Need help on coming up with writing assignments for 5th grader

[Michelle T]

I just cannot get a handle on how or what sort of writing assignments to give my 11 year old, VERY reluctant/poor writer. We recently started Jump In, and that's going fine, but I would like to give assignments based on history topics.

 

So, what would be a reasonable assignment? Please, using simple words, and clear explanations, give me an idea of what sort of writing you would assign, how long, how often, and how much to expect.

 

Michelle T

[Sue G in PA]

The books are inexpensive and you really don't *need* the TWSS DVD's in order to teach them. Each book covers the 9 units that the IEW SWI's cover and explains each well enough for you to get by w/out knowing a lot about the program, KWIM? My dd11 is using Anc. Hist. Based Writing lessons and doing well. THey have medieval, US History, character based, bible based, etc. My dd struggles w/ any sort of original writing besides narrations and simple paragraph reports. With the theme-based writing lessons, there isn't the struggle anymore b/c it's all laid out for her...step-by-step.

[KarenC]

We don't use it every day though. I also give her history based writing assignments. For example, Monday she will be reading about Roman Society and I assigned her a summary paragraph (minimum of 85 words) which should include a topic sentence and information on how the society was divided and the benefits of living in the Roman Empire.

 

Last week she did a summary paragraph (minimum 100 words) on the Punic Wars. She had to include who was fighting, why, and the outcome. I sometimes include keywords that she must use. In this case, Hannibal, Carthage, elephants, and Scipio. This gives her a staring place and helps to ensure that nothing really big is left out.

 

I also find that she writes more if I give her a minimum number of words. She types her paragraphs on the computer and often ends up writing quite a bit more than the minimum.

 

Hope that helps,

Karen

[WTMindy]

The books are inexpensive and you really don't *need* the TWSS DVD's in order to teach them. Each book covers the 9 units that the IEW SWI's cover and explains each well enough for you to get by w/out knowing a lot about the program, KWIM? My dd11 is using Anc. Hist. Based Writing lessons and doing well. THey have medieval, US History, character based, bible based, etc. My dd struggles w/ any sort of original writing besides narrations and simple paragraph reports. With the theme-based writing lessons, there isn't the struggle anymore b/c it's all laid out for her...step-by-step.

 

I think that using IEW is great, but the problem I had when I looked over those lessons is that they never matched up to the weekly topics we were covering. So, I finally started making up my own writing assignments using the IEW methods. I choose which unit we are working on (right now it is unit 4, which is writing from one source) and I choose a short reading selection about a topic we are studying that week. I use an Usborne book, or an exerpt from one of the books we are using. IEW teaches that the kids choose 5-7 facts from the text and write down key words from those facts in an outline form. They then use their outline to write their paragraph.

 

This has been working well for us. I would suggest trying to get your hands on the IEW curriculum and watch it so you have a good idea of how to teach it. It is worth the time spent watching.

 

My kids do a pre-write (making the outline) on Monday, write the paragraph (adding in dress-ups from IEW) on Wednesday, and edit/final draft on Friday. I think one of the main things you always want to teach is that there are steps to writing. You almost never are done with something after the first time through.

[Chris in CA]

Personally I'd wait until he was more confident and proficient in his writing before I addressed history assignments. It is a daunting task to learn to put words to page, so I like to have my dds gain confidence in their writing by sticking to subjects that produce enthusiam first, then follow with across-curriculum assignments.

 

YMMV

[Jenny in Atl]

I just cannot get a handle on how or what sort of writing assignments to give my 11 year old, VERY reluctant/poor writer. We recently started Jump In, and that's going fine, but I would like to give assignments based on history topics.

 

So, what would be a reasonable assignment? Please, using simple words, and clear explanations, give me an idea of what sort of writing you would assign, how long, how often, and how much to expect.

 

Michelle T

 

How about an mock interview with famous historical figures? Or a mock newspaper article from their time? Each would be short and fun, something light but inclusive of the facts and setting you are studying.

