Writing Instruction Professional LearningDay

3/16/2016 Living Sky School Division

Grades 6-7 Teachers

3-2-1 Bridge: LSKY’s Writing Journey

Initial Response - Morning New Response-Afternoon

Identify how your new responses connect to or shifted from your original response.

See Think Wonder Thinking Routine________________________________________________________________________________

Page 1

Words that come to mind: Words that come to mind:

2 Questions that come to mind: 2 Questions that come to mind:

Create a metaphor or simile:

Create a metaphor or simile:

Review the photos provided to establish a context and make connections before reading fatty legs.

Work in groups of 4. Each person will complete the thinking routine below with the images on one of pages A, B, C, or D individually, and all respond to the question on page “E.”

Share your thoughts about the photos you looked at with your group.

Photo source: We were so far away The Inuit experience at residential schools: http://weweresofaraway.ca/

See Think Wonder Thinking routine:

What do you see? What does this photograph tell you?

What do you think? What can you infer from the photo?

Does the photo confirm what you know? Does it extend or challenge your thinking?

Whose voice is represented? What is the worldview presented?

What questions arise?

*MAKE NOTES THROUGHOUT THE ACTIVITY IN PREPARATION FOR THE WRITING TASK

Find a link to the visible thinking Routines on curriculum connections / Instruction/Literacy / Writing or go to: http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/VisibleThinking1.html

Cultures of Thinking -Think from the middle: http://www.rcsthinkfromthemiddle.com/thinking-routines.html

Page 2

R.C. [Roman Catholic] Hospital and residential school, Aklavik. Dept. of the Interior / NWT Archives / G-1989-006

All Saints Indian Residential School. New arrivals, Aklavik, NWT. The General Synod Archives / Anglican Church of Canada / P7538-848

APage 3

Photograph of Father Isaïe Desautels o.m.i. helping Jean Ayarwark (junior), a young Inuit, on a swing. July 1938. Archives of the Saint-Boniface Historical Society, Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the Province of Manitoba Fonds SHSB 26944.

[Class of boys] – These boys are from the same school as Lillian Elias. The boys and girls were kept separate from each other. Photograph provided by Lillian Elias. 1987/363-E-110/31

B

Page 4

School boys. These children live too far away to go home in the summer. [Students at the Anglican mission’s residential school]. Aklavik. 1940-42. Saich / NWT Archives / N-1990-003: 0223

Shirley says, “This suitcase was bought for me when I was going to the Dorm to put my stuff in for the winter. All my winter supplies came in that. […] That’s what I took all my winter clothing in, whatever

that I needed.” Photographed by Jeff Thomas.

C

Page 5

Marjorie says, “I didn’t want to go by the rules but yet I knew if I didn’t then I would be in trouble. So I would write these letters home to my parents and make little teardrops. I wanted them to see how sad I was and I thought if I did that, or if I didn’t do well in school then maybe they would let me come home.” Letter and envelope provided by Marjorie Flowers.

Page 6

Marjorie Flowers scrubs the floor as part of her chores at Lake Melville High School in North West

River, Labrador. Photograph provided by Marjorie Flowers. D

Compare the two photos. How did life change for the children that went to residential school?

Photo source: We were so far away The Inuit experience at residential schools: http://weweresofaraway.ca/

Page 7

E

READ LIKE A WRITER: fatty legs By Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak Fenton

________________________________________________________________________________ Work with a partner making notes / or using sticky notes to organize your thinking process. Fill in the empty spaces on the chart as you practice “reading like a writer”.

1. Paraphrase what happens in the text on each page. Fill in the chart as you move through the text.

2. Identify key themes or big ideas that the writer focuses on as you move through the text.

3. Notice and highlight text examples that illustrate an element of craft as you read. Name the technique the writer is using and how it enhances the piece.

THEMES: After you fill in the “Themes /Ideas” column (pages 11-12) on the Read like a Writer sheet – consider the following questions:

Can you make connections to the characters’ problem or insights that might also be true for others reading the story?

Do you think that the story will reveal something larger about people or life?

