, specifically the Snowy Owl.  Some to consider are:

  • Migration and migratory

  • Nocturnal versus diurnal

  • Mammal

  • Wing, wing span, flight, and range

Take a look at a map of the Snowy Owl’s range.  Here’s a Snowy Owl Range Map which is a nice example with lots of great bird information.  You could use this resource to:

  • Define range

  • Teach students about map features

FURTHER STEPS

After digging into all of these sources, you and your students might want to learn more about Snowy Owls.  There are some great resources to explore such as:

And now that everyone knows a bit more about Snowy Owls, maybe you explore some beautiful picture books that explore different types of owls.  Start by reading both of these books aloud, noting that one is fiction and the other is nonfiction.  Create a two-column anchor chart or give students a chance to draw a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two short texts.   Ask:

  • What are the differences between fiction and non-fiction?

  • How did Jane Yolan build suspense in Owl Moon?

Owl Moon

Note: The owl in Owl Moon, by Jane Yolan, is a Great Horned Owl.

GOING DEEP & WIDE

Looking for more titles and short text types that add to and expand your text set?  Check out these titles: 

Owl Books

STAY TUNED!

More about short texts and short text sets coming soon!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Launching into Summer Writing

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: LAUNCHING INTO SUMMER WRITING

For the past ten weeks, we have offered a series called Short Texts at Your Fingertips.  One or two times each week, we provided teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. The ideas we have shared were easily integrated into any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. For some, summer is already in full swing.  For others, summer is just a few short weeks or days away.  Regardless of when your school year ends, it’s important that students of all ages keep reading and writing across the summer months.  Last week we wrote about the WHY and HOW to create voluminous readers this summer!  You can read that post here.  This week we wrap up this series with the WHY and HOW to create voluminous writers this summer! A big THANK YOU to my friend and colleague for being such a great thinking partner and writing partner!

SUMMER WRITING

There is always lots of talk about summer reading.  Children take home books and reading lists.  Writing often gets a line or two at the bottom of the book list (e.g. “Don’t forget to write.”)   We would argue that writing needs equal attention.  Encoding is just as important as decoding and picking up a pencil can be just as easy as reading that short text.  Just as readers need daily practice, writers also need time and motivation to write.  There are lots of ways to incorporate writing into your summer plans. While some children can (and will) write and write and write, all children can create some short texts.   One of the most important ways to encourage writing is to make sure your young writer has ample materials and some great inspiration.  Read on for ideas!

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

If you are looking for some strategic ways to support summer writing, here are some possible pathways:

  • Read about authors and their writing process. Here are a few to get you started:

    • Reading Rockets has lots of videos of amazing authors talking about their work

  • Often some new writing materials to help motivate -- a new notepad or notebook and some beautiful new pens often helps, a lot. See below for more thoughts about this!

  • Correspondence is a great motivator.  A teacher or relative makes a great pen pal.  The correspondence can take place via text, email or mail.   

Step 2

Help students make a plan for summer writing.  Ask:

  • How many days each week will you write? 

  • How many minutes will you spend writing each time you write? 

Ask students what they want to write about.  Do they want to write:

  • Fiction or nonfiction?

  • Notebook entries

  • Poems

  • Letters or postcards or texts

Step 3

Ask students to identify different places to write.  Create a short list of places that might be a perfect place to write, such as:

  • The kitchen table

  • At the computer

  • At the park on a bench

  • Under a favorite tree

  • On the airplane or train

  • On the sidewalk with chalk

  • Anywhere and everywhere as long as there is paper and a writing utensil

Step 4

One of the keys to writing voluminously is to have writing supplies on hand.  Some supplies that promote writing:

  • Paper (lots of it)

    • Unlined (aka copy paper)

    • Lined

    • Construction paper, card stock, etc.

  • Pencils and pens (adults have their favorite writing instruments, encourage your writers to explore different tools)

  • Crayons, markers, paint (many authors need to draw first to “rehearse” their stories and other authors want to illustrate their words)

  • A stapler (and a staple remover) for making books

  • One or more notebooks (for catching all those great ideas and for taking places so there is always somewhere to write)

  • A computer (for those who want to write with a keyboard)

Step 5

Keep reading!  Writers get inspiration from other writers.  Use a loved author as a mentor and try to write in the same style.  Or write a sequel to a favorite story and another in the series.  Here are some other ideas to spark some writing!

