The Revision Toolbox, Second Edition: Teaching Techniques That Work / Edition 2

by Georgia Heard

Overview

“Students need to be reminded that revision isn’t merely making a few cosmetic changes. Revision is seeing and then reseeing our words and practicing strategies that make a difference in our writing.”
—Georgia Heard

“You mean I have to change my writing?” Georgia Heard frequently hears this question from students as well. “We must welcome young writers into the world of revision,” she writes, “through invitations and tools that make it concrete and tangible.”

With Georgia’s Revision Toolbox, Second Edition, you’ll lead students to see that revision is a natural part of narrative and nonfiction writing. “Students need to be able to bring the tools of revision to writing the way a carpenter comes equipped for a job with a toolbox,” she writes. So Georgia shares three revision toolboxes—structure, words, and voice—each with dozens of teaching ideas and strategies. They’ll help writers:

• re-envision revision as an engaging process, not as a punishment
• craft a piece along the way instead of editing only at the end
• learn and apply revision strategies for work in any genre
• reread their writing with specific revision goals in mind.

This second edition brings Georgia’s lessons and strategies—new and familiar—into the Common Core era with a focus on narrative, informational, and opinion/argument genres. She also includes tools for targeted instruction such as strategic conferences, reproducible planning templates for narrative and essays, and reproducible revision checklists.

“Writing and revision are really one process,” writes Georgia, and her Revision Toolbox, Second Edition, brings them together simply, practically, and elegantly. So the next time you hear a student say, “I like it just the way it is!” they’ll be referring to a final draft.

Preview a sample chapter to see a helpful infographic and examples of Georgia's lessons and strategies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780325056890
Publisher:	Heinemann
Publication date:	03/18/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	152
Sales rank:	449,967
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.32(d)

About the Author

Georgia Heard has taught writing and poetry for over 25 years in urban, rural, and international classrooms. She was the 2023 recipient of NCTE’s prestigious Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her numerous other books for teachers include
Heart Maps, The Revision Toolbox, and Finding the Heart of
Nonfiction. The first edition of Awakening the Heart was heralded as one of “12 Books Every Teacher Should Read” by
Instructor Magazine. Georgia Heard received her M.F.A. in poetry from Columbia University and was a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.

In addition to her Heinemann professional books, Georgia is the coauthor of the professional titles Poetry Lessons to Meet the Common Core Standards and A Place for Wonder, as well as children’s literature such as Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments viii

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 Transforming Our "Revision Vision" 1

