Day 5
Applied Literacy: With Our Words We Create
Applied Literacy: To show authentic and meaningful application of learning.
Session Focus Question: How can we communicate and create meaning through the written word?
​Session Objectives:
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Writing is the highest form of cognitive expression
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Teaching writing is about teaching the relationship between thinking and language
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You need to play with words to know that you have choices
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Authentic writing opportunities give students purpose in their writing
Mindful Moonshot Morning Routine
Activity to Unite: This is not a Pencil. This activity was adapted from "This is not a Stick" which can be found on the ArtsLit.org web-site.
Participants paired up with elbow partners and shared what they liked or disliked about writing.
Kurt Wootton discusses
the importance of
writing as genuine
communication and to
build students'
self-efficacy.
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We write to Communicate,
We write to create ourselves,
We write to learn.
Bare Bones Sentences
Liz Remington breaks writing down to the "bare bones." She demonstrates how to help students construct sentences by starting with the basics structure and elaborating.
Using the Keyword Outline and Barebones strategies, participants reconstructed the Malala text in table groups.
The Punctuation Game
Participants created physical gestures for each type of punctuation to reinforce their learning in a multi-sensory way.
"I learned how to scaffold writing in a way that doesn't create cookie cutter sentences."
- Participant Feedback
Rip, Slap, Pass
Participants brainstorm ideas using a fun, interactive protocol called Rip, Slap, Pass.
Ode to Malala
Participants were asked to write a song about Malala. This exercise was scaffolded by giving them ideas of familiar melodies they can use to put their lyrics to. They can use text from the stories they reconstructed in the Text Reconstruction exercise.
Post Lunch Dancing
Each day, we would move and dance just after lunch to energize our bodies and minds for the second half of the day.
Final Showcase of Understanding
At the end of the week, like at the end of a unit, participants showcased their learning in a variety of ways, including performing their Story Nuggets from Malala's Magic Pencil, their original songs about Malala, and sharing their Headlines, highlighting their responses to the question: What makes Malala amazing?
"All of the modules fell into place and the end of the week performance was a great simple example of what you can do in the classroom". - Participant Feedback
"My professional goal was to walk out feeling confident in my ability to bring these practices back to my classroom. Through learning and experiencing, I feel comfortable and confident bringing these techniques back to my co-workers and my class." - Participant Feedback
Photos from Day 5
