SnMomof7 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I'd like to do more writing in science and history this coming year for DDs who will be in 7th and 4th. I'm having a hard time figuring out how exactly I'll do this. Is there a clear teacher education resource I can use that will teach me what to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingo Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 IEW's TWSS is specifically designed for teaching parents to teach writing with application across curriculum. I think. WWS may be a good choice as well if your focus is expository writing for the older kid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I'm considering Write from History as an easy way to write across the history curriculum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Yes, I'm focusing on expository writing. I tend not to learn well from audio/video which makes me shy away from TWSS generally speaking. I just came across Comprehensive Composition, has anyone used that as a writing spine of sorts? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 SWB has great writing lectures that explain her methodology for writing across the curriculum. I've been using her method for years; it is inexpensive, logical, and easy to implement with whatever lit or history sequence you choose. Highly recommended. :) Here is elementary: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=127 Middle school: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=128 and High school: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=129 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 The easiest way to teach writing across curriculum is by teaching the concepts you want to see incorporated in the piece and then assigning a topic where you know they will be successful in achieving that goal. For example, if you want them to write a comparison/contrast report, you discuss the possible ways of writing it. A compared/contrasted with B within a single paragraphs and the paragraphs organized by specific themes or discussing all of As traits and then comparing/contrasting Bs traits in separate paragraphs. You discuss the pros and cons of the different styles, etc. My 7th grader is currently working on a paper on comparing and contrasting wetlands. She organized her paper such that the common traits were all discussed in one paragraph and then the differences were discussed individually for each type of wetland. A simple source that can guide you through different types of papers would probably be easier to adapt to assigning topics across curriculum vs. looking at writing curriculum. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 "A simple source that can guide you through different types of papers would probably be easier to adapt to assigning topics across curriculum vs. looking at writing curriculum." YES! Do you have a good source to recommend? I am not too interested in curriculum since they all use their own examples. I want to create output in context. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I like using DBQs for writing in history because they present possible primary sources that can limit a topic and direct a student towards a thesis. The first few I did together with my daughter so she could see how to read and analyze documents, looking at the context and date and authorship... And then how to group them together (those dealing with the economics or political or social causes related to a situation)... And then how to formulate a thesis and write the essay. I also like them because they can be done quickly (usually an hour or two). As a bonus, they're good practice for future AP history exams. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 "A simple source that can guide you through different types of papers would probably be easier to adapt to assigning topics across curriculum vs. looking at writing curriculum." YES! Do you have a good source to recommend? I am not too interested in curriculum since they all use their own examples. I want to create output in context. Following. I would love to find a resource like this as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Following. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Yes, I'm focusing on expository writing. I tend not to learn well from audio/video which makes me shy away from TWSS generally speaking. I just came across Comprehensive Composition, has anyone used that as a writing spine of sorts? I have this, but I haven't used it. Kathryn Stout, right? It looks fairly basic. It could do the trick for you, and it's affordable. I am happy to look up anything in it you like to tell you more. I wasn't overwhelmingly impressed with it when it arrived as it looked before I ordered it. For me, I just am not there yet. One other thought is TOG's Writing Aids resource. It goes beyond TOG assignments and goes through each type of writing assignment and how to grade. It is not as cheap, but perhaps some TOG users could chime in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 Yes, it's Stout's book :). Thanks for the feedback. TOG's book is an interesting thought. I'll have a look. I'm investigating all the previous recommendations also, thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I really like the book Writing With a Thesis; A Rhetoric and reader. It has chapters on all the main writing devices you'd want to cover- narrative, description, explanation, process, compare & contrast, persuasion, etc. There is a brief description, and a student essay to examine and discuss. Then there are a series of professionally written essays to read and discuss with your student. And there are assignment ideas, but this is where you can assign your student to write about something they are interested in or are studying across the curriculum. So you get a clear explanation of what it is they are trying to achieve with this type of writing, you get an example written by someone more or less at their level, and you get examples from professional writers, then a chance to practice it yourself. It's a slim volume with a lot packed in there. It could definitely lead you through teaching what you want to. Stout's book has a lot on basic mechanics and types of papers, but it lacks examples and it lacks the clear focus on writing persuasively. It feels more to me like a reference book that you could have your student consult, but it doesn't feel like a teaching tool the way WWaT does. Link to the version I have - there are both older and new editions available: http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Thesis-Rhetoric-Sarah-Skwire/dp/1413030823/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429197107&sr=8-3&keywords=writing+with+a+thesis 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 We are using Write On! I look through the assignments and pick something