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Writers Read Better: Narrative

50+ Paired Lessons That Turn Writing Craft Work Into Powerful Genre Reading

First Edition
By: M. Colleen Cruz

By flipping the traditional “reading first, writing second” sequence, this innovative book lets you make the most of the writing-to-reading connection via 50 carefully matched lesson pairs.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781506349442
Published By: Corwin
Series: Corwin Literacy
Year: 2019
Page Count: 312
Publication date: June 13, 2019

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Review copies may be requested by individuals planning to purchase 10 or more copies for a team or considering a book for adoption in a higher ed course. To request a review copy, contact sales@corwin.com.

Description

When It Comes to Reading, Writers Have an Advantage

We know that writing skills reinforce reading skills, but what’s the best way to capitalize on this beneficial relationship? By flipping the traditional “reading lesson first, writing lesson second” sequence, Colleen Cruz ingeniously helps you make the most of the writing-to-reading connection with carefully matched, conceptually connected lesson pairs. The result is a healthy reciprocity that effectively and efficiently develops students’ literacy skills.

Backed by long-term academic and field research, Writers Read Better: Narrative presents a series of 50 tightly interconnected lesson pairs that can be implemented either as a complete curriculum or as a supplement to an existing program. Each pairing leads with a writing lesson, used as a springboard for the reading lesson that will follow.

Throughout the book’s four sections, organized to help you teach tightly aligned lessons and units on reading and writing narrative, you’ll discover

Kid-friendly approaches to virtually every matter of craft, including symbolism, tenses, the role of first and last words, dialogue as character fingerprint, giving weight to what's important, and much more
Clear guidance on the intention of each lesson, the type of narrative genre it’s ideally suited for, and step-by-step plans
Sample teacher language for introducing and coaching each lesson
Mentor text excerpts to use as models for personal narrative, memoir, and story writing
Tips on building and organizing a contemporary classroom library filled with inspiring, illustrative texts, and how you can incorporate the tools, technology and media available in your classroom to make each lesson most effective
Sample student work, online videos and other supporting resources

Complete with practical suggestions on adapting the lessons to suit the particular needs of your classroom as well as individual students, Writers Reader Better: Narrative offers a solid foundation for giving your students the advantage of powerful, transferable literacy skills.

Author(s)

M. Colleen Cruz

Colleen Cruz is the author of several titles for teachers, including The Unstoppable Writing Teacher, as well as the author of the young adult novel, Border Crossing, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award Finalist. She was a classroom teacher in general education and inclusive settings before joining the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, where she shares her passion for accessibility, twenty-first century learning, and social justice as the Director of Innovation.

Table of Contents

List of Videos

Solutions at a Glance

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Preparing for Aligned or Complementary Units on Narrative Reading and Writing

PART 1: LESSONS FOR GENERATING STORY: ENVISIONING CHARACTERS AND SETTINGS

LESSON 1

Writing: Write Our Truest Selves

Reading: Characters Offer Clues to Authors’ Selves

LESSON 2

Writing: Flaws and Quirks for Character Development

Reading: Studying Flaws to Seek Deeper Meaning

LESSON 3

Writing: Finding Freedom in Familiar Character Types

Reading: Identifying Archetypes to Develop Depth of Understanding

LESSON 4

Writing: Maps, Photographs, and Songs as Tools for Setting Creation

Reading: Connecting Setting to Meaning

LESSON 5

Writing: Letting Characters and Settings Lead Us to Story

Reading: Following the Path of a Story to Understand Other Elements

LESSON 6

Writing: Finding Important Ideas in the Most Personal Piece of Our Lives

Reading: Focusing on the Details of a Text to Uncover Bigger Notions

LESSON 7

Writing: Studying Places for Stories to Explore

Reading: Making the Connection Between Place and an Author’s Message

LESSON 8

Writing: Revising the Arc to Match the Meaning

Reading: Connecting the Shape of the Plot to the Theme

FOR DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

Writing: Apps and Tools to Help Keep Track of Story Ideas

Reading: Reading Stories Digitally Requires Readers to Purposefully Set Themselves up to Reread

