Last year was my first year teaching 4th and the year before that I taught 7th. In California, both of those grades have a state test in writing where the teacher has no idea what the prompt will be. It is a mixed bag and we speculate what the prompt will be… will it be summary, response to literature, persuasive, expository, informative, imaginative narrative, or personal narrative. To ensure we cover all of these genres and their, after Winter Break we go into WRITING mode teaching all the genres of writing in a really condensed way because the test is in early spring. Each genre is so specific in language, thinking map, transitions, structure and to rush through them is a tragedy.
In an effort to counter this from happening this coming year, I have decided to use Whole Class Journals to help me cover, introduce and expose the students to various genres in writing in a non-threatening and less formal way. I am so excited to see how my students will excel because of these babies. I know I shared with you my Narrative set of Whole Class Journals, as well as my Persuasive and Compare and Contrast sets. Today I would like to share with you my Explanatory/Informative set:
This pack includes 8 different topics that will help your students practice explaining how to do something and give information. In addition, there is mind map to help students plan and a student cheat sheet to help them get started. The topics that I have created are structured and worded in a way that will help the student work independently and come out with a product that is well executed and well written! You can find all my Whole Class Journals on sale for this week at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.
So, shake up your center times by adding Whole Class Journal prompts into your classroom This is a great addition to any writers workshop, Center Time or for fast finishers. Each student in the class has a chance to respond to the topic and read what their peers have to say. It is a great community building piece that will work in any 3rd-7th grade classroom.
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| 6 Persuasive Prompts |
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| 10 Narrative Prompts- Personal and Imaginative |
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| 6 Compare and Contrast Prompts |
Hope you love these as much as I do!
I love the designs for all of them! 🙂
Michelle
That is a really good idea to have the class journals have prompts! I will have to remember that for next year!
Gina
Third Grade Tidbits
I love that you have broken the prompts down by genre. I went to the store but there doesn't seem to be any sort of sale happening on them.
Heather
room 4 imagination
Great ideas for your prompts! You've inspired me to create some of my own!
These are such a wonderful idea and I can't wait to get them set up in my classroom as well. This will be my 1st year teaching 4th grade (I taught 5/6 before) and I also teach in the beautiful Southern Cali. I would love to link up with you and hear ideas and about your year last year with 4th grade and the "great" Writing CST my blog is http://www.missmiltonsmemoirs.blogspot.com
I absolutely LOVE this idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Pili
Glitter and Gradebooks