A New Year...
The days are shorter, and the weather is colder as we begin the New Year in our classrooms. Does anyone else struggle to get their students back into a routine and engaged in the lessons you are teaching? After coming back from a break, I always like to begin with a research piece. It is a great way to get students excited about writing while giving them a choice in what they are going to learn about.
I know, I know, time is always ticking inside our school calendars and keeping us on a tight leash as to what we can teach in order to get it all in before the year ends. Often times, research and giving students freedom in their instruction is the first to go, especially in the ELA classroom. So how can I afford to spend the time in January on researching? A true expository research essay is packed full of key components to any expository piece with the most important being organization. Teaching our students to develop a well-structured piece can be difficult on more simplistic prompts.
That's why I begin with a research-based essay that has a clear topic and main ideas. This then becomes the staple piece that I build my instruction from and refer back to for later essays to come. Teaching students how to generate elaborated details with real examples, amazing facts, and powerful vocabulary is also done during this process piece. And of course, the week will not be complete until we design the ultimate introduction and conclusion that will be the template my students use for the rest of their expository papers.
So add me to your favorites bar and follow me on this journey, as I guide my students through a research topic. There will be modeled lessons, anchor charts, and student samples galore! Want to teach right alongside me? I will be posting my lessons so that you can watch what I’m doing and then give it a try the next day! And I will be here to answer any questions you might run into!
Enjoy!
Kylene