Product Description: Since its publication in 1998 Craft Lessons has become a mainstay of writing teachers, both new and experienced. Readers value the pithy, practical lessons each printed on one page and appreciate the instructional language geared to three grade-level groupings: K 2, 3 4, and 5 8. In the decade since Craft Lessons' publication the world has changed in many ways, yet one thing has remained constant: teachers continue to feel starved for time. With new curriculum mandates, daily specials, pull-outs, and precious time devoted to test preparation, the situation has never been worse, and the need for a succinct resource like Craft Lessons has never been greater. The features that made Craft Lessons so valuable have been augmented. This edition includes: * Seventeen brand new craft lessons; many based on veteran teachers' observations about typical student writing. * Revisions to other craft lessons: model texts that have gone out of print have been replaced with current titles, and the resource materials sections have been expanded. * New thinking about teaching elements of craft and the reading-writing connection. *Two new indexes: a handy subject index to make it easier to find specific craft lessons, and an index that shows how these craft lessons can be integrated into Ralph and JoAnn's curriculum resource on the qualities of writing Ideas, Design, Language, and Presentation. The 95 lessons in this book provide a wealth of information for teaching leads, character, endings, stronger verbs, and much more. This new edition reestablishes Craft Lessons as the crucial desert island book for harried writing teachers everywhere.
An impressive collection of strongly recommended and thoroughly 'user friendly' curriculum resource material. Teaching children how to write is one of the fundamental tasks of all community schools be they public, private, or parochial. Now in an expanded and updated second edition, "Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8" is the collaborative work of professional writer Ralph Fletcher and classroom teacher Joann Portalupi, who have worked with teachers and children from New York City to Hilo, Hawaii. A curriculum supplement and mainstay of writing teachers, this newly augmented edition features seventeen additional craft lessons (many based on veteran teachers' observations about typical student writing), revisions to previous published craft lessons (model texts that have gone out of print and replaced with current titles, as well as expanded resource materials sections); new thinking about teaching elements of craft and the reading-writing connection; and two new indexes. Comprising a total of ninety-five lessons specific to developing student writing skills, "Craft Lessons" continues to be an impressive collection of strongly recommended and thoroughly 'user friendly' curriculum resource material.
If you're a writing teacher, this is the book you're looking for! Unlike many other writing books that abound with theories and fluff, this book cuts straight to the core and gives you minilessons that you can implement in your classroom TODAY! It focuses on adding craft to writing, so don't expect it to be a full writing curriculum or talk about mechanics, but the lessons it provides are top notch. It contains different sections for grades 1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6, revisiting similar skills on different levels. A must for any writing teacher!
I found it to be worthwhile. I have enjoyed reading this book. What great ideas from other teachers and for the different age groups. I'm going to use these ideas for myself as I strive to write.
For all writers everywhere Ralph Fletcher is my mentor as I teach all aspects of writing to my students. Wonderful mini-lessons and writing strategies are backed up by sound pedagogy and research. A must have book!
Model Mini-lessons for the writing workshop I'm a relatively new teacher, and have switched grade levels every year. Teaching writing has been one of the biggest challenges for me. I believe in a writing workshop model, and use a lot of 6 Traits ideas. I knew that both relied on the idea of the writing "mini-lesson" but I really didn't know what those should look like or what kinds of topics they should cover. This book has been a godsend. I disagree with those who say that this book is too rigid. Yes, each lesson identifies particular literature resources which can be used. If you have that book, that's awesome. If not, just adapt the lesson for use with a different book that illustrates the same concept. The point is, these are concise 15 minute mini-lessons that really help your students recognize writing craft, and give them accessible ideas which they can use to improve their own writing.
And, incidentally, if you're building up your classroom library, your school library, or your bookroom, the literature selections that ARE mentioned in this book are uniformly fabulous. I carry a copy of the list of books used in these lessons each time I go to a used book store.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Not Available Comics
Trevor
