ashley chauncey jessica mccrillis kelly newsome eced 4300a dr. tonja root fall 2009 letters to...

Ashley ChaunceyJessica McCrillisKelly Newsome

ECED 4300ADr. Tonja Root

Fall 2009

Letters to Authors and Illustrators~4th Grade~

Chauncey, A., Newsome, K., & McCrillis, J. (2009, October). Letters to authors and illustrators powerpoint. Unpublished PowerPoint, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.

Prewriting…~Ashley Chauncey~

GPS:ELA4W4 The student consistently uses a writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student

a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.

PLO: The students will use two graphic organizers

to plan a letter to an author or illustrator.


Letters to Authors & Illustrators

We write letters to authors and illustrators to:

• Share feelings and ideas• Ask questions


Letters to Authors & Illustrators

Don’t:• Ask for free books• Ask personal questions• Expect a letter back

from the Author/Illustrator


During Prewriting We:• Gather and organize ideas• Get our thoughts down on paper• Do NOT use complete sentences• Do NOT focus on spelling and grammar


Prewriting…

FORM

TOPIC

PURPOSE

AUDIENCE

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERChauncey, A., Newsome, K., & McCrillis, J. (2009, October). Letters to authors and illustrators powerpoint. Unpublished PowerPoint, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.

FormTopic

Audience

Purpose

Graphic

Organizer

Ed Helper. (n.d.). General graphic organizers. Retrieved on October 20, 2009, from http://www.edhelper.com/teachers/General_graphic_organizers.htm

(modified by Ashley Chauncey).


HANDY

HAND

Graphic OrganizerHeadingWhat is your address? ________________________________________(Your street number, street name, & apartment number (if living in an apartment)) _________________________________________(Your city, state, and zip code) _________________________________________(Today’s date) Who will get your letter?Body___________________________ (Greeting) What are some thoughts and feelings you would like to share with the Author or Illustrator?_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________What are some questions you would like to ask the Author or Illustrator?_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Closing__________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________(Closing) _____________________(Your signature)


Root, T. (n.d.). Friendly letter graphic organizer. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.valdosta.edu/~troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm (modified by Ashley Chauncey)

L

E

T

T

E

R

APA Citation

Regehr, A. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from KNEA Web site: http://www.knea.org/readacross/allisonregehr.html


Sample Letter to an Author!Dear J. K. Rowling,

I love your books a lot. They are awesome. My favorite book in the series is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. That one is so exciting because when he catches the portkey it takes him to where Valdemort is being recreated. The recreation was so thrilling in the book that I will never forget it.

I think the scariest one in the series is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Every time I read it I get a chill. The part that scared me the most was where he stabbed the basilisk fang into the diary. I read the book two days ago. I was babysitting my little brother and he had me read that part to him and he said that part gave him a chill too.

I used to get scared really easily but now I only get scared in life threatening situations. I’m really glad you wrote these books. I got the first book in my school library. When I was finished with it, I was like Wow! That is so intriguing. It was so good. Since my parents aren’t really sci fi people, my best friend’s mom told me what the books were about. She has read them all. What character do you pretend you are when you read the books? I pretend I am Harry or Hermione. For some reason I just can’t see out of Ron’s point of view.

You are my favorite author ever. Your books change my life in some way or another every day. Your series helped me get through my grandmother’s death.

Sincerely,

Allison Regehr4th grade, Jefferson Elementary SchoolGreat Bend, KS


Let’s Practice Together!~Practice Activity: Letter to an Illustrator~

Dr. Seuss!

• Look at the pictures in the book• Complete the Handy Hands Graphic

Organizer• Complete the Letter Graphic Organizer


It’s Your Turn!~Assessment Activity~

• Read book• Which one will you choose: Author or Illustrator?• Complete Handy Hands Graphic Organizer• Complete Letter Graphic Organizer


Drafting…~Jessica McCrillis~

GPS:ELA4W4 The student consistently uses a writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student

a. Plans and drafts independently and resourcefully.

PLO: The students will draft a letter to an author

or illustrator.Chauncey, A., Newsome, K., & McCrillis, J. (2009, October). Letters to authors and illustrators powerpoint. Unpublished PowerPoint, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.

Why Do We Write Letters To: Authors & Illustrators?

