This ready-to-use resource provides 40 complete model and writing lessons that capture students' attention, build their writing skills, and teach them a writing process (motivation, brainstorming, composing, revising, and publishing) that will serve them throughout their lives. The lessons/activities are designed for young authors in grades 4 through 9 who are just learning the composing process, as well as for advanced writers who are ready to experiment with a variety of writing and speaking genres. They feature a wide range of practical writing tasks students can easily relate to their own lives.
For easy use, all materials are printed in a big 8 1/4" x 11" lay-flat binding that folds flat for photocopying of the writing formats and evaluative checklists that accompany many of the lessons, and are arranged developmentally into five sections. Here's just a sample of what each section offers:
1. Descriptive Compositions for Young Authors: "People/Fact Hunt"..."Consumer Survey"..."Captions"..."Letter of Introduction to My Next Teacher"...:Restaurant Review Checklist"..."Horoscope"
2. Directional Compositions for Young Authors: "Advice to Next Year's Class"..."Treasure Map Directions"..."Friendship Recipe"..."Cheer-Up Checklist"..."Medical Guide"..."Advice Column Solution Letter"
3. Persuasive Compositions for Young Authors: "Apology/ApologyNote"..."Travel Brochure"..."Movie.VideoReview"..."Sympathy Message"..."Bill of Rights"..."Letter of Complaint"..."Eulogy"
4. Marrative Compositions for Young Authors: "Good News/Bad News Tale"..."Mystery/Whodunit"
5. Poems & Songs for Young Authors: "Simple Chant"..."Five-Line Poem"..."Comparison Poem"..."Auto/Bio Poem"..."Modern Nursery Rhymes"
All lessons provide step-by-step instructions, including alternative motivators, examples of what to say to elicit students' response and what to write on the chalkboard, and suggestions for responding to students' writing in a way that will encourage them.
You'll also find the lessons are ideally flexible. You may follow the steps in each Real-Life Writing lesson just as described or add, omit, and/or change parts to fit your students' knowledge, skills, or interests and/or your curriculum needs.
About the Author
Cherlyn Sunflower is Associate Professor of Education at Moorhead State University in Minnesota where she teaches elementary language arts courses. She previously taught grades K-6 and resource room in Austin, Texas, Public Schools. Dr. Sunflower is also the author of 75 Creative Ways to Publish Students' Writings and Really Writing! Ready-to-Use Writing Process Activities for the Elementary Grades.