What makes you say that? (Provide evidence)

CRAFT: After you fill in the “Craft” column (pages 11-12) on the Read like a Writer sheet – consider the following questions:

What literary techniques such as simile, metaphor, descriptive language, sensory imagery or other elements of craft does the writer mainly use to enhance meaning? Are they effective?

How does the writer use internal thinking or dialogue to help the reader make connections or to enhance meaning or to illustrate the themes?

How does the author use voice, word choice and sentence fluency to enhance meaning?

Page 8

STRUCTURE: After reading Identify and analyze how the writer has organized the introduction. Consider the following questions as you think about the writer’s organization:

How does the writer engage the reader on the initial page?How does the writer introduce the problem or conflict in the introduction?

What happens Themes / Ideas Craft

The photo on the left of Olemaun with her two sisters at their home on Banks Island, provides context and establishes her Inuit identity.

Page 1 Introduction-

Olemaun tells us that her classmates called her “fatty leg”s at school because a nun forced her to wear red stockings that made her legs look fat. She also tells us that how she solved the problem is a secret she kept for more than 60 years.

Bullying

Resilience

Disclosure of a secret

“OO-lee-maun” The writer uses capitalization, italics and dashes in the spelling of Olemaun’s name for emphasis.

The use of first person narrative establishes a strong voice.

“wicked nun”: evokes emotional response and sets up the conflict in the story

“the secret of how I made those stockings disappear”: The writer engages the reader and establishes the story problem / conflict by evoking curiosity about a secret that will be revealed.

Pages 2 and 3

We learn that Olemaun has travelled with her father across the ocean to Aklavik and that she is curious about the nuns.

Family connection

Cultural identity

The words “plucked” and “nests” are used to describe the “outsiders” who took children from their homes to attend residential schools: Metaphorical comparison to birds but the meaning is not yet clear—foreshadowing more connections to follow.

“Mesmerized”: word choice has a strong emotive connotation.

Page 4 Olemaun’s older sister attended residential school and learned how to read. Olemaun has fond memories of her sister reading to her. The books that her sister read to her were in English and so she did not fully understand them because

Desire to readLanguage/ cultural identity

“our language” – use of possessive indicates importance of the language“plucked” – metaphorical comparison to birds being stripped of their feathers “maze of a delta”, “precious

Page 9

English is not her first language.

treasures”: descriptive language“Mother Hubbard” parka – specific Inuit terms used to build cultural connectionText feature at the bottom of the page is used to define Mother Hubbard parka and used throughout to draw the reader’s attention to the significance of Inuit culture.

Page 5Olemaun misunderstand when her sister told her about the “hare” in Alice in Wonderland and assumed that the reason Alice would follow the hare was because she was hunting it. Olemaun was curious about the “outsiders” school.

Courage / bravery

Curiosity

Cultural identity / lifestyle

The writer uses a literary comparison to Alice in Wonderland to illustrate how cultural assumptions are embedded in language and to introduce /set the reader up to make a comparison between Olemaun and Alice as they read the story. “the large cook stove crackled behind me”: Sensory imagery that connects the reader to the place and culture.

Page 6Rosie is silent when Olemaun asks her about residential school and then tells her that they cut her hair and she spent most of her time doing chores and praying. Olemaun thinks it would be exciting to go away to school

Loss

Deprivation

Dialogue between Rosie and Olemaun is used to help the reader understand the theme of loss and deprivation“Her face grew dark in the light of the coal oil lamp” - Juxtaposing the positive image of light with the dark expression on Rosie’s face to emphasize the depth of Rosie’s emotional reaction to the school. “kneeling on your knees to ask forgiveness”: The writer uses an image to represent the process of missionization in residential schools

Page 10

“They take everything”: strong emotive voice

Page 7Olemaun’s father did not allow the outsiders to take Olemaun to school for the past four years. Olemaun still believes that Rosie was lucky that her aunt allowed her to go and wants to go.

