Minilesson Assignment

(25% of course grade)

Goals

The purposes of this assignment are to

§ practice teaching grammar and mechanics, using a specific methodology (described below)

§ demonstrate your own mastery of grammar and mechanics

Assignment

In a team of two, you will teach a minilesson on an assigned topic, using a very specific methodology advocated in this course. You may decide between the two of you how to divvy up the workload, but both of you need to be actively involved in the workshop that follows your minilesson.

Requirements:

1. Pre-Conference

Schedule a conference with me one week to 24 hours before teaching your minilesson. Come prepared to show me your mentor texts and your visual aid. This conference is a kind of dry run of your minilesson to make sure your minilesson goes smoothly in class. Feel free to schedule more than one conference if you need to, but all conferences must occur at least 24 hours before you present.

2. Minilesson itself

Begin with your mentor texts--texts that use the concept correctly and effectively. Your texts may be from professional nonfiction writing (such as in magazines or newspapers), our blogs, and/or student writing in our Course Pack. Please use enough of the text (i.e., a paragraph) to show us the context. Have the concept highlighted in the mentor texts and ask if we can explain why these examples are correct or effective or not. Do give us a chance to identify the concept or problem and then explain the concept ourselves. Do not read the rule or definition from the book at any point in your minilesson or visual aid discussion. Then--and only then--mix up correct and incorrect examples and borderline examples, to see if we're getting important distinctions or not. This part of the minilesson should lead us to determine what exactly causes us, and young writers, trouble.

3. Visual Aid based on Pattern Behind the Error

Then bring your lesson to closure with a visual reminder on the sideboard (or you may put this up before class begins) to illustrate the rule. Do not write the rule, and do not explain everything about the rule--just a visual for the part that seems to give writers trouble. Good examples are the FANBOYS graphic for punctuating compound sentences and the "Chris'" and "its, yours, theirs = his" visuals for apostrophe use.

TIME LIMIT: NO MORE THAN 15 minutes, tops, although some minilessons may run less than 5 minutes. Really.

Due date: check course calendar at www.wsu.edu/~bjmonroe to get your assigned minilesson and due date.

Rubric

Each criterion rated check-plus, check, check-minus, or zero. (Please note: I grade holistically, so these criteria do not carry equal weight necessarily. Generally, teams will receive the same grade, although I will also weigh individual contribution if there's a marked disparity in expertise or effort.)

1. You fully understood the concept yourself—well enough to field all our questions during the minilesson, visual aid discussion, and close-out.

2. You came to the preconference totally prepared and at least 24 hours before you presented.

3. Your mentor/incorrect texts were well selected; your text(s) correctly and adequately illustrated the concept or the problem area; your texts were authentic--not something you pulled out of a handbook.

4. You kept the minilesson and visual aid discussion moving, staying within 5-15-minute time limit.

5. Your visual really was memorable and helpful.

6. You expertly brought the workshop to closure at the right time.