Monday, November 26, 2012

Writing with Dr. Walther

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Break. I am really enjoying the pictures that have been sent in. 

More on that later.

Now, a photo journey through our time with Dr. Walther:

It all started with a meeting in the LRC. The students were introduced to Dr. Walther. She talked with them about thinking and reading as writers. Then she read them a story. They stopped periodically to discuss text features. They learned about "footprints" (an ellipse) that lead you to the next page. The students also learned about gathering what they enjoy from other authors and incorporating it into their own stories.
 Then they moved to the tables and began to write their own books. The visiting teachers were able to observe and discuss with the students.
 When writing time concluded, the students gathered at the carpet with Dr. Walther. Each student was able to give a brief idea of what they were writing about. They will all be shared in our classroom this week. We are still working. :)
 She concluded the lesson with a gallery showing of their favorite illustration.


Oh, by the way... they did all of this with 25 teachers watching, whispering and writing. I can't express how proud I am.
We are having a wonderful year.