This week I am pushing my Language Arts students hard in Room 132. Today they peer edited and editors both asked questions of writers and answered questions. They asked questions like, “How did this happen? You can add more details about this.” They answered questions like, “What was the favorite part of the story.” The goal was to give students enough feedback and momentum to write their best memoir story ever.
Tomorrow is another big day. My students have asked that big days be clearly scheduled, so here’s the schedule.
Journal Prompt: Choose a character in your book. Choose a character that you think you can get into their head. Write a letter from that character’s perspective to another character in your book. What do you have to say to this person? What does that person not understand that you can make clear to them? What advice do you have for that character?
I will collect your third draft of your memoir as you are working. I’m excited to read them after seeing so much quality peer editing yesterday.
Mini-Lesson
Goal: Each student will learn how to create two critical thinking questions.
Why: We are doing this to deepen your conversations in your literature circles.
I was taught to make critical thinking questions using the words how, why, might, and should. Your challenge today is to come up with at least two critical thinking questions using these words. (Teacher note, I found writing good critical thinking questions to be a lot harder than I thought it would be, but if it is easy for you, write down extra critical thinking questions. Make them great questions about what’s going on with the characters in your book.
Example 1. How might life go on after the book for Jimmy now that his father is dead.
Example 2. Why should Jimmy go to school if he already knows everything at his new school.
Question 1:
Question 2:
Bonus Question:
Bonus Question:
How will you know if you have created a critical thinking question? A critical thinking question cannot be answered yes or no. A critical thinking question doesn’t have a “right answer,” but invites others to share their ideas, perspective, opinions, and point of view.
Lit Circles
Today you will each share your best critical question and each person will answer each question. Share your opinions and predictions. If you have time, share more questions and golden lines.
What I am watching for: I am watching for students to share their questions and share their answers and begin discussions based on their opinions about the characters and about what they think will happen to the characters in the rest of the book and after the book ends.
Follow up
Fill in evaluation forms. If time allows, we will have a conversation about what worked and didn’t work in your lit circles. We only have one more lit circle for this book, how can it be the best one?
