4th Grade Lesson (CEL)

Summary

In this engaging classroom transcript, the teacher discusses strategies for improving writing quality throughout an entire story, not just the beginning or a single paragraph. The session includes sharing student work, emphasizing the importance of revising, and introducing 'revision reminders' such as rereading, highlighting, reading aloud, and revising at the start of writing time. Students are encouraged to choose a strategy that resonates with them to enhance their writing and discuss their choices with peers, aiming for continuous improvement in their storytelling.

Takeaways

• 📚 The class has been working on writing revisions, focusing on improving the quality of their writing through various techniques.
• 🏅 The teacher highlighted the good work of Emily and Tyson, emphasizing the importance of crafting leads and revising effectively.
• 🔍 The teacher read the students' revisions and was impressed by the improvement, indicating the effectiveness of the revision process.
• 🤔 The class is encouraged to think about maintaining the quality of writing throughout their entire story, not just in specific paragraphs.
• 📝 A list of revision techniques was discussed, including improving word choice, adding descriptive phrases, dialogue, character thoughts, and removing unnecessary details.
• 👂 Reading stories aloud was suggested as a way to catch inconsistencies and improve the narrative flow.
• 🔄 The idea of revising at the beginning of writing time was introduced as a strategy to approach the story with fresh eyes and make improvements.
• 🖍 Highlighting parts of the writing that need revision was mentioned as a way to remember to revisit and improve certain areas later.
• 🔑 The teacher provided 'revision reminders' to help students maintain the quality of their writing, similar to how athletes pace themselves in a race.
• 📋 Students were asked to choose a revision reminder strategy they want to try and explain why they believe it will help improve their writing.
• 📘 The teacher will check in with students individually to discuss how the chosen revision strategy is working and offer further assistance if needed.

Q & A

What was the homework assignment given to the students the night before the transcript's events?

The homework was to take their writing home, read it, and revise a paragraph to improve it.

What did the teacher do with the students' work on the document camera?

The teacher displayed Emily's and Tyson's work on the document camera to highlight good quality writing and discussed how they crafted their leads.

What is the significance of the chills the teacher felt while reading the students' revisions?

The chills indicate the teacher's excitement and satisfaction with the significant improvement in the students' writing after their revisions.

What is the main focus of the lesson in the transcript?

The main focus is on how to maintain the quality of writing throughout the entire story, not just in specific paragraphs or the beginning.

What strategies does the teacher list for improving writing?

The strategies include improving word choice, using descriptive phrases, adding dialogue or character inner thinking, crafting new leads, removing unnecessary details, and adding more action.

Why did the teacher mention Mike and Dylan in the context of revising?

Mike and Dylan were mentioned as examples of students who realized during conferences that some parts of their writing didn't need to be there and could be improved by removing unnecessary details.

What is the analogy used by the teacher to explain the importance of consistent quality in writing?

The teacher compares writing to running a mile, where some students start fast and slow down, while others might finish strong or peter out, emphasizing the need for consistent quality throughout.

What are the 'revision reminders' the teacher introduces to the students?

Revision reminders include rereading writing often, highlighting areas to come back to later, reading the story out loud, and revising at the beginning of independent writing time.

How does the teacher encourage students to choose a revision reminder strategy?

The teacher asks students to think about which strategy they want to try and why, then discuss it with a partner and give a thumbs up when they have made a decision.

What is the assignment for the students after the discussion on revision reminders?

The students are to write on a green sticky note the revision reminder strategy they plan to use over the next few days and keep it in their writer's notebook for future reference.

What does the teacher suggest for students who finish their current writing project?

The teacher suggests that students can either plan a new story or go back and revise their current work further if they feel there is more to improve.