Chapter 6 The Writing Workshop: Planning and Implementing a Unit of Study in Illustrations
Katie poses this question as the inquiry focus:"What does it mean to make smart illustrating decisions?" How would you answer this question?
How do you envision implementing Katie's unit of study structure in your own classroom?
Name several books you would gather for your classroom's unit of study on illustration.
Describe how you would set expectations for your class' illustration study. What language would be most effective to use with your students?
Name the activities or structures that would work best for your classroom immersion in illustration study. Partnerships? Small groups? Whole class?
Think about how you might integrate this unit of study into your yearly plan.
What questions have worked well in your classroom to initiate discussions with your students? How might these questions or conversation starters be used to study illustrations?
Describe structures and strategies that will help your students make the connection between book they are studying and books they are beginning to write. How can you make this connection explicit?
To start, I plan on gathering some books for the illustration study, but I also want to involve the students in some of the gathering as well. I think it is hard to do over the summer without my books surrounding me. The fifth graders will be able to bring in their own books as well, which will make them much more invested in the process. Being clear and explicit is important and I need to pay attention to the exact language I use about decisions being made by illustrators and authors. I plan on incorporating my guided reading and writing time more closely. The books I am using in guided reading will be among the first I go to in writing time to discuss illustrations and writing techniques. I don't plan on a separate study by an illustration study inside something else. I am not sure yet exactly. The ideas about putting the authors/illustrators pictures in the books is super as well as giving students time to investigate their websites. Kim
The description of the structure of illustration study is very familiar to me as it is the same procedures I've used in my class since reading Study Driven. One idea Katie shares - giving a partnership only 3-4 post it notes to save the notes for the most interesting things they notice- is one I could've used in past classes. I like the idea of prioritizing. I am planning on having this study take place in September, I see how it can lay the foundation for how we discuss reading and writing throughout the year. ~Paula
I am really looking forward to gathering books for illustration study. However, like Kim, most of my books are at school, and I will need to wait until I am there to fully immerse myself in picture books. I noticed that my students became really good at discussing books with a partner only after a LOT of independent time. So perhaps I can encourage that partnership by modeling it more often at the beginning of the year. I loved the idea of copying illustrations to use on charts-something that I am looking forward to doing. Last year, we made lots of charts comparing books, which the kids helped "write" but having the reduced copy of the illustrations would make everything more concrete for them. I also liked the idea of having the art teacher involved...look out Crystal! ~Sue
The description of the sequence of steps in a study is great. I think there is more emphasis on writing under the influence of the study here than in previous books, and it is probably a detail I have been lax about, since kids are always in the middle of a project when we start a new study. I am starting with this one for sure, since most of the kids, even in third grade, still illustrate all of their books. I know I have tons of books that will be great for this, but I like the idea of kids bringing their own books too. Katie's point about a unit of study needing the students to be involved with the direction of the study to give them "agency" is crucial too, although we teachers sometimes have a difficult time giving up that control!
Kathy C
Chapter 6 The Writing Workshop: Planning and Implementing a Unit of Study in Illustrations
To start, I plan on gathering some books for the illustration study, but I also want to involve the students in some of the gathering as well. I think it is hard to do over the summer without my books surrounding me. The fifth graders will be able to bring in their own books as well, which will make them much more invested in the process. Being clear and explicit is important and I need to pay attention to the exact language I use about decisions being made by illustrators and authors. I plan on incorporating my guided reading and writing time more closely. The books I am using in guided reading will be among the first I go to in writing time to discuss illustrations and writing techniques. I don't plan on a separate study by an illustration study inside something else. I am not sure yet exactly. The ideas about putting the authors/illustrators pictures in the books is super as well as giving students time to investigate their websites. Kim
The description of the structure of illustration study is very familiar to me as it is the same procedures I've used in my class since reading Study Driven. One idea Katie shares - giving a partnership only 3-4 post it notes to save the notes for the most interesting things they notice- is one I could've used in past classes. I like the idea of prioritizing.
I am planning on having this study take place in September, I see how it can lay the foundation for how we discuss reading and writing throughout the year. ~Paula
I am really looking forward to gathering books for illustration study. However, like Kim, most of my books are at school, and I will need to wait until I am there to fully immerse myself in picture books. I noticed that my students became really good at discussing books with a partner only after a LOT of independent time. So perhaps I can encourage that partnership by modeling it more often at the beginning of the year. I loved the idea of copying illustrations to use on charts-something that I am looking forward to doing. Last year, we made lots of charts comparing books, which the kids helped "write" but having the reduced copy of the illustrations would make everything more concrete for them. I also liked the idea of having the art teacher involved...look out Crystal! ~Sue
The description of the sequence of steps in a study is great. I think there is more emphasis on writing under the influence of the study here than in previous books, and it is probably a detail I have been lax about, since kids are always in the middle of a project when we start a new study. I am starting with this one for sure, since most of the kids, even in third grade, still illustrate all of their books. I know I have tons of books that will be great for this, but I like the idea of kids bringing their own books too. Katie's point about a unit of study needing the students to be involved with the direction of the study to give them "agency" is crucial too, although we teachers sometimes have a difficult time giving up that control!
Kathy C