EXPLODE that Sentence!!!

I was chatting with one of the cute moms at Writers Workshop this week and I LOVED the mini-lesson she did w/ her kiddos! I just HAD to share! :)  

She wrote some plain sentences on the board like... The cat sat on a rug.  Then she taught her kids to EXPLODE the sentence with description and meaning! They would end up with something like.... The sleepy, fat cat lazily sat on the colorful, soft rug.  Ok- her sentences were better than THAT, lol, but you get the idea.  And telling the kids to EXPLODE the sentence, well, it's just plain fun! What a GREAT way to get them engaged and excited about the mini-lesson.  And GREAT practice with their sentences! Way to go!!!

I have jotted this idea down as a mini-lesson I'm going to do this week.  I think I'm going to put THIS thank you dynamite out to decorate the table for the mini-lesson.  Then we of course will need to have a couple after we work on our sentences!!! :)

Have fun EXPLODING your sentences! 

Today's Mini-Lesson- American Fork

We had a lot of fun with our mini-lessons today and I wanted to share!

For the YOUNGER GROUP I covered the importance of having a beginning, middle, and end to their stories.  I had a stack of hamburgers in the center of the table.  I told the kids that I was going to tell them three stories today. I asked if they wanted a hamburger while they listened to them.  They, of course, said yes.  I gave one child the top of a hamburger, one the meat, one the pickles and onions, and one the bottom of the burger.  lol- they looked at me a little shocked! I then told them the first story.

It was a true story about something that happened to me at the zoo. I told them all about my trip and then what happened when an alligator became upset with me.  We talked about how he opened his mouth up VERY wide, every so slowly... and then all at once he came charging toward me.  And then I said, "Then End"

Now it was time for the second story. I started this story by saying, "And we were laughing and laughing because that joke was SO funny!!!! We ended up going on lots of rides at the carnival and had a great time! The End"

Then I told the third story.  I started out by telling about how excited I was when I woke up because I knew that I would be going to a party that day.  I got dressed in my cute party clothes and curled my hair.  It was such a fun party.  By then I was so tired I went to bed.  The End

HAHAHAHAHA- the sweet, cute kids looked at me as if I had lost my marbles.  I think their exact words were, "Ummm... those stories were horrible. And we really would like a whole hamburger."  HEEHEE!!! I asked them to tell my WHY they wanted the WHOLE hamburger... and WHY on earth didn't they like my stories?  They picked up on it REALLY quick and were able to articulate what was missing in each area!

Stories are like a hamburger, we want a beginning, middle, and end.... not just a PART of it. Not only do we want a WHOLE hamburger or story.... .but we want JUICY hamburgers with LOTS of yummy stuff added!! We discussed several different ways to add the JUICY details!! Sensory description, conflict/resolution, etc.

I gave each child three index cards.  They were to go and write a story putting the beginning on one, middle on the other, and end on the last.  Then they were to mix the cards up and see if their mom or friend could unscramble the story!

For the OLDER GROUP we practiced writing a first draft. We briefly spoke about what a first draft means.   We talked about how you just write, write, write to get all your ideas out on paper! After that discussion we decided to practice.  I would show a picture and each child had ONE MINUTE to write a story based on the photo.  They didn't have to finish the story... they just needed to work on it and get a much down on paper that they could in that one minute. OH. MY. GOODNESS. These kids were AMAZING!!!! We had a BLAST with this activity.  After each picture we would go around the circle and read what we had written and then we started again.  I also took SUPER FUN Halloween game cards and placed those on the table for the kids to make a story from .  SO, SO, SO, FUN!!! This kids really make this group the AMAZING group it is!!! Their assignment for the week was to pick one of the stories they started and finish the first draft. :)

Mini-Lesson: Create a Character

Here is the list of questions I used with the Provo group to help them create a character.  We didn't make it through the list so I told them I would post it here!

Step 1- Create a fictional character and answer the following questions about him/her.

1. What is the character's name?
2. Where was s/he born and raised?
3. What is his/her religion and ethnicity?
4. Briefly (though don't get bogged down with cosmetics), what does s/he look like? Fat, thin, tall, short, muscular, flabby, gray, bald?
5. What does s/he believe in?
6. Where has s/he failed or triumphed?
7. Is s/he married, single, divorced?
8. What kind of work does s/he do? Is s/he happy or discontented with it?
9. What are his/her hobbies? Sports? TV?
10. Is s/he neat or is s/he a slob? In order to establish this on paper, you might wish to describe clothing, closet, a drawer of his/her desk, or the trunk of his/her car.
11. Can your mind picture your character making something? Can you see him/her using a simple tool, perhaps, to shape the hull of a mode clipper ship?
12. How do his/her hands behave? Relate them to the tangible things that surround him/her?
13. Is s/he musical? Is there one special instrument that s/he plays well or badly? Does s/he play it alone, for him/herself, or can s/he jam it up for an audience of friends or strangers?
14. What was his/her school and schooling like? Who was the teacher s/he respected and why?
15. What are the events, items, pets, pals that s/he remembers for years?
16. What are his/her idiosyncrasies? Odd habits? Quirks? Pet Peeves?
17. Other than memories, what are the tangible trinkets s/he saves and treasures from his/her past?
18. Is s/he witty? If so, you cannot tell your readers that s/he is instead, you must let the character show that s/he is witty.
19. How does s/he drive a car, tie a tie, gargle? Does s/he cough often, snore, hum, whistle?
20. Read the editorial page of your newspaper and choose which opinions s/he agrees with or disputes? Does s/he argue bitterly, silently, or to anyone who will listen?
21. What is his/her goals? Whom does s/he dream about, yearn for, hate?

Step 2- Once you have answered these questions, create a character sketch which incorporates answers to each of these questions. The answers need not appear in the order of the questions.

Step 3- Read your character sketch to someone. Have the person who is listening jot down unanswered questions and inconsistencies in the character as sketched.

Step 4- Use your character sketch to write a short scenario which focuses on one portion or segment of the character's life.  The vignette must contain narration and dialogue. It must include showing details which bring to life the chosen scene.  It must also convey a sense of the character by using a gesture or mannerism symbolizing one aspect of his/her personality.