Sage Literay Lounge

Hello Sage Parents,
The Sages and Sagers spent the first part of this month learning about author’s purpose and author’s craft. Learning conversations about author’s purpose centered on the questions: Why does an author write? Who is the audience? How do the purpose, audience, and format of the writing affect the tone? The students then took on a different role and wrote from that perspective in a specific format to a specific audience. The activity is called a RAFT: Role, Audience, Format, Topic. The students’ writings are in the hallway behind the Omega room door.

Then we shifted gears and moved toward author’s craft: imagery, metaphor, simile, exaggeration, and point of view. The Sages and Sagers did a fun activity with imagery, metaphor, and simile in which I gave each student a strange picture and they had to describe it using sensory language, a metaphor, and a simile. They were not allowed to share their picture with anyone. Then everyone shared their writing and the class had to figure out which picture was being described. The pictures and descriptions are in the hallway behind Fran’s door.

Desi wrote his paragraph from the point of view of the picture itself, so we were able to have an authentic transition into discussing point of view. What is first person? What is third person? Why isn’t there a second person? (There is in choose your own adventure books.) What would be the benefits of writing in first person, third person? The kids determined through our discussion that the benefit of a first person point of view is that the reader really gets to know the main character well- his/her thoughts and feelings. It is easy for the reader to put him/herself in the main characters shoes. The advantage of a third person point of view is that the reader understands multiple characters’ perspectives. The writing may be more objective. I was very impressed with the kids’ ability to analyze the differences in points of view.

Then we worked with exaggeration. The kids all had to write about an event that really happened in their lives and make it bigger than real life. Those writings are also in the hall next to the Sage room.

As a culmination of our study, we created a new literature circle job centered on analyzing author’s craft. Students brainstormed names for the job and voted on Creator’s Craft. Then they hashed out what the requirements of the job should be and what a kid would need to do to go above and beyond. The Sages and Sagers decided that the person who does the Creator’s Craft job should have to identify at least two literary devices, read them aloud to the group, and explain the craft (ex. It is a simile because so-and-so is being compared to a song using the word like). The student also has to talk about how the author’s use of that literary device makes the work better. To go above and beyond, the student would need to meet the above requirements and create a discussion among the group. WOW! What great thinkers!

So we added the Creator’s Craft job to our repertoire and began literature circles. All of the kids are reading The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm. He is a Vermont author from Rutland. His book made a big splash in the education community a few years ago when it came out because it deals directly, and on an appropriate level, with the hard and, unfortunately, all too common issue of bullying in school. The kids can relate to the kids in the story and use the book as a place to begin talking about how to deal with a bullying situation. I found the book to be very empowering! So, of course, in addition to talking about The Revealers as a piece of literature, we will incorporate the social/emotional piece. Hopefully kids will come away with some strategies in their social navigation toolbox. At some point during this round of literature circles, Cory will lead a lesson about the book from a human development perspective (her major)…sort of like a friendship group (from lots of these kids’ Omega days). I am also trying to figure out how we can arrange a visit from Doug Wilhelm or create an online forum to engage him in a discussion about his book. If you have any ideas, concerns, questions, or suggestions, please chat with me. I know I’m dealing with a heavy and sensitive topic. Thanks for your support, as always!

:) Rachel

p.s. We are still doing spelling, too.