SHOW the Setting

Students are continuing learning ways to revise their stories.  A recent mini-lesson taught students that good writers SHOW the setting rather than tell exactly where the characters are.  A common mistake young writers make is not establishing the setting in their story.  If you ask any writer in the class where and when their story takes place they would be able to tell you.  However, throughout the story there is no mention of those details.  In order to show the setting, students learned to add small details that make a BIG difference.  For example, instead of writing "It was a windy day."  You could write, "The wind whipped through my hair as I ran onto the soccer field." 

To teach this strategy I first presented the class with a couple of examples in published books.  Here is an example from the mentor text, the class knows all too well, Come On, Rain.

As I was reading through two of my reading groups' novels I found places where the author established the setting through details.  

Below is an example from a writing lesson book.  Students saw the "before" and "after." 

Next it was time for partner work.  Students keep my rough draft that I typed in their writing folders.  During writing lessons, students pull out my draft and practice making revisions, before working on their own story.





 Once the timer went off partners shared some details I could add to my draft. 

 Finally it was time for independent work.

During Writer's Workshop, students are encouraged to pull out a few resources to help them write.  This could include a list of idioms, synonyms for said, powerful verbs and adjectives, transition words, and of course their 4-square planning sheet. 

 

Five minutes before snack time, we gathered back at our seats and some students shared one of their revised sentences!