Posts tagged #vocabulary

Silhouette Visuals

           See The Art of Visual Writing Book in my store for this idea and more!

    Sometimes a visual helps the writer to formulate his/her ideas in sequential order  whether they are retelling a story or writing a new one. For example, this pre-writing visual will create a  rich vocabulary to ‘draw’ from. 

Other Ways to Use This Lesson: Silhouette Visuals

Remember to allow the opportunity for your learners to write with a purpose in mind.  Let them see the picture before they write. Train them early to ‘visualize’ and see the details or understand the reasons why they believe what they are writing.

This lesson can focus on various skills. When you are introducing Big Ideas, small moments, main topics, supportive thoughts or descriptive sentences, allow the children to draw on previous knowledge, as well as be inspired by the pictures. Try writing with collages every week and create a journal to collect genre as a class book and share in the classroom library. This activity can give you an on-going progress assessment as well.

Additionally, you can use this activity every week for practice along with reinforcing various topics throughout the year (all you need is a visual). You can also use this activity to enhance existing reading/writing programs. For instance, you may be reading about nature, so allow the children to create a picture inspired by nature. Then, coordinate the writing based on your objectives.

Moreover, allow the children to highlight adjectives and verbs in different colors, identifying its proper use when their writing is complete. Perhaps the children can use their sceneries to inspire their writing about settings or focus on a retell, main topics, as well as topic sentences.

Of course, you can also use non-fiction books/pictures to inspire factual/informative writing. This is a great time for a mini lesson on paragraph writing, research, and main ideas.

The children can create a class collage together. Inspire them to write a whole class narrative or poem ‘in the round’. Each student participates by offering one elaborative sentence each, thus, building on the sequence of events or descriptions. Allow time for discussion and encourage the class to work together. The class can copy the story or poem and it can be printed as a final copy if done on the computer or smart board. Attach to colored paper, embellish, and display as desired.

The class can also focus on particular words when their writing is complete. Have them write synonyms and antonyms to increase their vocabulary, or even creatively use their ideas for analogies. Perhaps they can take each sentence and elaborate them for practice.  You can also print the class story and cut the sentences into strips and use to put in sequential order. You can also use the sentence strips as sentences to diagram. Have the children pick-apart the sentence, labeling the parts for practice.

Recreate a story illustration or non-fiction picture with pre-made animal or object cut-outs to inspire riddles.  Use a picture to generate ideas and descriptions about the scene without giving all the information away. End the paragraph with a question and see if other kids can answer the riddle. You will be amazed at the various responses and ideas they will write about the same visual.

Another way to use their scenery is to create a main character out of scraps and glue on top of the background. This visual will be a great inspiration for character development and focusing on the main character. You can glue the existing picture to a larger piece of colored construction paper, leaving a framed-edge. Either type or write words or phrases that describe the main character along the frame.

If you want to be more creative, try using stencils, foam paper, pre-printed pattern paper, pre-made animal shapes or stickers to create a subject/character to be glued on top of the scenery. The ideas are limitless.

 Share aloud with classmates. Create a bulletin board, collect the writing and include in your classroom library.    All can be found at www.visualccl.com

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged expressing primary grades presentation silhouettes visual arts visualizing main characters character development riddles science and literacy animals elaboration sequential order ELA elaborative writing sentence elaboration sequence of events narrative writing poetry expository writing informative writing paragraph writing second grade story elements story order scenery plot big ideas small moments common core common core writing supportive thoughts descriptive writing stem science English Language Arts retelling retell worksheets reading literacy recounting stories reading Visual reading visual writing visual learning visual literacy pre-writing vocabulary.

