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Outlining resource for a once-a-week co-op...


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I need to find something simple, interesting, and cheap.  This is for 7th-9th graders who need to learn basic outlining and writing from an outline.  The resource that has come closest to what I'm looking for is DK Eyewitness books.  They are just meaty enough and interesting enough to use, but I don't like the formatting.  The text follows the outline of the pictures and just doesn't look like real paragraphs.  Also, a page is likely to only have one huge paragraph packed with information.  I would rather have several short paragraphs of text so we can ask, "What was the most important/most interesting thing in this paragraph?"  

 

I have decided to look for a book each student can buy so that we all have the same information handy.  (I had considered trying to take excerpts from encyclopedias I have at home, but it would be much easier if I can just find a decent book to use.)  Parents have to purchase the books, so cost is a definite factor.  

 

The content needs to "hook" the students' interest.  Colorful pictures are not really important to me.  The goal is understanding the text.  Encyclopedia articles have plenty of information but also have somewhat distracting pictures.  Yet, if I were to steer away from encyclopedias which automatically come with a wide variety of interesting information, I feel like I have to pick a topic and look for a book on that topic, and that feels kind of risky depending on the interests of the individual students..

 

I also don't want one of those books that teach outlining.  I want a "real" book- something the students can read, pick out the best information, write their outlines, and write paragraphs.  By the end of the semester, they need to be able to apply outlining/writing skills to anything they are studying.

 

What have you used to teach outlining?  

 

 

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Is there another class at the co-op that the kids would all have the same book for? For example, if they have the same bio book, maybe you could have them outline a chapter that they're not going to cover this year (or a chapter from a book that they used the year before). Next year I'm planning to use history to work on this with my own 6th grader - the plan is to outline a textbook chapter on M, add in notes from supplementary reading on T and W, we have co-op on Th, and then on F do a short writing assignment that synthesizes the information.

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No, unfortunately this is not the case. That is a great idea, but the kids will be different ages and grades taking all different courses.  

I had also considered for each student to bring their own history/science books to learn to outline, but I think it is more important to have the same book and learn together.

I am checking out the books that teach outlining just to see what is available.  It's not really what I want to do, but it might get the job done.

 

Thanks for trying!

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It sounds like you are looking for the SWI course from IEW.   They teach keyword outlining from a basic paragraph (and they supply the source texts), then re-writing the paragraph from the outline.    You could probably purchase one of their theme-based units to do the same thing.

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It sounds like you are looking for the SWI course from IEW. They teach keyword outlining from a basic paragraph (and they supply the source texts), then re-writing the paragraph from the outline. You could probably purchase one of their theme-based units to do the same thing.

I was going to say just get the IEW writing source packet. I think they have one for older kids? Not 100% sure though...

 

 

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I had no idea IEW offered source texts. I wish I could see samples, but I've used IEW for years, and I can imagine what they look like. 

Thank you so much for sharing this idea. 

I's still looking because the end goal of the class is for the kids to learn how to write a really good paragraph.  Writing 5-paragraph essays is absolutely not the goal.  As long as I could stick to my goals, this might work.

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I had no idea IEW offered source texts. I wish I could see samples, but I've used IEW for years, and I can imagine what they look like. 

Thank you so much for sharing this idea. 

I's still looking because the end goal of the class is for the kids to learn how to write a really good paragraph.  Writing 5-paragraph essays is absolutely not the goal.  As long as I could stick to my goals, this might work.

 

I have received all of these as pdf files free during IEW's Christmas gift give away days. If you need to know more about the content, I'd be glad to share details with you. 

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I am not a fan of using IEW's theme based books past 4th grade. IMO the theme books are not even close to being rigorous enough for grades 7-9.

 

I would suggest pulling together different sources that are available online. Similar to how WTMA's Socratic Seminar uses selections that are well written literature accessed via different websites. If you need to brush up on outlining I find WWS to be a great resource.

 

ETA: Maybe you can use selections from Google books?

Edited by SJ.
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SJ, I have used WWS Vol. 1 with one of my children, and I really loved how SWB taught writing.  The co-op class is different.  We will only meet once-a-week, and the students are of different grades/skill levels.  I would love to find source documents that we can outline.  Years ago, I listened to Susan's "Middle School Writing" where she very simply asked, "What is the most important part in this paragraph, and why is it important?"  This was how she taught first level outlining.  Then she went on to describe how to do second and third level outlining.  

 

IEW teaches very differently.  They teach a key-word outline.  I've used IEW as well.  Either one will teach outlining, but I do like the simplicity of Susan's way if I could just find resources to use.  That is what I'm struggling to find.

 

I must be making this more difficult than it really is.  This is why I started looking at DK Eyewitness books.  Then I broke down and began looking at outline-teaching books.  Maybe I could choose my own topics and print out Wikipedia articles?  I need to check on this.  Or maybe I can Google topics and print out reports.  I'm just not sure what the copyright issues are.  If I could find an inexpensive book on an interesting topic, that would be the best thing.  

