RMWP Camp Day 6

7:40-3:30

Schedule:
- Introductions (If you were any punctuation, which would you be and why?)
- Prompt: "Books can touch our lives in many ways. Write about one particular book and why it "speaks" to you.
- Discuss the difference between a book report and a book review
- Introduce packet containing directions and example book reviews
- Writing time: taking notes to review a picture book
- Computer lab time: Typing and working on book review drafts and researching authors

Yesterday was much more calm and laid back than last week. I love the way this directly connects with the work that we do in my classroom. I think it would be really great to challenge my students to compose book reviews to be published online. I feel more comfortable reading the students' work this week. I think I struggled at the beginning of last week because I felt like poetry is so emotional and personal. Writing about and discussing literature fits more specifically into my areas of strength. The experience that stood out most distinctly during the day was when I worked with a particular student who was struggling to review Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg. Although he said that he typically enjoys fiction books about adventure or mystery, he was struggling to connect with his book. Because he did not have very strong opinions, whether good or bad, about it, he was struggling to compose meaningful comments. I suggested that he try to select another book, and he seemed much more successful with the review after that!