Co-Planning: Mini-Writing Unit [PART 2]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

• Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 2 times each week. 

• Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

• We are co-planning a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent the last 2 weeks reading Greek myths.  This writing mini-unit isn’t about research, it’s about narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

• How does workshop play out in terms of synchronous and asynchronous learning?

• How can mentor texts that we choose and that students choose be used to support learning?

• When, where, why, and how will students meet in small breakout groups over the next week?

• How can student work be used for a minilesson using a digital platform?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Writing Mini-Unit [Greek Mythology]

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

• I am thinking about how to co-construct 'what counts .... what are we going after' in this integrated writing project. Should we have a discussion? Should we jot down a couple of ideas first?

• I am considering whether I should read through all student writing this weekend or pair them up and ask each small group to find two pluses in their writing partner's work.

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

• Who is on the worry / wondering list? What’s our response?

• Will small groups continue to be grade based [5th and 6th] or will we mix it up?

• Thinking ahead — what’s next after this mini-writing unit?

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Magazine Articles

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: MAGAZINE ARTICLES

It’s no surprise that waiting rooms are filled with tables and shelves filled with magazines for people to enjoy while they wait.  Whether your wait is long or short, magazine articles are a perfect fit because you can leaf through the pages and find an article that piques your interest.  Readers of all ages can be inspired by all that this short text type has to offer.  For many reasons, magazine articles are enticing because they can be:

• Arranged and displayed to catch readers’ eyes

• Considered a “guilty pleasure” or source for important information 

• Easily transported and shared with others

• Read from cover to cover or you can dip in and out of it and read what appeals to you

• Read once or multiple times

VIDEO 

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

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Take a look around your home to see if you have any magazines, old or new. Preview by looking at the front cover and then leafing through the pages.   Consider asking and answering some of these questions. 

• What is the title of the magazine? 

• When was this magazine published?

• Is this a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or annual magazine?

• Is there a Table of Contents? 

• What is the feature article?  Are there other articles being highlighted?  How do you know?

• Is there an article that stands out that you’d like to read first?

If you don’t have access to magazines that are appropriate or appealing to students, you can look online for options, many which can be accessed for free right now.  For a few examples, check out:

• Time for Kids

• Scholastic News

• Highlights Kids

Step 2

Choose an article to read.  Here are some things you can do before, during and after you read.

Here’s an example:

For an example, we’ll use the Penguin Census, from the April 17, 2020 issue.  Time for Kids has graciously offered some free digital content for students, families and educators to use due to school closures.  

Here’s what we noticed:

• There are some words that are in bold, marking their importance.

• The cover image makes us wonder what the people are doing with/near the penguins.

• There are captions below each image.

• There are headings that divide up the article.

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

• Talk about the word, “census.” What does it mean?

• Where is Snow Island, Antarctica?  Locate it on a map.

• Read/research why it would be so important to count penguins.  

• Read, write and talk about what krill has to do with this penguin study.

Step 3

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

Reading  Ideas  

• Read other articles in this issue.

• Read other texts about Chinstrap Penguins such as PenquinPedia.

• Watch some videos about penguins such as on National Geographic Kids.

• Check out Seeing the World Below the Surface at the National Aquarium.

Writing  Ideas  

• Research other animals that are counted [like the Chinstrap Penguin] and write about what, when, where, why, and how they are counted.

  • Some animals are counted annually.  There are Christmas bird counts when participants count all the birds in their yards on a particular day in December.

• Draw pictures of favorite animals.

• Make a list of fun facts about a favorite animal.

• Pick a penguin type, or another animal, to write about.  You can write fiction, nonfiction, or narrative nonfiction.

Talking  Ideas 

• Share any new ideas you’ve learned with others.

• Talk about the pros and cons of using drone technology to study animals.

• Share what you like or don’t like about zoos and aquariums.  What are the advantages and disadvantages for animals and humans?

• Compare this “census” to the one currently being done in the United States.  How are the censuses similar and different?

Step 4

Look for other magazine articles that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

In addition to the magaziness we’ve already shared, here are a few examples you might find helpful.  

Preschool

• Ladybug

• Zootles

Elementary

• Ranger Rick

• National Geographic Kids

Tweens & Teens

• MUSE Magazine

• Sports Illustrated Kids

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (Benchmark, 2021)

Co-Planning: Mini-Writing Unit [PART 1]

Written by Julie Wright & Barry Hoonan

HOW WE GOT INTO PROFESSIONAL CAHOOTS WITH ONE ANOTHER

We’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with one another for the past seven years.  We met at a school in Harlem, Julie as an Instructional Coach and Barry as a Model Classroom Teacher and Instructional Coach. Our work continued well past that experience.  With Barry out west and Julie on the east coast, we’ve spent the majority of our years working across 3000 miles.  Highlights include Sunday morning co-planning sessions and co-authoring What Are You Grouping For?, Grades 3-8: How to Guide Small Groups Based on Readers -- Not the Book.  We’ve always enjoyed being THINKING PARTNERS and we believe educators need someone to think beside now, more than ever.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

As we navigate and co-plan learning during the weeks ahead, here are a few shared agreements:

1. We are not going to edit these videos which means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  We know you’ll be able to relate and hope you’ll be understanding.