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Step 6

Get some other ideas from our other blog posts.  Each one of them can inspire some writing.

Step 7

Get the writing out into the world.  Writers need to “publish” their work and have it read.  Some ideas:

  • Send a piece to a relative or friend

  • Post it on social media

  • Make an author’s video and send it to others to watch

  • Host a virtual (or real) book signing

  • Write a letter and send it off 

FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Articles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: ARTICLES

Articles are a perfect short text.  Found in newspapers (the old-fashioned ones still found in driveways and at newsstands and now also online), in magazines and on websites, they are easy to find and easy to share.  While we all want to be careful about how much of current events we share with children, there are lots of fascinating articles to share with any age group.  Sports stories are often the hook needed to get a reluctant reader interested.  And, if you read about a game you watched or attended, you bring lots of background knowledge to your reading.  We are particular fans of the quirky human interest story: the armored truck with the faulty door that spills thousands of dollars in cash all over the highway or the message in the bottle that washes up a 100 years after it was dropped into the ocean on the other side of the world.  There really is an article for everyone.

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find an article you want to share.  There are lots of places to find articles.  One excellent source is your local newspaper.  It is a great source of information about your town or neighborhood and is likely to be filled with issues and events of interest to your young readers.  Local papers usually have online platforms, making it easy to share the article or get a printer-friendly copy in readers’ hands. In addition, there are many online sites to peruse so take a look at the resource list provided below.  

First, select a subject matter that will interest readers.  Consider a:

  • Current event

  • Human interest story

  • Sporting event

  • Historical event (old newspapers also have fascinating articles)

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the article:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on their own?

  • On their own?

Step 2

Discuss the article.  There are many ways to guide the discussion such as:

  • Look at the features of the article and talk about their importance. 

    • Headline -- What is this article about?

    • Byline -- Who wrote this article?  Can you figure out their job at the publication?

    • The “Lead” --  How does this article begin?  What’s the pithy sentence or two right at the top to catch readers’ attention?

    • Photograph / Image -- What do you see?  Is there a caption?  If so, what does it teach you?

    • Quotes -- What are some one-liners from the article worth noting?

  • To keep the conversation going, considering asking:

    • What are some facts from this article?

    • Do you have any connections or new ideas based on your reading?

    • What are your opinions about this article?

    • What other questions do you have about what you read? 

Step 3

Ask students to brainstorm a list of interesting topics that they may want to learn more about (such as animals, space, rainforest).  Then, invite students to go on an article hunt and find 1-2 articles related to any of the topics that were generated.  Ask students to share the articles with their peers.  This can lead to high interest, voluminous reading filled with texts curated by students for students.  For more on ways to curate texts to inspire voluminous reading, check out this blog post.

Step 4

Give students opportunities to write their own articles for their peers or for online publication submission.  Check out these two resources:

  • Time for Kids  - A great site which includes articles by grade level. 

  • Google has some free templates that students can use to create their own newspapers. 


FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • DOGO News - A great site that one can search by topic.

  • Scholastic News  - A tried and true publication which is organized by grade level.

  • News For Kids  - Lots of interesting articles organized by date, with the most recent articles at the top.

  • KidsPost  - This the kids’ section of “The Washington Post”. 

  • Teaching Kids News - A site started by a parent and a teacher and geared for grades 2-8.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Short Stories

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: SHORT STORIES

Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages, one being they are short! Or  Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages.   For one thing, they are short!  They are usually fast-paced with a single-plot.  Short stories have other benefits too. Readers can read from start to finish, avoiding the struggle of failure to launch and failure to finish.  Short stories give readers opportunities to try new genres and authors.  Short stories are portable, tradable, can easily be read several times, and can be a path to reading longer texts.  Short stories are a great resource to use in flexible, small groups where kiddos have many opportunities for reading, writing, and talking opportunities!

We get jazzed up by short stories -- both stand alone stories and those collected in anthologies.  We would be remiss if we neglected to mention a favorite short story type called a picture book.  We wrote about picture books -- check it out here.  Take a look at some of our favorite short story anthologies.  They are sure to pique students’ interests, inspire reading more and more often, and create culturally responsive reading opportunities for students across grade levels.  

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LINKS TO THESE TITLES

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Jason Reynolds, Samira Ahmed, et al.

Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys' Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys by Jon Scieszka

Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories (World Full Of...) by Angela McAllister

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. by Betsy Bird

5-Minute Marvel Stories (5-Minute Stories) by Marvel Press Book Group, Brandon Snider, et al.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a short story you want to share.  There are lots of ways to share a short story.  Ask yourself, will you share the short story:

  • As a read aloud?

  • As a text for shared reading?

  • With a small group?

  • With an individual student?

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the short story:

  • All together?

  • Partially together and partially on your own?

  • On your own?

Then, ask yourself, will you and your students:

  • Read just for the sake of reading?

  • Jot some notes, draw some images, write about what you are thinking or wondering about your reading?

Finally, ask yourself, will you and your students talk about the short story:

  • All together during the whole group?

  • In a half group?

  • In small groups?

  • One-to-one between teacher and student?

Step 2

Find other short stories that students will enjoy reading.  Check out these online resources:

Step 3

Select other short stories you want students to read.  Decide:

  • Will all students read the same short story?

  • Will students have choices in the short stories they read?

  • Will students go on a hunt and find [or curate] short stories for their peers to read?

Step 4

Consider giving students opportunities to write their own short story for their peers or for online publication submission.  Here are some publications that accept short stories written by students:

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!


COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-planning a Mini-Unit to Wrap Up the Year with JOY!

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Shannon for the last few years. We share a common love of books and we are both self-proclaimed pen snobs — meaning we are both “pen-picky” and enjoy trying to convince one another that our favorite pen type is the best. Shannon is a continual learner — with an ongoing stream of inquiry. She’s a joy to co-plan with because she exudes happiness as she noodles ideas, thinks through wonderings, and creates ways to support her students — and her learning community — in collaborative, heart-felt ways.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

A few shared agreements:

  • As I co-plan with teachers, I’m not going to spend much time, if any, editing the videos.  This means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  I hope you’ll be able to relate. Thank you, in advance, for assuming best intentions and for your understanding. In addition, not everything we do together is recorded.

  • The ideas shared in these videos are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach the work.  I hope you’ll spend some time actively studying the co-planning conversation. As you listen, take stock of the ASSETS that emerge from the conversation.  Think about:

    • What’s the WHY behind our work?  

    • What moves are we trying to make in service of students?

    • Name the implications for your work going forward.  What might you adopt or adapt to fit your setting, interests, and/or needs?

  • Focus on process versus end product.  The work will continue to unfold even if it’s not captured on video segments.  If you check back into our shared documents, you’ll notice changes because our work is dynamic, not static, and will evolve across time.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Shannon’s students have settled into a learning from home routine and are launching into their 8th week. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • Shannon wants her students to end the year with a mini-poetry unit, celebrating reading and writing!

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How do the enduring practices we use in the classroom translate -- or not -- to remote/digital learning from home?

  • What’s the WHY behind this mini-poetry unit?

  • What’s going to get kiddos jazzed up about reading and writing poetry?

  • What end demonstrations or learning celebrations can we co-create with students to honor their work?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

SOME REFLECTIONS

  • What poem types will be new/unfamiliar to students?  What poem types will feel like “old friends”?

  • Will students write poetry on paper or on the computer?  They have options so I’m wondering what they will choose?  

  • Will students illustrate some of the poems they write?

  • Is there a way to help students collect all of the poems they are reading and writing [a binder or folder] to keep them organized at home?  If so, maybe they could be used to inspire reading/re-reading poetry over the summer.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Julie & Shannon: Co-planning Mini-Poetry Unit

Small Group Plans:  Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Short Texts at Your Fingertips:  Poetry

If you want to learn more about Shannon’s classroom, check out her blog!

IDEAS TO CHEW ON

As most educators would agree, working from a distance is not the same as in-person experiences. In my work as a consultant, it’s not unusual for me to work across the miles with teachers. In fact, most of my consulting contracts include some form of this type of professional learning, particularly as we prepare for our work together in the classroom. Planning and working across the miles is how we often get a jump-start to our work together. The difference, of course, is the work we are typically planning is NOT from a distance. So, that is where we are trying to make a shift.

I’m in good company when I say we are all kind of tired of this by now. However, with so many unknowns about what school will — or should — look like in the fall, we are using this spring as a dress rehearsal of sorts. We are asking:

  • What’s working? What’s clunky?

  • Who are we reaching and supporting in ways that are making a difference?

  • Who are we concerned about? What don’t we know that we should know?

