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Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Launching into Summer Writing

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: LAUNCHING INTO SUMMER WRITING

For the past ten weeks, we have offered a series called Short Texts at Your Fingertips.  One or two times each week, we provided teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. The ideas we have shared were easily integrated into any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. For some, summer is already in full swing.  For others, summer is just a few short weeks or days away.  Regardless of when your school year ends, it’s important that students of all ages keep reading and writing across the summer months.  Last week we wrote about the WHY and HOW to create voluminous readers this summer!  You can read that post hereThis week we wrap up this series with the WHY and HOW to create voluminous writers this summer! A big THANK YOU to my friend and colleague for being such a great thinking partner and writing partner!

SUMMER WRITING

There is always lots of talk about summer reading.  Children take home books and reading lists.  Writing often gets a line or two at the bottom of the book list (e.g. “Don’t forget to write.”)   We would argue that writing needs equal attention.  Encoding is just as important as decoding and picking up a pencil can be just as easy as reading that short text.  Just as readers need daily practice, writers also need time and motivation to write.  There are lots of ways to incorporate writing into your summer plans. While some children can (and will) write and write and write, all children can create some short texts.   One of the most important ways to encourage writing is to make sure your young writer has ample materials and some great inspiration.  Read on for ideas!

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TRY THIS!

Step 1

If you are looking for some strategic ways to support summer writing, here are some possible pathways:

  • Read about authors and their writing process. Here are a few to get you started:

    • Reading Rockets has lots of videos of amazing authors talking about their work

  • Often some new writing materials to help motivate -- a new notepad or notebook and some beautiful new pens often helps, a lot. See below for more thoughts about this!

  • Correspondence is a great motivator.  A teacher or relative makes a great pen pal.  The correspondence can take place via text, email or mail.   

Step 2

Help students make a plan for summer writing.  Ask:

  • How many days each week will you write? 

  • How many minutes will you spend writing each time you write? 

Ask students what they want to write about.  Do they want to write:

  • Fiction or nonfiction?

  • Notebook entries

  • Poems

  • Letters or postcards or texts

Step 3

Ask students to identify different places to write.  Create a short list of places that might be a perfect place to write, such as:

  • The kitchen table

  • At the computer

  • At the park on a bench

  • Under a favorite tree

  • On the airplane or train

  • On the sidewalk with chalk

  • Anywhere and everywhere as long as there is paper and a writing utensil

Step 4

One of the keys to writing voluminously is to have writing supplies on hand.  Some supplies that promote writing:

  • Paper (lots of it)

    • Unlined (aka copy paper)

    • Lined

    • Construction paper, card stock, etc.

  • Pencils and pens (adults have their favorite writing instruments, encourage your writers to explore different tools)

  • Crayons, markers, paint (many authors need to draw first to “rehearse” their stories and other authors want to illustrate their words)

  • A stapler (and a staple remover) for making books

  • One or more notebooks (for catching all those great ideas and for taking places so there is always somewhere to write)

  • A computer (for those who want to write with a keyboard)

Step 5

Keep reading!  Writers get inspiration from other writers.  Use a loved author as a mentor and try to write in the same style.  Or write a sequel to a favorite story and another in the series.  Here are some other ideas to spark some writing!

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Step 6

Get some other ideas from our other blog posts.  Each one of them can inspire some writing.

Step 7

Get the writing out into the world.  Writers need to “publish” their work and have it read.  Some ideas:

  • Send a piece to a relative or friend

  • Post it on social media

  • Make an author’s video and send it to others to watch

  • Host a virtual (or real) book signing

  • Write a letter and send it off 

FOR MORE  RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Jokes & Riddles

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. Twice each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: JOKES & RIDDLES

We all need to laugh, perhaps now more than ever.  Children love jokes, they love to hear them and they love to tell jokes themselves. Joke telling is a particular skill: timing is everything and it is important to remember the punchline (something that our youngest comics sometimes find difficult - which is also funny in itself).  Jokes are the perfect short texts.  They are bite-sized and easy to find.  Riddles are a bit longer and can be more complex.  Guessing the answer is fun too!  Jokes and riddles are the perfect way to explore language and make meaning. 

VIDEO 

Take a look at this short video on how to use jokes and riddles to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Think about the jokes and riddles you already know, or look for some new ones

Sources of jokes and riddles:

  • Joke books

  • Websites [see resources below for some links to our favorites]

  • Family members

Tell or read the joke to someone:

  • What do you notice about the structure of the joke?

  • What do you wonder?

  • What makes a joke funny?

  • How can you solve a riddle?

Step 2

Take a closer look: 

  • What makes it funny? 

  • What is the structure? How does the joke or riddle “work”?

Here’s an example of a joke we learned as children: 

Knock, knock

Who’s there?

Dwayne

Dwayne who?

Dwayne the bathtub, I’m dwownding!

Here’s what we noticed:

  • All “Knock, knock” jokes follow a very prescribed “formula.” 

  • It is a type of question and answer joke.

  • It is based on word play, these jokes always involve words that sound like other words (i.e. Dwayne and Drain).

This joke is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

  • Talk about what makes this joke so funny.

  • Write some of your own Knock, knock jokes based on names you know that sound like other words.

  • Read more Knock, knock jokes or others that follow a question and answer format.

MORE ABOUT JOKES & RIDDLES

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Step 3

Look for other reading, writing and talking opportunities using this short text type.

Reading  Ideas  

  • Read many of a particular type of joke and analyze the structure.  

  • Why do jokes make people laugh?  Try to find the “funny part.”

  • Read many riddles and try to solve them before reading the answer.

  • Also read puns and tongue twisters - they also have prescribed structures.

Writing  Ideas  

  • Write your own jokes.  Try writing a knock-knock joke.

  • Write your own riddle.  Try a riddle about an animal or a number.

  • Write a caption for a picture riddle.

  • Think about your audience and write for them. [Reminder: Everyone does not appreciate “potty” jokes.]

Talking  Ideas 

  • Jokes work best if memorized and “told.”  Learn a joke to tell on Flipgrid with your class, when in a Zoom meeting with friends or family, or as an ice-breaker in your instructional videos.

  • Put jokes together into a comedy routine.  What jokes work well together?

  • Watch a family friendly comic.  Laugh together.  Discuss why the comic was funny and why it feels so good to laugh.

  • Use reasoning skills to solve riddles.

Step 4

Look for other jokes and riddles that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

  • Websites:

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

CO-AUTHOR: ELIZABETH KEIM

Elizabeth Keim is a New York City based educator with more than 25 years of experience. She is currently an AIS Reading Teacher/Reading Recovery teacher for a school in Mamaroneck, New York. Previously she taught in District 2 in Manhattan,  serving as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and library teacher. In each of these roles,  she knows that, "it is all about finding a text that truly captures a particular reader."  She has taught Undergraduate and Graduate level courses at  New York University and Bank Street College of Education, as well as workshops for teachers and parents.  An avid birder, Elizabeth enjoys her time in Central Park every spring and fall. Her most thrilling sightings to date are: A rare Kirtland's warbler and the tutti frutti colored Summer Tanager.

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