2. The ideas we share are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach things.  And, we are figuring it out as we go along too. We hope you’ll take the big ideas we are discussing and — adopt, adapt or improve upon them — making them fit your settings, interests and needs. 

3. We suggest focusing on process -- our work will continue to unfold between video segments.  That’s why if you pop back into our shared document links, you’ll notice changes because we’ll be adding ideas.  That’s because responsive plans evolve across the days and weeks.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

• Kids have been learning from home for several weeks now.  Barry and Julie have a co-planning routine and they “meet” about 2 times each week. 

• Barry’s students have settled into a learning from home routine, sort of.  Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

• We are co-planning a mini-writing unit focused on Greek mythology.  Kiddos spent the last 2 weeks reading Greek myths.  This writing mini-unit isn’t about research, it’s about narrative writing with a twist of Greek mythology.

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Writing Mini-Unit [Greek Mythology]

Planning Templates: Co-planning Templates

Small Group Plans: Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

BARRY’S REFLECTIONS

• I’m thinking about what’s going to be on the Menu of Options for kids [end products].

• What am I going to model? Do I screencast or video?

JULIE’S REFLECTIONS

• How will Barry create small, flexible writing groups in this distance learning mini-unit? How will it be similar and different to the ways we create groups when face-to-face? 

• Should I look for a few models to send to him in case he needs them or is that just more noise for him to sift and sort through?  Ask him what he thinks/needs.

• We had trouble sticking to the time we said we’d use to co-plan. So that we prioritize self-care, I’m continuing to think about this for next time.

WANT TO SUBMIT A QUESTION or CONNECT WITH US?

If something we’ve shared inspires new ideas or ignites some questions, reach out to us using THIS FORM and we’ll do our best to get back to you!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Recipes

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: RECIPES

We are guessing you are more interested in recipes and cooking now, more than ever before.  Since we are all at home during this time, recipes are the perfect short texts for us to dig into.  Recipes are procedural texts, also known as “how-tos.”  They tend to follow a  prescribed structure and need to be read in a specific order.  Reading (and following) a recipe is a great example of  reading with purpose, and the rewards are - delicious!

While we have some children’s cookbooks at home, there is really no need to seek recipes written specifically for kids.  There are lots of places where you can find recipes right at your fingertips.  Here are a few:

• Online

  • Think of something you want to make and put that information in your web browser.  In just moments, slews of sites with recipes will pop up (Ex. Chocolate chip cookies).

  • Name one main ingredient you have available and put that in your web browser, followed by the word recipes and you’ll have recipes at your fingertips (Ex. Chicken).

  • Think of a product you use often and go to that company’s website.  Often, they have a recipe section with easy to follow-recipes using their products (Ex. Pillsbury).

  • There are lots of YouTube videos out there.   Many are great, but make sure you preview them before using them with kids.

• Check out cookbooks you may have at home.

• Do you have a recipe box?  If so, check it out for some family favorites.

• If you have any magazines, recipes can often be found tucked inside.  If you don’t see any right away, flip to the last few pages and see what you find.

VIDEO 

Check out this short video on how to use a recipe to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any recipe.  Perhaps something you want to make for dinner or a special treat.   Take a look at the format of the recipe.  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• Does it have a photograph of the finished product?  Are there illustrations of the various steps?

• Who is the author/chef?

Step 2

Take a closer look at the recipe.

• Do you have all of the ingredients for this recipe?

• Do you understand the measurements and tools? 

• Are there new words or vocabulary that you need to understand before you begin?

• Are there pictures or images to help guide you during each step?    

Here’s an example of a recipe we use all the time:

Here’s what we noticed:

• The Ingredients are usually listed first and in the order they are used.

• The amounts of each ingredient are listed (and they are in “standard” measurements like teaspoons and cups).

• Some recipes tell you how many servings they make.

• Some recipes tell you how long it will take to make them.

• Some recipes number the steps you will take.

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

• Look closely at the structure of the recipe.  Why ingredients are listed first?  Why are the steps numbered or bulleted?

• Preview the recipe. Read all the way through a recipe before making it.  It is very important (the best reason ever to preview  a text!).

