Posts tagged #process

It’s More than the Common Core!!!

     I absolutely enjoy teaching writing to my students. As a matter of fact, I encourage a variety of writing every day, cross-pollinating the curriculum all year long. There have been many times I have heard, “There is no time to write”; “I only write twice a week”, or “how do I include writing in all subject areas?”.  Reading and writing go together and you can’t teach one without the other. The Common Core expects our students to be able to respond to the text with writing. No matter the subject, our students must realize that what they read has a purpose. They must realize that every author has a style and an approach to their writing as well. When our students read, they are reading “writing”. Now it’s our turn to help them visualize the author’s purpose and apply their understanding with a written response. I accomplish this goal by creating various visual strategies and hands-on experiences using visuals and props. It most definitely brings the Common Core to “life” and my students enjoy the creative elements as well. There are obvious challenges for a few children with some of the basic writing skills, but when we unleash the creative side of their journey through writing, my students begin to find their “voice” and become more confident readers and writers.

I have not only created different strategies for all learning styles, I have also inspired my students to have a “choice” in the process as well. They can work individually, with partners, and even in small and large group settings. They can use props to inspire collaboration and of course there is always time to partner share and participate in presentations. All of this requires various genres of text, graphic organizers, art mediums, visuals such as paintings, sculptures, photographs, illustrations, calendar art and more.

“This doesn’t sound like writing”, one would remark, but it most definitely is. Reading and writing go together and you can’t have one without the other. As this booklet unfolds, try some of these strategies/organizers and remember writing involves reading, researching, fact finding, elaboration, visualizing, critical- thinking, creating, expressing and vocalizing. Give them the tools and I promise you, your Common Core experience will come to life, one word, one sentence, one paragraph at a time.   Check for Visual Reading and Writing Activities for the Common Core in my store. All can be found at www.visualccl.com

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged Common Core writing reading teaching teacher lessons lesson plans lesson activities illustrations process partners presentation critical thinking creating creative creative writing visualizing expressing students learning styles goals curriculum primary grades.

Bring Visual Writing and the Common Core to Life

                                            A Note to you…

          Bring Visual Writing and the Common Core to Life!

The easiest way to tap into visual writing as it unfolds, whether non-fiction or fiction, is giving students multiple opportunities to express themselves verbally, creatively, and critically all year-long. I do this through enriching vocabulary activities, field trips, photographs, and constant use of pictures, sculptures, cards, posters, illustrations and really good graphic organizers

 

Kids need to see real life events fitting into the framework of a complete story. The key word is “see”.  We know stories revolve around some problems and have various parts. Stories begin by telling what is about to happen. They usually have a struggle. Then the story comes to a climax, followed by the resolution. But none of this matters if they can’t visualize their writing… So let’s help them do it!

 

While a story told has a beginning, middle, and end, every scene relates directly to a character(s), their motivation, theme, and plot. A still picture, sculpture, landscape, etc  is the beginning of an unfolding story, capturing only a small amount of story detail, motivation, theme, and plot.

One approach to writing is creating a visually powerful scene… Teach your students to ask questions, explain, and describe. Allow them to use illustrations and master artist posters, sculptures, photographs, and paintings to do the job …                                       

 

                                                     You can do it!!!!!!!

                                 All can be found at www.visualccl.com

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged visual arts visualizing visual representation verbs visual learning Visual reading visual literacy visual writing vocabulary Visual literacy Visual learning visual reading creative conversations Visual Display boards adjectives activities creative writing narrative writing supportive thoughts descriptive writing elaborative writing informative writing interactive lesson activities collaborative groups character development writing activities Writing activities sequence of events writing creative writing graphic organizers pictures sculptures cards visuals story writing second grade reading retelling reading literacy riddles retelling stories retell worksheets recounting stories retell notebooks art grammar writing pre-writing creating critical thinking Mrs. Waltmire presentation props props with a purpose process writing strategies writing sentences primary grades writing process paragraph writing burning questions learning small moments silhouettes students stem speaking science School Special Education story elements story order start teaching scenery student learning sequential order sentence starters sentence elaboration science and literacy special educaion writing and speaking asking questions plot poetry places partners photographs topical writing expository writing expressing display comparison writing complete sentences comprehension descriptions lesson plans lesson plan projects animalspeople authors purpose real life events stories ELL ELA elaboration elementary English Language Arts elaborated sentences text teaching detailed writing lessons learning styles still pictures scene artists master artists questions listing questions highlighting questions paintings posters landscapes Language arts ellaboration illustrations classroom strategies collaboration animals factual writing Kim Waltmire classroom language arts beginning middle end genres story details themes climax story plots see senses common core bookmarks graphics multiple intelligencies curriculum Common Core.