Ideas

When I start to write any piece, whether it is for grad school, my classroom, or for personal reasons, I have to come up with ideas. A great way to present ideas to students is by asking questions:
1. What is my message?
2. Is my message clear?
3. Did I try to make it interesting?
4. Do I have enough information (details)? The details about the topic "show" rather than "tell".


There are many books you can use to convey ideas for a writing lesson. When you pick a book, make sure you are able to answer these questions.

Here are some books I have looked at that are great books to teach "Ideas" along with a minilesson:

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook Press, 2005.
In this alphabet book, a kitty decides to to very bad when she discovers there is no food in the house.
Minilesson: Make a class book
1. Read aloud to the class.
2. After the story, have each student pick out a letter (die cut letters)to paste onto a piece a paper. Research food that starts with each letter. Illustrate and label a food item.
3. When illustrations are completed, compile into a class book. Have the students help put the book together in correct ABC order.

Ohio Academic Content Standards: Kindergarten
Research
1. Ask questions about a particular topic being studied or an area of interest.

One of Those Days by Amy Rosenthal. Putnam, 2006.
Everybody has one of those days when things do not go as planned.
Minilesson: Write about a day when things do not go as planned
1. Brainstorm a list of reasons why your day did not they way you expected.
2. Read the story.
3. After reading, have each student write a list of of bad days.
4. Have each student pick one of their bad days and write about it. Encourage them to have a beginning, middle, and end.
5. Share stories with peers.

Ohio Academic Content Standard: Kindergarten
Speaking Applications
5. Deliver informal descriptive or informational presentation about ideas or experiences in logical order with a beginning, middle, and end.