Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences
and events precisely.
for a while, because I like to send her at least something of a finished manuscript once we
agree that Im on the right track.
I also read a lot to my wife, Sarah, who has informed and shaped all my books in
uncountable ways. (Many of the most quoted lines in books are actually Sarahs, and in
general our conversations about art and meaning and everything else are hugely
important to me.)
Differentiation: For students who need extra assistance I will provide extra materials with
literary language, words to use for emotions, and strong verbs and adjectives. These will be
available for all students, but those who need extra assistance will be explicitly guided towards
the materials. Peer conferencing will be important for scaffolding students to a higher level. Each
day we will close the writing block with a five to ten minute discussion about what was done.
This may be in the form of a whole class discussion or individual peer conferences. In the past
when working with struggling readers and writers Ive noticed they have the most difficult time
coming up with content when they actually have to write it down. I will provide a list of
questions that the students can answer to organize their thoughts. If the students still dont feel
comfortable or are unable to write their answers they can record themselves speaking and
transcribe their thoughts at a later time.
In order to extend the thinking of higher level students I will have them focus on word choice as
well as making their voice come through.
Assessment:
Part of my assessment will take place during the discussion ending every writing block that I
mentioned above. There will also be time for myself to confer with students, and students to
confer with peers.
Students will be assessed with a checklist over a rubric. Their participation and on-task behaviors
will also be recorded. I want students writing to be authentic and not just created to the
parameters of a rubric which is why I included a checklist of what they need to include.
Checklist:
The narrative is a personal story meaningful to the writer ______
Writer revamped and edited the content of their narrative _______
Writer can highlight how they included thoughtful word choice _______
Literary language is included (i.e. metaphors, onomatopoeia, similes, strong verbs, adjectives
etc.) ________
Writing is clear and complete; the narrative has an ending _______
Writing has been edited for spelling and punctuation errors ______
Example Narrative:
The Cat Named Eddie
It was fall in Iowa. The combines were rolling, leaves were changing, and the Jurgemeyer
household was about to have a special guest. Set way back in the country, down a dusty gravel
road lined with corn fields our house was a perfect spot to drop off unwanted stray cats. This
heartless act of cat dumping as my family and I called it made me curl my fists with anger at
those who would abuse and then abandon an animal.
I always was an animal lover. With a heart that melted like butter when I held a newborn piglet,
or saw a puppy I was determined to love every animal I came across. When I first met Eddie it
was no different.
Merooowwww! Could be heard through the glass door. Sitting on the cold concrete was a pint
sized kitten. He looked like a Holstein cow, and had eyes that could turn the biggest hater of cats,
into a cat lover. Friendly from the start, and skinny as can be, Eddie was determined to weasel
his way into our hearts; but not before he caused some trouble.
Eddie was friendly, but not ready to completely trust humans again after a harrowing experience
with some less than kind owners. One morning I went looking for Eddie to give him his
breakfast. He was nowhere to be found. I searched high and low, or so I thought. It wasnt until I
heard his plaintive Meoooowwww! That I looked high enough. Eddie had found his way to the
very top of an electrical pole, his white tipped tail inches from the high wire. We called, we
cajoled, we shook food; all were met with sad meows. The pole was too high for a ladder the
only thing we could do was wait. Miraculously Eddie found his way down off the pole. The next
day he was sitting by the backdoor wanting food, meowing constantly.
After his harrowing climb, we decided Eddie would be better off a housecat. Eddie was
welcomed into the family and moved from the country house to a third floor apartment. He still
has a love for heights, and causes my heart to stop when he peers through the posts of my
balcony. This skinny cat with his black spots, and soulful eyes was lucky enough to be dropped
off at a house where a family would take him in, and love him and give him way too much
food.