  • How will we stay connected and minimize the “distance” that separates us?

  • How will we create compelling, sophisticated learning experiences that take into account our foundational beliefs and practices in ways that nature and inspire students?

Two pieces I’ve recently written that might be of interest are:

Until next time — keep at it! You’ve got a whole crew of educators cheering you on because we know the spirit and camaraderie surrounds us all! Reach out if you’d like to chat about ways I might be of service and support your efforts!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Trivia

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: TRIVIA

Did you know that the singular form of trivia is trivium? Did you also know that in Latin trivia means “triple way” because long ago European students learned about three disciplines which included grammar, logic, and rhetoric.  Did you also know that the term trivia dates back to 1589 and has been references by many as insignificant pieces of information, The big question is whether you agree with Merriam-Webster’s definition that trivia is “unimportant facts, matters, or details” or if you believe trivia holds a significant place in our knowledge stream or if you believe that trivia is a fascinating and worthy pursuit.   Regardless, trivia is everywhere, it’s at your fingertips, and is one short text type that grows exponentially by the day.  

Screen Shot 2020-05-11 at 3.34.26 PM.png

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Think about where you can find trivia that will entertain, inform and inspire readers. 

  • Do you already know some trivia that you could share?

  • Do you have trivia books on your shelves?

  • Do you have magazines that include trivia?

  • Do you have online access where you can find trivia that piques interests?

  • There is often a page of “extra” facts (aka trivia) at the end of a nonfiction picture book.  

Step 2

Find trivia to share.  Things to consider:

  • Will you share trivia about one topic, such as sports or food, or multiple topics?

  • Will you ask students to find trivia to share?  Do you need to create shared agreements about what types of trivia are appropriate?

  • Will you share trivia as a regular routine at the beginning or end of the day [or class period] OR will you create a learning progression across a few days using trivia?

  • Once you’ve selected trivia to share, take a closer look and think about other reading, writing, and talking opportunities are tucked inside this short text. 

Sometimes trivia is set up in different formats.  Here are two examples:

Screen Shot 2020-05-12 at 6.01.56 PM.png

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.  Here are some examples:

Screen Shot 2020-05-12 at 6.02.19 PM.png

Step 4

Look for other trivia that you find and read those too!  You could also consider:

  • Sharing a Fun Fact [trivium] during breakfast [families] or during a morning/class meeting [educators] each day.

  • Hosting a trivia day or night.

  • Asking students to do a mini-research project about a topic of interest and write trivia to share with others.

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

Books

Games & More

Online Resources

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-Planning: Reading & Writing Mini-Unit Focused on Expert Studies [PART 3]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 1-2 times each week. 

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • We just wrapped up a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent 2 weeks reading Greek myths and then they worked on narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

  • Up next—a reading and writing unit focused on Expert Studies.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?

  • How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?

  • When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?

  • How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?

  • How can doing our own assignment [as teachers] become models/minilessons to use for instruction?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

In this video, we briefly reflect on this week's plans. Then, we think through a process for responding to students using as asset-based approach. Finally, we begin noodling plans for an upcoming Expert Studies mini-unit.

RESPONSE TO STUDENTS

Whether we are face-to-face or facilitating digital/remote learning opportunities, our response to students matters. Thinking together about ways to support students is an important coach-teacher conversation. Here’s one way to think together to noodle plans for supporting students that starts with students’ assets. Note: It’s important to think about ALL students, not just students who may appear to need extra support due to deficits or weaknesses.

Ask: Who is on your worry / wonder list?

Screen Shot 2020-05-06 at 8.45.45 AM.png

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Co-Planning: Julie & Barry

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Interested in post-it note planning, check out one of these resources: Chapter 8 & 9 Resources from What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • I am still thinking about the different ways to plan for the Expert Studies mini-unit. I’m thinking about our work during shared experiences and independent work time.

  • I need to make a list of end demonstration ideas for this new mini-unit and if I will co-construct ideas with students.

  • I am going to begin with the WHY when I share this new mini-unit with students.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • For the kiddos on Barry’s worry/wonder list, did his response plan yield the desired results?

  • What topics did Barry’s kiddos choose for their Expert Studies? What are the end demonstration choices?

