We are using the Lucy Calkins Units of Study for our writing program, and she really encourages lots of free time for students to just write. While I love this idea, some of my reluctant writers absolutely do not! They spend the entire time hemming and hawing over not knowing what to write about, and end up with a sentence if I am lucky after 30 minutes of writing!
I know that students become better writers by ACTUALLY WRITING, so I am constantly trying to think of ways to spur my reluctant writers on.
One thing that I have been working on is giving my students mini-lessons with strategies for developing ideas to write about. One strategy that we use often is the use of a mentor text. I found this book, I Didn't Do My Homework Because... and I knew my students would LOVE it!
It looked like it might be a fun read, so, I purchased it, but when I read it, I knew I hit a writing mentor text gold mine.
When you open the text it begins with a teacher asking her student why he didn't do his homework.
He begins to list a variety of outrageous excuses.
My students roared with laughter as we read each of his reasons. When we finished the book, I asked them to think of additional ideas they could add to the book if they were writing a sequel. My students actually jumped at the chance.
Their ideas were hilarious! Here a just a few examples...
And one of my favorite pics... look how proud of himself he is! A full page of writing! Woo Hoo!
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