Analyzing
IV. Engaging students in activities to help them generate or organize writing ideas
Involving students in inquiry activities for developing their writing ideas and content is effective, according to the meta-analysis conducted by Graham & Perin (2007). Such activities include analyzing concrete data (e.g., observing peers) and using the information collected to write.
Classroom examples of engaging students in activities to help them generate or organize writing ideas:
1. Roundtable brainstorming
The roundtable structure is a method for brainstorming ideas. Brainstorming generates a large number of ideas in a short period of time. Explanations, evaluations, and questions are not permitted as the ideas are generated. To start, the instructor asks a question that has a large number of possible answers. Each group is given one piece of paper (or transparency). The paper is passed around the group and students write down their answers at the same time stating them out loud. This process continues until the students run out of possible solutions (Millis & Cottell, 1998). After the brainstorming, instructors give time for the team to review and clarify their ideas. If needed, the group can present the ideas generated to the rest of the class.
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/CL/doingcl/brain.htm
2. Writing “headline” poems
Students are introduced to alliteration and identify and create their own examples of alliteration as well as find examples of alliteration in poems. Writing a headline poem requires each student to create a poem using words that they have cut out from magazines and/or newspapers. The poem must contain at least 25 words, be written in complete sentences with correct punctuation, stick to one central theme, and contain at least three clear examples of alliteration
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=81
3. Family message journals: (elementary, and can be modified for higher grades)
Family message journals are tools for learning, reflecting, and expressing themselves. Students write several messages with varied purposes about school activities. Their journal writing helps them to remember, make sense of new information and ideas, and recognize, develop, and share personal thoughts and reactions.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=82
4. Writing haiku to celebrate the seasons (intermediate)
In this three-part lesson, students write and illustrate haiku depicting seasonal images. They use observation skills, real-world knowledge, and their emerging knowledge of language in this lesson. Then, after listening to and reading samples of haiku to identify haiku criteria, they write their own haiku and publish them with their illustrations.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=39
5. Identifying voice (middle school)
This lesson asks middle school students to read an article, respond, and identify the voice. It includes a graphic organizer.
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/argument.html
6. Using student art as a writing resource
One of a series of articles that demonstrates how to use student art as a resource for writing. Examples show how students described their work.
http://www.picturingwriting.org/publishedarticles/pdf/visual.pdf
7. Creating comics
This page lets students create their own cartoons with captions. It assists organization of ideas and following a specific sequence for writing a particular genre.
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/index.html