• Discuss standard measurements.  It’s a very interesting concept.   Talk about why you wouldn’t just use any spoon or cup?

• Vocabulary is important.  In a recipe there are often lots of context clues to help with new and unfamiliar words.

Step 3

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

Reading  Ideas  

• Follow the recipe and make the dish to share with your family.

• Read more than one recipe for the same thing - compare and contrast.

  • There are many many recipes out there for chocolate chip cookies! What ingredients do they all have in common?

• Read more than one recipe by the same chef.  What is similar about the format of the recipes.

• Study the features of a cookbook.

  • Index

  • Recipes are grouped together

  • Table of contents

Writing  Ideas  

• Write your own recipe.

  • Make up a brand new recipe and write it down for others to make.

  • Write down a recipe that your adult knows “by heart.”  Try to record the family meatloaf recipe or how to make french toast.

• Take a survey of the people in your household and how they felt about the dish you cooked.

• Write a review of the recipe or a meal.

• Create a menu. What would you have if you could have your dream meal?

Talking  Ideas 

• Watch a cooking video or show and talk about what you have learned.

• Compare the finished product to the photograph.  How did you do?

• Taste critically.  What would you do differently next time?

• Interview your home “chef.”  Why do they make the recipes they make?

Step 4

Look for other recipes that you find and read (and make) those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• The New York Times recently had a “Quarantine Cooking with Kids” section (April 18, 2020).

• YouTube Videos (there are many cool things to watch).

• Honest Pretzels by Mollie Katzen, a wonderful book of visual steps for children to follow. (You might use this as a model for your own recipe writing.)

• Check out Mark Bittman — chef, NYTimes writer, cookbook author — and his great website, full of recipes and information.

COMING SOON!

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

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Images & Pictures

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

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. 

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: IMAGES & PICTURES

If we want students to read the world around them, we have to expand the types of texts that we ask them to read, inside and outside of school.  Said another way—our kiddos deserve to read texts everyday that go beyond textbooks and test prep passages. In addition, they deserve to spend their learning time doing things that boost their curiosity, creativity and ingenuity. 

Have you ever scrolled through your camera roll and found pictures that bring back great memories?  Or, have you ever noticed a picture you don’t even remember taking? Images and pictures can be found everywhere and are great short texts to explore.  They can be found in family photo albums, books, wall calendars, game board boxes, packaging from a recent delivery, or online. There are also lots of credible sources that share photos of the day or week.  Here are a few examples:

• The Atlantic

• National Geographic

• NASA

• The Guardian

• NYT

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any image or picture that you find in your house or online and ask:  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• What do you think this image / photo is about?   

• Does it have a title or caption?

• Who is the author?

Step 2

Take a closer look at the image / picture and discuss:

• What does this image / picture make you think about?  

• What connections can you make?  

• How does this image / picture make you feel?  

• When do you think this image / picture was taken?  For what reason?

Here’s an example of an image we love.  

Here’s what we noticed:

• This looks like a bee hive or a wasp nest. 

• it was hanging from a branch, but fell to the ground.

• No bees or wasps are living in it right now.

Here’s what we wondered:

• Is this a bee hive or wasp nest? What’s the difference?

• How many bees or wasps would typically live here?

• How long do the bees or wasps stay here?

• Is this dangerous to be around?

Step 3

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

Reading  Ideas  

• Read/watch information about bees for a mini-inquiry study focused on one or more of the following ideas:

  • Bee swarms

  • Bee hives

  • Bee lifespan

  • Importance of bees to our environment

  • Bee stings/allergies

  • Products made from bees

• Explore the Cincinnati Zoo and learn more about bees.

• Watch a short video from National Geographic about bees.

• Search, sort, and read infographics about bees.  Examples can be found here.  

Writing  Ideas  

• Create a two column chart.  

  • In the left-hand column, write things you think you know about bees.

  • In the right-hand column, write things you are wondering / things you want to know about bees.

• Write/draw some ideas related to bees focused on one or more of the following ideas:

  • List of questions about bees

  • Create a top 10 list of bee facts

  • Draw the relationship between hives, bees, and flowers

  • Make your own informational bee book

• Write bee and bug jokes.

• Draw some pictures of bees.  Use crayons, colored pencils, markers, or watercolors to add color.

Talking  Ideas 

• Discuss the different types of bees and hives after watching All Things Animal TV about bees.

• Read and talk about The Good of the Hive project by Matthew Wiley.  Check out the About page for some background information.

• Talk about bee idioms (the bee’s knees, busy as a bee, have a bee in one’s bonnet, queen bee)

• Have a conversation about honey.  Note: This conversation may lead to more reading, writing and talking.

