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  • Ideas by Jivey

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

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    Mentor Texts

    Using Mentor Texts in the Primary Grades {Freebies Included!}

    May 1, 2016

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    Mentor texts help students learn how to read like writers and write like readers- yes, even in the early years! In fact, K-2 teachers are a super-big-help to the upper grades teachers because their use of mentor texts helps ingrain the importance of reading, as well as to write like the authors we love.
    Mentor texts help students learn how to read like writers and write like readers- yes, even in the early years! Ideas By Jivey talks about the importance of mentor texts in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, and gives some freebies to try!
    In the primary grades, it’s important to choose mentor texts that are engaging. First, read the book to them for pleasure- you want them to enjoy the book! Once they’ve listened to the book, you can go back and discuss (and maybe re-read) the content for reading comprehension. Finally, you can incorporate the mentor text into your writing lessons! With a good mentor text, you will be able to teach multiple skills across reading, writing, grammar, and maybe even science and social studies!

    Read Like a Writer!

    Reading like a writer does not come naturally for little ones. You will want to do a lot of modeling and “think-alouds” with a text they are familiar with- point out characters, dialogue, the author’s word choice, the way a problem is solved, the way the author might have surprised you… and so on.

    One way to help students notice the style, structure, and conventions of great writing is to use mentor sentences! Students are encouraged to notice what makes the sentence a good sentence, and then are able to practice writing their own sentence just like the mentor sentence. (If you are unfamiliar with mentor sentences, you can read more about them here and here, too!) There is also a grammar focus in first and second grade mentor sentences, so you can touch on parts of speech and conventions during mentor sentence time, too!

    Write Like a Reader!

    Once you and the students have analyzed how the author wrote a mentor text, you will want them to practice writing that way, too. Try to choose authors that have series of books when you can- it’s a great way to see how consistent they are!

    One of my favorite authors to use is Doreen Cronin with her Diary series!
        
    Read these books with your students and take note of the first-person point-of-view diary format with your students. Talk about how the characters reacted to certain events, and how that is similar or different to how they would react in the same situation. Also discuss the things Doreen Cronin included that is typical of that animal (for example, the worm digging in the dirt, and hanging out on the sidewalk after the rain). Have students write their own “Diary of a ____” story with a different animal or insect than in the books!Teaching about animals or insects in science? BONUS! You can incorporate that into your writing time by allowing them to choose something they’ve learned about and include characteristics just like Doreen did! (Diary of a Caterpillar, anyone?!)

    You can try out some lessons that I’ve created for Diary of a Worm by clicking on the links below! They are great for first and second graders and MAYBE some high kindergartners, too!

       

     

    Want to hear more about how I implement these organizers into reading and writing workshop? Attend one of my free webinars by clicking below!
    Want to see some more mentor text ideas?
    Be sure to check out this pin board, put together by The Reading Crew!
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    Featured Mentor Sentence Mentor Text
    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

    2 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Wondering how to make your ELA block come together? Check out this post where I lay out some suggestions of ways to plan your schedule! ... See MoreSee Less

    Planning a Language Arts Schedule (How To Fit It All In!)

    www.ideasbyjivey.com

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

    4 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    🌞 Groundhog Gets A Say is a fun book for kids of any age, but I especially liked to use this mentor text to tie in some research skills and opinion writing!The book is written as a narrative, but is filled with facts about groundhogs as the main character tries to convince everyone that he deserves more than just ONE day of recognition.The unit I made for this book includes printables for text features, note-taking from text, fact and opinion, main idea and details, context clues, a writing brainstorm organizer, plus a mentor sentence lesson for relative pronouns and contextual vocabulary activities! I'd love you to check it out on my website: www.ideasbyjivey.com/product/groundhog-gets-a-say-unit/Or if you prefer, you can get it here on TPT: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Gets-A-Say-Mentor-Text-Digital-Print-Unit-520756 ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    6 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    😍 The latest seasonal club unit for upper grades is completed, and you'll definitely want to grab it before next week! Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub is an informative mentor text about groundhogs, Groundhog Day, and weather, but it's presented in an entertaining way that will keep your students laughing while they learn. 😂✅ With this unit I created, you'll receive a week of explicit lesson plans to go along with the book. 🤓 You'll get everything you need to teach about organized notetaking, tier 3 vocabulary, word parts, and types of sentences, plus you'll be able integrate it all with science: weather, seasons, and groundhogs! Grab it at this link: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Weather-School-Mentor-Text-Unit-Grades-3-5-Groundho... ... See MoreSee Less

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    Are you reading a fun book for Groundhog Day? 🌞 Are you reading a fun book for Groundhog Day? 🌞 ❄️ 

Check out my February book idea list! Link in profile! Need a unit to go along with one of these? DM me the title for a link! 

#groundhogday #groundhogdayintheclassroom #ideasbyjivey #iteachtoo #mentortexts #mentorsentences 

 https://www.amazon.com/shop/ideasbyjivey/list/30LEKEOLP7026?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_aipsflist_aipsfideasbyjivey_NSV9QRK52KNNAPCEJ5B7
    🌞 Groundhog Gets A Say is a fun book for kids o 🌞 Groundhog Gets A Say is a fun book for kids of any age, but I especially liked to use this #mentortext to tie in some research skills and #opinionwriting!

