Student "How To" Essay Problem

Students tend to leave many gaps in writing How To essays. I think when this happens they're essentially writing with the teacher in the back of their mind. They think, “She already knows that, so I won’t include it in my paper.” I tell students to pretend they are writing for a child in kindergarten or first grade who is at an age that they still need everything explained to them in great detail, with no information excluded. I have a fun test to see how thorough they are being when they write a How To paper. We actually attempt to do or make something specific, following the directions laid out by the student, from the preparation clear through to the conclusion. This shows any gaps the paper may have, or any questions left unanswered for those who are trying to follow the paper. Sometimes we can’t even get past the introduction, due to some important materials or ingredients that are missing. Other students get lost somewhere along the way when giving the steps. I tell my kids to try to remember the when to, what to, why to, how to, where to, and some precautions for each step, when appropriate. When we are able to make it through an entire paper and completely follow all of the directions with no confusion, the student knows he has done well and will receive a good score as a reward. Once again, with the idea that most kids learn more with a visual to guide them, what is better than hands-on experience? As an additional bonus, you may even end up with a snack to share at the end of the lesson!

Lost opportunities in story writing

Getting there is half the fun!

Many students choose very interesting places to go in their stories, the result being an engaged, involved reader. Such papers are fun to read and to write!
Sometimes however, before the reader even realizes it, they are off and running in an adventure with no clue as to how they got there, or what the trip was even like. This is a lost opportunity! As the title states, it can be "the gettin’ there" that is half of the fun. For example, if the writer decides to take the reader to a strange place he's never been before, the reader would most definitely want to know how he ended up there. Maybe he would like to go himself some time! It would be impossible for me to include all the countless ideas I've read that people have used to get themselves (and their reader) to interesting story settings, but I want to include a short list which I think you'll enjoy: drying your hair and you get pulled inside the blow dryer, taking a shower or bath and being sucked down the drain, looking for something in the refrigerator or freezer and being pulled in by a new character, using the microwave or oven and ending up in some hot place, touching a special object that transports you to another place, eating or drinking something that takes you to another dimension, finding a normal object that turns out to be a type of time machine, going through a door or opening to find a new world on the other side, pushing a button, switch, or lever that sends you to your special place, meeting a strange character that asks you to follow him to his world. I think you get the point: instead of already just being there, one way to add interest is to include how you got there, especially if you go about in an unusual way.

Order the Story Student Activity

Who's On First?

In this zany activity, the students get to be the story as they attempt to put it in the correct order. Place the sentences of a story on different strips. You may want to group longer stories by events using entire sheets or posters that the students can hold. Those who are "being the story" are moved around by the other kids in the class, according to what makes the most sense. Sometimes quite a debate can develop as to the exact order, so you may want to get the sumo-wrestling suits ready to settle any disputes! This activity is useful when the students are learning to master sequencing, cause and effect, and drawing conclusions. Using clues in the various parts of the story, they will determine the best order. Encourage them to continue rearranging the students who hold the sentences and/or paragraphs until they make sense. Finally, ask someone in the class to read the story aloud so all can decide if it sounds logical and flows well as it is, and at that point make any adjustments that may be needed. Be sure they can justify any changes they want to make in the order of the sentences or paragraphs.