Writing Clinic #3 focused on exemplars last week, and a teacher ALREADY posted the tool made! Having a visual tool to support students’ writing is SO helpful. It’s a guiding light for students as they complete the writing process, and it also provides teaching points for minilessons and small group instruction. Exemplars could be part of the launch of every unit so that there is no doubt what the work of the unit will look like!

Here is this week’s roundup of literacy links for some quick inspiration, tips, and refreshment:

• If I ever return to the classroom (Who am I kidding? WHEN I return to the classroom!), I’ll turn to this post for classroom library ideas!
• ‘Tis the season for “Best Books of 2019”. Here are some of the latest ones:
  • Here Wee Read’s “Best 45 Diverse Children’s Books of 2019 to Read Over and Over Again”
  • Brainpickings’s “Favorite Children’s Books of 2019”
  • Travis Jonker and Mr. Schu’s “Top 20 Books of 2019”
• I love revisiting Colby Sharp’s vlog about helping students set reading goals over break.
• Filing this Edutopia post away for a future unit on writing about reaading: Drawing FTW!
• Charts of the day from Statista – SUCH a great way to incorporate visual literacy!
• Mental health break: Teacher Self-Care Bingo from Teacher 2 Teacher