[BizyPenguin]

Their English Student Worktext has writing lessons interspersed btwn the grammar lessons. We use this and just skip the grammar since we're happily using CLE for that. Check "Curriculum Reviews" at my blog for a thorough review. Using BJ would free you up from coming up with your own writing topics. I like BJ b/c it holds my ds's hand and he's somewhat of a reluctant writer even though he's very good at it. You don't have to get the BJ Teacher's Manual. You can buy the one at ChristianLibertyPress.com instead. You can even start one grade level behind if you like. HTH!

[Peela]

So here is what I have done and still do:

I read the topic with them (read aloud- still do that with them now, it's one of our favourite parts of the week). We discuss, and they do outlining after that, often. But for the history assignment, on another day, I choose a topic, or give them a choice.

For example, we were reading about Buddhism in our history book. So I asked the kids to find out what the eightfold path was, and the 4 noble truths. That was an assignment. Not a long one.

Another day (we did Buddhism over two weeks) my daughter wrote the story of Buddha's life, as a creative story.

Another thing we are doing is reading Greek myths. The kids rewrite the myth in their own words.

We learned about Egpyt,and the kids had to pick one topic to write a report on- Pyramids, mummies, religion etc.

My daughter has written a compare and contrast essay on the ancient river civilizations- she is 13 though and writes easily and well. Still, it took some planning.

Most of the time, for a history assignment, it will simply be an extension of what we have been reading about, and involve some extra research (usually done online). For my writing reluctant 12yo, a half a page, plus an illustration, is about it. My 13yo can do 1-2 pages easily.

Other history assignments could be: give an oral report, make a mind map, watch a movie and write about it, make a power point presentation (easy once you have done it once), or make up a story of a day in the life of someone at that time.

Mostly though, I just pick a topic, or give them a choice of a couple, and they do a bit of research and come up with an assignment. If I have to help my son, I just do, but mostly he can do it on his own now.

Its not difficult to assign. It may be a challenge for the child....you can always start them off with a one paragraph assignment, and expand from there over the year.

[Soph the vet]

Probably reiterating what others have posted so far. I think the method is more important than the subject matter, so find subjects in which he has an interest.

Give him a variety of models from facts, fables, narratives, etc. from which to choose. Outline with topic sentence and key words. Rough draft. Edit, revise, edit, revise. Incrementally incorporate different techniques into his papers like "quality adjectives", "strong verbs", clauses, different sentence starters like adverbs, preposition, -ing starters, and clause starters. Have a great thesaurus on hand like Rodale's Synonym Finder so he can replace overused words. I think these are principles found in IEW though we have not used that program yet.

[Cinder]

I think that using IEW is great, but the problem I had when I looked over those lessons is that they never matched up to the weekly topics we were covering. So, I finally started making up my own writing assignments using the IEW methods. I choose which unit we are working on (right now it is unit 4, which is writing from one source) and I choose a short reading selection about a topic we are studying that week. I use an Usborne book, or an exerpt from one of the books we are using. IEW teaches that the kids choose 5-7 facts from the text and write down key words from those facts in an outline form. They then use their outline to write their paragraph.

 

 

This is what works for us also. We started with IEW's SWI-B so ds could get the hang of the program but as the lessons went along I sometimes switched their source paragraphs with ones from his history reading. This has gotten my reluctant writer over the "I can't write" hump. He doesn't enjoy it any more than he did before, but at least now he knows he can do it.

 

Cinder

[Rhondabee]

Or, I look for a paragraph or two that would be easily re-written and ask for a narration on just that one part.

 

My one word of advice is to talk your dc through his "rough" draft. Take notes on your discussion, and let him use those notes. That will help with the jitters over spelling and trying to remember all the details.

 

(And, at first, you may have to spout off some model paragraphs. I try to do 2 or 3 really fast so dc sees that there isn't a "right" way.)

 

 

Best wishes!

Rhonda