P.K. Yonge School is implementing the newly published Being a Writer, Third Edition for its fourth grade students under the guidance of veteran Professional Learning Lead Sue Wilder.
In this second blog, Sue Wilder and P.K. Yonge teachers share their experiences implementing the Expository Nonfiction unit of Being a Writer, Third Edition.
If you missed the first post in this series, read it here.
How does Being a Writer’s Expository Nonfiction unit help students lean into their curiosity?
Overall, my experience with the P.K. Yonge fourth graders reminded me how the Being a Writer Expository Nonfiction unit nurtures children’s natural curiosity by fostering an environment where their questions and interests are fundamental and they know their thinking will be both valued and supported by their classmates and their teacher. This approach not only enhances their engagement but also cultivates a lifelong love for collaboration, exploration and discovery.
The students found the read-alouds (see below) captivating and these texts were a key element in sparking their interest in all sorts of inventions. The design of the unit, starting with having students explore a range of nonfiction texts about inventions, was really effective for engaging and nurturing their curiosity and motivation.
By starting with discussions and encouraging students to write down their questions and thoughts about the inventions in the texts they were listening to, students were able to tap into their own natural curiosity.
This initial phase not only allowed them to explore their interests but also helped them practice important skills like note-taking and formulating questions.
This initial phase not only allowed them to explore their interests but also helped them practice important skills like note-taking and formulating questions.
As the unit progressed, students really benefited from this strong foundation of engagement and inquiry. It set them up to delve deeper into their chosen inventions, equipped with both the motivation to learn and the skills to navigate nonfiction texts effectively.
What role does partnership play in the Expository Nonfiction unit? How do you notice students developing their skills as partners working together?
Partnership is key in the Expository Nonfiction unit because it promotes collaborative learning and the development of interpersonal skills among students. I think it would be helpful to watch a quick video clip of students working together in pairs.
In this video, notice how the partners engage in dialogue, share their research questions, and discuss which ones to pursue, and also how they actively listen to each other’s ideas and reach agreements.
Partnership in the Expository Nonfiction unit empowers students to become effective learners and collaborators, preparing them for success in both academic and real-world contexts.
What did you notice about how students are navigating online research and taking notes online?
The fourth–grade students at P.K. Yonge showed some impressive skills in online research and note-taking. I think their ease with search engines and digital sources is probably because they’ve had a lot of experience using technology. Even though they’re still working on their keyboarding skills, they seem pretty comfortable with word processing.
It was nice to see how well the students understood and summarized the information from their reading. I believe their success is mostly due to the hard work of the P.K. Yonge teachers and the comprehensive literacy instruction the students have received since Kindergarten, using Being a Writer Second Edition edition and Being a Reader. The work students are doing in this unit is not new learning for them. They’ve been reading, writing about their reading, working with partners, and studying genres during both reading and writing instruction since they started school. I’ve worked at P.K. Yonge as a consultant most of this time so it was very validating to see the long-term impact on student learning a comprehensive core literacy program implemented across the grades can have.
This short video demonstrates how students at P.K. Yonge were able to navigate online research and take notes using google docs.
Overall, I think their success with these literacy and technology skills really highlights the benefits of programs like Being a Writer for preparing students for digital research and academic success.
What do you notice about students’ sense of ownership of their research projects?
First, they demonstrated seriousness and enthusiasm by actively choosing inventions they were genuinely curious about and then collaboratively deciding with their partners which ones to investigate further.
During the pre-research phase, students took ownership by reflecting on their existing knowledge about the topic and generating their own questions based on their curiosity.
As they progressed, students continued to take ownership of their learning by working closely with their partners to read sources and take meaningful notes, ensuring they were actively involved in the research process. Some of the topics they selected didn’t make this easy—some topics had vast sources of information (e.g., headphones and cell phones) while others were more obscure (e.g., pokemon and stickers).
Get Being a Writer Sample Lessons
Download free Being a Writer sample lessons and the program brochure.
I think the fact that the lessons include opportunities for students to talk about what’s challenging and that the teachers are ready to support students as needed really helps them persevere.
I also feel the students’ commitment to their projects is evident in their efforts to revise and enhance their work with their readers in mind. They cared about their readers and their final powerpoint presentations enough to refine their introductions and conclusions, and select and incorporate relevant graphics into their final PowerPoint presentations.
What else have you observed about this unit?
One thing that stands out to me is the support for teachers in helping students not only learn how to write expository nonfiction texts but more importantly to care about it. I don’t remember ever being excited about writing a report when I was in school. I also don’t remember being taught how to research, take notes, or craft a text that would interest my readers.
Even more remarkable is the fact that these 10 year olds are able to do this challenging and serious work with a partner and almost entirely using digital tools and devices.
Even more remarkable is the fact that these 10 year olds are able to do this challenging and serious work with a partner and almost entirely using digital tools and devices.
Seeing teachers experience this kind of success brings me such joy. I’ve never seen teachers work harder than they do now nor in more challenging situations. Yet, teaching with programs like Being a Writer builds their confidence, enhances their expertise, and leaves them feeling that they’ve reached their goals for student learning.
This unit also gives us a model for how to integrate literacy, content, and technology into instruction across the day. The structure and design of the unit would be perfect for teachers to use with science or social studies topics. Students would learn the content and get more practice with research, note taking, and report writing.
Student Engagement
I continue to reflect on and be impressed by the high level of student engagement during the unit—with partners, the instruction, and their chosen topics. Students were eager to learn about their chosen topics so they could share their knowledge with others. Seeing students so passionate and committed to their learning is incredibly fulfilling as an educator. It exemplifies the level of ownership and enthusiasm we aim to cultivate in our classrooms, where students are empowered to take charge of their learning and succeed through collaborative efforts and personal investment in their work. Teaching lessons in this unit myself—and observing the P.K. Yonge teachers as they taught the lessons—reaffirms for me that we are all at our best when we have a strong curriculum to work from.
Related:
Read the first blog in the series: P.K. Yonge School Previews the New Being a Writer, Third Edition