  • Do you like honey?  Why or why not?

  • What are the major honey companies?  Where are they located?

  • What types of recipes include honey as a major ingredient?

  • Are there honey festivals?  If so, when and where?

  • Why are honeycomb cells hexagonal?

Step 4

Look for other images / pictures that you find and read those too! 

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• The Bee Book by Charlotte Minor

• Enjoy some jokes about bees and bugs here.

• Look at Burt’s Bees and talk about the company’s purpose, People, Profit, Planet.  

  • What do you think?

  • What ways could you go out and change the world for the greater good?

• Explore bee poems (Do a quick search and lots of bee poems can be found.  Reminder to preview them before sharing them.)

COMING SOON!

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

Simplicity and Connection in Distance Learning

We’ve heard it and said it lots of times over the past weeks. These are tricky times. I’m so proud of all the educators have stepped up to make the most out of the changes and challenges that have come their way. As I support educators across the miles, it’s clear that there is no one right answer or one right way. It’s about putting our best feet forward in meeting the individual and collective needs of the learning communities we serve. And, then, pushing pause to reflect so that we can make reasonable and responsive moves forward.

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Patty McGee about the simplicity and connection in distance learning. Our conversation was refreshing and I’m thankful for the opportunity. In case you missed it, check it out here!

Thanks to Patty and Benchmark Education for your continued support of important conversations and work!

Fostering Independence Through Small Group Instruction, Including Book Clubs

I’m honored to join this important conversation. Please register and join us!

 http://bit.ly/bookclubsApril28

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Picture Books (Fiction)

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

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. 

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: PICTURE BOOKS (FICTION)

By design, picture books combine the wisdom of the words with the visual power of the illustrations to convey the story.  Beginning with the earliest readers, picture books create building blocks that promote a lifelong love of literacy. Through picture books, young readers can increase their vocabulary and build language skills.  

We love picture books because they can be read multiple times and for multiple reasons.  Take some time and look around your house. Be on the lookout for different types of picture books and put them in a stack.  Don’t forget, if you have board books or wordless books, stick those in your stack too! Each picture book provides so much more than just a read aloud.

VIDEO 

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

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a favorite fiction picture book.

• Why is it your favorite?  Did you have it when you were a child?  Have you read it multiple times as a teacher?

• Look for the places you love the most.  Reread. Smile!

• Who is your favorite character?  Why?

Or, is there a picture book on your shelves that you do not know well?  Here is your opportunity to read it!

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

• What is the title?

• Who is the author?

• What do you think this book is going to be about?

Step 2

Read the picture book aloud.  You can either read the book to a child, the child can read the book to you, or you can share the reading by taking turns reading to one another.

We love The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieska. If interested, order a copy of this book here. Picture books are filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

• Explore the structure of a picture book.

• Explore the role of the narrator.  How is the story different when it is told from a different perspective?

  • In The True Story..., the story is told from the perspective of the Wolf.

• Practice retelling the story.

• Look for the story elements such as character, setting, problem and solution.

• Do fluency practice (something that is likely being neglected during distance learning). Passages of familiar books are probably memorized.  Channel that for phrased and fluent reading.  

  • If possible have children record favorite stories (or ask their grownups too).  These could be a wonderful resource for the entire class.  

  • More fluency work: Ask children to read a favorite to a younger sibling or the family pet.

Step 3

Look on your bookshelves and try and find other picture books.  If you have time and interest, read those too!

Step 4

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

Reading Ideas 

• Read a picture book and learn more about the author and/or illustrator.

• Find two picture books about the same topic or written by the same author.  Compare them.  

  • What do they have in common?

  • What makes them different?

  • Compare two versions of the same story (i.e. the traditional “Three Little Pigs” and The True Story …)

• Make a familiar story into a Reader’s Theater script using the language of the characters and a “narrator” to move the plot along

Writing  Ideas  

• Keep a list of all the picture books you read.

• Write your own picture book about a recent event or experience. Maybe you could write a story about a child who does all his/her learning at home while schools are closed. 

• Try to rewrite your favorite picture book from when you were little (don’t reread it first).  Maybe it’s a book you no longer own - retell it from memory.  

• Write a sequel to this book.  What happens next? Add a new character.

Talking  Ideas 

• Start a conversation about places and times throughout the day to read.  

  • Where is a good place to read at home?  

  • What makes it a particularly good spot? (This is work many of us do in September when we want to set up reading routines at home.  It probably needs to be revisited now.)

• Invite children to find a favorite picture book (maybe it was one someone read to them when they were”little”.)  

• If you have a way to “meet” with your class,  everyone could hold up their favorite book or everyone posts a picture.  Compare covers. Are there any repeats? Are there similarities? Fiction, nonfiction, books by the same author?

