Extension for the "Avid Reader/ Writer"

 

In the "Writing in our Diverse Schools" training we saw a writing sample of a student who created a scrapbook diary of a Buffalo Soldier.  It was truly compelling.  I am still in the process of finding the teacher's name to give her credit for this amazing idea.

The character diary can be used for nonfiction books such as Harriet Tubman, and the Freedom Train or Helen Keller.  There are small group reading sets of  both books in our very own reading room.  So this writing response would be great for a guided reading group or introducing the concept of writing biographies. The student could create a scrapbook diary through the perspective of that person as a response to reading or as part of a writing unit.  I've attached a guided reading study guide for both books.  I often times find myself frantically trying to pull books at the last minute for reading groups or spending late nights pulling out important information in the text for my Guided Reading Lessons.  I hope that the study guide gives you a head start.:)  I want to give a special shout out to Cale and Greer.  Their book room is filled with Guided Reading lessons to accompany their books.  They are all teacher created.  Only a teacher would know exactly what a fellow teacher needs. The Helen Keller Writing Prompt Focuses on understanding the world from the character's point of view.  It says, "If you had to lose one of your five senses, which would it be and why..."  To add more depth to the prompt you could require students to choose two... Click below for the printable version.
Helen Keller Writing Prompt


Special Note: You could also personify a continent, state, or planet.  If you decide to use this template for fiction, the student would create a fictional character and write from their point of view.