A summer of writing may not be what all kids have in mind, but teachers in JUSD’s LEAP (Learning Engages All Possibilities) program used their creativity and love of literacy to help students expand their skills.
At Del Sol Academy, Melaney Watson held a writing workshop that encouraged incoming
fifth and sixth-graders to write and illustrate original stories. Students could draw their illustrations or print images from the computer. More artistically inclined students could pursue a graphic novel over a traditional prose story.
“The goal of the course is to get the kids to enjoy the process, to get them to enjoy the writing,” said Ms. Watson. “To say what they want to say, not writing something that they have to write.”
Ms. Watson used tools such as plot diagrams and personal narrative worksheets to help students nurture their ideas into full-fledged stories featuring a range of genres. Each story was unique and highlighted individual strengths. “It's been really fun to see how broad the scale is of what the kids are coming up with,” shared Ms. Watson.
“My story is about a Big Mac and French Fries, and they're both friends and they go on crazy adventures,” explained incoming sixth-grader Logan Razo, whose fast food illustrations had classmates laughing as he read aloud. The zombie chicken nuggets desperate for “grains” were a particular hit.
Apart from the fun, Logan recognizes the educational benefits of the course: “In sixth grade, there's definitely going to be more challenges in writing, so I feel like this class is going to help me expand,” he shared. Natalia Montano, also an incoming sixth-grader, already loved to tell stories thanks to lessons from her grandmother, but LEAP helped her develop as a writer. “Before I would just do a couple sentences,” said Natalia. “But now… I can write and write and [won’t] lose focus.”
Ms. Watson wants students to feel confident in their writing and beyond, adding, “So that [they know] they're capable of doing anything that they want to do as far as literacy is concerned.”
At Indian Hills Elementary, another Del Sol teacher cultivated younger students' writing abilities. Tony Solis’s workshop helped first and second-graders craft five-star sentences by “covering everything from punctuation to grammar.” The goal was to preload incoming first-graders with writing basics while strengthing what incoming second-graders covered in first grade.
Mr. Solis used group activities to engage students. One activity involved cards featuring a who, what, where, or when. Cards in hand, students organized themselves in a row so that the resulting sentence made the most sense. After a few group examples, Mr. Solis instructed students to choose their own cards and arrange sentences independently. “They can go ahead and assess themselves on the sentences that they're writing,” explained Mr. Solis. “It is just a way where they have ownership.”
By empowering students to take charge of their writing, Ms. Watson and Mr. Solis helped prepare them for another year of Learning Without Limits in JUSD.
