Somebody-Wanted-But-So Strategy + NaNoWriMo Day 22

Well, NaNoWriMo has been going quite well...most days. I mentioned before how I didn't want to work on weekends so I've had to double my word count goal on Monday's and Friday's and those days have proved to be the most challenging.

I missed a couple days too and had fallen behind but luckily I caught up on Friday! I am now at 44, 016 words! Only 5, 984 left to go. I am so excited but I will be honest and say it is probably the worst novel ever written. My plot took turns I never imagined and that I am going to cut the minute December revisions begin. So many times I scrolled up the page to change this or that but was forced to exercise self control and follow the rule of NO EDITING!!

Ace is also pretty close to meeting his goal of 150 words. He's written 107 so far and I am so enjoying his colorful little story that all began with a ball of wax he took home from a candle at church one Sunday. :)

We outlined his story from the beginning using a process that we've used for a long time. I like to play a little game with him called "Somebody Wanted But So". We play it in the car, on walks and especially when we're outlining a story.

This strategy was developed to help children understand plot elements. Somebody introduces the characters; Wanted introduces the plot; But introduces the conflict; and So introduces the resolution.

For Example:

Somebody: Stella, a 7-year old country girl

Wanted: to have the biggest tomato at the county fair

But: she didn't have money to pay the entry fee

So: she got a job weeding her neighbor's garden

This has also been a successful tool in helping to increase his reading comprehension.

Here's a great activity from PBS Kids using the Somebody Wanted But So strategy.