So, next week my students start their journals, but we cannot start the novel until this Friday, so in the mean time I’m wondering what we could write about. I have this small book that has prompts, but I’m not sure the students will enjoy them…
I was curious to know what some of your favorite prompts were when you were younger. I want to engage them with interesting, perhaps even controversial prompts so they can get into writing. I know that there are many students who have so much to say about a lot of things, but are afraid to speak out and by providing them with a safe space in which to write they can feel comfortable with their opinion and they can voice it through their writing.
I’m curious to know what my students view is on some topics and I’m curious to know how engaging our discussions would be if they wrote things down first. I know that when I get a few minutes to write things down before I have a discussion whit someone about something I feel so much more confident in my point of view, and I’m sure my students aren’t any different.
I have a few concerns about the time I have to read this novel, because like I mentioned before I will begin reading this novel with my students on Monday of next week because my CT needed to get their second semester writing assessment done before I began my unit. I will only have about seven weeks with them until I leave, so I’m wondering if I should stay until they finish the novel… I wouldn’t mind actually. I know that they can finish a book in about 6 weeks, but that’s if we read super fast and discuss very little, so I may just have to stick around.
Anyway, my biggest concern right now is coming up with interesting, engaging, somewhat controversial prompts for my students to write about before we get into the novel. Any suggestions?
This wasn't a prompt when I was younger, but it definitely became a heated topic in my Advocacy class for the guys this week: Is the NCAA Tournament rigged and, if so, how? I don't know about you, but the boys in my classes are much more reluctant to write than the girls but they got extremely heated when someone suggested there might be some cheating going on in the tournament...especially with it so close to home this year. The good thing about a prompt like this is that although it's controversial, it's not a "hot button" topic that's going to start a political or religious battle. Although, some of these kids think basketball is a religion! :P
ReplyDeleteDenisse,
ReplyDeleteI found this pdf online that is for middle school. There are persuasive prompts, maybe that will help.
http://my.hrw.com/support/hos/hostpdf/hostmsprompts.pdf
I'm reading Between Shades of Gray with my 6th graders and, like you, I was hoping for some great discussions. I have found it is hard for quite a few students to write. They are afraid they will get counted off on spelling or grammar. I have to keep reminding them to get started somewhere and you can always go back and fix what you don't like about the beginning. I also keep reminding them I won't count off for those mistakes, I'm more interested in the content.
The other big problem is formatting. I set up how I wanted the kids to write and respond in their journal, it was taking a bit of practice to get it but my CT suggested I follow the format she uses because it is what they are used to.
If you happen to figure something out that works will you share?
Happy Writing!!
LeAnna