Write On! - Elaboration Ideas

Looking for ideas to help your students take their writing to the next level with elaboration? Here are 3 quick strategies to support students in expanding their ideas. 

EXPAND A SENTENCE

Students choose a sentence in their writing that they want to elaborate. Then students roll a dice and add that number of words to their sentences. This may seem like a simple strategy, but it can work like a charm with modeling and guidance. Students can add adjectives, adverbs, proper nouns, prepositional phrases, color words, or feeling words to expand their sentences.

To model give all students the same sentence. Roll a dice. Have students add that many words to the sentence. Then have students share. Discuss the different ways students added to their sentences and how it would affect the reader.

ELABORATION ROLL-A-CUBE

For this strategy, students roll the elaboration cube to see how they are going to elaborate in their writing. Students can add a feeling word or color word. Students also can explain why, how, where, and when to help paint a picture in the reader's mind.

 

Randomness can be a great motivator and fosters creativity when students have to determine how to weave new ideas into their writing. Click HERE for your copy of the elaboration roll-a-cube.

CHAINING

This strategy has students connect ideas like LINKS in a CHAIN. Students look for undeveloped "links" in their writing. Then students think about how they can

• explode an idea
• clarify a point
• provide evidence to strengthen their positions. 

Students then create additional sentences that get "linked" like a chain to develop these ideas.

 

What strategies do you use to help students incorporate elaboration in writing?

Looking to elevate your students' personal narrative writing skills? This resource includes seasonal prompts, a graphic organizer, and a choice board designed for students to practice and improve key elements of narrative writing. Click here to see more actionable tips to support students in elevating their narrative writing.

Get Students Talking Math

How do we encourage mathematical discourse? Many students naturally enjoy talking, but how do we get them talking math?

Fostering math talk is important. Sometimes students benefit from scaffolding or visual reminders. Question stems or prompts can be used as a scaffold until students can engage in math talk naturally. They also can be used to encourage conversations to go more deeply.

These math spots can be used to spark conversations. Math spots can be displayed around the room or on a bulletin board. They can be added as a routine in small group instruction where students pick a spot to elicit math reasoning and metacognition. The spots can be used to model visible thinking during guided math. When students are problem solving with a partner, math spots can be used to encourage math dialogue beyond simply finding the answer.

Here are three sites that can be used as a bell ringer or a launch where students can discuss their thinking and defend their reasoning. These might help integrate math talk at the start of your math block.

Check these out:

Would You Rather Math?
Who doesn't like a would you rather question? The twist here is students have to justify their reasoning using mathematics. You can differentiate questions by grade level bands: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.  Scroll through to find a question that relates to your topic of study. Studying volume? Check out this swimming pool question: Would You Rather - Swimming Pool.

Which One Does Not Belong?
So many times in mathematics, students think there is one right answer. These puzzle-like questions require students to look at a problem through different lenses. No answer keys are provided because there are many correct answers. Students look at four shapes, numbers, or graphs, and choose one that does not belong, defending their reasoning of course. Differentiate the task by asking students to explain why two do not belong. Challenge students to find a reason why each one does not belong.

Fraction Talks
You can project an image, shade in a region, and ask students, "What fraction is shaded?" Students then can discuss their approaches and defend their thinking. Modeling this process can help scaffold the task for learners and set expectations. You can differentiate the task by asking questions like: Is there any other region representing the same fraction?

How do you foster math talk in your classroom?

 

    

Resource Ideas to Use for Small Group Instruction and Centers in the Math Classroom

After recently doing a session with some teachers on guided math, one area that is of interest is resources. Questions I hear are: What do I use for students during small group instruction? What resources do I use for those students I am not working with? Let me share a view that might work for you. I included links below to some sites you might find beneficial for your students.

First and foremost, I recommend looking at the curricular resources your district supports. Sometimes there might be an untapped gem you can use that you simply cannot "fit" into your normal instruction routine. Are there any center activities or games or technology resources or virtual manipulatives that students can use to grapple, explore, and strengthen their skills as mathematicians? Sometimes these types of resources can be used for recycling skills. Think about repurposing what is already available to you in the district curriculum.

Technology sites such as MobyMax, KhanAcademy, Johnnie's Math Page, and Mr. Anker Tests are some resources that can be used to scaffold student learning while providing some independence, differentiation, and feedback. Do you have any other technology resources useful to your students? Share in the comments below.

Some additional resources that can be used to extend standards include Illustrative Math and K-5 Math Teaching Resources (some free resources available).

These are just a few of the go-to resources when something is needed in a pinch to develop learning experiences for students in small groups.

Hope you find something that might help your mathematicians.