Farm+Non-Fiction+Writing+Project

Previous to beginning this project:
In Reader's Workshop, introduce fiction versus non-fiction. Read 2 books about the same topic, one which is fiction and one which is non-fiction. Students talk about the differences. Possible titles include [|Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type] (fiction) and __A Dairy Farm__ (non-fiction) or __Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Farm__ (fiction) and __If It Weren't For Farmers__ (non-fiction).

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In Reader's Workshop, students practice **re-telling** whole-class experiences as well as books they hear during read-alouds. They practice using **transition words (first, second, third, fourth, next, then, after, finally, last)** so that they can use these words as they draft their non-fiction pieces.======

Day 1:
Introduce the characteristics of non-fiction books with a model book about one of the study group topics. Students explore other non-fiction books and come up with a list of characteristics.

Characteristics include:
 * title that tells what it's about
 * chapters / sections
 * headings
 * table of contents

This lesson is based on "Introducing All-About Books" in Chapter 7 of Lucy Calkins' __Non-Fiction Writing: Procedures and Reports__ from the [|Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum (Grades K-2)] curriculum.

At the end of the lesson, introduce the farm books project to the students and explain that they have learned so much about their study group topics, that they are going to write non-fiction books to teach others about their topics. The books will culminate in a family presentation to share their projects with families.

Days 2-??:
Write How-to books, as outlined by Lucy Calkins in __Non-Fiction Writing: Procedures and Reports__ from the [|Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum (Grades K-2)] curriculum. Introduce How-to Books and read one during read-aloud.

Everyone makes one item (Bugs on a Log, for example) and then writes their first How-to Book about that. After that, they get to pick their own topics. Students use blank re-telling sheets and include transition words in their How-To books.

Days 1 (in study groups):
In study group, students brainstorm the sections of their group's chapter. Teacher records general section titles on post-it notes. Students talk about what information would go into each section, but the teacher doesn't record this conversation (this is rehearsal for what students will write). Each student in the group will pick one section they want to be responsible for. Extra sections will be distributed to students who finish their first section earlier than others. Make sure the most important sections get picked first, in case some of the sections never get written. Allow struggling students to pick their sections first, so they can pick topics they are really experts on.

This lesson is based on "Structuring All-About Books: The Table of Contents" in Chapter 7 of Lucy Calkins' __Non-Fiction Writing: Procedures and Reports__ from the __[|Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Curriculum (Grades K-2)]__ curriculum.

Days 2-3: List ideas & Organize
In study groups with one teacher (i.e. 5-9 students with 1 teacher), each student receives 5-6 post-it notes (or blank) and a 5" x 9" clasp envelope. Each post-it represents one sentence (or a few sentences) of their section of the chapter. They begin by writing something on each post-it note that will remind them later of what they want to put on that page. (Some children will write labels or headings, others will make pictures.) //Put the post-it on the back of a large (5" x 8") index card to use later for writing.//
 * Model the process by doing the work of the least proficient student all together. Then have that student illustrate the words you wrote on the post-its so he/she can remember what they say later.
 * Talk about writing only one or two words to remind them, instead of a whole sentence (use an analogy of making a grocery list -- you don't write a whole sentence, but instead write just one word to help you remember) Ideas
 * After the do the post-its, they put them in the order they want to write them in and number them, then save them in the clasp envelopes. Organize ideas

This lesson is based on "Using a Draft Book to Lay Out Information" (p. 28) from [|Nonfiction Craft Lessons] by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher.

Day 4-5: Write sentences to match each idea
Teacher models how to take the note or picture from a post-it and turn it into 1 or more sentences, which they write on large (5" x 8") cards that have lines drawn on them at a suitable distance for first-grade writing. As an example, teacher may use the section that is to be written by a struggling writer who will probably have trouble with this assignment, thereby previewing the content and writing process for that student. Students begin drafting sentences.

Think about the 4 types of writing most likely being done: procedural / how-to (telling about something they did in the study group), a list (ie. bee body parts), change over time (ie. how an embryo changes inside an egg), and "all about" (ie. all about bee hives). Model one of the most common types.

Day 6:
Mini-lesson involves a turn-and-talk where students talk a partner through the cards they have already planned, plus some blank ones, and tell what they are going to put on each card. Partners ask questions to help pull out details. Teachers eavesdrop to look for examples of good voice to use on Day 9.

Day 7:
Mini-lesson on voice based on eavesdropping from Day 7 / examples of student writing / examples of professional writing. See "Exploratory: Listening for Your Voice" (p. 27) from [|Nonfiction Craft Lessons] by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher.

**Day 8:**
Mini-lesson on including stories in non-fiction ( personal narratives ). See "Drawing on personal experience" (p. 40) from [|Nonfiction Craft Lessons] by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher.

Day 9:
Sharing with a partner from same study group. Have the partner tell you: one thing they understand from your writing and one thing they don't understand or you left out.

Day 10:
Re-read cards to remember what you wrote. Make sure they are in order and number them (as a way to review/remember.)

Day 11:
Starting sentences in different ways. Talk about how when you're first learning to read, a lot of books have a lot of the same words on each page, because that's easier to read, but more grown-up books start each sentence in different ways.

Show them post-it notes with ideas for a piece on kinds of grains. Talk about how the piece could be written like this: "Corn is a kind of grain. Wheat is a kind of grain. Oats are a kind of grain." Is that interesting? Does it sound good? Do you want to read more?

Then work together to write a sentence about each kind of grain, but the rule is that each sentence has to start in a different way. Encourage them to work on starting their own sentences in different ways.

Days 12-13:
Talk about how to start your piece ( interesting introductory sentences ). Look for examples from student writing and talk about why each example is good (it tells what the piece is about, it gets your attention, etc.)

Days 14-15:
Ways to end your piece.