Joyce Hobbs

The Second 'r, Writing Across the Curriculum: a Handbook for Teachers Joyce Hobbs

Publisher Marketing: ...an informative and helpful handbook overflowing with creative ideas to inspire and encourage teachers and their students to love writing as much as the author doess. Anonymous proofreader/critic The Second 'R hopefully will stir the imagination and encourage innovative teaching. It stresses the use of writing in all areas of the curriculum and suggests activities which will keep the children (and the teacher) writing. Starting them off with writing connected with first day activities will make a painless introduction on the first day. Asking for the child's opinion about something (character traits) )sparks more interest than "What I did this Summer." However, that is also included in the graphing activity in Section 1. Section 2 stresses bulletin boards which encourage, initiate and display student writing in all areas of the curriculum. The versatility allows for the personality of teacher and student to be expressed. Section 3 uses traditional and non-traditional supplies and techniques to incorporate writing into all curriculum areas . Calculation, mental math and column addition become less boring when learned with dominoes. These game pieces also clarify the concept of related facts. The discovery lesson using measuring tools is an attention grabber with the younger children; with upper grades it can be iffy. Lessons on following directions segue naturally into map studies. Children planning, requesting and organizing a field trip are pulled into all curricular areas and hone their social skills through letter writing, interviewing and telephoning, The goal of the lessons discussed here, simply put, is "Keep them writing!" Section 4 offers tips for producing a class newspaper., from the simplest survey of playground favorites to submissions from parents. A word of caution: be sure that every child's name is included in each edition of the newspaper at least once, whether as editor, reporter, or subject of an item.