WAIT (Text-Based Writing PLAN)

Help your students develop a prewriting plan for on-demand writing!  If you're in a similar boat, there are only 4 school days left until end-of-year testing, I knew I had to develop a game plan to better prepare my students for the writing exam this year.

Luckily a game plan using the mnemonic WAIT came to me during writing instruction last week which touches on all of the essential elements students need to focus on to write a substantial essay. Additionally, I can joke with my class--- WAIT a sec?!? What do I need to do before writing?  Make my WAIT prewriting plan of course!

What does WAIT stand for?
W = writing type (ex: informative or opinion essay)
A = about... (have students copy down the writing prompt / aka "what they're writing about")
I = Information I Must Include (if there are 3 articles, then there should be 3 bullets listing a 3 or 4 word title for how the student personally remembers each article)
T = Text Evidence / Examples (key details from the text that help support the topic and/or personal beliefs and examples from real life that help develop your opinion)

Since I teach at a Thinking Maps school, I modified a circle map to be sectioned into fourths to serve as our WAIT plan.  The titles of the passages could go outside the circle as part of the "Frame of Reference."  If you don't already use thinking maps, this is just a simple way to organize ideas!

**FREEBIE BELOW**

A couple of months ago, Scholastic NEWS featured a DEBATE article about dogs being allowed into restaurants.  I figured this would make a high-interest OPINION WRITING assignment.  Grab the freebie writing prompt with sample WAIT writing plan and exemplar essay for use in your class!

WAIT!! If you like what you see, pick up my TEXT-BASED WRITING set to help prepare your 4th/5th grade students for on-demand informative and opinion essay writing assignments!

Leprechaun Limericks

Before leaving for Spring Break, my students studied how to write limericks and used the template available at the First Grade Parade to publish each of their Leprechaun Limericks.

I had saved the first limerick I ever wrote while I was in 5th grade, and used my example for the craft:



The students used this writing frame for their Leprechaun Limericks:

TITLE:  ______________ the Leprechaun

line 1: There once was a leprechaun named _____________
line 2: _______________________________ ends with word that rhymes with name
line 3: __________short & begins new rhyme scheme
line 4: __________short & rhymes with last word in line 3
line 5: __________________________concludes with an unexpected twist; rhymes with lines 1&2

I loved how creative some of my students were by designing the hairstyles to better reflect their personal tastes!

If you'd like the printable Limerick page my students used to compose their rough drafts, it's available here!

When Pigs Fly (idioms freebie)

It's that time of year - the time when all the kids seem to have ants in their pants!  Hence, the reason for our study of idioms.  I love teaching my students about idioms because this seems like I'm teaching them a new language.  As if I'm unveiling a secret code into understanding adult talk!  (For the When Pigs Fly poster freebie click the image above!)

 Lately, that Justin Bieber song, "What Do You Mean?" has been playing over and over on the radio.  Well, not only does it get stuck in my head, but it seems to have inspired my latest set of TpT product ideas (understanding meanings of various phrases, allusions to Greek mythology.)  However, the first that has been created is all about idioms!

I plan on beginning my idioms unit this week with this little gem I whipped up, and instead of just telling the students what the idiom actually means without having them work for it.  I will be requiring they choral sing/respond "What do you mean?" after I give an example of an idiom.  Hopefully I don't get too many eye rolls but they're used to my lyrical ways by now.  After they've had time to practice and work with idioms, students will be assigned a different idiom to create pages for our class idiom book.  My idioms pack is available now at my TpT store! (click cover above)

While you're there, don't forget to pick up my 2015 holiday freebie geared towards 4.RI.9 and 4.W.9.  I'm so thankful for TpT and the blessings it has brought me over the past couple of years!
P.S. - Don't forget to catch Cyber Monday and Tuesday deals on TpT this week with the code: SMILE.