Download Pamela Duncan Edwards

Pamela Duncan
Edwards
Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts In The Primary Classroom © Nicole Groeneweg, Scholastic Teaching Resources
“And I do like writing alliterative books. I have great fun writing them,
because I get my thesaurus out. I have to find a word that begins with that
letter that will say what I want to say.”
Pamela Duncan Edwards’ words all but
sing from the page. A former preschool
teacher and school librarian in England,
she comes to writing for children naturally.
Edwards often teams with illustrator
Henry Cole, a match that capitalizes on
their combined sense of humor. Also plain
in their books is Edwards’ love of nature
and science. Children who read Edwards
alliterative texts are bound to learn facts
about nature.
Studying the Craft:
Alliteration
Sharing books written by Pamela Duncan Edwards
provides an excellent opportunity for emergent readers
and writers to practice beginning sounds and blends.
TT R
ead aloud a variety of Pamela Duncan Edwards’
books for enjoyment. (To familiarize the class with
the author’s work, try sharing the books over a
couple of days.)
TT F
amiliarize students with the term alliteration.
Explain that this mentor author has texts alive with
alliteration, a literary device in which the initial
consonant, consonant blend, or on occasion, a vowel
(assonance) is repeated throughout the text.
Recommended Reading
These mentor texts are sure to tickle
funny bones, even while you focus
students’ attention on alliteration.
Clara Caterpillar
(HarperCollins, 2001)
Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyke
(HarperCollins, 1995)
Rosie’s Roses
(HarperCollins, 2003)
Some Smug Slug
(HarperCollins, 1996)
The Worrywarts
(HarperCollins, 1999)
39
Cultivating the Writer’s Notebook
Set up a Pamela Duncan Edwards writing center where students can create their own alliterative stories.
Include the following materials:
JJ a collection of Pamela Duncan Edwards books, including Some Smug Slug
JJ stickers and stamps of alphabet letters
JJ letters cut from construction paper
JJ copy paper, lined paper, stapler for bookmaking
Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts In The Primary Classroom © Nicole Groeneweg, Scholastic Teaching Resources
TT D
istribute a copy of Altogether Alliterative (page 42) to each student. Explain that students
should use this prewriting page to plan their own stories that include alliteration. (See the
Dynamic Mini Lesson.)
TT S
how students what items you’ve added to the writing center to stimulate writing with alliteration.
Invite students to use colorful paper letters to set off the beginning of each word in story titles.
Explain that stickers or stamps can set off the first letter of each alliterative word in the stories.
Other Resources
TT Visit
Pamela Duncan Edwards’ Web site:
www.pameladuncanedwards.com
TT V
iew or read the Reading Rockets interview
with Pamela Duncan Edwards: www.
readingrockets.org/books/interviews/edwards
TT C
heck out illustrator Henry Cole’s Web site:
www.henrycole.net
Alliteration takes center stage
in the writing center.
Standards Addressed
(McREL Benchmarks Level I K–2)
✔✔ U
ses writing and other methods (using letters or phonetically spelled words, telling, dictating,
making lists) to describe familiar persons, places, objects, or experiences (Language Arts
Standard 1: benchmark 6).
✔✔ Uses complete sentences in written compositions (Language Arts Standard 3: benchmark 2)
✔✔ Uses nouns in written compositions (e.g., singular, plural, possessive). (Language Arts
Standard 3: benchmark 3)
✔✔ U
ses verbs in written compositions (e.g., verbs for a variety of situations, action words).
(Language Arts Standard 3: benchmark 4)
✔✔ U
ses adjectives in written compositions (e.g., descriptive words). (Language Arts Standard 3:
benchmark 5)
40
Dynamic Mini Lesson: Alliteration
Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts In The Primary Classroom © Nicole Groeneweg, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Groeneweg sets up a chart for recording words beginning with S.
Groeneweg: Today we’re going to reread Some Smug
Slug. This time we’re going to listen carefully for words
that begin with S.
Groeneweg reads aloud Some Smug Slug. At the end
of each page she pauses and asks students to share their
observations.
Some
S
m
ug Slu
Word
g
s Tha
t Beg
noun
s
in W
ith S
verbs
adjec
tives
Groeneweg: Did you hear any words beginning
with S? Who can tell me a few?
A few students provide S words.
Groeneweg: Let’s make a list to keep track of them.
We’ll use this chart.
Groeneweg asks volunteers to write the words they’ve come up with on the chart paper.
Groeneweg: I’ll continue reading, and we’ll all keep
listening for S words.
lug
gS
u
m
S
hS
Wit
e
n
i
tives
g
m
Be
djec
So
t
a
a
Th
s
rds
verb
Wo
ug
m
s
s
n
u
no
slug
Groeneweg reads aloud the rest of the book. Each time
she encounters a word that begins with S, she records the
word on the chart.
Groeneweg: Now you’re going to write your
own story using alliteration. I’m going to
have you organize your prewriting ideas on
a handout.
Groeneweg distributes a copy of Altogether
Alliterative (page 42) to each student.
41
Skill Area:
Alliteration
Name: Date:
This story features words that begin with the letter
.
List words below that begin with this letter. You can use a dictionary to help you find
words.
Character
What are the character names? List
some words that describe each character.
Setting
When does this story take place? List
some words that name the time or day.
Where does this story take place?
List some words that describe the setting.
Problem
Describe the problem or conflict in the story.
Solution
Describe how the problem is resolved.
For an extra challenge, circle all the nouns with blue crayon. Circle all the adjectives
with green crayon.
Page 42
Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts In The Primary Classroom © Nicole Groeneweg, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Altogether Alliterative