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  • Ideas by Jivey

    Jivey shares ideas and lessons to make literacy accessible for all.

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    Mentor Texts

    First Writing Piece of the Year: If You Find a Rock

    August 28, 2013

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    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    (This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Amazon gives me a few cents which I contribute to my fabulous blog giveaways!)

    It’s happening again. You are grading your students’ memoirs, and they’re all lacking…well…memories.

    Instead, it’s just a long list of everywhere they went one summer, or everything they did one day at the beach/park/fill-in-the-blank.

    It’s time to talk about seed ideas.

    Seed ideas are the tiny moments that allow you to “live” in the feelings and senses of ONE event.

    That means just talking about the first time you rode a wave in on your boogie board at the beach… not waking up, AND walking along the shore, AND building a sand castle, AND getting a sunburn, AND catching a crab, AND riding that wave. (Sound familiar?) Every single one of those events could be a “seed” that you could write into a narrative memoir.

    If You Find a Rock is a great book to read at any time of the year, but it’s a really good one for getting seed ideas at the beginning of the year. I also had my students create memory jars as a keepsake for their seed ideas and writing pieces.

    The Mini-Lessons:

    Read the mentor text, If You Find a Rock, aloud to students.

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    As you read, have students relate each page to their own memories and jot them down in their notebook. It might be a place or event connected to that page, or maybe a person or item that makes them feel the way the book describes. For example, the page that talks about the resting rock might help them connect to a place they like to go to be alone, which may remind them of a time when they went to that specific spot.

    In another lesson, have students identify two or three memories that they could expand into narratives, or memoirs. Allow students time to really dive into feelings surrounding the memory, people who were there, and details of that one specific memory. (Remind them… this should be a seed- one tiny moment that we are stretching out to make the reader feel as though they were there in the moment.) I like to have students get with a partner and talk about it first before beginning to write. Sometimes talking through things helps them get more out, and their partner can ask questions that will help think more specifically.

    Memory Jars:

    This project is totally optional, but really helps the students get excited about their memories.

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    You can ask students to bring in a clean pickle jar or mason jar, or buy some mason jars. You can find river rocks at the Dollar Tree, or grab these rocks perfect for “writing on” from Amazon. I also grabbed some floral moss while at Dollar Tree, but you can find floral moss here on Amazon as well. For a little bit of color, grab some craft fabric squares to put in the lid of their jar!

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    Students choose a few of their seed ideas they have compiled. Use a permanent marker to write a word or two that sums up each memory on the river rocks. Put a little floral moss in the bottom of the jar, then add their rocks. This became their memory jar!

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    On To Writing!

    Move students away from a story "list" and help them enjoy writing about specific memories using the mentor text, If You Find a Rock!

    Now for the writing piece to go along with it! The students choose just one of their rock memories from their jar to start. Just as the book did a wonderful job describing the rocks and the feelings that go along with those treasures, encourage the students to write that way, too!

    Make sure students describe the setting and parts of the main event using sensory details so the reader will feel like he is there.

    Once students have finished editing and revising their drafts, I give them plain white paper that is cut in half vertically (think long and skinny!), and the students write their final piece on this paper, roll it up like a scroll and tie a piece of yarn around it, then put it in their jar with their rocks! (Collect them first to read them yourself before rolling them up, or you’ll be opening a lot of jars and scrolls…)

    Continue with this method for all the rocks in the jar if you’d like! It can be like a mini-portfolio in a jar! My students were very excited to show their jars and their awesome writing to their parents at Open House. I had a student come back the next year and tell me she kept adding to her memory jar over the summer and wrote more scrolls, too!

    Check out more posts featuring my favorite mentor texts!

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    Workshop Wednesday Writing
    by Jessica Ivey 

    About Jessica Ivey

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    Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Jessica, also affectionately known as Jivey! I am passionate about making literacy accessible for all students using research-based strategies. Students learn best through content integration and in-context skills, and my goal is to help you deliver your instruction with these best practices!

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    Ideas By Jivey

    7 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Today's $2 unit is another great book to use during those early weeks of school. Plus, bonus!!, the kids find this book HILARIOUS! www.ideasbyjivey.com/coupon/OTTERS/In this pack, you will receive:★a mentor sentence lesson for the book★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach adjectives★six reading ideas suggested with two activities provided: using text evidence and character traits★two writing ideas suggested with a writing prompt given★contextual vocabulary activities★ Activities are also provided as links to Google Slides for Digital Learning! ★Get it for just $2 here: www.ideasbyjivey.com/coupon/OTTERS/ ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    4 weeks ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Right?! Picture books are for every👏🏼one!👏🏼 ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    4 weeks ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    I shared my TPT story with you back in April... (if you missed it, you can check it out here: ckarchive.com/b/4zuvheh5z24kp)As promised, the next big celebration update has happened!! FIVE brand new units have been added to the Yearlong Mentor Text Curriculum Bundle: Volume 2 for Grades 3-5! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Yearlong-Mentor-Text-Curriculum-Bundle-Volume-2-for-Grades-3-... (This is the large $99 bundle that covers the entire year with mentor sentences, interactive activities, reading and writing, and vocabulary.)If you own the large bundle, whether it's through TPT, my website shop, or through a course purchase, you will get these FIVE NEW UNITS (valued at $18.75) FOR FREE!! Just re-download your purchase!📔School's First Day of School by Adam Rex📘Our Table by Peter H. Reynolds📗The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg📙Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty📕Vulture Verses by Diane LangI am creating these units to strategically align with the large bundles- you'll find the books chosen in volume 2 cover language skills that didn't have lessons previously, and can also be paired nicely with books included in the original bundle. For example, use Vulture Verses with Animals Nobody Loves!Just as a reminder, YES! I plan on doing the same thing for all of the other yearlong volumes, so don't be upset if you own another volume, or another grade! (And remember, Volume 1 already has its bonuses added!!) I am going in order of when I released them, and as you can imagine, it takes some time to create so many brand new units. 😉If you DON'T OWN the Volume 2 Yearlong Bundle and still want these five amazing book units, you can get them now ON SALE for just $3 each for the next 48 hours! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ideas-By-Jivey/Order:Most-Recent#seller_details_tabsThank you again for all your support and feedback over the last decade! Here's to at least ten more!! ... See MoreSee Less

