Displaying items by tag: Steve Reifman

The Ultimate Mystery Writing Guide For Kids ($7.99)

 

This PDF guide is designed for children 8-12 years of age who are interested in writing their own mysteries. National Board Certified elementary school teacher and award-winning author Steve Reifman takes young writers step-by-step from the beginning of the writing process to the end and helps them craft stories that keep readers guessing and on the edge of their seats! It doesn’t matter whether students are already seasoned mystery writers or brand new to the genre. This informative 56-page guide promises to take children’s writing skills to the next level.

The guide features:

* Easy-to-follow lessons

* Quality instruction from a National Board Certified teacher and award-winning children's author about all the elements that make mysteries so much fun to read and write!

* Numerous examples from Steve's book Chase Against Time that demonstrate important teaching points

* A focus on valuable writing habits, such as perseverance, pride, and paying attention to detail

* An emphasis on enjoying the writing process and developing a passion for reading and writing

(56 pages)

The guide is divided into four sections.

I. Getting Started
1) What is a Mystery?
2) What is the Crime?
3) Who is the Crime Solver?
4) Collecting Seeds
5) Trying Out Our Ideas
6) Making the Choice

II.Bringing The Characters to Life
7) Three-Dimensional Bone Structure
8) Character Change
9) Character “Back Story”
10) Who Did It?
11) List of Suspects
12) Motives
13) Clues
14) Ruling Out Suspects

III. Adding Other Mystery Elements
15) Hiding Clues
16) Alibis
17) Witnesses
18) Red Herrings
19) Investigation Strategies
20) Setting

IV. Putting it All Together into a Story
21) Story Mountain
22) Chapter Plans
23) Drafting
24) Revising
25) Editing
26) Publishing
27) Reflecting & Celebrating

Note: The lessons in bold letters are essential to this mystery writing process. The other lessons are included to give children an extra challenge and provide them with a more complete writing experience.

The First 30 Days: Start Your School Year with 4 Priorities in Mind

Description

The First 30 Days: Start Your School Year With Four Priorities in Mind is a user-friendly 40-page resource designed to help you get off to a great start as you begin each school year. Giving the following four priorities the time and emphasis they deserve will pay big dividends for you, your students, and their families.

1. Establish procedures, routines, and expectations so students know how to function efficiently and effectively in your classroom. Keep this training period going until performing these routines and procedures becomes second nature for students. Generally, 4-6 weeks will be sufficient.
2. Build a cooperative classroom culture through icebreaking and team-building activities so students feel safe and comfortable and see one another as friends and assets, not rivals.
3. Establish a sense of purpose in your class so students understand why it is important to come to school each day and work hard. Children who understand the many purposes of their learning will behave better, work with greater motivation and enthusiasm, and find greater meaning in their work.
4. Communicate with your students’ families about the new year. Build a sense of excitement, optimism, and possibility as you share your plans for the coming months. Be proactive. Doing so gives you the opportunity to package your ideas and articulate them in the best possible light. Proactive communication increases your credibility, strengthens your voice, and reaffirms your position of leadership.

The chapters bring these priorities to life with a wide variety of activities, strategies, suggestions, and sample pages.

The First 10 Minutes: A Classroom Morning Routine that Reaches and Teaches the Whole Child

Description

A consistent, effective morning routine sets the tone for the upcoming school day and prepares students for high quality learning. In The First 10 Minutes Steve describes a three-part routine that reaches and teaches the whole child. This resource is a user-friendly, 23-page PDF download.

Part 1 introduces the morning check-in, an activity that addresses the affective domain by building a sense of inclusion and mutual caring, strengthening teamwork, increasing class bonding, and helping each child feel acknowledged and valued.

Part 2 features three types of class discussions that focus on moral and character development and emphasize strong work habits and social skills. The goals of these brief conversations are to inspire children to maximize their amazing potential, build a sense of purpose, and increase student motivation to learn and succeed.

Part 3 adds a physical component to this routine that both energizes and de-stresses children to help them achieve an ideal mindset for academic learning. After completing this warm-up routine, students will be calm, relaxed, focused, and confident.