Writing+Activities



1.**__Biography Writing Project:__** This writing activity is centered on the book //Dear Austin Letters from the Underground Railroad//. Students will be writing a diary from the perspective of Levi. The diary will be made for them out of construction and computer paper. I will show them my own diary entry from Jack’s perspective in //Jack and the Beanstalk// to make sure that they understand what I mean by writing from the main character’s point of view. (My diary entry is located behind this sheet)

They will be given these guidelines for their first entry:
 * Label the first page of your diary “Dear Austin Diary”.


 * Turn the page and write the date at the top left corner.


 * Write your first diary entry from Levi’s point of view. Include events from the chapters that you have read so far.

Since //Dear Austin// is a chapter book, this diary will be written in multiple times. I will use these writings to assess the students’ comprehension of the book and inferring abilities.


 * Diary Example: **

September 21, 2011

Dear diary,

The past few days have been crazy. I had to trade in my favorite cow because he won’t produce milk anymore. My mom wanted me to trade him for money, but I traded him for magic beans instead! Well, I planted those beans and the wildest thing happened: they grew into a huge beanstalk overnight. I am planning on climbing to the top of the beanstalk soon. I will write after to let you know what happens!

-Jack 2. **__Persuasive Writing Project:__**

For this writing project, the students will be doing RAFTS. The book that coordinates with this project is //The Underground Railroad//.


 * R**ole: a free slave


 * A**udience: slave


 * F**ormat: invitation


 * T**opic: the Underground Railroad


 * S**trong Verb: persuade

Before beginning the project, read the book to the students so that they can accurately complete the components of the invitation.

The components include:


 * Time
 * Where
 * Why
 * Decorate

In the “why” section of the invitation, the students must persuade the slave to escape on the Underground Railroad.

3.**__Expository Writing Project:__**

The book used for this writing project is //The Underground Railroad.// I have chosen to do two different writing projects from this book because it is crucial that the students fully understand the Underground Railroad. Writings are a fun way to ensure that their needed understanding develops.

An acrostic will be used for this writing project. The students __must__ use the word “slave” to form their own acrostic. Each letter’s explanation must be a complete sentence. If differentiation is needed, you may allow a student to just develop a word for each letter’s explanation, or you could give them a word for each letter and let them develop the sentences.

An example of an Underground Railroad acrostic is located below:


 * __S__**ecret codes were hidden in songs.


 * __L__**aborers were working in the fields picking cotton.


 * __A__**braham Lincoln fought to free slaves.


 * __V__**ermont was a free state.


 * __E__**scape routes were called the Underground Railroad.