This week we are exploring the difference between writing to learn and learning to write. Students are coming to understand that writing can be a tool of thought and expression; that they can use writing to dive deeper into text. Students are choosing a sticky note thought that they recorded during their reading of The Giver, and they are extending it into other areas of thought as a way of responding to the novel. Thus, they are using writing as a tool to deepen their thinking and comprehension of the story, characters, elements of literature, and literary devices. Before beginning their work on this, I led them through a model of my own sticky note and response to one of the short stories we had read. We worked backward from the finished response to fill in the brainstorming web so that students could trace the way in which my thoughts shifted to new ideas. The web and the finished response serve as a model for their own work. After drafting their responses, students will practice learning to write by editing and revising their work.
In addition to our writing activity this week, we will engage, I'm sure, in lively discussions about the ending of The Giver. We will examine parts of Lois Lowry's Newbery Award acceptance speech in which she explains some aspects of the story and characters. Students will also be offered choices of follow up activities in which they can further express their understanding of the novel.
Homework:
Monday: finish reading (or review) ending of book; finish web started in class
Tuesday: finish web or review and add to it
Wednesday: get a solid head start writing your response (use your brainstorming web to guide your writing!)
Thursday: finish response draft
Friday: HAPPY WINTER BREAK! HAVE FUN! (if you didn't finish your response, do so and submit to Google Classroom)
Giver Grammar: Editing for Punctuation
Response Writing Model
Response prompts in case you are stuck
Response editing checklist
Response Writing Rubric