• To ask questions• To share feelings and ideas


Drafting…COMPLETE THOUGHTS

COMPLETE SENTENCES

SKIP LINESNO WORRIES ABOUT:

SPELLING or PUNCTUATION


Importance of Drafting:

• We need to form complete ideas

• We begin to bring characters and setting to life

• We must turn our words and phrases into sentences and paragraphs


APA CitationPowers, C. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA

Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from KNEA Web site:

http://www.knea.org/readacross/carsonpowers.html


Sample Letter to an Author!Dear Mr. Riordian, I really liked your book! The Lightning Thief was a good book because it made me want to

keep reading and reading, I couldn’t put it down! At first I thought that gods didn’t exist, but after reading your book I thought there might still be gods all over the place with their demi-gods and demi-goddesses. My favorite character was Percy Jackson because he can breathe underwater, control ocean life, and make anything he touches underwater dry. I liked it when he was underwater and he grabbed a hamburger wrapper and a lighter and lit the wrapper on fire, underwater! If I was a demi-god I would have Poseidon as my father and I would create tsunamis and right when they were going to hit, I would stop them and push them back to the ocean. I have read the other two books and I am anxiously awaiting the fourth!

Sincerely,

Carson Powers4th grade, Village Elementary School Emporia, KS


Practice Activity!

• Lets work together!• Use completed graphic organizer

Together we will:Create our characters

Create our settingForm sentences and paragraphs

Implement complete ideas Chauncey, A., Newsome, K., & McCrillis, J. (2009, October). Letters to authors and illustrators powerpoint. Unpublished PowerPoint, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.

Assessment Activity!

• Get out your graphic organizer • Work to create a letter using a

completed graphic organizerThings to remember:

– Create sentences– Form ideas

– Form characters– Create setting


Revising/Editing…~Kelly Newsome~

GPS: ELA4W4 The student consistently uses a writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing. The student b. Revises selected drafts to improve coherence and progression by

adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text. c. Edits to correct errors in spelling, punctuation, etc.

PLO: The students will revise and edit their rough draft by correcting

errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization using proofreader’s marks and by adding, deleting, changing, and rearranging text.


We Can Write Letters to Authors & Illustrators To:

• Ask questions & share our feelings and ideas


Revising/Editing…

CAPITALIZATION

SPELLING

PUNCTUATION


REARRANGE

Delete

ADD

CHANGE

Why Do We Revise & Edit?

• To correct mistakes• Make writing easy to read• Make writing more detailed &

interesting


Proofreaders’ Marks:


APA Citation

Blackwell, O. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from KNEA Web site: http://www.knea.org/readacross/oliviablackwell.html


Sample Letter to an Author!Dear Mary Pope Osborne,

You have written some of my favorite books. It makes me feel like I’m in that place. One of my favorite books by you is Standing in the Light. It taught me to appreciate what I have. If I were taken by Indians, I would wish I were back home. But when she started enjoying living with them, it taught me to make the best out of a situation.

You have inspired me to write books of my own. Your books were the first chapter books I read, and they taught me reading can be more fun. When I start a Magic Tree House book, I have to finish. I can’t stop just in the middle. Thank you for showing me reading is fun.

Sincerely,

Olivia Blackwell5th grade, Lincoln Elementary SchoolGreat Bend, KS


Time to Revise/Edit!~Practice Activity~

• Edit letter for:–Spelling–Punctuation–Capitalization


• Revise letter to:- Rearrange- Add- Delete- Change

It’s Your Turn!~Assessment Activity~

• Use Proofreader’s marks to:– Edit your rough draft

• Look for errors in:– Spelling– Punctuation– Capitalization

• Peer Edit• Teacher Conference

– Spelling– Punctuation– Capitalization


References…Barrett, J. and R. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York: Atheneum.

Blackwell, O. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from KNEA Web site: http://www.knea.org/readacross/oliviablackwell.html

DCF: CQI Internal QI. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.ct.gov/dcf/cwp/view.asp?

a=2567&Q=434086

Ed Helper (n.d.). General graphic organizers. Retrieved on October 20, 2009, from http://www.edhelper.com/teachers/General_graphic_organizers.htm (modified by Ashley Chauncey)

Powers, C. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009,

from KNEA Web site: http://www.knea.org/readacross/carsonpowers.html

Regehr, A. (2006). 2009 Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from KNEA Web site: http://www.knea.org/readacross/allisonregehr.html

Root, T. (n.d.). Friendly letter graphic organizer. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from

http://www.valdosta.edu/~troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm (modified by Ashley Chauncey)

Seuss, Dr. (1978). I can read with my eyes shut. New York: Random House Books for Young Readers.


ashley chauncey jessica mccrillis kelly newsome eced 4300a dr. tonja root fall 2009 letters to...

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