Using Mentor Texts

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Using Mentor Texts Writer Self-Reflection

• Presented by
• Jennifer Boutros

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Do Now!

• Once you find a seat, please go and get some
  food.
• Once you have your refreshments and a seat,
  please take four packetsone from each pile on
  the front table.
• In your Writing Packet, turn to the page
  entitled Favorite Childrens Book.
• Read through and respond to the prompt.

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The Other SideJacqueline Woodson

• What statement does Woodsons story make? In
  other words, what lesson can the reader learn
  from reading this book?
• What is a mentor text?
• If this is our mentor text, what will our task be?

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A Little Background

• West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
• Community Middle School
• Currently teaching 8th grade IRLA (Integrated
  Reading Language Arts)
• Former 7th-grade teacher
• Goal Integration

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Teachers College

• Columbia University
• Five-day workshop on writing workshop
• Organization and use of the notebook
• Scheduling of lessons
• Using mentor texts

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Writers Notebook (WNB)

• Competes for the title of Holiest Book
• Structures Routines
• Table of contents, page numbers, titles, and
  dates
• The art of taping
• Purpose
• Becomes a valuable resource
• Progress evident

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Scheduling of Lessons

• 60-minute periods
• Two options
• Option 1 Break up period
• Option 2 Break up week
• I use option 2.
• Writing M-W-F
• Reading T-R
• Why do I use option 2?
• Allows for in-depth study
• Introduces students to a new kind of time
  management

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Before We Start

• Why did I start with a childrens book?
• What will this workshop look like?
• What materials will you walk away with?

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Introducing Discrimination

• Discrimination
• Issues of Discrimination
• Peruse the list of issues.
• Select an issue.
• Following the three statements, write a statement
  about that issue.

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Using The Outsiders

• Ponyboys Thoughts on My Issue of
  Discrimination
• Creating the Main Character

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Creating the Main Character

• Character web
• Character timeline
• Flash drafts
• Scenarios
• Character
• The Outsiders

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Character Development

• A Character Sketch of My Main Character
• My Character and Discrimination

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Creating Context

• Setting and Conflict
• Plot Map
• Three Scenes
• Conflict
• Climax
• Resolution

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Preparing for the First Draft

• A Synopsis of My Story
• Childrens Book versus Novel
• Page Breaks
• First Draft of My Childrens Book

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Making Revision Matter

• A Small Revision
• Use mentor text
• Revise together
• Revision Minilessons
• Dependent
• Partially dependent
• Independent
• Second Draft of My Childrens Book

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Revision Minilessons

• EndingsDont Be Explicit
• DialogueSay Something!
• Explode a Moment!
• Character Development
• What, Im Still Reading?
• And Your Point Is?

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The Power of Grammar

• Playing with End Punctuation
• Why punctuation?
• Structure of lesson
• Peer Revision
• Why have the students write a Third Draft of My
  Childrens Book?

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The Finishing Touches

• Illustrating a Childrens Book
• My Illustration Plan
• Titling a Childrens Book
• A Checklist for My Childrens Book

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Its Time To Assess

• Writers Notebook
• Childrens Book
• From the Writers Perspective
• Rubric
• Conferencing

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The Writers Notebook

• Should I be institutionalized? Probably.
• What do I look for and why?

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From the Writers Perspective

• Where do the questions come from?
• What is the rationale behind it?
• When do the students complete the task?

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Rubric

• I created a draft.
• Students amended the draft.
• The students in each period deemed
• Total number of points
• Number of points per aspect

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Conferencing

• Why do I conference with students?
• What do I do before I conference with students?
• What does the class do while I conference with
  students individually?
• What does the conference look like?

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Reflection

• My First Thoughts on the Assessment
• Some More Thoughts on the Assessment
• Thoughts and feelings
• Students
• Me
• Did the reflection result in any changes?

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Using Mentor Texts Writer Self-Reflection

• Its Time for Questions!