to use with history or science etc. Many of the assignments even say something like "from your current history reading". There are things like writing a letter to a historical person, 3 sentence reports (turned into topic sentences to make 3 paragraph reports) from science etc. There are outlining exercises and eventually essay and thesis paper assignments towards the end of the book. Then we alternate with written narrations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 Ah, I was wondering if Write On! might work with your own content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 18, 2015 Author Share Posted April 18, 2015 I just bought Write On! I looked through the free teacher manual online and it seems very sensible and doable. I appreciate the way the author teaches the scaffolding of parent support and topic choice while the skill is being learned and the progression towards being able to use the mastered writing skills with new content (across the curriculum). It also seems quite flexible. We shall see! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 I am having my dc write narrations ala CM. In the fall, they will have a journal to go with their history and a journal to go with Haliburton's Marvels, in addition to their Nature Journals. They will be writing quite a bit. I am going to have some narration prompts, but mostly it will be guided by the nature of the journaling. In history, they will be encouraged to find/add info from other sources and build a timeline. In Haliburton, they will be drawing maps, describing. Their nature journals have a section that is very guided, asking for research...we'll probably do those pages in the winter. I will also pull dictations from across the curriculum. And, my older 2 are both going to start their Book of Commonplace. This is for the 10yo and 12yo. Almost all of their writing will be across the curriculum. The only thing that isn't is spelling for each...and I may drop spelling for the 10yo in favor of more dictations. My 12yo is my dyslexic and needs intensive work in spelling, otherwise I would drop that for him too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 I was digging on some old threads (2011) and found a recommendation for Sharon Sorenson's Webster's New World Student Writing Handbook! It looks like it might be amazing. The cover of the old hardcover actually says it's for writing across the curriculum and contains definitions, explanations, and examples of 50+ types of writing across 5+ subject areas. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 SWB has great writing lectures that explain her methodology for writing across the curriculum. I've been using her method for years; it is inexpensive, logical, and easy to implement with whatever lit or history sequence you choose. Highly recommended. :) Here is elementary: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=127 Middle school: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=128 and High school: http://peacehillpress.com/index.php?p=product&id=129 :iagree: It is also all right there in TWTM. I found the third edition logic stage suggestions to be especially easy to implement. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I was digging on some old threads (2011) and found a recommendation for Sharon Sorenson's Webster's New World Student Writing Handbook! It looks like it might be amazing. The cover of the old hardcover actually says it's for writing across the curriculum and contains definitions, explanations, and examples of 50+ types of writing across 5+ subject areas. This does look like a good resource. I found it free online. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 This does look like a good resource. I found it free online. Link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauphin Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 This does look like a good resource. I found it free online. Wow. It looks like what my box checker brain needs :) And therein is my problem with CM style LA. It seems like it relies upon you having all of THAT in your brain to begin with! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Link? I'm not sure the legality of the posted file so I am not going to be the one to link directly, but if you google the title of the book, it is about the 4th result down (a PDF). :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'm not sure the legality of the posted file so I am not going to be the one to link directly, but if you google the title of the book, it is about the 4th result down (a PDF). :-)That's why I didn't link to it. I did actually post it, then thought better and edited my post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'm not sure the legality of the posted file so I am not going to be the one to link directly, but if you google the title of the book, it is about the 4th result down (a PDF). :-) I found it. :) Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 I'm so hopeful that I bought a used copy last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauphin Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Post updates once you get it!! I agree that Write On looks good, but this might be even better!!! Edit: I went ahead and got this AND WWaT used as well - the price was right! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 I've been rereading through TWTM also. I'd listened to the elementary writing workshop by have to get the middle school one :). I wish the writing instruction in TWTM was more cohesive instead of being scattered around the chapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Post updates once you get it!! I agree that Write On looks good, but this might be even better!!! Edit: I went ahead and got this AND WWaT used as well - the price was right! I think this might be even better than Write On! as well. I already have it in the way, though, and I think it does start with the very, very basics and ten builds up. So I can use it with my youngers :). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VANURSEPRAC Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I like using DBQs for writing in history because they present possible primary sources that can limit a topic and direct a student towards a thesis. The first few I did together with my daughter so she could see how to read and analyze documents, looking at the context and date and authorship... And then how to group them together (those dealing with the economics or political or social causes related to a situation)... And then how to formulate a thesis and write the essay. I also like them because they can be done quickly (usually an hour or two). As a bonus, they're good practice for future AP history exams. May I ask what DBQs are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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