4.+Mini-Lessons

What is a Mini-Lesson?
 * Direct Instruction
 * ONLY 5 - 15 minutes
 * "Open you Brain"
 * Authentic (taught in context) Lessons

What ISN'T a Mini-Lesson?
 * Skills taught in isolation (teacher models, student complete worksheets)
 * A "Teach and Leave" (teach the skill - never to be discussed again)

What should be taught in a Writing Mini-Lesson?
 * Procedures
 * Strategies Writers Use
 * Qualities of Good Writing

Question ~ What comes first ... the students or the lessons?

Scaffolding Writing
 * scaffolding is the support that teachers give students that will help guide them towards independent practice

Six Strategies for Teaching a Mini-Lesson
 * 1) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Read Literature** ~ Picture books provide exemplary models for students to emulate.
 * 2) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Study Writing** ~ Analyze student writing or writing in picture books
 * 3) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Model the process** ~ demonstrate for the students how to do somehting step by step - actually show the students by going through the entire process.
 * 4) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Shared Writing** ~ engage the students by including their thoughts and opinions in a modeled process
 * 5) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Guide the writers** ~ teach how, support while students practice, and praise
 * 6) <span style="color: #1b15d1; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">**Apply** ~ Students practice writing independently with authentic content.

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