Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Six Traits: Organization using Love That Dog

By Susan Morrissey











Focus: The focus of this lesson is to show students one method of organization, chronological, as mentored in Love That Dog by Sharon Creech. This lesson is targeted for high school students with mild to moderate disabilities.

Mentor Text: I chose this genre of poetry/realistic fiction due to Sharon Creech's inspiring book, Love That Dog, featuring a boy Jack who does not want to write poetry in Miss Stretchberry's class. However, given a supportive, talented teacher and mentor authors, Jack was able to discover his talent for using words to write poetry in a chronologically organized book. Sharon and her dog Tia are shown:




Purpose: The purpose of using Love That Dog is to teach one form of organization, chronological. Chronological is the easiest form of organization and is a good starting point for my special needs students. In addition to teaching organization, Love That Dog is a good opportunity to introduce poetry to my students as this book features poetry from many well-known poets.

Lesson Plans: Begin by reading Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.
First, tell students that they will be writing their own publication following the same format as Love That Dog. Provide students with the opportunity to brainstorm things that they love.
Second, students will be given a timeline graphic organizer to begin organization of the sequence of events for their publication.
Third, students will go to the library to search for poems to include in their publication that relate to their topic or theme. Students will be given time to work with peers to share their ideas and get feedback. Students will make their final selections on their poems.
Fourth, students will use computers to start drafting their publication using their graphic organizer to structure their writing. Students will make sure that the text follows the correct chronological order and post the dates in sequence along with the entry for that day. Also, students will make final decisions about placement of their selected poems.
Fifth, students will peer edit work for proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation and highlight the text electronically and make comments for the author to consider. Students will save their work in the class electronic folder. Students will make the final corrections and add any graphics they choose to include. (Teacher can check student entries electronically.)
Sixth, students will print their publications and fasten the pages together.
Seventh, student will present their publications during Open House or parent/teacher conferences.
Ohio Academic Content Standards:
Writing Applications: 1. Write narratives that: a) sustain reader interest by pacing action and developing an engaging plot b) use a range of strategies and literary devices including figuarative language and specific narration c) include an organized, well-developed structure. 2. Write responses to literature that organize an insightful interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images and support judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge. 4. Write informational essays or reports, including research that: c) create an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose d) support the main ideas with facts, details, examples and explanations from sources 6. Produce informal writing (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.
Writing Conventions: 1) Use correct spelling conventions. 2) Use correct capitalization and punctuation.
Writing Processes: 17) Prepare for publication writing that follows a manuscript from appropriate for the purpose, which could include such techniques as electronic resources, principles of design, and graphics to enhance the final product.
Research: 4) Evaluate and systematicaly organize important information, and select appropriate sources to support central ideas, concepts and flow of ideas 5) Integrate quotations and citations into written text to maintain a flow of ideas 6) Use style guides to produce oral and written reports that give proper credit for sources, and include an acceptable format for source acknowledgement.
Communication: Oral and Visual: Identify how language choice and delivery styles contribute to meaning.
Writer Mentor Connection: To learn more about Sharon Creech visit her website for teaching ideas as well as links to her blog and facebook: http://www.sharoncreech.com/
FOR ADDITIONAL IDEAS AND HELP: This website offers the teacher explanations, definitions, and examples to various forms of written organization

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