Required Reading As Mentor Text
a mentor text is a book or other media that is used as an example of good writing for students to draw inspiration, to deconstruct form, and to analyze content.
Structure. Theme. Prompt. Ekphrastic.
Structure/ Form
Use the form of the writing as a structure for students to shape their writing.
Here, I also incorporated a madlib type fill in the blank.
Text from the book reads:
Somewhere in Brooklyn, between hearts
That thump, double dutch, and hopscotch
And salty mouths that slurp sweet ice,
A little boy dreams of being a famous artist.
Somewhere in (noun), between (noun)
That (onomatopoeia), (verb), and (verb)
And (adjective) (noun) that (verb) (adjective) (noun),
A (adjective) (noun) dreams of being a famous (noun).
Noun: person, place, thing, or idea
Verb: action
Adjective: a word to describe a noun
Onomatopoeia: a word that describes a sound. I.e. bang, pow, thump
Theme
Use topics found in the text to guide writing.
Create 1-2 discussion questions.
Have the students write their answers to the topic before discussion.
Have a short discussion of the theme/topic to make sure students comprehend the meaning of the topic.
Let them write. Give them an outline for how many lines.
Theme: A Radiant Child
Discussion question (Whole group): What does it mean to be a radiant child in this book? How are you a radiant child?
Write a poem about yourself or another imagined person being a radiant child? (10 lines)
Prompt
Use a line from the book as a line starter or a prompt to direct response.
Prompt derived from the line, “At night, images enchant Jean- Michel’s mind, and he wakes from his dreams to add one more line” (Steptoe).
Directions: Write about a time when you are dreaming of becoming something or accomplishing something. What happens after you have that dream? How do you make it come true?
Use the sentence starter: I wake up from my dreams…
Ekphrastic/ Art
Use the art as for an ekphrastic prompt where the students will write a creative response to the art.
If you have taught poetic devices like metaphor or simile. require their use in the writing.
Pick one of the illustrations from the book as inspiration for your poem.
Example:
Quiet Sundays, I sit with her
Cross over green encompassing peace
Windows frame the soundtrack:
Beeps and foot steps and shouts
Here with her, I am myself
Scattered, illustrated, pieces of me
Litter the floor
-Nakeysha
Click image to access text.
