Words, Words, Words

On Hand: Whiteboard, marker, and copies of brainstorming graphic organizer.

Mini-Lesson: Share with students the prewriting strategy of brainstorming words that might appear in new work. This will help them to tap into their specific vocabularies and spend extra time thinking about strong verbs and sensory words.

            Choose one of your areas of interest. For example, I would choose either writing, hiking, knitting, cooking, or dog training. Introduce your topic and write a key word at the top of the board. For example, I might say, "I want to write about my struggle with learning to knit," and write the word, knitting.

            Now draw a three-column chart:

Knitting

            Bounce from column to column, filling in the words that come to you. Model how the recollection of one word helps you think of an action. For example, the word knot, makes me think of untangle. Share your observations of the process: "When I record my words, I not only think of better words-words that create a picture-but I also begin to plan my piece." (You may want to cross words off your list right then and there. I substituted chatter for talking, for instance.) Remind students that you may not need all of the words and that you'll continue to choose the words that work best.

            Offer a copy of the brainstorming graphic organizer for those students who would like to prewrite by brainstorming words. Place extra copies in the writing center. (Note: one benefit from this prewriting exercise is that primary students really stay with a piece, developing their ideas as they weave in the words.)

Extension: After reading a picture book, ask students to complete the same three-column chart, this time recalling the memorable words the author used.