Lessons for the Writer's Notebook

by Ralph Fletcher, Joann Portalupi

Writer's notebooks can be powerful assets for any writing teacher. They provide a high-comfort, "hot-house" environment where students' writing can flourish. "Lessons for the Writer's Notebook" by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi provides a series of proven lessons that will help you introduce the writer's notebook into your classroom, sustain it in your curriculum, and eventually guide students to transition from the privacy of the notebook to public, finished pieces of writing. Whether used as a stand-alone resource in your literacy block, or as an alternative launch cycle in your "Teaching the Qualities of Writing (TQW)" curriculum, "Lessons for the Writer's Notebook" will inspire your students to pick up a pen and imagine the writing possibilities. "Lessons for the Writer's Notebook" includes: Lesson Cards 20 ready-to-use lessons exemplar text graphic organizers Author Chats CD quick audio clips from Ralph explain how he uses his writer's notebook Teacher's Guide "Notebook's" philosophy planning charts teaching tips

"Lessons for the Writer's Notebook" and "Teaching the Qualities of Writing (TQW)"
While "Lessons for the Writers Notebook" will support any writing curriculum, it is ideally suited to reinforce and extend Portalupi and Fletcher's "Teaching the Qualities of Writing (TQW)." Mirroring the approach and three-part lesson structure of "TQW"'s ready-to-use lessons, the "Lessons for the Writer's Noteboo"k offers an alternative launch cycle for introducing your "TQW" curriculum. Together, "Notebook" and "TQW" will improve the quality of your students' writing while it develops your ability to read and assess their work.

52 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Ralph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.

Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

While geared toward elementary teachers to help young students develop a writing routine, this adult "new" writer learned valuable lessons in maintaining a writer's notebook.