Bring Revision and Process to the Forefront of the Writing Workshop 3

Invite Students to Share Their Thoughts About Revision 4

Teach the Purpose of Revision 7

Have Students Revise Writing They're Passionate About 7

Teach Minilessons on Craft and Demonstrate Specific Revision Strategies 8

Expose Students to a Variety of Good Literature Through Mentor Texts 8

Help Students Develop Confidence, Independence, and Stamina as Writers 9

Chapter 2 Revision Nuts and Bolts 10

Writing Center Revision Tools 10

Writing Fast Drafts 11

Revision Partnerships 12

Revision Self-Assessment 13

Tips for Revising Electronically 15

Chapter 3 Deep Reading 16

Getting Perspective 17

Listen to Your Words Bead Out Loud 18

Refresh Your Eyes 18

Large-Scale and Small-Scale Revision 19

Getting into the Habit: Front-End Revising 19

Rereading with Different Lenses 20

The Lens of Focus and Clarity 21

The Lens of a Stranger 22

The Lens is of Language 23

More Rereading Lenses 23

The Lens of Feeling 24

The Lens of Finding Your Rest Writing 24

The Lens of Sound 24

The Lens of So What? 24

The Lens of Sentence Variation 25

Letting Mentor Texts Guide Revision 28

Self-Assessing 29

Paying Attention to That Sinking Feeling 31

Conducting Effective Revision Conferences 31

Deep Reading Strategic Conferences 34

Deep Reading Revision Checklist 35

Chapter 4 Revision Toolboxes 36

Chapter 5 Revision Toolbox: Structure 38

Planning Your Writing: Rehearsing Orally 39

Revision Lesson: Thinking Out Loud 39

Revising to Find a Focus 40

Revision Lesson: Finding Focus in Informative or Explanatory Writing 40

Revision Lesson: Finding Focus in Persuasive or Opinion Essays 41

Revision Lesson: Finding and Elaborating the Heart of a Narrative 41

Webbing 43

Revision Lesson: Creating a Web 44

Constructing a Blueprint 45

Revision Lesson: Building a Story Mountain for Narrative Writing 46

Revision Lesson: Creating a Template for Opinion or Persuasive Writing 47

Revision Lesson: Creating a Template for Informative or Explanatory Writing 48

Revising Toward Unity 52

Revision Lesson: Checking for Consistency 52

Organizing a Parade of Actions, Facts, and Ideas 53

Playing with Time 54

Revision Lessons: Strategies for Revising Time 54

Opening the Front Door: The Lead or Introduction 56

Revision Lesson: Writing Compelling Leads 58

Rearranging the Furniture: Cutting and Taping 59

Revision Lesson: Rearranging Words 60

Revision Lesson: Adding Details, Evidence, and Facts 60

Leaving the House: The Ending 60

Revision Lessons: Creating Satisfying Endings 61

Structure Strategic Conferences 64

Structure Revision Checklist 65

Chapter 6 Revision Toolbox: Words 66

Word Treasures: Word Collections 67

Revision Lesson: Gathering Words 68

What Word Revision Looks Like 68

Revision Lesson: Looking at Word Revision 68

Specificity of Words 71

Cracking Open Words: Elaboration 72

Revision Lesson: Cracking Open Words in Any Genre 72

Revision Lessons: Elaborating in Narrative Writing 74

Revision Lesson: Elaborating in Persuasive and Opinion Essays 82

Revision Lesson: Elaborating in Informative or Explanatory Writing 82

Verbs: The Engines of Sentences 84

Revision Lesson: Choosing Specific Verbs in Any Genre 85

Revision Lesson: Selecting Verbs for Narrative Writing 87

Revision Lesson: Selecting Verbs for Persuasive and Opinion Essays 88

Revision Lesson: Selecting Verbs for Informative or Explanatory Writing 89

Nouns: The Wheels of Sentences 90

Revision Lesson: Choosing Specific Nouns 90

Revising Word Choice: Denotation and Connotation 91

Revision Lesson: Paying Attention to Denotation and Connotation 91

Sentence Variation and Fluency 92

Revision Lesson: Combining and Tightening Sentences 95

Partnership Revision Questions 96

Revision Lesson: Revising with Peers 96

A Yard Sale for Extra Words 97

Revision Lesson: Getting Rid of Extra Words 98

Word Strategic Conferences 100

Word Revision Checklist 102

Chapter 7 Revision Toolbox: Voice 103

Letting Purpose and Audience Drive Voice 105

Speaking to Someone Who Is Really There 105

Revision Lesson: Speaking to Your Rest Friend 106

Using a Formal Voice 106

Revision Lesson; Speaking to an Audience 106

Choosing the Right Point of View 107

Revision Lesson: Trying Out Different Points of View 108

Trying Out Different Selves 108

Revision Lesson: Writing with a Mask 108

Inviting a Roomful of Company: Including Effective Dialogue 109

Revision Lesson: Writing Dialogue 110

Revision Lesson: Practicing Your Voice 112

Voice Strategic Conferences 113

Voice Revision Checklist 115

Epilogue 116

Appendixes 117

A Writers' Quotes About Revision 117

B Revision Survey 119

C Peer Conferring Revision Questions 120

D Webbing Template 121

E Story Mountain Template 122

F Essay Template 123

G Sequence Template 124

H Compare-and-Contrast Template 125

I Cause-and-Effect Template 126

J Problem-and-Solution Template 127

K Description Template 128

L Revisions of My Poem "Dragonfly" 129

M Seward's Draft and Lincoln's Revision 132

Works Cited 133

Index 135