Writing Workshop 2 | Lesson

Summary

In this lesson, the teacher helps young writers brainstorm story ideas by focusing on emotions. Drawing inspiration from author Kevin Henkes, the teacher shows how feelings, such as pride or loneliness, can inspire entire stories. Using examples like a Thanksgiving dinner or a child's dance recital, the teacher models how to recall personal memories tied to emotions. Students are then guided to choose a feeling, think of related memories, and share with partners before writing their own stories. The lesson emphasizes the power of emotions in storytelling and encourages creativity in a supportive environment.

Takeaways

• ✍️ The speaker is excited to start a writing session with the students, focusing on finding ideas for stories.
• 📊 A chart was created to help students generate story ideas, such as writing about important experiences or emotions.
• 📚 The class has been studying Kevin Henkes, who writes stories based on emotions, like feeling lonely or miserable.
• 😊 The students are encouraged to choose an emotion and build a story around it, just like Kevin Henkes did.
• 🗂️ The speaker selects the feeling of 'proud' and shares several personal memories that evoke that feeling, like cooking Thanksgiving dinner and watching her son's dance recital.
• 📝 The exercise encourages the students to think of a feeling, recall personal memories linked to it, and use those memories to generate a story.
• 🤔 The speaker guides the students to choose an emotion and reflect on related experiences, helping to build a list of potential story ideas.
• 👥 The students share their emotions and story ideas with their partners, such as feeling frustrated or happy.
• ✍️ The task for the day is to write down the chosen feeling and list possible stories associated with that feeling, eventually starting a full story if they feel ready.
• 🎨 The activity aims to help students creatively express their emotions through storytelling, using their personal experiences as inspiration.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the session in the script?

The main purpose of the session is to help young writers generate ideas for their stories by focusing on feelings and personal experiences.

What specific strategy does the speaker introduce to help writers come up with story ideas?

The speaker introduces the strategy of choosing a feeling (like proud, sad, or lonely) and then recalling memories or stories associated with that feeling to generate ideas for writing.

Which author does the speaker use as an example, and why?

The speaker uses Kevin Henkes as an example because he often writes stories centered around specific feelings, like loneliness or sadness, which is a technique the speaker is teaching the writers.

What feeling does the speaker choose to illustrate the strategy of using feelings to generate story ideas?

The speaker chooses the feeling of being proud to illustrate how to use feelings to generate story ideas.

Can you name some of the feelings listed on the chart that the writers can choose from?

Some of the feelings listed on the chart include lonely, proud, worried, surprised, sad, and brave.

What are some examples of memories that the speaker recalls when thinking about the feeling of pride?

The speaker recalls several memories associated with feeling proud: cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner for 20 people, her son learning to ride a bike, and her other son's dance recital.

How does the speaker encourage the young writers to find their own story ideas?

The speaker encourages the young writers to first choose a feeling and then think about memories or experiences connected to that feeling. They can then make a list of possible stories to write about based on those memories.

What is the speaker's next step after selecting a feeling and recalling memories?

The speaker starts writing the story based on one of the memories, in this case, the son's dance recital, which evoked strong emotions of pride.

What is the significance of the students sharing their feelings and memories with a partner during the session?

The sharing exercise helps students verbalize their feelings and story ideas, which can make the writing process easier and more collaborative by discussing their thoughts with a peer.

What are the students expected to do after they have brainstormed their feelings and stories?

After brainstorming their feelings and stories, the students are expected to either begin writing their story or continue brainstorming and listing possible ideas for future stories.