Picturing Writing Time of Day Workshop

Picturing Writing is an innovative, evidence-based approach to teaching writing designed to meet the needs of a wide range of learners. This highly scaffolded, multimodal approach gives students access to visual as well as verbal tools for developing and recording their ideas. Because pictures offer a universal language, Picturing Writing allows students to enter the reading/writing process from a position of strength and enthusiasm. It provides an enticing, alternative pathway into writing for emergent writers, English Learners, and others who struggle with reading and writing.

The foundational Time of Day Unit introduces Artists/Writers Workshop to teachers and students. It teaches the crayon resist painting process and how to read pictures to access detail and description. Participants will be introduced to proven methods to expand vocabulary and create descriptive writing. They will learn how to “make magic” by selecting just the right words (active verbs) to make their paintings appear to “come alive.” The Time of Day Unit is a precursor to narrative writing. It teaches how to develop a sense of setting, how to paint pictures in the reader’s mind, and that when you turn the pages of a book, time passes. As students engage authentically with language and learn how to make their paintings come to life, they come to appreciate the purpose of various parts of speech—in ways that are particularly meaningful to those wishing to perform “The Magic Trick.”

This updated version of the Time of Day Unit teaches 3 genres: descriptive writing, informational writing, and opinion writing. This unit lays the groundwork for more sophisticated Picturing Writing units of study later in the school year.

No previous art experience necessary!