Define the goal for students

Use concrete triggers to introduce the concept of developing an idea.

• Brighten your ideas: Go from dim to bright with more sentences using the “Bright Ideas Lightbulb.”
• Add supporting “leg” sentences: Hold up each pizza-table idea with sentence “legs” of support.
• Supersize your ideas: Take regular-sized ideas and supersize them with the giant magic straw.
• Pump up your ideas: Create a “full” first draft by breathing related sentences into a balloon.

Adjust your teacher-talk to encourage students to elaborate with developed sentences, not merely detail words.

K: Four Types of Picture Details

GRADE 1: Pump up your writing

GRADE 4: Tables & legs

GRADE 6: Pump up your writing

HIGH SCHOOL: Tables & legs

[20 ways to develop narrative writing]

Although the Retreat session focused on expository and argumentative writing, there are different details to develop in a narrative story. For specific ways to develop narratives, check out our archived article in the Learning Center.

6 ways to develop expository/argumentative writing

• Teach your writers to ask themselves questions and to look for ways to provide the reader with more information.
• For student notebooks, consider utilizing the mini-poster template.
• The student bookmarks make for a quick reminder of the 6 types of details that writers can add to further develop their ideas (color version or black/white version).

Develop ideas via revision (Revising)

• Colorful paragraphs: Secondary version
• Colorful sentences: Primary version
• Sticky dots: Elementary version
• (Story) Surgery: Elementary version, Secondary version
• A-Spot/B-Spot: Elementary version, Secondary version
• Self/Peer-Revision: multiple versions

GRADE 1: Recall & retell using the ABC Chart.

GRADE 7: Pre-write with grocery list.

Graphic organizers to support the pre-writing process:

• Table Top & Legs: Each key point is a table-top idea that needs to be developed with details in supporting “leg” sentences.
• BME + PLUS: Traditional BME graphic organizers tend to produce short writing… +PLUS versions encourage more middle details.
• Web + PLUS: Traditional webs tend to generate listy writing… +PLUS webs include dissected sections for added detail.
• ABC Chart poster: Brainstorm & sort (see blue sticky notes)… +PLUS includes added detail per category (see yellow sticky notes).
• Grocery List +PLUS: After making the initial grocery-list of details… +PLUS includes adding more bullets of related details.
• MEAL Plan: An acronym used by Duke University professors and students.