Rita Palmer notes 22 August 2013

Show not Tell, year 3 workshop

Why do we write? This is an important message for the children to
understand, as writers we are sharing our message. The word message is feed to the children and explained If I am giving you a message, I need to make sure it is clear Rita asked a child to help her, she said, Go and put the box into my car please As a writer I need to add more details to fill in the gaps, I need to give more information to make the message clear what car? Where is the car? What does it look like? I could write my message as I went to the beach, this is how 5 year olds write but you clever writers can give information without telling me. Im going to make a movie in your head. Im not going to tell you, I am going to show you. You the reader are like detectives. Rita wrote this sentence as a model.

I put my towel on the concrete and carefully dipped my toe into the water.
Stand up if you think you know where I amKids stood and answered the pool. Children were asked why? Why do you think that? How did I show you where I was? What are the clues? Children highlighted the words water, towel and concrete. Rita askedwhat time of the day do you think it is? I am going to show not tell you.

I folded up my pyjamas and went into the kitchen to get the toaster ready.
Everybody stand upsit down when I say it correctly (midnight, lunchtime, breakfast) Children were asked why? Why do you think that? How did I show you where I was? What are the clues? Children highlighted the words toaster and pyjamas.

Now for something harder Im going to count to 10 and I want you to make up a sentence that tells me where you areyou might be at school, at the shop, at home Kids practice and share back verbally then have another practice, teacher scribes some examples... we entered the room with lots of chatting and doing their work You are in a classroom because. You must always say why! What time of the year is it

I picked the daffodils and put them in a vase.

Show me thumbs summer, winter, spring

How to show not tell feelings.

Think about someone who is angry if they are coming in the door, how would you know? Talk with a buddy. Face-expression Movement Voice, talking

She stomped into the room with an expression like thunder. She yelled Come Here!
Now lets have a go with sadshow me trudged, stand up and trudge for me

She trudged across the playground, silent, staring at the grey ground. My thoughts...
Activities: vocab- word climes, share different ways of moving (walk, crawl), of talking (said, yelled) What happens if come here yelled mumchange yelled how does this change the scenario? (whispered, said, called)

Movement very important: kids up and down, showing with thumbs,

turning to talk

Carefully scaffolded: talk, examples, explanation, kids turn (oral, teacher

scribe, independent). Time to practise the skills.

The why crucialwhy do you think that? Why have you chosen those
words? Also care with choosing words for an effect/reason. Clear message for the reader!