How do I make my lesson more interesting

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Reading Teachers Chatboard

How do I make my lesson more interesting

by Ms. F

Nov 18, 2010

I am currently an intern at a public school for a third grade class. I have been put in charge of running the lessons on persuasive letter writing. I need to make sure that my students are able to write persuasive letters which involves a decent amount of critical thinking. I have been showing them examples of my own letters (which I try to make fun and relevant to them)to help them break down the various steps in writing a persuasive letter. Right now I am trying to help them use a graphic organizer which has them writing their overall opinion, reasons for their opinion and facts to back up their reasons. It is A LOT for them to take in. I also feel as if I am boring them to tears! What can I do to make my lesson informative and fun??

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Bev-MI Have the students write about something they are interested in, either positive view or negative view with strong feelings. This makes it personal for them. Examples: Letter to parents to stay up later; Letter to school board to reduce the days of school, Letter to school kitchen to include favorite food, icecream, or maybe to change to chocolate m...See More

Nov 18, 2010

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Sara I'd say first - lose the graphic organizer. I've never seen any class whose eyes don't glaze over when we bring out the graphic organizer. Let's remember that graphic organizers were one adult's idea of what would well with children - and then it spread. Do graphic organizers work for you? Venn diagrams? I think it just confuses the kids - it doesn...See MoreI'd say first - lose the graphic organizer. I've never seen any class whose eyes don't glaze over when we bring out the graphic organizer. Let's remember that graphic organizers were one adult's idea of what would well with children - and then it spread. Do graphic organizers work for you? Venn diagrams? I think it just confuses the kids - it doesn't really help them organize their thoughts. Kids' brains by their very nature aren't orderly places - we spent a lot of time and energy trying to organize kid's brains which by Nature aren't organized.

I think it was the same person who came up with the idea of graphic organizers who decided that third graders should write persuasive letters... These kids spend their days persuading. Ask them how they persuaded their parents to have a birthday party? How they persuaded their friend to come play at their house instead of the other way around? Ask me how I persuaded my mother to let me stop piano lessons...

They can persuade and they do it everyday and without benefit of a graphic organizer. Just get them to list their top three reasons for .... asking the Richest Person on Earth for money. ( it doesn't matter who that person is - gently discourage class discussion on that) Then have them circle the reason they think is the best reason. Ask them to star * the reason they think will work (they can be the same).

Then have them write a letter to the Richest Person on Earth asking for money. Have them read their letters aloud but better - ask them for permission for you to read their letters aloud. To really hear/process/and enjoy a letter read aloud, it needs to be read by a good aloud reader - which is usually not the kids who barrel through without pausing. Timing is everything.

Why are you worrying about 'informative'? The very concept of a 'persuasive letter' is plenty informative for 3rd graders. Really they should be writing fun stories - not persuasive letters - but that's the sad state of education today.

But yes I agree - there should be some spark, some joy, some fun or they forget it as soon as they've heard it and - what's wrong with school being fun as well as informative?

Nothing's wrong with that and putting some fun in the day makes everyone's day better including yours as well as theirs. What's fun to you? let some of yourself come through - be a bit of a diva. I tell every young teacher to take an acting class - it really helps with teaching.

Also - peruse youtube, no kidding. Punch in'fun writing lessons'. If you have a video projector connected to your computer, there are some good things on youtube for teaching writing in a fun way. But closer at hand is your creative well-spring. Be light-hearted. The curriculum is plenty informative... what would have been fun to you as a child? Let that be your guide.

Post back if you want more praise - any teacher who's looking to put more fun in the school day deserves to be praised.

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Nov 19, 2010

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Michelle I recently researched a web-based activity in which the students were given a fictional task of becoming assistant speech writers to the President, and were asked to write a persuasive speech on a topic that is relevant in current events. It was really engaging and well-planned, with a lot of supplemental resources. I think the best way to teach pe...See More

Nov 21, 2010

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