Persuasive Writing Tips (with The Friendly Teacher)

Hello! It's Hannah from The Friendly Teacher here! Whenever we do writing we always start with a mentor text. Why? Because I want to always connect my writing with my reading. I think that it is important for students to know that the two are completely combined. I also think reading a mentor text first helps the students to have a model to understand what they are to write.

So, before I ever begin a writing I always start with reading a story that is written in that type of writing. When we do this we JUST READ! We don't focus on a skill, all we focus on is reading and listening to how the author writes.

Then, after we read we start the writing process using a prompt that is related to the book that we just read.

My favorite type of writing to use mentor texts with is Persuasive Writing! I love using it with persuasive writing because the books are so darn fun!!

Here are ten great books for persuasive writing with the writing ideas! There are also two free units for you to give this a try!

1. I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kauffman-If you sign up for my newsletter here you get a great packet to go with this book for FREE 

2. Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin- This is great for persuasive letter writing.  We love to write letters to Farmer Brown like we were farm animals. Check out the unit here! 

3. Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague-Another one for great letter writing! Grab the whole unit for FREE here!

4. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt-Hilairous letters will come out of this book! The students write in the eyes of a crayon and it is so much fun! Check out the unit here! 

5. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka- Have your students write trying to talk the wolf out of blowing their house down! The students will get a kick out of it!

6. I will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child- This is a healthy food lesson and a persuasive lesson! Get those two birds with one stone! Have the students write persuasive pieces on what they would not eat!

7. Can I Have a Tryannosuarius Rex Dad! Can I Please? by Lois G. Grambling- Dinosaur units are my favorite! My kids get so into them! Mix your dinosaur unit with this great persuasive book! Have the students write a letter to their parents explaining why they should get a pet.

8. I Wanna New Room by Karen Kauffman- Writing letters to parents is always a funny way to mix curriculum with parent involvement! You can have them write a letter to their parents about something that they want!

9. My Teacher for President by Kay Winters- This is a fantastic way to mix government lessons with persuasive writing! You can have your kids write why you should be president or they could choose another person to be president. And you could see why your students love you so much. Who does not like that?!?! 

10. LaRue for Mayor by Mark Teague- With this book you can have the kids write a persuasive speech on why someone should be in government! Hello, your are getting all kinds of content in there!

I hope you can use some of these ideas in your class!!!

Writing Tips in PreK and a Freebie {ALL Y'all Need}

I absolutely LOVE teaching writing in PreK because the growth is incredible! Throughout the year, I witness students from drawing lines to represent words to sounding out and blending words by the end of the year. Here are my five essential tools for successful writing in PreK:

#1 Mat Man
Our school uses Handwriting without Tears to introduce letter formation. My favorite part of the program has to be Mat Man. Not only does Mat Man teach them how to draw people, it also teaches them how to form straight and curvy lines that are used in letter formation.

#2 Play Planning
At my school, students write about where they are going for center time every day. They start out by drawing a picture of what they are going to do at the center and tracing the sentence, "I am going to the ____ center." By the end of the year, they are writing the sentence independently and extending the sentence. For example: "I am going to the blocks center to build a road."

#3 Writing Center
Create a writing center where the students can free write in a journal. In my writing center, I have markers, tape, crayons, word cards, and different types of writing paper for them to use. This past week, my students have been creating their very own Valentine cards.

#4 Write on the floor
Give your students a clipboard and let them write while laying on their tummies! Research shows that students are more prone to develop correct pencil grip and muscle memory if you allow them to write on the floor.

#5 Create Books
Over the past few weeks, my students have been creating their "Love Book." I just took some blank books from the Target Dollar spot and added pages that pertain to our theme. The kids LOVE how personalized the books are! Here are a few pictures of our "Love Books."

Freebie! 

Click on the link below to get your copy of the "Love Book." It is specifically measured to fit blank books from The Target Dollar Spot. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6XMrIPIox8IZ1dhMzVta3VQVDA/view?usp=sharing

Happy Teaching!

100 Days and Counting {with Mrs. Decatur's Little Gators}

I will just preface this post by saying...how on earth has it been 100 days of school already this year?! Having said that... I am totally ready to bust out my special shirt & button! Let the celebration of learning begin! 

Since I only teaching reading and social studies to my two groups of firsties... the 100th day usually sneaks up on me! I don't do calendar time and count the days, when January rolls around, I have to peek next door and ask my lovely partner what day the 100th day will fall on! 

The first thing I do is decorate the door, this banner is hanging on for life y'all... this will be year 4 with it! I am not the first teacher to come up with this idea but the looks on the kids faces when they see it, is just priceless! 

Using this Aging Booth app has to be my all time favorite 100th day project! You simply open the app and take a photo of each student. Then print them out on regular black and white printer paper on your school's copier. 

Students wrote about the things they would like to do when they are 100 years old... too funny. Some of the funniest ones were about drinking coffee, playing cards, napping, and doing puzzles! 

Check the app out by clicking the photo below. 

Students used scrapbook paper for the clothes, dollies, buttons, and cotton balls to bring their 100 year old self to life! This project was well loved by the other staff member & building visitors! So cute. 

Happy 100th Day! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Turkey Time Traditions {with Kim from For a Love of Teaching}

I can't believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone so quickly! It seems like just yesterday I was starting a new school year, and now I'm switching gears to get ready for Christmas! Has your year flown by as fast as mine has? 

I know Thanksgiving is over, but I have several traditions to share with you ranging from a favorite classroom activity to our family and home traditions. Be sure to pin some of these ideas to save for later!

In the Classroom

In the classroom, we have a tradition of writing Turkey Tall Tales. My 4th graders always loved this writing activity. It never failed to get their creative juices flowing, because tall tales are so much fun to write and read! It also makes the perfect November bulletin board, or wall/door display.

Click to PIN for next year!

I also LOVE to go to my daughters classroom to see her Thanksgiving play each year. At our school, it's definitely a tradition for grades Kindergarten through Second to perform a Thanksgiving play for parents. Since she is in 2nd grade this year, it is probably the last Thanksgiving play I'll get to see her in which made it even more special!

I loved her writing about her favorite Thanksgiving memories with our family!

In the Computer Lab

Since I've taken on the new role of Technology Facilitator at my school I get to help teachers in so many ways! This year I created PowerPoint Slideshows for each classroom in grades Kindergarten through Second. Each student created their own turkey in KidPix, told me what they were most thankful for, and then I recorded their voice saying what they were thankful for onto each slide. Teachers used these to show parents before or during their classroom Thanksgiving plays. They turned out so cute! The teachers, parents, and students loved them! I feel certain that this will become a tradition!

At Home

My daughter, Korah loves to help me in the kitchen. It's a family tradition (and always a request from other family members) to make Oreo Cookie Cake with turkeys on top! Korah loves to use Oreos and leftover Candy Corn to make the cutest little turkeys to put on the top of our cake. I know it's not a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but it's always a hit with the kids and adults, too!

These bottom pictures were taken 3 years ago. She's grown so much, and still helps me today!

On the Road

For me, Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family. It's really our first BIG family get together for the year. Everyone tries to be there, and we all bring a dish or two to share. We hit the road early on Thanksgiving day to visit family and obviously stuff ourselves with turkey and all the fixings. 

Last year it snowed on Thanksgiving day and the kids built a snowman after we ate! 

And last...

It's a family tradition to put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. As soon as Thanksgiving is over the fall decorations come down, and the Christmas decorations go up! After the tree is decorated we kick and watch a Christmas movie together. Christmas is my favorite time of the year!

An InLinkz Link-up