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    Right?!! Don’t take away my #mentortexts! #pictu Right?!! Don’t take away my #mentortexts! #picturebooksaremyjam #picturebooksareforeveryone 

#ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #teachertribe #iteach345
    Every Tuesday in June and July, you'll be able to Every Tuesday in June and July, you'll be able to purchase one of the MANY individual #mentortext units that I've created from my website shop!

This is a great way to stock up on some new lessons for next school year. 🎉

The first $2 Tuesday is TODAY, and is the unit I created for the WONDERFUL mentor text, Trombone Shorty!

Don't own the book? Don't worry! It's on Storyline Online! 

In this pack, you will receive:

★a mentor sentence lesson for the book

★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach comparatives and superlatives

★seven reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: identifying theme, describing illustrations, and analyzing author's language

★one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given

★contextual vocabulary activities

★ Activities are also provided as links to Google Slides for Digital Learning! ★ 

Link in profile! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/coupon/TROMBONE2/ 

#ideasbyjivey #2dollartuesday #mentortext #mentorsentences #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #teachersfollowteachers #teachertribe #teacherdeals
    Enough is enough. I’m sick over this. I’m sick Enough is enough. I’m sick over this. I’m sick OF this. I’m tired of children’s and teachers’ lives being lower on the list than the right to bear arms. Sending love to all my Texas teachers and families. Comments are turned off and yes, removed, because this is NOT an argument. Go to someone else’s post to do that. This is the 30th school shooting this year. This doesn’t happen in other countries, yet there is still plenty of evil there. I’m done.
📸: @theteachingtexan
    When I began creating #mentorsentence resources to When I began creating #mentorsentence resources to list in my TpT store over ten years ago, it was because of the huge shift I’d seen in my own students implementing the game-changing routine. I LOVE to hear other teachers have the same results! 🥰 #fabulousfeedback #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #teachertribe #iteach345 #mentorsentences
    Can students think critically about grammar!? YES Can students think critically about grammar!?

YES THEY CAN!

I know higher order thinking skills (HOTS) are generally not associated with grammar, but give it a chance… you’re going to see a HUGE shift in writing abilities and language understanding if you do!

Check out the blog post in my profile for a run-down and a free download to help you get started! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/higher-order-thinking-questions-for-grammar-and-writing/ #ideasbyjivey #grammar #language #mentorsentences #effective #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteachupperelementary #iteach345
    My club units have been some of my favorite resour My club units have been some of my favorite resources to create because the planning and creation were guided by the teachers using them!

Because of the input from your fellow teacher community, I know these units will be such a benefit to you, too! Every unit in the bundle has: 

📕a week of plans that integrate multiple skills and subjects
📙detailed explicit lessons, including teacher samples
📒a week-at-a-glance plan
📗digitally converted activities in Google Slides and Forms, when applicable
📘mentor sentence lesson
📕reading and writing lessons
📙integration of other subjects (science, social studies, or social/emotional skills)
📒printables for skill practice
📗at least one other text (poem, article, paired passages)* to integrate with your lessons *this will vary each unit depending on skills covered!
📘short assessments

Check out the latest bundle at the link in my profile! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MENTOR-TEXT-CLUB-by-Jivey-2ND-EDITION-for-Grades-3-5-7058941 
#ideasbyjivey #mentortext #mentortexts #teachersfollowteachers #mentorsentences #effective #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig
    Did you know I have a total breakdown of how mento Did you know I have a total breakdown of how mentor sentences can look day by day in your classroom?
Head over to my blog! www.ideasbyjivey.com #ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #teachersfollowteachers #iteach345 #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig
    Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappap Elizabeth Started All the Trouble by Doreen Rappaport is the perfect #mentortext to incorporate in your studies of women's suffrage. With this unit, you'll be able to work with students on analyzing primary sources (specifically political cartoons, but also some written documents), identifying supporting reasons and details, writing opinion pieces, and using relative pronouns. This unit is the perfect way to integrate social studies with language arts! Grab it from the link in my profile! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Elizabeth-Started-All-the-Trouble-Womens-Suffrage-Mentor-Text-Unit-8036259 #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #socialstudiesintegration #iteach345 #teacherspayteachers
    This feedback means so much to me because as I’v This feedback means so much to me because as I’ve made my mentor sentence lessons over the last ten years, I’ve put so much thought into the way I craft my units and bundles! Thank you for trusting me! ❤️ #mentorsentences #ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachersofig #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #iteachfourth #iteachfifth #iteachthird
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