Place / cultural identity

“icy look”: emotive adjective “Tent door, and disappeared through the tunnel in the snow”: the writer gives only a partial description of the entrance that encourages the reader to visualize and try to figure out what Olemaun’s house looks like. “pitch black afternoon of the Arctic winter” – interesting imagery because we usually think of the Arctic as white and the afternoon as light“Rosie was lucky…”” The writer uses internal thinking to help the reader make an emotional connection to the story.

Follow the directions on page 8of this handout to fill in the empty spaces on the chart below: Work with a partner making notes / or using sticky notes to organize your thinking process.

What happens Themes / Ideas Craft

The photo on the left of Olemaun with her two sisters at their home on Banks Island, provides context and establishes her Inuit identity.

Page 1 Introduction-

Olemaun tells us that her classmates called her “fatty leg”s at school because a nun forced her to wear red stockings that made her legs look fat. She also tells us that how she solved the

Bullying

Resilience

Disclosure of a secret

“OO-lee-maun” The writer uses capitalization, italics and dashes in the spelling of Olemaun’s name for emphasis.

The use of first person narrative establishes a strong voice.

“wicked nun”: evokes emotional response and sets up the conflict in the story

“the secret of how I made those stockings disappear”: The writer engages the reader and

Page 11

problem is a secret she kept for more than 60 years.

establishes the story problem / conflict by evoking curiosity about a secret that will be revealed.

Pages 2 and 3

We learn that Olemaun has travelled with her father across the ocean to Aklavik and that she is curious about the nuns.

Page 4 Olemaun’s older sister attended residential school and learned how to read. Olemaun has fond memories of her sister reading to her. The books that her sister read to her were in English and so she did not fully understand them because English is not her first language.

Page 5

Page 12

Page 6Rosie is silent when Olemaun asks her about residential school and then tells her that they cut her hair and she spent most of her time doing chores and praying. Olemaun thinks it would be exciting to go away to school

Page 7Olemaun’s father did not allow the outsiders to take Olemaun to school for the past four years. Olemaun still believes that Rosie was lucky that her aunt allowed her to go and wants to go.

“icy look”: emotive adjective “Tent door, and disappeared through the tunnel in the snow”: the writer gives only a partial description of the entrance that encourages the reader to visualize and try to figure out what Olemaun’s house looks like. “pitch black afternoon of the Arctic winter” – interesting imagery because we usually think of the Arctic as white and the afternoon as light“Rosie was lucky…”” The writer uses internal thinking to help the reader make an emotional connection to the story.

“fatty legs” Writing task for teacher workshop

Page 13

Write a short personal response to the Introduction of “fatty legs”. Make a connection to one of the themes set up in the introduction to Olemaun’s story.

The quick write might be a “snapshot” or a short vignette, reflection or poem about a connection that you made during the “See, Think, Wonder” visible thinking

or “Read like a writer” activities. Consider your: Feelings. Inner thoughts, (dis)comfort level, (un)certainty

Use a pull quote from the introduction to begin writing if you need a prompt: For example: My name is _____________- that’s…When I was a young girl…I was mesmerized…But I put an end to it…Well I am going to let you in on a secret that I have kept for…I tried to imagine being…

Or…When I imagine being taken from my home to attend a school faraway…

Sample:(Connecting to the theme of determination)Leanne’s story: When I was Eight

Page 14

When I was eight I was the quiet one…never the leader. I loved to collect bugs and I loved to feed them. I fed them whatever was available and they thrived. At least I believed they were thriving. I did not know that my mom secretly replaced the dead bugs with live ones. At school I loved the playground, especially the swings. Finally the day came when it was my turn for “under ducks”. I was pumped! I was excited! I was thrilled! But inside I was afraid. I had seen the other kids quickly and easily duck under the swing as they pushed their passenger high in the air. Their confidence was palatable. I could do this. Full of anticipation I pushed and pushed and I ran…but suddenly everything stopped. Everything was black. When I awoke I could feel my head pounding. I can still feel the dent in the top of my head from that fateful day. To this day when I see “under ducks” I return to that moment. I dared not share this story with my mom. Peer pressure is a powerful force. Kate (writing in Leanne’s voice)

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