• Getting Ready:

A mentor text is a piece of writing that can be used to teach a writer about some aspect of writer’s process or craft.

Writing Trait/Strategy:

Mentor Text Suggestions for assignment:

• nonfiction picture books
• Ranger Rick magazines
• National Geographic for Kids magazines
• Kids Discover magazine
• Historical Fiction books/Chapters

Mentor text criteria (Nia, 1999 and Wood, 1999):

• Picture books and other short pieces are ideal for mentor texts.
• You have read the text and you love it.
• You and your students have talked about the text as readers first.
• You find many things to teach in the text:
  • Ways with words; powerful language
  • Interesting structures
  • Interesting ideas or writing concepts
  • Conventions
• You can imagine talking about the text for a very long time.
• Your entire class can have access to the text.
• Your students can read the text independently or with some support.
• The text is a little more sophisticated than the writing of your best students.
• The text is written by a writer you trust.
• The text is a good example of a particular kind of writing (genre).
• The text is of a genre you are studying.
• It has background information included.
• It reminds you of other texts.

• Watch these videos before you look for mentor text books in the library:

Library Trip: Find the book or article

• Complete the Assignment:

  
  

  

  Mentor Text Assignment -2011.docx
  

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