Short & Sweet Mini Lesson Formula

Two Writing Teachers is another blog that I really enjoy following.  There is a ton of great information about making workshop work.  As we begin thinking about next year and planning our lessons I thought a refresher on writing short & sweet mini lessons would be helpful!

Short & Sweet Mini Lesson Formula

Connection:  I review the anchor chart.  I literally ask the kids to read the anchor chart aloud together as a reminder for students of what they've been doing for the past few days.  This takes one minute.  

Teaching Point:  I name today’s new strategy very clearly and explicitly. One or two sentences max. Perhaps, I hold a finished example or mentor text of this strategy in my hands as I say this as visual support.

Teach/Active Engagement: In this modified version of the “classic” mini lesson architecture, I skip the teacher-centered demonstration, and invite the kids to help me practice the strategy on a familiar piece of writing – once. (If they need extra practice, I can always do a mid-workshop interruption and repeat the active engagement, once they are off the carpet and at their writing spots).

Link: I add today’s strategy to the anchor chart and remind kids of all the choices of strategies they might choose from – today, and everyday. (Again, this is basically rereading the anchor chart. One minute.)

Note on one more adaptation: I aim for anchor charts with very little text, and picture clues to support the meaning — at every grade level. This often requires adapting the chart used as an example in the published unit.

Short & Sweet Mini Lesson Formula

Two Writing Teachers is another blog that I really enjoy following.  There is a ton of great information about making workshop work.  As we begin thinking about next year and planning our lessons I thought a refresher on writing short & sweet mini lessons would be helpful!

Short & Sweet Mini Lesson Formula

Connection:  I review the anchor chart.  I literally ask the kids to read the anchor chart aloud together as a reminder for students of what they've been doing for the past few days.  This takes one minute.  

Teaching Point:  I name today’s new strategy very clearly and explicitly. One or two sentences max. Perhaps, I hold a finished example or mentor text of this strategy in my hands as I say this as visual support.

Teach/Active Engagement: In this modified version of the “classic” mini lesson architecture, I skip the teacher-centered demonstration, and invite the kids to help me practice the strategy on a familiar piece of writing – once. (If they need extra practice, I can always do a mid-workshop interruption and repeat the active engagement, once they are off the carpet and at their writing spots).

Link: I add today’s strategy to the anchor chart and remind kids of all the choices of strategies they might choose from – today, and everyday. (Again, this is basically rereading the anchor chart. One minute.)

Note on one more adaptation: I aim for anchor charts with very little text, and picture clues to support the meaning — at every grade level. This often requires adapting the chart used as an example in the published unit.