Using the “Moments Like This” Lesson
WritingFix has a fabulous (and free-to-use) on-line lesson inspired by Jerry Spinelli’s chapter book, Milkweed. Click here to read the lesson’s overview and have access to all its resources.
If you’ve used this lesson with your students, we want to hear:
1) What worked well for you with the lesson; or…
2) What adaptations did you make to have success with your students; or…
3) Anything else you think other teachers would benefit from hearing.
Share your ideas and adaptations by posting your thoughts in the “comment” box below. Thank you in advance for participating in this community.
2 Responses to Using the “Moments Like This” Lesson
January 28th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I adapted this lesson to stress explode a moment. I first had the students write a I Remember Poem about a special moment. Then the students completed a “Quick Write” to brainstorm ideas about their special moment. The students then completed a story map which they used to write a personal narrative about a special moment in their lives. I read the books Tar Beach and When I Was Young in the Mountains. This was a great lesson. Thanks for the idea. When I get student samples I will send to you.
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:18 am
My 7th and 8th graders just finished a five week lesson on memoir writing. A variety of texts were used as mentor texts including the three student samples from the Writing Fix website. Some of the other stories that students used to immerse themselves in the genre included excerpts from “Milkweed” by Jerry Spinelli, “Names/Nombres” by Sandra Cisneros, excerpts from Nicholasa Mohr’s memoir “Growing Up Inside The Sanctuary of My Imagination”, excerpts from James Howe’s memoir “Everything Will Be Okay” and “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros to name a few. Students needed to take two pieces through the entire writing process. They also had to write a 6 Word Memoir. I had many well written pieces that reflected beautifully the flavor and tone of memoir writing, but one student’s piece really stood out. I am attaching it for you to see if it may be something you would like to add to the memoir section of your website.