  • With only 2 “days” to teach reading and 2 “days” to teach writing, what are the short and long-term impacts for students’ knowledge, skills and understandings? As a multi-age teacher, how will Barry [and his colleagues] respond in the fall? How will this response be similar or different for single grade classrooms?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Jokes & Riddles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: JOKES & RIDDLES

We all need to laugh, perhaps now more than ever.  Children love jokes, they love to hear them and they love to tell jokes themselves. Joke telling is a particular skill: timing is everything and it is important to remember the punchline (something that our youngest comics sometimes find difficult - which is also funny in itself).  Jokes are the perfect short texts.  They are bite-sized and easy to find.  Riddles are a bit longer and can be more complex.  Guessing the answer is fun too!  Jokes and riddles are the perfect way to explore language and make meaning. 

VIDEO 

Take a look at this short video on how to use jokes and riddles to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Think about the jokes and riddles you already know, or look for some new ones

Sources of jokes and riddles:

  • Joke books

  • Websites [see resources below for some links to our favorites]

  • Family members

Tell or read the joke to someone:

  • What do you notice about the structure of the joke?

  • What do you wonder?

  • What makes a joke funny?

  • How can you solve a riddle?

Step 2

Take a closer look: 

  • What makes it funny? 

  • What is the structure? How does the joke or riddle “work”?

Here’s an example of a joke we learned as children: 

Knock, knock

Who’s there?

Dwayne

Dwayne who?

Dwayne the bathtub, I’m dwownding!

Here’s what we noticed:

  • All “Knock, knock” jokes follow a very prescribed “formula.” 

  • It is a type of question and answer joke.

  • It is based on word play, these jokes always involve words that sound like other words (i.e. Dwayne and Drain).

This joke is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Talk about what makes this joke so funny.

  • Write some of your own Knock, knock jokes based on names you know that sound like other words.

  • Read more Knock, knock jokes or others that follow a question and answer format.

MORE ABOUT JOKES & RIDDLES

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.03.27 PM.png

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Read many of a particular type of joke and analyze the structure.  

  • Why do jokes make people laugh?  Try to find the “funny part.”

  • Read many riddles and try to solve them before reading the answer.

  • Also read puns and tongue twisters - they also have prescribed structures.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own jokes.  Try writing a knock-knock joke.

  • Write your own riddle.  Try a riddle about an animal or a number.

  • Write a caption for a picture riddle.

  • Think about your audience and write for them. [Reminder: Everyone does not appreciate “potty” jokes.]

Talking  Ideas 

  • Jokes work best if memorized and “told.”  Learn a joke to tell on Flipgrid with your class, when in a Zoom meeting with friends or family, or as an ice-breaker in your instructional videos.

  • Put jokes together into a comedy routine.  What jokes work well together?

  • Watch a family friendly comic.  Laugh together.  Discuss why the comic was funny and why it feels so good to laugh.

  • Use reasoning skills to solve riddles.

Step 4

Look for other jokes and riddles that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • Websites:

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at  New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.28.32 PM.png

Co-Planning: Mini-Writing Unit [PART 2]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 2 times each week. 

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • We are co-planning a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent the last 2 weeks reading Greek myths.  This writing mini-unit isn’t about research, it’s about narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

  • How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?

  • How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?

  • When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?

  • How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Writing Mini-Unit [Greek Mythology]

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • I am thinking about how to co-construct 'what counts .... what are we going after' in this integrated writing project. Should we have a discussion? Should we jot down a couple of ideas first?

  • I am considering whether I should read through all student writing this weekend or pair them up and ask each small group to find two pluses in their writing partner's work.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • Who is on the worry / wondering list? What’s our response?

  • Will small groups continue to be grade based [5th and 6th] or will we mix it up?

  • Thinking ahead — what’s next after this mini-writing unit?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Co-Planning: Mini-Writing Unit [PART 1]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

  1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

  2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

  3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

  • Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 2 times each week. 

  • Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

  • We are co-planning a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent the last 2 weeks reading Greek myths.  This writing mini-unit isn’t about research, it’s about narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Writing Mini-Unit [Greek Mythology]

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

  • I’m thinking about what’s going to be on the Menu of Options for kids [end products].

  • What am I going to model? Do I screencast or video?

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

  • How will Barry create small, flexible writing groups in this distance learning mini-unit? How will it be similar and different to the ways we create groups when face-to-face? 

  • Should I look for a few models to send to him in case he needs them or is that just more noise for him to sift and sort through?  Ask him what he thinks/needs.

