WRITER'S WORKSHOP MINI LESSONS

Establishing a Workshop Routine: We Listen To and Watch the The Teacher

Lesson 2: We Use our Eyes and Ears to Watch Mrs. Meacham

As students come to the carpet, congratulate them on sitting appropriately.  

Emphasize the importance if sitting at/around the carpet {reiterate yesterday's mini lesson}.

Say, "Now that you are at the carpet, I want to share a special book with you."

Tell the children that at the start of most Writer's Workshops we will begin by reading a book.

Say, "We will read books, because when we read them, books help us to learn something new."

Tell the children that today's book will help us to learn that looking is very important, and when we look, we learn.

Ask the children to show you what body part they use when they are LOOKING.  

Affirm their answer - - and add that today they will learn how to LOOK with more than one part of their body!

Show the front cover of the book, Look!  Look!  Look!  by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.  

Ask students to LOOK with their eyes and share what they see.

Read Look!  Look!  Look!  by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.  

After reading the book, draw students attention to the "moral" of the story:

• "This adorable and informative look at a mouse family that borrows a postcard depicting a famous painting is a winning choice. The mice carefully study the portrait, examining each part and analyzing what they see–patterns, colors, lines, shapes, etc. They not only enjoy and appreciate what they learn, but they also individually and collectively decide that they can compose their very own pictures as they now know so much about these artistic elements. This delightful lesson comes to a rather abrupt finale when the humans return home. Wallace and Friedlaender have assembled a charming foray into the world of art, complete with a helpful glossary and lessons on how to make a self-portrait. This is not only an amusing, creative story, but also an adventure into art that encourages originality while inspiring creativity."

Share with students that the mice in the book learned lots by LOOKING.  

Ask the class what new things they learned after they LOOKED at the postcard.

Say, "You know what, class?  This book reminds me that when I look at you, I learn lots and lots of new things."

Ask the class if they learn new things by watching/looking at others.

Allow time for sharing.

Say, "I'd like you to be just like these mice during Writer's Workshop.  I'd like you to Look!  Look!  Look!"

Say, "If I am reading or writing  - - and we are at the carpet - - how we can/could/should watch/look at me?

• should you watch with your thumbs - - toes - - shoes (laughter releases fidgetiness and stress!)

• should you watch with you eyes - - ears

Remind students that we can watch [or listen] with our eyes and ears.  

Share that we can also watch and listen with our hands, feet, and voices.

Ask the children how they [hands, feet, voices] help us to watch and listen.

Remind students that when they are listening and watching very carefully, they will learn something new.

Encourage students to practice listening and watching carefully as you write a journal entry.

Take pictures of students watching and listening carefully [during the teacher writing/modeling].

Create an ANCHOR CHART for "Writer's Workshop" routine, and add information and a picture about the day's lesson.

Resources:

Look!  Look!  Look!  by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Listen and Learn  by Meiners