[fiona1]

I need help to come up with new/clever "tricks" to teach the writing process. I saw on a blog to say "Writing is like baking a cake" but it did not elaborate the story to tell as the example. Do you have any analogies or examples that you use to help students grasp the process?
Also, any other suggestions to use as Calkins does to show small moments as Seed vs. Watermelon, details to "make a movie in our minds" etc... would be awesome, too. Thank for any and all help!

[tinkerbelle81]

That cake analogy had to come from her. She uses it in her workshops, and we used it to bring the info back to our teachers.

Show the kids a plain cake, and explain that this is like a beginning, middle, end. It's complete, but it could be somuch better!

The frosting, sprinkles, fruit, etc. (whatever you add) are like the grabber, zinger, and other creative aspects (vivid verbs, hyprebole, etc.)

Her book Writing Superstars has mini-lessons for all of these things, I highly suggest it.

[jrose]

I just attended a workshop that did this with cupcakes. She said that she brought in plain white cupcakes with no icing and then as they added the frosting, sprinkles, and whatever else and said that was like writing. The more times you revise and edit the better the writing will be. I hope that helps!

[fiona1]

Thanks! I'll be using that analogy this week and buying the book!