 

Could you suggest the sources online you are referring to?

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Not want you to hear... but could you pull together different sources so the kids can experience a history, a science, a current event, etc..Not exactly sure about copy laws but you would want to check on those before you copy and hand-out. I am thinking you could copy a section from a history book and work throught that and then have them outline and write the paragraph. Then do it with another source. I know it is a vital skill to master, and kids struggle so much with it. 

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Amy, I really appreciate your offer!  I tried looking at samples at IEW, but they did not show any.  Christian Bood Distributors did have sample pages!  This class I'm researching for will focus on grammar, copywork/dictation, and narrative summaries during first semester.  In January, I want to focus on outlining nonfiction and writing a simple paragraph from an outline.  At first glance, this IEW source document looks like a true possibility.  

 

I see two potential problems.  First, there is no way I can cover all the stories in a semester.  I'm not sure how to go about picking/choosing the stories.  Second, I wanted to keep instruction simple by asking, "What is the most important thing in this paragraph, and why is it important?". I think trying to teach all the IEW concepts may make the writing semester unnecessarily complicated.  Third, I have to fit writing into the co-op schedule of one teaching day per week.  

 

We are not going to write essays.  In fact, the goal is to learn how to write one paragraph.  

 

Well, based on what you know, would this IEW source book fit what I need?  I'm all ears. 

 

I have received all of these as pdf files free during IEW's Christmas gift give away days. If you need to know more about the content, I'd be glad to share details with you. 

 

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Honestly, I agree with Imrich about pulling sources from a variety of places and making copies. Since this is a basic writing class that doesn't follow a theme I would prefer a class to teach how to outline from different topics if I were sending my child. I am thinking - primary source documents, historical references, science references, and current events.

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Amy, I really appreciate your offer!  I tried looking at samples at IEW, but they did not show any.  Christian Bood Distributors did have sample pages!  This class I'm researching for will focus on grammar, copywork/dictation, and narrative summaries during first semester.  In January, I want to focus on outlining nonfiction and writing a simple paragraph from an outline.  At first glance, this IEW source document looks like a true possibility.  

 

I see two potential problems.  First, there is no way I can cover all the stories in a semester.  I'm not sure how to go about picking/choosing the stories.  Second, I wanted to keep instruction simple by asking, "What is the most important thing in this paragraph, and why is it important?". I think trying to teach all the IEW concepts may make the writing semester unnecessarily complicated.  Third, I have to fit writing into the co-op schedule of one teaching day per week.  

 

We are not going to write essays.  In fact, the goal is to learn how to write one paragraph.  

 

Well, based on what you know, would this IEW source book fit what I need?  I'm all ears. 

 

Somehow I missed seeing this response. I'm sorry! 

 

Why would you feel you need to cover all the stories in a semester? If you purchase the set, you are allowed to copy them for a class. Everyone would not need to purchase their own sets. The articles and stories for the Units 1, 2 and 3 sets have suggested reading grade levels. Perhaps that could guide you.

 

All of the non-fiction articles in the Units 1 and 2 section as well as the mini-books (whole booklets on non-fiction topics) for Units 4 and 6 are set up with paragraphs having a topic sentence and a final clincher sentence, so the topic is very easy to identify. The Units 1 and 2 paragraphs give more varied details about a broader topic. The paragraphs in the mini-books are more focused because there is a whole mini-book on the broader topic.

 

The nice thing about the stories which are included is that there are one paragraph stories as well as some as long as 2 or even 3 pages. 

 

I hope this helps. 

Edited by mom31257
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Sorry, if I am not being too helpful.... 

I would spend some time at the library and just browse several sources. You might even have a really helpful children's librarian who would know the children's reference section.  Ask about online sources, too. I also find magazines to be a great source for this type of thing - the Cricket Magazine publishes many different types of magazines. Look through your textbooks sitting on your shelf. I would use a history and science book example for certain. The Usborne books, DK books, etc... are really good for this type of learning. 

 

I would locate as many sources as weeks you are teaching and copy two from each source. You can model one with the students and then have them complete the other on their own. 

 

I might even spend the last three weeks giving students a short non-fiction book to outline and write a report. My fifth graders recently did country reports. You could do state reports just as easily as there are always a ton of short books on either topic at our library. Do NOT let the books leave your classroom! 

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I was going to say just get the IEW writing source packet. I think they have one for older kids? Not 100% sure though...

 

 

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I think the writing source packet only goes through 6th or 8th? Definitely not high school level texts. 

 

However, if you are trying to teach outlining, simpler is better at first, to give the kids a sense that they "can" do it and some success under their belts before they pursue harder source texts for outlining.

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