PART 2: LESSONS FOR DRAFTING A NARRATIVE, FOLLOWING PLOT, AND FINDING SIGNIFICANCE

LESSON 9

Writing: Draft Fast to Create Energy

Reading: Reading Voluminously to Build Momentum

LESSON 10

Writing: Drafting Stand-Alone Scenes

Reading: Studying One Scene for Larger Understanding

LESSON 11

Writing: Deciding When to Summarize

Reading: Summarizing Text to Check for Comprehension

LESSON 12

Writing: Research for Personal Writing

Reading: Noting When a Writer Uses Research or Artifacts

LESSON 13

Writing: Drafting With Truth in Mind, Leaving Space for Facts

Reading: Deciphering an Author’s Truth and Perspective

LESSON 14

Writing: Drafting With Perspective in Mind

Reading: Considering the Author’s Choice of Perspective and Its Effects

LESSON 15

Writing: Research Makes Fiction Believable

Reading: Researching Outside a Text Can Open New Interpretations

FOR DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

Writing: Choosing the Best Platform for Your Story

Reading: The Platform Affects the Way You Interact With a Story

PART 3: LESSONS FOR REVISING FOR MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE: ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE

LESSON 16

Writing: Exploring Deeper Meaning in Drafts to Begin Revision

Reading: Identifying an Author’s Deeper Meaning Through Rereading and Writing

LESSON 17

Writing: Compelling Stories Thrive on Conflict

Reading: Identifying the Scenes That Point to Conflict in a Story

LESSON 18

Writing: Craft Settings That Connect With Characters’ Emotions

Reading: Noticing a Relationship Between Setting and Character

LESSON 19

Writing: Stories Extend and Elaborate on Larger Ideas

Reading: Tracking the Weight of a Story

LESSON 20

Writing: Increasing Suspense Through Revision

Reading: Spotting Moves Authors Use to Build Suspense Helps Readers Make Predictions

LESSON 21

Writing: Craft Dialogue to Match Character Personality and Uniqueness

Reading: Dialogue Gives Insights Into Characters

LESSON 22

Writing: The Narrator’s Voice Makes Perspective Clear

Reading: The Narrator’s Voice Sets up a Reader’s Inferences and Interpretations

LESSON 23

Writing: Knowing the Significance of a Personal Story Can Help Writers to Foreshadow

Reading: Identifying Foreshadowing in a Story to Help Discover Theme

FOR DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

Writing: Revising Digitally Allows for Powerful Peer Feedback

Reading: Other Readers Can Give New Perspectives

PART 4: LESSONS FOR PERFECTING THE PROSE AND PURPOSE: DEEP INTERPRETATION

LESSON 24

Writing: Designing Beginnings and Endings That Entice and Linger

Reading: Savoring Beginnings and Endings

LESSON 25

Writing: Fewer Words Can Make More Impact

Reading: Considering Words Used and Not Used When Interpreting

LESSON 26

Writing: Using Symbolism to Give Readers Direction

Reading: Interpreting Symbols in Stories—When Everything Can Have Meaning

LESSON 27

Writing: Choosing and Smoothing Tense

Reading: Looking to Tense for Meaning

LESSON 28

Writing: The Many Purposes of Narrative Paragraphs

Reading: Reading Narrative Paragraphs on Surface and Inferential Levels

LESSON 29

Writing: Using Tools to Make Smart Spelling Decisions

Reading: Knowing an Author Carefully Chooses Words Helps Readers Develop Deeper Understanding

LESSON 30

Writing: Making Publishing Decisions Based on the Intended Audience

Reading: Judging the Effectiveness of an Author’s Decisions

FOR DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

Writing: Using Digital Tools to Call Attention to Theme

Reading: Looking Across Highlights, Bookmarks, and Notes to Help Identify Unifying Themes

Resources

References and Further Reading

Index

Other Titles in: Curriculum & Content | Literacy, K-12 | Reading (Middle/High School)

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Related Professional Learning

Related Webinars

Writers Read Better: The Writing-Reading Connection

Related Resources

Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.
Writers Read Better: Lessons for Generating Story [Lessons and Strategies]