Maintain Control During Mini-LessonsPosted on April 16, 2018If lessons run long, first evaluate the content being presented. Often teachers attempt to deliver too much within a single mini-lesson. The concept of a mini-lesson is not...
Plan Problems into Narrative PiecesPosted on April 16, 2018To ensure every story includes a problem, plan the middle portion first. In other words, determine the conflict the character(s) will face before writing the beginning.
Align with the Strongest PositionPosted on February 19, 2018Persuasive and argumentative writing tasks typically begin with students announcing which side they agree with. This is before reading, researching, or even considering all...
Introducing the 6 TraitsPosted on April 18, 2017The six researched components of all good writing (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions) need to be introduced to students in a kid-friendly...
Download Kristina's Favorite Picture Books for Teaching the 6 TraitsPosted on April 17, 2017Many teachers choose to introduce each of the 6 Traits by reading a text that exemplifies the trait. Students see the trait in action within such mentor text. Picture books...
Convert Rubric Scores to GradesPosted on April 16, 2017Ever tried to get a grade from a rubric? Have you attempted to just add up the levels the student scored and divide by the total? Are all the students doing a little worse...
