| Language
Arts: Writer's Workshop
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Woody Guthrie self-portrait
Dust
Bowl News
| Here
is an open-ended response sheet to be used for publishing short
articles written during Writers Workshop. Although designed for
primary students, this newspaper format can be adapted for older
students. Keep a stack of blank Dustbowl
Newspapers for students to use throughout this unit.
This open-ended way to
record stories encourages students to write historical fiction.
As they put themselves in the place of a child in the thirties a
deeper level of engagement develops.
To the right is an example
of the kinds of stories that can be used in the Dustbowl Newspaper.
(From Theresa Kubasak's Second Grade Class) |
Click image for larger picture |
Paper
Bag Journal
Among the many treasures
at the Woody Guthrie Archives are several hardback notebooks in which
Woody jotted, drew, journaled, painted, wrote. Some are thematic and
some are full of scattered musings but all reflect a person who used
writing to make sense of the world.
Students can make their own
writing books or journals by using cardboard covered with crumpled paper
bags with paper bag pages. Directions for making books can be found
in Transitions by Regie Routman. (Heinemann 1988) Hand sewing
the pages together gives it a homey look.
Use these homemade journals
for publishing stories edited from Writers Workshop.
Writing
Song Lyrics*
Woody's popular song, "Roll
on Columbia" was written for the Bonneville Power Administration in
1941. With music based on "Goodnight Irene" by Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly),
Woody's handwriting states "Original song, (not the tune)." Woody also
took Carter Family tunes or traditional folk songs and put in his own
words.
Invite your
class to work in pairs or triads and do the same. They could choose
"Roll on Columbia" and bring it to another incarnation with their
own issue. Or students could write their own words using the
tune "Do Re
Mi" or "So Long It's Been Good to Know Yuh." Whatever song your
students decide to rewrite,
be sure to provide an "Authors Chair" time for them to sing their
words, or reproduce the lyric sheets and make a class song book
for everyone to sing together.
*Please note:
ROLL ON COLUMBIA, DO RE MI, and SO LONG, IT'S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW
YUH are copyrighted by TRO-Ludlow Music. Any lyric changes to
copyrighted works that are to be published must first have the
approval of the author and/or publisher of the song.
Dustbowl
Newspaper Template
Writer's
Workshop Literature
Circles Response
to Literature
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