Brandi J. Clark

So much information….where to start?

I love reading and writing nonfiction. While enjoying any book, I look for text formats that I can use with teachers and students.

THE BOOK

Recently I read, Three Things about Elsie, a fiction book for grown-ups. The title refers to a strategy in the book where a character engages her mind by trying to remember three things about someone. This format of summing up someone with three things works well for nonfiction writing too.

THE CONNECTION

On Monday,  I read this post about intentionally choosing facts to be included in children’s nonfiction books. As seen in the post, two books about George Washington are placed side by side. One book has everything there is to know about George Washington, the other book has selective information intended for children. 

THE PROBLEM

When we have students write nonfiction, we expect them to include most of the facts they find. Why do we do this? It’s too much information! This leads to students writing down a string of facts with no reflection. They are not writing in an engaging way because they have not engaged with the information.

THE SOLUTION

Have students be selective and intentional with the facts they choose to write about.

THE EXAMPLE

Let’s say I was going to write about octopuses. I brainstormed a list about octopuses from what I knew and from what information I discovered. (Note this is the correct plural form though Octopi can be used too.)

Octopuses

• Eight legs
• Live in the ocean
• Only live 1-2 years
• Swim along the ocean floor
• Swim in shallow waters
• Eat crabs, lobster and shrimp…and even sharks
• Seals and whales eat them
• Shoot ink to confuse predators
• Camouflage
• Change color to communicate
• Live alone
• Live in dens made of rock
• Move the dens with them
• Can make a door for their den
• 5 cm long to 5.4 m long

Sources:

National Geographic for Kids

Britannica

So, what are three things about an Octopus?

As you can see, there are some things that we already know.

Which three things would you pick?

Obvious ones….no, like having eight legs. That information can added in the final report through a labeled drawing or image.

Likely, you would choose the surprising things, the facts that are new to you or interesting to you. So instead perhaps the question to fill out is:

Three Things I Think You Should Know about Octopuses

rather than…

Three Things that are Most Popular or Common about Octopuses

YOUR TURN: 

Pick an historical figure, a science topic, a social topic, an animal/creature etc…it doesn’t matter.  

1. First make a list of all the things, you think you know.
2. Then find a reputable website and do a bit of research and add new information to your list.
3. Next select the three things (facts) from the list you think *people should know about (INSERT your TOPIC).    *Note: I must add that it is beneficial to choose your “people”. Who are you collecting this information for?  Is it for other teachers? Students that you teach? Just for yourself? Who are your people? (audience) Selecting an audience is an important step for determining your top three facts.  Choose facts that are interesting to connect with and explore further.

You now have your top three things. In a later post, I will develop this idea further and give you the next steps. If you like, please add your topic and top three things in the comments below.

Until Next Time,

Love Coach Clark

This is the number one question I get from the teachers I’ve worked with.

I get it! Lately there has not been a solid plan for how to TEACH spelling. Spelling textbooks have not been used in classrooms for years. The reasons are many. One is that the old spelling textbooks are not explicitly differentiated for a variety of student abilities.

But, teachers want direction for teaching spelling. They want to be able to differentiate. They want reassurance that they are doing things…right.

As I create my writing intervention resource, I know that spelling will be a huge focus. Strong spelling skills are needed for writing fluency and confidence.  Spelling is what struggling writers spend a lot of time trying to do correctly.

Let’s first revisit how spelling was taught in the past.  I picked up this Canadian Speller from an antique shop in Edmonton. It is from 1950.  I am in love with it. Perhaps I love the size – like a paper back novel. Maybe it’s the ink drawings inside – so retro that they are trendy. Maybe it’s the structure…so clear and concise.

Anyway, let’s check it out!

The cover – elegant – gorgeous colors – to the point.

A letter to teachers …”in these spelling texts, spelling is not thought of as an isolated subject, but as one of the related language arts. The goal is the development of the ability to not only to spell words correctly, but also to use the words accurately in writing and with a clear understanding of their meaning.”

I love that “pupils” are given guidance for “how to study.” This is something students of today need, help to organize their week and setting up a plan for review.

I love the suggestion for Thursday practice. The idea that if mastery is complete – students learn supplementary words. Also, that students have a list of their own spelling words to work on. (A hint of differentiation, even in the 50’s!)

An example of a reading passage, interesting. I had not idea about the origin of the Maple Leaf until I read this. Anyway, I love the Canadian context, and the content area words.

This it the page opposite the reading passage. I like the choices of exercises and the amount of word play. This is similar to how I learned in the 1980’s but I don’t think teachers do this on their own any more.

This a sample page, in all there are 7 rules for spelling. A helpful resource even for today’s students.

Love this…students need to know this.

I know! A dictionary! I get that today’s students have access to one online but I do like that all the words for the year are in this list and accessed quickly.

Students keeping track of their progress – a visual record!

Moving forward, we know that teachers need a structured resource for teaching spelling and struggling writers NEED structured teaching.  Honestly, I think most students need spelling instruction that is clearly laid out.  I envision that it can be digital but it needs to be developmentally aligned, yet flexible to student needs.  This is where I appreciate your input.

What direction would you like for a spelling program?  Email me at Brandi.Clark@ecsd.net

Until Next Time,

Love Coach Clark