Props with a Purpose

I use what I call Props with a Purpose when I want to engage my students in the lesson. I use many ‘ hands-on’ props to elicit discussion, frames to help kids focus on details and question cards to help them dig deeper. It is amazing to see my students use these props for collaborative group discussions. We use ‘ My Turn Cards ‘ each participant can have a turn to speak and share. Once the kids are trained to use props like these, the lesson becomes more interactive and exciting; of course even more challenging. You need to try it. It’s time to see it and share it!!!  There are bookmarks for reading, writing, comprehension, and discussion starters. I also include bookmarks for factual, informational and comparison paragraph writing as well.   Check Props with a Purpose in my store for more ideas. You will like it for sure! All can be found at www.visualccl.com

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged retell notebooks recounting stories retell worksheets reading retelling stories reading literacy retelling writing process creating creative primary grades critical thinking creative writing curriculum conversations classroom strategies collaboration common core writing common core character development collaborative groups discussion discussion cards details detailed writing descriptive writing descriptions guided reading Common Core comprehension writing strategies writing writing creative writing writing activities Writing activities pre-writing visual writing narrative writing illustrations informative writing visualizing highlighting questions visual arts visual learning visual representation sequence of events factual writing bookmarks big ideas burning questions elaborated sentences elaboration elaborative writing vocabulary sentence elaboration main characters informational writing comparison writing Special Education speaking discussion starters cards interactive props partners Visual reading special educaion writing and speaking ELL ELA ellaboration elementary expressing English Language Arts text.

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.

Writing Posters

I always start the year with sentence starters, phrases and vocabulary for kids to be inspired. I want my students to be able to refer to various writing posters to prompt their choice of vocabulary when writing all genres. Therefore, I arranged my writing posters to be cut and glued to colored paper so you can hang and refer your students to the “color” and poster title easier.

I keep the color-coded Transitional, Sentence Starter, Sound Shots, Words for “Said”, and Extended Ending posters up all year long and the kids love it.

 I will add other posters as needed or refer my experienced writers to the Narrative and Descriptive Bookmarks for a smaller/ hands-on copy. You need to try it. I promise you it will work.

                                   All can be found at www.visualccl.com   ( Writing Posters

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged descriptive writing detailed writing descriptions display transitional phrases sentence starters sentence elaboration sequential order sequence of events scenery science stem stories speaking see senses Sound shote sound shots words for said vocabulary visualizing visual learning visuals Visual learning Visual reading visual arts visual literacy visual representation verbs visual writing Visual literacy activities adjectives asking questions reading literacy writing writing sentences writing process writing activities Writing activities writing strategies writing creative writing word lists pre-writing story writing bookmarks posters photographs interactive illustrations informative writing informational writing silhouettes discussion listing questions highlighting questions visual reading discussion starters topical writing teaching strategies primary grades poetry expository writing supportive thoughts narrative writing factual writing creative writing creative writing for CCSS paragraph writing comparison writing common core writing rading elaborative writing special educaion writing and speaking command of conventions for spelling and writing colorful posters master artists writing prompts complete sentences second grade authors purpose elaborated sentences themes transitional lesson plans learning lessons landscapes lesson activities learning styles Language arts lesson plan projects ELL ELA climax places plot elementary elaboration classroom strategies.

Look Book Word Families

I begin the year with what I call: My Look Book! It reinforces the Common Core: 2.L.2 Conventions of Standard English …Demonstrate the command of conventions of Standard English when writing and D. Generalizing learned spelling patterns when writing words 

The directions will reinforce word families, spelling, ABC order, and writing sentences.

  1. Children can practice reading and spelling the word family words (partners/individuals)
  2. Highlight the list being copied onto the word family page/ write word family at top.
  3. Once words are copied onto activity page, refer to those words to complete the rest of the activity without turning back to the word lists.
  4. When the activity is complete, the children can highlight the next list and complete the matching page. (use at literacy center, individually, or in pairs)

*** Extension- Have children create flash cards, using the word lists. These cards can be used for ABC order and practice for spelling and reading. Try writing definitions as well and mix and match for fun. All can be found at www.visualccl.com

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Kim Waltmire and tagged definitions vocabulary visual writing visual reading matching vocabulary word families writing sentences sentence elaboration visual literacy word cards acb order spelling writing spelling patterns spelling conventions ELL elaboration ELA elementary elaborative writing English Language Arts standard English command of conventions for spelling and writing curriculum critical thinking creative creative writing common core ellaboration expressing elaborated sentences rhyming poetry creative writing for CCSS grammar graphic organizers mix and match vocabulary flash cards word lists flash cards with words phonics phonemic awareness.