According to new findings from the Teachers College Reading
and Writing Project at Columbia University, the best nonfiction writing occurs
when early-elementary research experiences are scaffolded as follows:
1. Organize and categorize
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply
about
information
(a) based on personal experiences
(b) on a topic students care deeply
about
2. Organize, categorize, and
compare observations.
compare observations.
3. Conduct guided research.
4. Conduct cold research.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be
looking at each of these steps in detail and suggesting activity ideas.
looking at each of these steps in detail and suggesting activity ideas.
For Step 1, topics like “My Baby
Brother” or “My Dog” or “My Mom” or “My School” work best. These are topics
kids know about as a result of their everyday interactions. So the struggle
isn’t related to gathering information, it’s related to organizing it into a
piece of writing that flows in a logical way. (As an added bonus, this
assignment might teach children knew about their relationships or family
dynamics.)
Brother” or “My Dog” or “My Mom” or “My School” work best. These are topics
kids know about as a result of their everyday interactions. So the struggle
isn’t related to gathering information, it’s related to organizing it into a
piece of writing that flows in a logical way. (As an added bonus, this
assignment might teach children knew about their relationships or family
dynamics.)
This kind of assignment works
better than “write what you know” because young students might think they know
a lot about frogs, but when it comes down to it, there are bound to be gaps in
their knowledge, and that’s a problem at this level.
better than “write what you know” because young students might think they know
a lot about frogs, but when it comes down to it, there are bound to be gaps in
their knowledge, and that’s a problem at this level.
This assignment also works better
than “write something you could teach” because, let’s face it, rehashing the
rules of soccer is pretty boring.
than “write something you could teach” because, let’s face it, rehashing the
rules of soccer is pretty boring.
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Topics
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