Top 10 Mentor Texts for Writing

Is your class library stocked or are you in the process of building a meaningful library?  There are so many fabulous books to go along with your lessons.  Mentor texts provide your students with an authentic example of the lesson regardless of the subject.  In writing, it can show a type of writing, a specific skill, or how to improve writing.  I am Pam Olivieri with Rockin Resources.  I have a passion for writing and look forward to writing each day with my fourth graders.  I hope they see my excitement!  For each mini lesson, I like to have a mentor text when introducing the lesson.  It is important to show students a quality example of the lessons throughout the writing process- before writing, while writing, as well as revising and editing.

To start off, share an example of the type of writing you expect your students to write.  See two of my favorites:

1.  Narrative Writing-  Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell

2.  Opinion Writing-  I Want an Iguana by Karen Kaufman

3.  Suspense/Climax- Cinderella

One of my favorite mentor texts for narrative writing is Cinderella regardless of the author.  Why?  It has so many narrative writing elements!  See below how I use it to teach Suspense and Climax!  I usually pretend I am on a roller coaster and stop at each action as I retell the story.  The kids love it and ask me to do it again!  The sample slides/posters are taken from Interactive Writing Notebooks.

  

4.  Setting-  Working Cotton by Sherley Anne Williams.  Awesome example!

5.  Developing Character - Rotten Ritchie and the Ultimate Dare by Patricia Polacco.  How does this book show a character developing?  Ritchie teases his sister Trisha about taking ballet. Trisha knows how much work it takes so she challenges Richie to perform in her ballet recital.  Richie agrees, under one condition: Trisha has to join his hockey team for the big game!  Ritchie’s character changes throughout the story as he realizes how difficult it is to perform ballet.  He changes from teasing, belittling and disgusting to being respectful towards his sister's hard work.

6.  Dialogue-  How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long.  You will find many examples to share with your students!

 

7.  Transition Words-  Through Grandpa's Eyes by Patricia Maclatian.

8.  Rockin Beginnings- Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles.  The beginning of this story certainly rocks!  It grabs my student's attention right away.  It begins like this:

“Murderers! You can’t have them all!”

Ruby Lavender leaned out the car window 

and shook her fist. The car lurched to a 

halt in the dirt yard of Peterson’s Egg 

Ranch, and Ruby scrambled out the door. 

She ran in bare feet as fast as she could 

into a dusty sea of chickens—a sea of 

chickens being herded toward their 

death at the chopping block.

Don't you love it?

9.  Word Choice (I call Million Dollar Words)-  I Love You the Purplest by Barbara M. Joossee

I love this part of the story:  The lake slowed its thrashing to a soft, even beat. The mosquitoes dipped low to the water and the water bugs skittered on top. The moon glowed on one side of the lake while the sun shimmered on the other.  WOW!  You can certainly see a picture in your mind!

10. Jammin Conclusions-  Owl Moon by Yolen

You won't be disappointed with this one either!  I hope this helps you in your planning for writing!  Come back and visit for more Top Tens this month!!!!

As always, 

ROCK 'N' WRITE!!!

  

#topten  Written by Pam from Rockin Resources