Welcome to Fourth Grade Writing

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Welcome to Fourth Grade Writing!

• Mrs. Castner, Mrs. Roll, Ms. Clough and Ms.
  Ackerman

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• Thank you to the PTA for sponsoring our training
  in writing.
• We will take this opportunity to share this
  program with you.

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Research Based Writing Instruction

• Introduce/ Define New Skill- through the use of
  literature
• Modeling- Teacher models skill in isolation
  asking questions and thinking aloud as an author.
• Guided Practice- Students are provided with an
  opportunity to practice the modeled skill.
• Application- Students will apply the skill to a
  piece after after many practiced writings.

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Types of Writing focused on in 4th Grade

• Imaginative Narrative (character/problem/solution)
  
• Personal Narrative
• Expository

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What is Imaginative Narrative?

• A character struggles with a problem.
• The problem gets worse.
• The character struggles and overcomes the
  problem.
• Purpose of this piece is on the development of
  the character and to entertain the reader.

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Literature Examples of Narrative Writing

• Brave Irene by William Steig
• Babushka Baba Yaga by Patricia Polacco
• The Trouble with Mom by Babette Cole
• Charlottes Web by E.B. White

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Student Examples of Imaginative Narrative Writing

• To be circulated

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What is Personal Narrative?

• Focus on an experience, activity, or setting that
  has happened to the writer
• Follows a beginning, middle, and end sequence
  that is highly descriptive
• Purpose of this piece is to entertain the reader

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Literature Examples of Personal Narratives

• Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
• Barn Dance by Bill Martin
• Country Road by Daniel San Souci

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What is Empowering Writers All About?

• Empowering writers
• "Methodology Overview
• Video

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Entertaining Beginning

• The beginning must hook the reader and make
  them feel compelled to read on.
• The author may use
• -action
• -dialogue
• -a thought or question
• -a sound

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Elaborative Detail

• Elaborative detail is what breathes life into the
  narrative and allows the reader to experience the
  story right along with the main character.
• Teachers will ask specific, productive, detail
  generating questions which will yield specific
  responses.
• Students describe the critical setting,
  character, or object in this section.
• Show, dont tell teacher will model quality
  vocabulary and detailed descriptions.

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Example of Critical Character

• Telling
• Liz was really surprised.
• Showing
• Her eyes almost popped out of her head and her
  mouth hung open. She jumped back a little and
  clasped her hands together. Liz inhaled and held
  her breath. Then she shook her head and slowly
  exhaled.

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Suspense

• Suspense is what hooks the reader and moves the
  plot toward the main event.
• Suspense raises questions in the readers mind.
• The writer will use word referents which tease
  the reader into not immediately revealing what
  the main event is about.
• The writer is using Red Flag Words, or
  transitional words to move the story into main
  event.

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Main Event

• The most important part of the story, the climax,
  that the entire story has led up to.
• This section should almost be told in slow
  motion, stretched out through a balance of
• Action
• Thought
• Description
• Dialogue
• Many times children rush through this section by
  describing the main event with a very general
  sentence or two.

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Example of Main Event

• Jane got chased by the ferocious wolf but she got
  away.
• (This is summary, not a scene!)
• Here is a scene or a fully elaborated main event
• Jane could hear the beast gaining on her. Its
  paws padded across the forest floor like a drum
  roll and she could hear its rhythmic panting.
  Despite the throbbing pain in her tired muscles,
  she pushed herself on, her heart pounding in her
  chest, her blood pumping in her temples

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Extended Endings

• Brings the main event to a close
• Writers need to think of how their character has
  changed in a story
• The ending summarizes the main characters
  thoughts, feelings, memories, hopes, wishes or
  decisions in regard to the main event

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What is Expository Writing?

• Nonfiction, fact based writing
• Type of writing most students will use in school
  and into their working lives.

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Examples of Expository Writing

• This will be in the form of research papers,
  essays, newspaper articles, or responses to
  literature.
• Written for the purpose of informing an audience

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Introduction Paragraph

• Contains a lead and topic sentence that captures
  the attention of the reader
• Explains to the reader what the topic is mainly
  about
• Sentence starters help the writer create interest
  and stay focused
• Have you ever heard of
• Did you know

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Main Idea and Supporting Details

• First students will break down their story into
  three broad yet distinct main ideas.
• The details can be statistics, amazing facts,
  quotes, anecdotes, or a description.

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Conclusion

• Restating your main ideas in a different way
• The last chance the author has to leave the
  reader with a strong impression.

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More Information?

• If you would like more information about
  empowering writers, or to view student samples
  please go to
• http//www.empoweringwriters.com/