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Writing Wednesday: Using MOONSHOT as a Mentor Text for Writing
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 By Brian Floca Atheneum, 2009 This narrative nonfiction text tells the story of the Apollo 11 mission from Earth to the moon and back again. It is a very poetic but very informative text of this landmark event in history. It’s not…
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Writing Wednesday: Use FROG SONG as a Mentor Text for Writing
FROG SONG by Brenda Z. Guiberson illustrated by Gennady Spirin Henry Holt, 2013 Different types of unusual frogs from around the world are brought to life in this book with interesting facts, onomatopoeic frog sounds, and gorgeous paintings. Writing Skills: * Nonfiction writing * Onomatopoeia * Specificity…
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Writing Wednesday: Using MARTIN AND MAHALIA as a Writing Mentor Text
MARTIN AND MAHALIA: HIS WORDS, HER SONG By Andrea Davis Pinkney Illustrated by Brian Pinkney Little, Brown 2013 This book moves me to tears every time I read it. The beauty of the words and the illustrations feel like a song and celebration. The Pinkneys have woven two…
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Writing Wednesday: Using SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY as a Writing Mentor Text
SNOWFLAKE BENTLEY By Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Mary Azarian Houghton Mifflin, 1998 I use this book for many things in the classroom. It’s a favorite we return to again and again. It’s a picture book biography of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, who lived on a farm but was…
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Mentor Text Spreadsheet: Picture Book Month in Review
Picture Book Month is officially over. But I have created one last thing to share with you on mentor texts. Each day, I shared a mentor text post with you featuring different ways that each of these books could be used to teach writing skills to young…
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Picture Book Month Day 30: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts featuring A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS
A TROOP IS A GROUP OF MONKEYS by Julie Hedlund Illustrated by Pamela Baron Summary: This app is now a print book that includes collective nouns that describe animals. Mentor Text Writing Skills: * Specificity * Vivid Verbs * Adjectives * Alliteration * Word Choice A TROOP IS…
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Picture Book Month Day 29: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts featuring MONSTORE
MONSTORE by Tara Lazar Illustrated by James Burks Aladdin, 2013 Summary: Zack needs a monster to keep his sister away from his room, but every monster he buys doesn’t work, and buying more monsters doesn’t work either. He has to find a solution to his monstrosity of a…
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Picture Book Month Day #28: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts featuring GIANT DANCE PARTY
GIANT DANCE PARTY by Betsy Bird Illustrated by Brandon Dorman Greenwillow, 2013 Summary: Lexy loves to dance, but when she gets up on stage, she freezes. When she offers to help others with their dancing skills, she doesn’t anticipate that giants will sign up to dance. Mentor…
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Picture Book Month Day #27: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts featuring GHOST IN THE HOUSE
GHOST IN THE HOUSE by Ammi-Joan Paquette Illustrated by Adam Record Candlewick, 2013 Summary: When a ghost, a mummy, a skeleton, and a witch all go sneaking through the house, they are most startled by a little human boy. Mentor Text Writing Skills: * Adjectives * Onomatopoeia…
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Picture Book Month Day 25: Picture Books as Writing Mentor Texts featuring NIGHTSONG
NIGHTSONG by Ari Berk Illustrated by Loren Long Scholastic, 2012 Summary: Chiro the bat learns to fly away from his mother and how to survive by using his senses. Mentor Text Writing Skills: * Word Choice * Sensory words * Specificity * Vivid Verbs For more information…
