In most
schools, students do an informational writing unit in the winter—right after
the holiday break. But now’s the time to do one small thing that will make a
HUGE difference when January rolls around.
We all
know that students do their best informational writing when they select their
own topics. They’re more invested in the process, from research to revision.
But we also know that choosing a topic from the wide world of possibilities is
intimidating, even paralyzing, for some children. How can we support them? By
setting them up for success—now.
Ideas don’t materialize out of thin air for anyone. That’s why I have an Idea Board
in my office. Anytime I have an idea or a question, anytime I hear a
tantalizing tidbit, I write it on a scrap of paper and tack it up there. Then,
when it’s time to start a new book, I look at all those ideas and choose one. I
have options right there in front of me. Lots of them.
Young
writers can mimic my technique by creating what I call an Idea Incubator—a bulleted
list of potential topics on the last page of their writer’s notebook. Every
time they have an idea or question about something they see, read, or
experience, they can add it to their Idea Incubator. They can also include cool
facts they come across.
If they start now, their Idea Incubator will be ready for action when they need
it.
When
it’s time to start a nonfiction writing project, students can use their Idea
Incubator as a starting point. If they’re choosing their own topic, they may be
able to pull an idea directly from their list.
What
if you assign a whole-class topic that aligns with your content-area
curriculum? No problem. A list of facts, ideas, and questions is still a
valuable tool. Working alone or with a partner, students can search for a
common thread among the items on their list and brainstorm ways to apply that
to the whole-class topic you’ve assigned.
For example, let’s say your class is
studying the American Revolutionary War, and you want everyone to write a
report related to that whole-class topic. Obvious choices might be George
Washington or the Battle of Bunker Hill. But let’s face it, not everyone has a
deep natural interest in a dead white guy or a skirmish that happened in Boston
almost 250 years ago.
That’s where
the Idea Incubator can come in handy. As a student looks at her list,
she may notice a lot of facts, questions, and ideas about the weather and
wonder if she could write a report about the weather during the
Revolutionary War. After doing some research, she discovers that the 1770s were
an exceptionally cold, snowy period in history, and the weather influenced the
outcome of many battles. Bingo! She’s identified a great topic that she’s
excited about.
Another
student notices that his list includes some facts,
questions, and ideas about numbers and math. He might decide to create a series of infographics comparing statistics related to
different battles or the two competing armies.
A third
student who’s fascinated by fashion could focus on the
kind of clothing the soldiers wore, including how a severe shortage of boots
affected the Colonial troops.
When
students use an Idea Incubator to recognize their natural interests and find
ways to discuss a whole-class topic through that lens, they’ll be more invested
in the process and their final piece will burst with passion and personality.
But for this tool to work, students need to start working on it now. Why not
give it a try?
For more suggestions to make the process of teaching informational writing
more authentic, more like what professional writers do and how they approach
their work, check Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep,
an anthology with essays by 50 of today’s leading authors of nonfiction books
for children.
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