This page lists themes, information, and lesson ideas to consider when crafting mini lessons.
If you are already teaching a unit on one of these themes, use the texts students are already familiar with as the mentor texts you refer to during Mini Lessons.
The main idea is to:
The different forms of writing will have been pre-taught. For example - narrative writing - students will already be familiar with different genres of writing associated with narrative before they choose.
Mini lessons are designed as whole group (close together), short, targeted lessons on skills and other elements of writing. They take place at the beginning of the writing hour. Mini lessons are desgined to be around 10-15 minutes. Leaving the bulk of the hour to writing is always the goal.
Mini lessons may focus on a variety of skills, tasks or themes. One skill is taught per lesson. Examples: Author's craft, writing conventions, purpose, audiance, voice, choice, goal setting, process, etc. (on and on!).
Mini lessons may start with the phrase,
"Did you know that writers [INSERT
TEACHING POINT]?"
Elements of direct & explicit
Mini Lessons:
Teaching Point
Connections
Instruction
Demo
Active Engagement
Link
Here is a Mini Lesson Template
Here is a Mini Lesson Tip Sheet
Helpful Articles:
How to Plan a Mini Lesson From Scratch
Mini Lesson Plans: Template for
Tips for Successful Writing Mini Lessons
Other Sources for Lesson Ideas:
Write On! Writing for Social Justice
It is important for writers to understand
why we write. We do not write to only fulfill assignments, take tests or please our
teachers and parents.
Writer's in Writer's Workshop learn that we write to fulfill many purposes and for many audiences:
Writers write for themselves.
Writers write for readers.
Writers write about places they go and know.
Writers write about their memories.
Writers write about their daily lives.
Writers write stories, directions, letters, notes, books, poems, etc. (on and on!).
In a Social Justice Writer's Workshop,
writer's may learn:
Writers make an impact.
Writers effect change.
Writers write about their experiences.
Writers write about their feelings and to express their thoughts.
Writers write about important people, places, and events.
Writers help others.
Writers end injustice.
Writers shed light on important issues.
Writers tell stories to make a difference.
Writerrs tell stories to educate others.
Writers unify communities.
Additionally...
Writers make mistakes.
Writers make goals.
Writers use a process.
Writers try and make attempts.
Writers get help from others.
Writers help others.
From NYCore.org - New York Collective of Radical Educators:
Why do we write for social justice?
We write because we believe it will matter.
We believe another world is possible and that our writing can help create it.
We believe in reading outside of our worlds to engage in conversations with the worlds of others.
We write to access our own power.
We write to help others access their power.
Writers write because we have a voice! We are valued individuals that have something to say.
Additionally, writers that want to write a story are not constrained to only writing a story like the ones found in the picture books we read. We can write autobiographies, personal essays, poems and speeches to tell our stories.
Being the change: Lessons and strategies to teach social comprehension - Sarah Ahmed
A book for teachers on writing genres & strategeis that cultivate voice
Mentor Texts
Elementary Level
The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade
by Justin Roberts
High School
“ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE RULES. They weren't meant to be broken. They were meant for the broken to follow.”
- from Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Community Membership
Community Roles
Native American Justice
Ethnic study themes - structural analysis
Liberation
Write a solidarity statement with your class, after you have examined a number of examples see Teacher Resources page.