• Explore the way the text and illustrations work together.  What do the illustrations show that the text does not?

  • Find the page that has the picture featured on the cover.  Why is this the image the author/illustrator/editor chose for the cover?

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• Check out the self-publishing options on StoryJumper.

• Record a story on Flipgrid.

• Take a look at Vooks, a great website of animated picture books.  

• Check out free access to many great picture books for educators on Epic. 

COMING SOON!

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

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Cereal Boxes

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

In mid-March, the COVID-19 pandemic hit home, and teaching went from classrooms to living rooms and kitchen tables in the blink of an eye. To keep kids learning and feeling safe, cultural and literary heroes opened up their digital doors. There are museum tours, celebrity read alouds, Mo Willems sketching and penguins at the Shedd Aquarium. The cast of Hamilton sang on Youtube to a young girl who was sad her trip to see the show was cancelled.   All of these experiences and assets were—and are— amazing. Teachers can continue to share these riches with their students.

Now it’s mid-April, though, and teachers are tasked with planning and delivering curriculum. The question now is, How do I create engaging lessons for the children who usually sit in front of me but are now learning from home? As an elementary reading teacher (Elizabeth) and a literacy coach (Julie) we are grappling with the same steep learning curves as teachers as we try to find our way fast with online instruction. Our jobs, however, as those trained to support teachers with resources and best literacy practices, have propelled us to realize that the learning kids do now has to be different because we are living and instructing in different times. As educator Pernille Ripp declared, “Whatever your plans are, cut them in half. Then cut them in half again.”  

With this less is more mantra in mind, 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. We may not sing like Lin Manuel Miranda or read aloud like Kwame Alexander or Kate Messner, but we know these lessons will brighten kids' days.  

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: CEREAL BOXES

When you were young, or maybe even today as an adult, was reading the back of a cereal box part of your morning eating routine?  Did you ever have repeat readings across several days and see things you didn’t see the day before? Did reading something on the back of the box ever pique your curiosity and make you want to know more?  Today, many short texts, such as food packages, give us reasons to read and write because they entertain, inform, and often inspire us. Here’s what we mean.

Entertain -- brings us joy 

Inform -- teaches us new information and/or renews our thinking about ideas and topics 

Inspire -- motivates us to read, write and share more

VIDEO 

Check out these two short videos focused on how to use a cereal box to entertain, inform, and inspire.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Grab any cereal box in your home.  Take a look at the front, back, and side panels.  

• What do you notice?

• What do you wonder?

Note:  If you don’t have a cereal box, choose another type of food package.

Step 2

Share a cereal box that you find exciting.  Think aloud about ways this short text entertained, informed and/or inspired you.  

Examples: Back of cereal boxes

Take a look at the first example which is the back of a Cap’n Crunch cereal box. This text is filled with reading, writing and talking opportunities.  For example, you could:

• Play the matching berry game on the back panel. [back panel]

• Make new words by creating 12 new words using the letters in “Crunch Berry” [back panel]

• Play the dot game. [back panel]

• Read and investigate the ingredients and Nutritional Facts  [side panel]

• Use a measuring cup or scale and rice to visualize the amount of sugar

• Read and think about the recycling information [top panel]

• Share what you’ve learned and created with others

Step 3

Look in your pantry and find other cereal boxes.  Compare cereal boxes and think about how they are similar and how they are different. 

Step 4

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

Reading Ideas 

• Go to the cereal company’s website and poke around to see what interesting facts and images you can find.

• Grab 2 or more cereal boxes and compare the nutritional information.

• Read other breakfast food boxes.  What do you see? What are you wondering?

• If you are watching any television or videos, listen and watch closely for breakfast food ads.  What do you see? What are you wondering?

Writing Ideas 

• Make a list of all the cereal brands and types you know.

• Design your own cereal.  What is it called? What will the box look like?

• Write a letter to the cereal company telling them what you think about their cereal and/or ask them questions about their cereal.

• Create a survey asking people to share their favorite cereal choices and why they are a favorite.

Talking Ideas

• Why is the cereal called… (Frosted Flakes, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, etc.)?

• Which part of the box do you look at in the grocery store?  Which part do you read at home?

• Recall the cereal aisle in a supermarket, or find a photo online. What colors do you see? Why? Where is the aisle located?

• Why does the company want you to know what they believe (i.e. philosophy)?

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• Pick any cereal manufacturer.  Go to their website. Explore all of the information they share on their site.

• Read about cereal using an online dictionary such as https://www.britannica.com/topic/cereal

• Read about National Cereal Day and 15 Interesting Facts about Cereal https://www.ibtimes.com/national-cereal-day-15-interesting-facts-about-cereal-1560030

COMING SOON!