The book is written as a narrative, but is filled with facts about groundhogs as the main character tries to convince everyone that he deserves more than just ONE day of recognition.

The unit I made for this book includes printables for text features, note-taking from text, fact and opinion, main idea and details, context clues, a writing brainstorm organizer, plus a #mentorsentence lesson for relative pronouns and contextual vocabulary activities! 

I'd love you to check it out on my website at the link in my profile: https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/product/groundhog-gets-a-say-unit/

You can also find it in my TPT store, too! 

#ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #groundhogdayintheclassroom #upperelementary #mentortextmonday
    😍 The latest seasonal club unit for #uppergrade 😍 The latest seasonal club unit for #uppergrades is completed, and you'll definitely want to grab it before next week! 

Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub is an informative #mentortext about groundhogs, Groundhog Day, and weather, but it's presented in an entertaining way that will keep your students laughing while they learn. 😂

✅ With this unit I created, you'll receive a week of explicit lesson plans to go along with the book. 

🤓 You'll get everything you need to teach about organized notetaking, tier 3 vocabulary, word parts, and types of sentences, plus you'll be able integrate it all with science: weather, seasons, and groundhogs! 

Grab it at the link in my profile: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Weather-School-Mentor-Text-Unit-Grades-3-5-Groundhog-Day-Seasons-9006611 #ideasbyjivey #mentorsentence #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers #groundhogdayintheclassroom #upperelementary #iteach345
    ❄️ There are so many fantastic #picturebooks t ❄️ There are so many fantastic #picturebooks to use in January with a snowy winter theme. 

📖 If you work with early emergent readers, this #mentorsentences mini-unit is perfect for you! 

There are lessons for five snowy winter-themed books to help students grasp language through a balanced literacy approach. 

Check it out at the link in my profile! #ideasbyjivey #iteachk #mentortexts #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Sentences-Mini-Unit-Snowy-Winter-Books-for-Early-Emergent-Readers-2293853
    Can students actually think critically about... GR Can students actually think critically about... GRAMMAR?!? 🤔

You bet they can! 🥳

Check out how at the link in my profile! https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/higher-order-thinking-questions-for-grammar-and-writing/ 

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #mentorsentence #iteachtoo #teachersfollowteachers #teachgrammar #iteach2nd #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th
    😍 A NEW FAVORITE! 🩰 Have you gotten your ha 😍 A NEW FAVORITE!

🩰 Have you gotten your hands on The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell? What a BEAUTIFUL #picturebook, not only in the illustrations but also the words!

📘 This #mentortext is chock full of figurative language- don't miss grabbing this unit if you teach grades 3-5! 

You will have everything you need to use with the book including explicit lesson plans and teacher samples (it's ready to teach- no prep work!) to teach about figurative language like similes, onomatopoeia, personification, and hyperbole, as well as vivid verbs, visualization, and writing small moment stories. 

Check it out at the link in my profile! #ideasbyjivey #mentortextsforwriting #teacherspayteachers #iteach345 #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #mentortextmonday

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Snow-Dancer-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-3-5-8787748
    I didn’t always use mentor sentences in my class I didn’t always use mentor sentences in my classroom... but once I started, there was no going back.

They are a total gamechanger! Come see why at the link in my profile: https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/taking-it-back-to-archives-mentor/

#ideasbyjivey #mentorsentences #iteach345 #teachersfollowteachers
    🐘 Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev is a p 🐘 Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev is a picture book about inclusion and true friendship. It's the perfect #picturebook to use in the primary grades!

I created a weeklong unit for this wonderful #mentortext to help you incorporate social/emotional learning to develop relationship skills all while identifying character challenges, writing explanatory text, analyzing a poem that pairs with the book, relating to literature, and understanding contractions.

😍 You'll get explicit lesson plans AND teacher samples- you'll have everything you need to teach all of ELA for a week!

Check it out at the link in my profile. #ideasbyjivey #teacherspayteachers #iteach12 #iteach1st #iteach2nd #mentortexts 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Strictly-No-Elephants-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-1-2-8501981
    🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Da 🍯 Did you know January 18 is Winnie The Pooh Day? It's AA Milne's birthday! 

Grab this weeklong unit for grades 3-5 to use with the #picturebook, Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick: the true story of how the beloved bear became famous! 🐻

✏️ With the unit I created, you'll really dive into helping students read like writers and write like readers by discovering the purpose for dialogue. You'll get a week of explicit lesson plans that teach the purpose of dialogue, types of nonfiction, forming fact-based opinions, and quotation mark usage using the book, Finding Winnie.

Get the weeklong unit at the link in my profile. #ideasbyjivey #mentortextmonday #mentorsentences #iteach345 #iteachwriting #iteach3rd #iteach4th #iteach5th #teacherspayteachers #winniethepoohday #mentortexts

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Finding-Winnie-Mentor-Text-Unit-for-Grades-3-5-7576748
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