Mini-Organization

6 Traits Writing

Ideas Mini-Lessons to help student ORGANIZATION:

1. Choosing a Title (developed by Deb Smith) Tell students authors use titles to get people interested in the book and to tell a little about the story. Explain to them that there is a difference between a title and a label.
Give them some examples:
1. Label - My Trip to the North Pole
2. Title - The Polar Express
3. Label - Our Dog
4. Title - Good Dog, Carl
Label a piece of chart paper "Titles Come From:". List three categories under the title: "Names of Characters", "Words from the Story", "A Place in the Story".
Tell students authors get their titles by using the name of an important character like Miss Rumphius, a quotation from the story like Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle, or a key setting or place in the story like Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold.
Over several days read these books to your students and ask students to tell you from which category the title comes. List the book title under the correct category.
As you read stories aloud later, talk about where the source of the titles and add them to the chart. Leave room to add more categories if you find something else later.
Adding On to a Piece - See page 98 in 4 Blocks.
Writing a Good Beginning for Your Story
Ahead of time label a piece of chart paper with "Good Beginnings for Stories". Under this title list four headings: "Questions", "Characters Talking", "Action" and "Telling Who and/or Where".
Tell students authors think about how to begin their stories in an interesting way. Read the first sentence of each of these four books and ask students to tell you what kind of beginning it is, using the categories on the chart. Write the beginning sentence and the title in the correct category.
- Toot and Puddle by Holly Hobbie - Toot and Puddle lived together in Woodcock Pocket. (Who and where).
- The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins - "I've made some cookies for tea," said Mom. (Character talking).
- Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse by Leo Lionni - "Help! Help! A mouse!" There was a scream. Then a crash. Cups, saucers, and spoons were flying in all directions. (Action)
- In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak - Have you ever heard of Mickey, how he heard a racket in the night and shouted Quiet Down There! and fell? (Asking the reader a question)
Ask students to try out one of these types of beginnings in the next story they begin. Look for evidence of this as you conference with students and during Author's Chair. As you read books aloud over the next several weeks examine the beginnings and add them to the chart.
Model the writing of a story of your own and begin it with one of these types of beginnings.
Writing a Good Ending
Explain to children that stories do not just stop when the author runs out of time or gets tired of writing. They have endings and this is different from simply writing "The End".
Ahead of time label a piece of chart paper "Good Endings for Stories". Under this title list these categories: Surprise Endings, Happy Endings, Sad but True Endings.
Read aloud I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. Ask students whether they think this book will fit best under surprise, happy or sad. Most students will probably think it is sad. If they do, add the title of this book to the "sad" category.
On another day read Beware of the Bears! (surprise ending), and add it to the chart. Later, read The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle (happy ending) and add the title to the chart.
Continue to add books from read aloud time to the chart for several weeks. It is really not important that all students agree on what kind of an ending the story has as long as they have a good rationale for their thinking.

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