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

MEET ELIZABETH

Meet my friend, colleague, co-author and co-blogger, Elizabeth Keim. She 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.

Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Reading & Writing Lesson Links [Updated]

Connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information on these lessons!

I am currently co-planning with some teachers across grades 2-8.

Some of our plans have worked really well. Others have been a flop.

We are, like you, working really hard to figure all of this out. Steps forward often means steps back. Reflecting along the way helps us push forward again. It isn’t even close to perfect. It’s messy. But, we are living in the messy together.

USING MENTOR LESSONS TO JUMPSTART PLANNING

There isn’t one right way to plan. Some teachers use scripted lessons. Some teachers use scripted lessons with flexibility — adjusting them to meet the needs, interests and wants of the learning community they serve. Some teachers create authentic lessons from the ground up. While the latter is my preference, there are times where mentor lessons or units help jumpstart ideas for planning. Mentor lessons can help teachers get a running start. It’s a safe and trustworthy way to plan because teachers know they are still in the driver’s seat — adjusting lessons to meet the individual and unique needs of the learning community they serve.

PLANNING FOR REMOTE/DIGITAL LEARNING

Most schools are working to support students from a distance. Learning opportunities are being offered by teachers through digital and print materials — and some are using both. Schools are working hard to navigate these times using the tools and resources available to them, coupled with individual and collective know-how to best meet:

• curricular demands

• intervention and support demands

• students’ social, emotional, academic and physical needs

ADOPT, ADAPT & IMPROVE

Included in the links below are resources to use if you are interested in launching and sustaining SMALL GROUP READING and WRITING learning opportunities through remote or distance learning. You can:

ADOPT — Use these materials as they are written.

ADAPT — Make adjustments to these lessons in order to meet your students’ needs, interests, and wants.

IMPROVE — Try some of the ideas out, change them and make them better.

That said, as you make decisions about how you will use these ideas, first consider some of these questions:

• Are students learning via soft copy or hard copy? Is our district going paper/pencil or digital during these times? Or, a combination of both? How do these modes of learning impact these plans?

• What technology systems and structures are available to teachers and students? Does the learning community know how to access and use them? If not, can we learn them in efficient and effective ways?

• Do teachers have the ability to connect with students — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?

• Do students have the ability to connect with teachers — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?

• Do students have the ability to connect with one another — via video, phone or shared folders/documents?

LINKS TO READING & WRITING LESSONS [UPDATED TO INCLUDE 15 LESSONS]

If you are looking for READING LESSONS, connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information!

If you are looking for WRITING LESSONS, connect with me through this CONTACT LINK for more information!

SHARE YOUR IDEAS

If you ADOPT, ADAPT or IMPROVE any of these plans, please consider reaching out and sharing your perspectives so that we can learn with and from one another. Email me at julietwright4444@gmail.com or reach out via my CONTACT PAGE and share ideas!

Reading Surveys: A Go-To Data Source [Especially During Extended School Closures]

At the start of this school year, I blogged about using reading surveys as a go-to source of data for creating a focus for instruction. That blog post can be found here. I talked about the importance of carefully choosing survey questions that would give us just-in-time data that we could use to create a focus for instruction during the first weeks of the school year and beyond.

During this pandemic, surveying students now — in relation to their at-home learning environment and reading interests — would provide intel, or data, that could inform your digitally-focused, remote-learning, instructional moves going forward.

TRY THIS

1. Give students a copy of the Reading Interest Survey for Remote Learning digitally or on paper depending on your district’s policies and procedures.

2. Ahead of time, fill out a survey about yourself. To lift students’ thinking across the learning community, share a few ideas from your survey by:

   • Giving students a copy of your survey to view [hard or soft copy]

   • Sharing ideas from your survey via a pre-recorded or live video

     Note: By sharing your survey, students will have an opportunity to get to know you and your at-home routines while serving as a model for when they complete their surveys.

3. If students have the capability of sharing and/or communicating with one another, break them into small groups and let them have a conversation [either through voice-to-voice or writing] about noticings and celebrations. You can encourage students to borrow great ideas about reading at home from one another that they might want to put into action.

4. Save student surveys — they might teach you something later that you didn’t know you wanted/needed to know now.

LOOKING ACROSS THE DATA

As you look across student survey results, here are some ways you might consider using the data to guide your next moves. You could:

• Use the data to inform you and help students create a personalized reading spot at home, if needed.

• Take stock in what types of texts students put in their stack. This could be a great opportunity to curate texts for students to read. That is, of course, all dependent on what’s available, applicable and doable during this time.

