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Picture Book Month Day 4: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts Featuring I STINK!
I STINK! by Kate and Jim McMullan Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins, 2002 Summary: The garbage truck speaks in this picture book, telling the reader of his nighttime adventures moving trash in the city. Mentor Text Writing Skills: * Specificity of language * Alliteration * Voice * Point of…
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Picture Book Month Day 3: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts Featuring ARNIE THE DOUGHNUT
ARNIE THE DOUGHNUT by Laurie Keller Henry Holt, 2003 Summary: Arnie the doughnut doesn’t realize that doughnuts are for eating. Told from Arnie’s point of view, we follow Arnie on his adventure to not be eaten. Mentor Text Writing Skills: * Specificity of language *…
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Picture Book Month Day 2: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts Featuring A ZEAL OF ZEBRAS
A ZEAL OF ZEBRAS: AN ALPHABET OF COLLECTIVE NOUNS by Woop Studios Chronicle Books, 2011 Summary: This nonfiction text features a collective noun for every letter of the alphabet. A paragraph featuring interesting facts about each group of animals is also on each page. Mentor Text Writing…
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Picture Book Month Day 1: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts Featuring THESE HANDS
November is Picture Book Month. For the main site, click on this link. I’ll be highlighting a picture book a day here at my site, focusing on ways you can use them as mentor texts for writing. THESE HANDS by Margaret H. Mason Illustrated by Floyd Cooper Houghton…
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November is for Picture Books
It’s almost November and there are two great things going on in the month of November (and I’m not talking about Thanksgiving, even though that’s pretty awesome). PiBoIdMo is for Writers I’m participating in PiBoIdMo, sponsored by Tara Lazar. As a writer, this is a great way to get…
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Verseday: Concrete Poetry Picture Books
Back in August, I did a post on resources to use when teaching LOVE THAT DOG by Sharon Creech. I didn’t include my concrete poetry picture books because I knew it would be a post all on it’s own. Here are some of my favorite concrete poem picture books.…
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Onomatopoeia Palooza!
I am a contributor to this onomatopoeia resource. If you are a writer or a teacher of writing, I hope that you will find this helpful. It’s like an onomatopoeia encyclopedia. To download this onomatopoeia resource, click on the picture below. Onomatopoeia Sounds Like… Other Onomatopoeia Resources: Onomatopoeia Mentor…
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Mentor Text Tip Tuesday: Familiar Books
Tip: Use a book students are already familiar with as a mentor text. When I pull out a book to use as a mentor text and students say, “Oh I’ve read that book,” I’m always thrilled. You know why? The first time we read a book, we are interested…
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Guest Post on Using Mentor Texts
I write a lot about mentor texts in the classroom, but I also use them to help my own writing. Today, one of my guest posts is live on DIYMFA on reading like a writer. It’s called “Reading and Studying Mentor Texts.”
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Mentor Text Tip Tuesday: Pictures as Mentors
Tip: Sometimes students need more than an author’s words to help them in their writing. Many students respond well to pictures. I know many primary teachers that start students out with drawing a picture first, then writing. This can work for older students too. Pictures can be mentors for…