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You are here: Home / freebies / Mentor Books Boost Writing Workshop
freebies, literacy, writing

Mentor Books Boost Writing Workshop

April 18, 2012

I had so much fun sharing my innovations with you. I actually learned about the concept of mentor texts and genre studies from a Katie Wood Ray workshop I attended several years ago. She inspired me to create a mentor basket of books to help teach writing workshop. Using the mentor texts to teach craft and structure has made such a difference.


I’ve grouped all of my reading and writing workshop units into genres, which I’ve blogged about before. My favorite unit is the fantasy one. We read and write fantasy for nearly four weeks to produce our own picture books. As we read a variety of fantasy picture books, my students really get it! By the time they’re ready to write their own books, the ideas are flowing and they don’t want to stop when time is up each day. If you’re having trouble with writing workshop, I would recommend genre studies 1000%. You can purchase a copy of my fantasy unit in my store to get you started if you need to. After I taught a few genre studies, it was so much easier to plan future ones.

I also learned to weave craft lessons into writing workshop using the mentor books. For example, I use Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel to teach word choice. I usually pull my students back to our meeting area to read the book and do a short lesson. After that, they are off and writing extensions at their desks. The best part is the transfer of these lessons to students’ every day writing. Again, I have craft writing units using mentor texts in my store if you need some to get you started.


Gathering mentor books can take some time (and money!), but you can always borrow them from your library at first. After I figured out which books were my favorites and worked best for our room, I purchased copies so I’d always have them nearby for quick reference during conferences. Be careful though, hunting for mentor books is addicting and I’m always on the look out for more!

You can grab a copy of my mentor book spreadsheet. What are some of your favorite mentor books and how do you use them?

These are some of my favorite writing resources for teachers. They are all on my bookshelf with sticky notes sticking out. That’s the sign of a good book to me!




fantasy genre Katie Wood Ray mentor books mentor texts six traits
by Christi Fultz 

About Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

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Comments

  1. Lori says: April 18, 2012 at 11:20 pm

    Yes, yes, yes to using mentor texts to teach writing! What better way to teach writing than from the "experts" in writing!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

    • Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner says: April 20, 2012 at 12:01 am

      Exactly!

  2. Lori Rosenberg says: April 18, 2012 at 11:51 pm

    Thanks so much for the list!

    Lori (luvyorkies@gmail.com)
    Teaching With Love and Laughter

    • Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner says: April 20, 2012 at 12:01 am

      You're welcome!

  3. louise zirk says: April 19, 2012 at 9:25 pm

    Thanks for sharing your mentor text list. It will definitely help us on our journey.
    louise
    eugenezirk@centurytel.net

    • Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner says: April 20, 2012 at 12:01 am

      I'd love to hear how it goes!

Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

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As an experienced third grade teacher with a Masters in Elementary Education and K-12 reading license, I know educational resources need to be both inviting and engaging to capture students' interests. I am passionate about creating user-friendly resources to help all students learn while saving valuable prep for teachers. Read More…

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Yes // I’m still shocked I said yes to this adve Yes // I’m still shocked I said yes to this adventure on the lake, but looking back at all the memories we’ve made there over the last 15 years made it a much easier yes. 🌊
Small Business Owners // As a reminder, I have a h Small Business Owners // As a reminder, I have a highlight bubble and website especially for creative entrepreneurs, TPT sellers, and tutors with tips to monetize and grow online! Visit the blog for TONS of free guides for beginners AND experienced small businesses. My personal favorite topic is SEO. 😎 design.christifultz.com
DIY Dollhouse // Last year we made Charlotte this DIY Dollhouse // Last year we made Charlotte this under stairs playroom and it turned out so sweet! https://completelychristi.com/2022/03/under-stair-playhouse-makeover.html

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo #homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Blue // That moment when the map turns blue and yo Blue // That moment when the map turns blue and you switch into vacation mode. Thanks for another great week, Lake Erie. We’ll be back.
Memories // It’s not lost on me how quickly the Memories // It’s not lost on me how quickly the days with my kids this little will become memories. Even in the exhausting moments, I am thankful to be their mama.
Marblehead Lighthouse // This is always a favorite Marblehead Lighthouse // This is always a favorite stop when we’re at Lake Erie.
Time Passes // I shared a memory yesterday from th Time Passes // I shared a memory yesterday from the beginning of Ryan’s residency and said time passes no matter how you spend it. There were a lot of challenges in this journey, but there were a lot of sweet moments too.
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