Enjoy Write this Way with your students!
After teaching keyboarding skills using All The Right Type 3 Plus, launch a word processor and develop writing and composition skills with Write this Way.
Write this Way:
30 lessons to develop composition skills offers real-world writing experiences that work well in the classroom and computer lab.
Topics connect with the community, technology and media.
Lessons appeal to student interests, as they develop writing composition skills. Word banks, graphic organizers and outlines guide their ideas as they write. Editing checklists mean success with compositions. Writing is fun when it is celebrated in peer editing, publishing and presenting!
Explore the Planning Guide in Write this Way to design your writing program. Follow the sequence of writing skills to select lessons just right for your students. Choose lessons by theme or writing purpose.
Write this Way lessons feature a ready-to-photocopy student page and a teachers’ page. Lessons include reading-writing connections, recommended websites, teaching strategies and activities to develop the lessons. At a glance, lesson planning is quick and easy!
About the author
Brenda Jean Summers is the author of The Brenda Summers Writing Files: 30 ready-to-use computer activities to help your students develop the writing process. She has a M.A. (Education) from Simon Fraser University. During her 35-year teaching career, she taught grades two to seven in Vancouver, Canada and worked for four years as the District Curriculum Consultant - Computer Education for the Vancouver School Board. She enjoyed teaching writing to students in the classroom and the computer lab. She is now retired and living in Hawaii.
Contents
Notes to Teachers include three sections:
Objectives - learning outcomes for each lesson
Websites - related research materials for teachers and students
Extensions - reading-writing connections and research recommendations
- activities to develop the lessons
- related activities for an integrated theme
- teaching strategies; technology and media applications
- suggestions for peer editing, publishing and presenting student writing
Student Pages are ready to photocopy for classroom use or to use electronically.
Lessons follow the writing process, simplified into three sections:
Plan - word banks prompt ideas and suggest vocabulary
- prewriting strategies develop ideas
- outlines, sketches and graphic organizers guide the planning process
Write - use the plan to develop paragraphs and other writing formats
- suggestions and outlines guide the writing experience
Edit - editing checklists assist self-editing and peer editing
Sequential Writing Skill Development organizes the lessons:
Writing sentences
- complete ideas; sentence variety
Writing paragraphs
- introduction, topic sentence and conclusion
- organizing ideas - top to bottom, left to right, front to back and chronologically
- word choice - adjectives and sensory details; transitional words
- description
- exposition - sequencing, details and transitions
Research and notetaking skills
- recording sources of information
- notetaking - key words, main ideas and details
- organizing paragraphs - subtitles
Writing stories
- character development, setting, plot and dialogue
- genres; similes and hyperbole
Writing essays
- thesis statement; support a viewpoint; compare/contrast
Persuasive writing
- features and benefits; advertising language; enumerated lists
- ads, brochures, public service announcements, editorials and position papers
Environmental and social issues
- interviewing, researching, informing and persuading - problems/solutions; viewpoints; pro/con
Journal writing and point of view
Writing lyrics
- mood, imagery, rhyme, alliteration and rhythm
Writing action plans for community service projects
The Planning Guide lists themes, planning strategies, writing purposes and writing skills for each lesson. Design your writing program and select lessons just right for your students. Enjoy Write this Way in your classroom!
30 Themes covered in the lesson plans Planning Strategies
1. Trees- Observe; field notes; sketch
2. Sandwiches- Nutrition Menu board; notes; sketch
3. Birdwatching- Observe; field notes; sketch
4. Beaches- Photography Reflect; cluster; pantomime; storyboarding
5. Treehouses- Architecture Brainstorm; notes; architectural drawings
6. Fun Activities- Timelines Reflect; timeline
7. Turning Twenty; Future Lifestyles -Visualize; prompts; notes; outline
8. "How to..." - Explain - List; number in order; storyboarding
9. Cool Treats for Hot Days- Nutrition; Recipes List; notes; number in order
10. Breakfast Menus- Nutrition List; classify; role playing
11. Jobs and Careers Self-assessment- prompts; research; notes
12. Animals Research outline- notes; sequence
13. Hats and Characters- Prompts; notes; sketch; pantomime
14. Dialogue for Characters-Partner writing
15. Animals Prompts- three-column chart; notes
16. Action Adventure- Electronic Gadgets Three-column chart; T-chart; notes
17. Tall Tales- Superheroes Prompts; three-column chart; notes
18. Fantasy- Magic; Medieval Culture Story map; notes
19. Mystery- Crime Story map; notes; role playing
20. Cycling- Transportation Venn diagram; five-column chart; notes
21. Skateboards, Scooters & Segways- Transportation Matrix; notes
22. Electronics, Exercise, Health & Fitness- Research; matrix; notes
23. Toys- Advertising Notes; sketch
24. Tourism- Advertising Matrix; notes
25. Recycling, Public Service Announcements- Research; web; prompts
26. Recycling; Editorials- Interview; research; T-chart; notes
27. Global Warming; Environment-Research; T-chart; notes
28. Homelessness - Brainstorm; interview; research; web; timeline
29. Songwriting; Music- Brainstorm; song map
30. Volunteering; Community Service -Self-assessment; brainstorm; interview; research outline
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