  • We had trouble sticking to the time we said we’d use to co-plan. So that we prioritize self-care, I’m continuing to think about this for next time.

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Recipes

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: RECIPES

We are guessing you are more interested in recipes and cooking now, more than ever before.  Since we are all at home during this time, recipes are the perfect short texts for us to dig into.  Recipes are procedural texts, also known as “how-tos.”  They tend to follow a  prescribed structure and need to be read in a specific order.  Reading (and following) a recipe is a great example of  reading with purpose, and the rewards are - delicious!

While we have some children’s cookbooks at home, there is really no need to seek recipes written specifically for kids.  There are lots of places where you can find recipes right at your fingertips.  Here are a few:

  • Online

    • Think of something you want to make and put that information in your web browser.  In just moments, slews of sites with recipes will pop up (Ex. Chocolate chip cookies).

    • Name one main ingredient you have available and put that in your web browser, followed by the word recipes and you’ll have recipes at your fingertips (Ex. Chicken).

    • Think of a product you use often and go to that company’s website.  Often, they have a recipe section with easy to follow-recipes using their products (Ex. Pillsbury).

    • There are lots of YouTube videos out there.   Many are great, but make sure you preview them before using them with kids.

  • Check out cookbooks you may have at home.

  • Do you have a recipe box?  If so, check it out for some family favorites.

  • If you have any magazines, recipes can often be found tucked inside.  If you don’t see any right away, flip to the last few pages and see what you find.

VIDEO 

Check out this short video on how to use a recipe to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any recipe.  Perhaps something you want to make for dinner or a special treat.   Take a look at the format of the recipe.  

  • What do you notice?

  • What do you wonder?

  • Does it have a photograph of the finished product?  Are there illustrations of the various steps?

  • Who is the author/chef?

Step 2

Take a closer look at the recipe.

  • Do you have all of the ingredients for this recipe?

  • Do you understand the measurements and tools? 

  • Are there new words or vocabulary that you need to understand before you begin?

  • Are there pictures or images to help guide you during each step?    

Here’s an example of a recipe we use all the time:

Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 7.49.46 AM.png

Here’s what we noticed:

  • The Ingredients are usually listed first and in the order they are used.

  • The amounts of each ingredient are listed (and they are in “standard” measurements like teaspoons and cups).

  • Some recipes tell you how many servings they make.

  • Some recipes tell you how long it will take to make them.

  • Some recipes number the steps you will take.

This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Look closely at the structure of the recipe.  Why ingredients are listed first?  Why are the steps numbered or bulleted?

  • Preview the recipe. Read all the way through a recipe before making it.  It is very important (the best reason ever to preview  a text!).

  • Discuss standard measurements.  It’s a very interesting concept.   Talk about why you wouldn’t just use any spoon or cup?

  • Vocabulary is important.  In a recipe there are often lots of context clues to help with new and unfamiliar words.

Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Follow the recipe and make the dish to share with your family.

  • Read more than one recipe for the same thing - compare and contrast.

    • There are many many recipes out there for chocolate chip cookies! What ingredients do they all have in common?

  • Read more than one recipe by the same chef.  What is similar about the format of the recipes.

  • Study the features of a cookbook.

    • Index

    • Recipes are grouped together

    • Table of contents

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own recipe.

    • Make up a brand new recipe and write it down for others to make.

    • Write down a recipe that your adult knows “by heart.”  Try to record the family meatloaf recipe or how to make french toast.

  • Take a survey of the people in your household and how they felt about the dish you cooked.

  • Write a review of the recipe or a meal.

  • Create a menu. What would you have if you could have your dream meal?

Talking  Ideas 

  • Watch a cooking video or show and talk about what you have learned.

  • Compare the finished product to the photograph.  How did you do?

  • Taste critically.  What would you do differently next time?

  • Interview your home “chef.”  Why do they make the recipes they make?

Step 4

Look for other recipes that you find and read (and make) those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • The New York Times recently had a “Quarantine Cooking with Kids” section (April 18, 2020).

  • YouTube Videos (there are many cool things to watch).

  • Honest Pretzels by Mollie Katzen, a wonderful book of visual steps for children to follow. (You might use this as a model for your own recipe writing.)

  • Check out Mark Bittman — chef, NYTimes writer, cookbook author — and his great website, full of recipes and information.

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

© 2023 Julie Wright Consulting LLC. All rights reserved.