• If you are meeting with students virtually, you could:

  • Celebrate things people have in common

  • Create a big list of reading recommendations

  • Use this survey data to create conversation starters or entry points for future instruction

These are tricky times. But, they are less tricky when we make connections and keep connections going. Student surveys are one way to make that happen. If you like this survey, use it! Or, use it as a springboard to create your own. If you come up with some great ideas, please reach out to me at julietwright4444@gmail.com or via my CONTACT PAGE and share ideas!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #5

Creating a Text Set Using a Chapter Book & Short Texts

I love books.

I love the smell of them. The feel of them. The stories and information inside them.

Additionally, I love texts — all shapes and sizes.

Some people say friends are tucked inside of books and texts. I agree that is true for some, but for me they are guides more than they are friends. Books and texts guide me to appreciate the familiar and experience the new or unfamiliar. They teach, mentor, provoke, inspire, and guide.

Books and texts have a dual role in my literacy journey. I can consume them [read, watch, view, listen] and I can produce them [write, sketch, make, create, design, perform]. In turn, when I’m working with school leaders, coaches, teachers, and kiddos, my goals always include creating similar learning opportunities where we consume and produce books and texts.

Taking It Slow

For the past two weeks or so, my boys and I have been joining together once a day for some book club time. As I mentioned in this blog post, we started reading Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. Besides the fun conversation about the book, it’s characters, and all things donkey — the best part is that we are taking it slow. We have found that our pace doesn’t matter. We aren’t racing a clock, we aren’t trying to get to the end, we aren’t hurrying so that we can jump to the next thing. We are lingering and it feels so good and so right. It’s just what we need right now.

Using Text Sets to Inspire More Reading & Writing

When we put texts together that have something in common with one another, we create a text set. In this case, we put both long and short texts — and texts of different shapes and sizes — together to create a text set. As mentioned, we are using this chapter book to jump start some reading and writing tied to our interests. In addition to reading Sharon Creech’s Saving Winslow, here are some reading and writing opportunities that we created with and for one another.

Note: There was no magic in what we read or wrote and/or the order in which we did them. We let our conversations and our inquiries lead our decision-making. Together, we:

1. Read a few reviews of the book.

2. Previewed Sharon Creech’s website. We went back to this site multiple times for different reasons.

3. We read and watched different texts to increase our knowledge of donkeys.

   • Facts About Donkeys

   • The Donkey Sanctuary

   • Miniature Donkey at National Zoo

   • Interesting Donkey Items [like every text, please preview ahead of time to make sure content is appropriate]

4. We wrote in our notebooks to ask questions, noodle ideas, and hold our thinking.

   • Reflections and wonderings after reading chapters from the book

   • Interesting and intriguing donkey facts

   • Sticky notes filled with old and new ideas

   • Questions we have for Sharon Creech

   • A letter we co-wrote to Sharon Creech

   • Addressing an envelope and a self-addressed envelope for the letter we wrote

We aren’t finished with this study yet, but I’m excited to see where we head in the days to come!

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #4

Three weeks ago I would have said that I know my kids deeply.

I think I was wrong.

Of course, like all parents, I know my kids. I know their patterns, their likes and dislikes, what makes them laugh and what scares them. I know what they like to read and their favorite spots to write and complete homework. I know the at-home and on-the-weekend and in-the summertime kids. .

I think I assumed I knew my kids as students. However, I’m realizing that I don’t know them, really know them, as students, like I am getting to know them now. How could I? They’ve spent the majority of their learning-selves at school. And, now, their learning-selves are at home. The difference at this point, is their learning-selves at home excludes one of the most important aspects of learning which is the social capital they receive from learning with and from peers.

Creating Learning-at-Home Rituals

For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been working to co-create rituals and routines with my kids so that they have things they can count on each day. We created shared agreements about when we would:

• Get up and get moving [9:30 a.m.]

• Join together at the breakfast table & get organized for the day [9:45 a.m.]

• Work through assignments posted online for each of their school classes [10:00-2:00 with lunch thrown in there somewhere]

• Unstructured refuel yourself time filled with choice activities such as art, backyard play time, trail walks, puzzles, gaming, etc. [2:00-3:00]

• “Mom School”, as my boys call it, where we spend time reading, writing and thinking together [3:00-4:30]

Kidwatching My Own Kids at Home

This pandemic has given me opportunities to study my own kids in new ways. I’m learning more about them each day as readers, writers, mathematicians, citizens, scientists, artists, siblings, chefs, gamers, backyard explorers, family members, comedians, and as dog-lovers. Through kidwatching, I’ve learned that one or more of my kiddos:

