Since last week’s post, I’ve continued reading about mini-lessons and their impact on students’ writer’s notebooks. Last week I shared about helping children find their writing topics through the use of a hand map. This week I delved deeper into helping students narrow their focus on a specific topic. The mini-lesson created involves the senses and the description that using the senses can provide to a piece of writing.
When modeling for this mini-lesson, a place that is familiar to all students should be chosen (i.e. a place at school). In my lesson, I chose to use the school cafeteria, mainly because it would be simpler to identify things that could be tasted in that environment. The important thing here is to choose a topic/place that your students can relate to or places that they are familiar with. For example, Disney World is not a very good choice for modeling because it is not likely that many of your students have much knowledge about that place.
The next step is to create a chart that contains the five senses and empty space to fill in examples of what the five senses would sense in that place (the cafeteria for my lesson). Most children will be able to offer up ideas of what to put in the chart. As students volunteer their thoughts, fill in the chart where they can see it (on the whiteboard or under a document camera).
Following, invite students to try to create their own chart. If you are working with younger students (i.e. k-2) you may need to provide the skeleton of the chart for them. They can choose any place that is familiar to them, meaning their bedroom, their backyard, the beach, etc.
And as always– allot time for sharing! Asking students to share their work is a good way to show that you value their writing and their hard work. Sharing also encourages agency amongst students. Students may also produce more thought-out work when they know that they will be sharing it with others (although I don’t advocate for forcing children to share their writing- I was one who always liked to keep my writing to myself).
To access my mini-lesson, which includes example modeling, click the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BcFYS4vR_I1I_jdNkQeku0EM3lbJZn2M7SI2J7tMgTk/edit?usp=sharing
Children's Literature Blog 
Abby,
I love all the entries you bring attention to from Textbook: Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I also have learned a lot from this mentor text, especially the fact that journal entries do not need to be long, drawn out reflections. I have started writing more in my notebook, mostly because I now feel ok with jotting down short entries — journaling doesn’t seem like too much of a daunting task.
I relate very closely to your six-word memoir! I feel like we are all out here just trying to figure life out. I definitely feel like I have a lot more to figure out in this whole “adulting” thing.
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I loved the quote from AMKR. “Just look at us, doing our own thing and trying to matter.” Everyone has their own path in life. š You will be an amazing elementary teacher.
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