Abydos Five-Day Refresh

1. 1. Have students write one word on a piece of paper and put them in a jar.

2. 2. Choose from the jar for quickwrites, either on a sticky note or in journals.

3. 3. Variation: Encourage students to choose from the jar when finishing assignments quickly, picking a word from the jar to begin a new piece.

This suggestion from Shelby is demonstrating the use of which prewriting strategy?

• Sentence Stubs

• Trigger Words

• Freewriting

• Showing, Not Telling

We drew with our non-dominant hands in response to Richard Brautigan's three-line poem. Using either hand, recreate your weirdest drawing.

(If it stresses you out to find those notes within the time limit, just make something up. No one will know.)

QUICK! TYPE ANY STRATEGY YOU REMEMBER THE NAME OF BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO USE IT! DON'T THINK! JUST TYPE IT!

Which of the following statements best represents the shared vocabulary we established on Day 1?

• Reflexive writing is from self, for self, and represented by a mirror. Extensive writing is from self, for others, and is represented by a window.

• Narrative writing is from self, for self, and represented by a mirror. Expository writing is from self, for others, and is represented by a window.

• Poetic writing is from self, for self, and represented by a mirror. Prose writing is from self, for others, and is represented by a window.

• Creative writing is from self, for self, and represented by a mirror. Academic writing is from self, for others, and is represented by a window.

Name your partner for Reporter's Formula. Draw or describe them in a few words.

(Feel free to ask them their name again or, you know, as always, make something up. If you're going fictional, though, swing big!)

Blueprinting, if used as a close reading/comprehension response strategy, would pair most easily with a study of...

• Character evolution over time

• Conflict and resolution

• Use of figurative language

• Significance of setting

To return to and use a specific prewriting strategy after its initial introduction to students, Victoria suggested:

Have students cross out the letter once they have used it as a topic to write about.

Once they have crossed out/used all of the letters they can earn a prize.

Of which strategy is this a variation?

• Wet-Ink Writing

• Quicklisting

• Abecedarian Listing

• Invisible Writing

Why begin with only positive feedback?

Teachers must respond to student work, quickly and concretely. With which of the following statements do you agree?

(Just in general; you don't have to marry them. And yes, they're intentionally worded to be slightly combative. Fight! Fight! Fight!)

• If a student spent all week on a drawing, I wouldn't get my red pen and circle all of the "errors," so I never mark on student work directly.

• How does a student know what they don't know? It's my job to correct all student misunderstanding as it occurs.

• Student instructional time is vanishing. The most skilled teachers hone the ability to see mistakes, as many as possible, as fast as possible.

• "Building on strengths" feels good. However, at some point, there's a test. Toys and compliments don't teach skills.

• Students who value writing want to grow as writers. Once they feel strong, they become eager to do the work required.

We read a couple of articles that transformed the way we typically think of journaling. There were several alternatives suggested--a treasure box, a timeline, etc.--along with some Dos and Don'ts. Which guideline or metaphor for a journal resonated with you?