• has interest, stamina, and finds pleasure in paint-by-numbers

• uses cooking / dessert making at the 5:30 p.m. hour as celebration for completing all online assignments from school

• actually talks more during the dinner hour since the pace of our lives has slowed down a bit

• has learned to do a backflip on the trampoline and has taught the dog to jump on the trampoline too

• finds joy in beating his mom at a friendly game of trampoline COVID-19 basketball [formerly called HORSE]

• felt “cheated” out of book club time when we had a day where our schedule was a little clunky

• thinks our digital COVID-19 writing buddies experience might be kind of fun

When we first started learning at home together, I thought it was short term. I went into the what should we do to get through the next week or two mindset. Now that we have a clearer view that we’ll be going from short to longer-term, I decided to get my boys’ perspectives about who they think they are as learners — at school and at home. I gave my boys this Who Are You as a Learner note catcher.

To be honest, they weren’t sure what to do with it at first. I think it felt very school-like to them. I told them I wanted them to self-reflect about their interests, passions, curiosities, successes, habits, etc. so that I could think about them as learners in both environments. I’m not going to share their responses because they are for our work at home together, but one important point to mention is that we added ideas across several days. Like most kiddos, my boys started out reluctant about adding ideas. Maybe they felt vulnerable? Maybe they didn’t quite understand the purpose at first? Regardless, they needed more than one go at it before they started adding ideas that uncovered the deeper side of who they are as learners at school versus who they are as learners at home. Hint: Giving kiddos two post-it notes —one for ideas related to school and one for home — works great too!

Whether you are a parent at home who is educating your own kids OR an educator at home educating your students in their homes, I highly recommend giving kiddos an opportunity to reflect about who they are as learners — both at school and at home. Their responses just might shape your next moves as you provide the love and support they need as people and as learners during this time.

From Ed Consultant to Teacher Mom: Reflection #3

It’s a new week.

With the news heavy with increasing numbers of positive COVID-19 cases, announcements of school closures and distance learning plans that will take some districts through the end of the school year, my crew needed a little break from it all — even though it’s only Monday.

To switch things up, we put our time and energy into building our individual and collective reading and writing volume. Instead of working with a long text [which is often associated with chapter books to build volume] we used a bunch of short texts to educate and inspire ourselves — and to bolster our reading volume! Here’s how we spent our time:

SHORT TEXT #1: A SHORT VIDEO CLIP

• We watched a short video clip about this amazing kiddo named Parker Curry. You probably read about her or saw her on the show Little Big Shots or Ellen. Check out this link if you are interested in watching a short clip.

SHORT TEXT #2: TWITTER FEEDS

• Watching the clip led us to Little Big Shots and Parker Curry’s Twitter feed. That’s not because that was “the right” next text to read, but rather where our interests and questions led us. We couldn’t find the full episode of Parker Curry on Little Big Shots so we went digging around which led us to Twitter. When Parker Curry was tagged, it surprised us [because she’s a little kid] and we wondered what her Twitter feed was all about. Worth Noting: Being interested in what we are reading — whether you are an adult or a kiddo — makes us want to read more. When something piques our interests, we often read more which in turn leads us in directions [and more reading] that we may not have originally anticipated.

• If this has ignited your curiosities too, check out @NBCLilBigShots and @_parkercurry.

SHORT TEXT #3: PICTURE BOOK

• I have two middle school boys. I wasn’t sure how they would interact with Parker Looks Up An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry. I think the word that best describes my reaction to their reactions is INSPIRED. They hung onto the words “…she saw a road before her with endless possibilities.” I have to say, our conversation, while hard to completely capture, was pretty great. Our talk and sharing led us to ask:

  • Where is the National Portrait Gallery?

  • What paintings are in the National Portrait Gallery and who gets to paint them?

  • Who is Amy Sherald?

  • Who painted President Obama’s portrait?

  • What does Parker Curry want to do when she grows up?

  • Did Parker Curry go on a book tour?

SHORT TEXT #4, 5, 6…: INDIVIDUAL TEXT CHOICES [BASED ON INTERESTS & CURIOSITIES]

• This short text study had our curiosities going in different directions. So, we decided to let our reading interests guide us individually. We agreed that we would choose short texts to read and we’d collect IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING by jotting things in our COVID-19 Notebooks [a scary time, but a notebook will help us stay organized I guess]. Some of the texts we explored [and will continue to explore] include:

  • National Portrait Gallery

  • Amy Sherald’s website

  • Presidential Portraits

  • Obama’s Portraits Unveilings

This SHORT TEXT SET gave us something to celebrate — Parker Curry’s attitude, passion, and uplifting message that life is paved by roads with endless possibilities brought us lots of JOY, INSPIRATION, AND HOPE which is just what we needed!