Using Research to Write Fictional Stories

 

My reading coach handed this book off to me with the intent of encouraging our students to write their own books based off their inquiry circle research.  I read it to the kids and told them what the thought was.  They reacted by saying, "We can't do that.  How do we tell a story and use our research? It's too hard!"  I let them off the hook that day and said maybe we can think of another way to share what they've learned.  In reality I had a sneaky little plan to show them how to write a fictional book based off their research I just didn't tell them what I was up to!

While in our inquiry circles I have been researching octopuses to model my thinking and to work through the process with them.  We have been tracking our thinking all along.  Last week, I told them I wanted all our octopus tracks on one chart.  So we wrote fact after fact.  They were so proud of our research.  The next day we delved into write a story but I eased them in slowly by prompting them with questions.  It naturally flowed after that.  I was amazed by the research they included! Now they are doing their own within their inquiry circle...it's so exciting!!

Here is a document I made to help them along the way, Using Research to Write Fiction (Borders are by From the Pond; Fonts by Fonts for Peas).

The story, Octopus in Trouble, was the story that my class wrote...just genius!