Read Alouds to Support Writing
READ ALOUDS TO SUPPORT WRITING
Please note that many of the picture books indicated in the following lists may be used in more than one text form or element of writing. The picture books are not exclusive to the elements or text forms as presented.
READ ALOUDS TO SUPPORT WRITING
WRITING ELEMENTS / TRAITS READ ALOUDS
IDEAS / CONTENT
This element lays the foundation for the other aspects of the students’ writing and is addressed during the planning stage of the writing process. Through this element, the students learn to develop and organize their ideas clearly. Students identify topics about which they have prior knowledge and investigate topics further by conducting research. The students’ writing contains interesting, relevant, specific details which reflect the writer’s purpose.
Read Alouds to support the students’ understanding of and appreciation for the ideas and content in writing are:
Apple Picking Time by Michele Benoit Slawson
The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew It Was None of His Own Business by Werner Holzworth and Wolf Erlbruch
No Nap by Eve Bunting
Edwinna the Emu by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan
Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail
ORGANIZATION
Effective writing has a logical order and sequence with a clear purpose. Writing that displays this element guides the reader through the writing to the main point. The writing includes an introduction that captures the reader’s attention and causes the reader to think. Organization is used to guide the writing of the first draft and is evaluated during the revision step of the writing process.
Read Alouds that model well organized text are:
The Orphan Boy by Tololwa M. Mollel
What Are You So Grumpy About? by Tom Lichtenheld
You Are Special by Max Lucado
God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
What Do Authors Do? by Eileen Christelow
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon Jones
I Love Going Through This Book by Robert Burleigh
Old Henry by Joan W. Blos
VOICE
This element focuses specifically on a writer’s individual style. The writing sounds like the person who wrote it and contains a natural rhythm. Authors write from their thoughts and feelings and, as a result, the author’s personality comes through in writing. Thus, the reader is able to connect with the author. The author’s voice may also be projected through the illustrations.
Read Alouds that will inspire students to write with voice are:
The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting
The Terrible Underpants by Kaz Cooke
Goodnight Opus by Berkeley Breathed
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Body Battles by Rita Golden Gelman
Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk
Courage by Bernard Waber
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
The Little Red Hen (Makes Pizza) by Philemon Sturges
WORD CHOICE
When writers use strong visual imagery and descriptive language, the reader will understand and want to read the writing. Writers learn to use specific words to say exactly what they want to communicate. The use of action words, descriptive nouns and adjectives help the writer become more familiar with the language. An effective writer uses words that sound natural and add to the meaning of the writing.
Read Alouds that can help students develop an appreciation for the use of precise, colourful words in their writing are:
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
Tough Borris by Mem Fox
Old Hushwing by Alan Brown
Animalia by Graeme Base
The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Alphabet Adventure by Audrey Wood
HelloOcean by Pam Munoz Ryan
Moon Rope by Lois Ehlert
SENTENCE FLUENCY
The students continue their exploration of Word Choice in the development of Sentence Fluency. Students experiment with different word patterns and use words to match the mood of their writing. They write clear sentences that make sense varying the sentence length and structure. The writer must make sure that their ideas begin purposefully and connect to one another.
Read Alouds that allow children to hear how authors combine individual sentences to create extended text are:
That Chickadee Feeling by Frank Glew
Night Noises by Mem Fox
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Cloud Dance by Tom Locker
Dream Weaver by Johnathan London
Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe
Joyful Noises: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman
Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins
CONVENTIONS
Through the editing process, students learn about and practice correct forms of conventions such as checking the spelling and grammar, using correct capitalization, including proper punctuation and checking the word usage.
Read Alouds that focus on conventions and may be used to teach specific convention skills are:
Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka
Punctuation Takes a Vacation by Robin Pulver
What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile? by Judy Sierra
Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton
I Saw Your Face by Kwame Dawes
TEXT FORMS READ ALOUDS
NARRATIVE
The narrative is a story that is usually imaginary but may be based on facts. Narratives are stories told in poetry, novels, short stories and picture books.
Read Alouds that may be used to support the Narrative Text Form are:
The Memory String by Eve Bunting
Albert’s Old Shoes by Stephen and Mary Jane Muir
Shy Guy by Gilles Tibo
RECOUNT
This is a retelling of an experience or an event that can be fictional or informational. Diaries, journals, short stories, novels and memoirs are examples of the recount text form.
Read Alouds to demonstrate a Recount are:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
PROCEDURE
This text form lists the steps or actions necessary to do something. Recipes, rule books, directions and maps, instruction manuals, “how to” books and experiments are examples of procedural text form.
Read Alouds to demonstrate this text form are:
Tally O’Malley by Stuart J. Murphy
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor
Mapping Penny’s World by Loreen Leedy
My Basketball Book by Gail Gibbons
PERSUASIVE
The purpose of this text form is to persuade the reader to take a certain action and/or accept a particular point of view.
Read Alouds that demonstrate persuasive text are:
Should There Be Zoos? by Tony Stead
I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orflof
The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
REPORT
This text form conveys information about an event or situation using an organizational structure designed to communicate the main points as effectively as possible. Magazine and newspaper articles, letters and editorials are examples of a report.
A Read Aloud to demonstrate this text form is:
The Night Worker by Kate Banks
EXPLANATION
This text form explains how things work or how they were made.
Read Alouds to support this text form are:
Whose House? by Barbara Seuling
Long Night Moon by Cynthia Rylant
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter by Linda Hayward