So we have started our Explanation Writing unit. For those of you who are unaware, our board has a writing framework in place that we all follow.

I am really enjoying this form of writing. Since explanations usually answer the ‘why’, we are exploring cause and effect relationships and how far we can extend them as intermediate student.

For example:
Cause: Throwing Snow at School
Effect: (Obviously!) – Getting into trouble

This was how our unit started with our cold pieces. However, now my students are using their thinking caps and extending those effects. Now we write:

Cause: Throwing Snow at School
Effect 1: Accidentally Breaking a Window
Extension: Having to pay for the window, get suspended and grounded.
Effect 2: Accidentally hitting a passing car.
Extension: Blinding / scaring the driver who may get into an accident.
Extension: Having to explain to the police why you were throwing snow.

As you can see, we are being imaginative. The struggle now lies between narrative storytelling and real plausible cause and effect relationships. I expect three effects and a good solid five paragraph explanation with and introduction and a conclusion.

Recently we wrote about playing inappropriate video games at school.

Cause: Playing inappropriate video games at school.
Effect: Embarrass your teacher by breaking rules.
Extension: Label our entire division in the eyes of younger grades.
Extension: Younger student sees, mimics behaviour, plays the same game
Extension: Younger students’ parents phone school. Principal calls you to the office.

You get the idea. We have also played cause and effect games to get us out of our seats. Each student gets a cause or effect and has to find a matching partner.

Or, give students the effects, and have them develop causes.

Our next writing topic will be “Explain why it is not a good idea to text while driving” since this law is now in place here in Ontario.

admin General anchor chart, Explanation Writing

When it comes to writing forms (recount, persuasive, explanatory, narrative) it is important to have a status of the class chart showing where each student is in terms of progress (rough draft, editing, good copy). This is all part of the writing process.

I have had a few conversations over the course of this year. Some teachers feel the chart must always be posted and exist at the front of the room. I argue that it can, and should be, electronic (hence, on the SMARTBoard) and can be visible during those writing tasks only (so as to not overwhelm students working on other tasks as well). This way teachers are able to have multiple statuses (sp?) / states of the class for different writing tasks.

If a class is working on a recount writing piece, but also a Science procedure, isn’t the writing process status of the class relevent to both subjects? With one chart at the front of the room, which project gets posted on the chart? Using a SMART Notebook file allows multiple charts to be visible during specific writing tasks.

I see the arguement from both sides, but still lean towards the eletronic (and multiple) versions.

It is also important to note that many teachers are creating anchor charts on the SMARTBoard which only get posted during those specific tasks and not all the time on chart paper. Why should the status of the class be any different?

admin Lesson Ideas anchor chart, Explanation Writing, narrative writing, persuasive writing, recount writing, SMART Notebook, SMARTBoard