Mini-Lessons: Write Like a Pro

Lori Elliott

tosaelliott@gmail.com

Developmental Stages of Writing

Scribbling

Letter-Like Symbols to Transition

Strings of Letters to Conventional

Key Characteristics• Students decide what they will

write about.

• A sustained block of time is provided everyday for writing.

• Student Selected and Focused writing takes place.

• Routines, traditions, and rituals are used to orchestrate the workshop.

Structure of the Workshop

Minilesson/Modeling by the teacher

Students Write & Teacher

Conferences with Students

Author’s Chair: Share

Time

Mini-Lessons/Modeling

• Short about 10 minutes.

• Focused on one particular topic.

• Always involve modeling: teacher writing, student samples, books.

Mini-Lessons and Technology• Smart Boards/ Interactive White Boards

• Computers and Projectors

• PowerPoint

Smart Board

Types of Mini-Lessons• Procedural

• Conventional

• Craft

Create a Writer’s Environment• Daily Writer’s Workshop Time

• Postcard Geography: Online project (cyberbee.com)

• Goofy Writing

• Christmas Card Exchange/Thank You notes

• BLOGS

Launch Cycle: Starting the Year• Authority List

FamilyTim, Austin, Ashlyn

Beach Shells, Florida, Gulf Shores, sand

SchoolCentury

Social studies

Map Out a Story

Free Write• Set the timer for 2 minutes and model

writing about a topic. Keep writing, don’t worry about it being perfect.

• After the time limit, see what you have. Group ideas together and make a plan for your writing.

• Let’s try it.

This is the scariest thing you will ever see!

What do you do when you face a blank page?• Use your Authority List.

• Use your Maps.

• Use a graphic organizer to get your thoughts together.

• Make a list.

What Can I Write?

Letters

Emails

Thank you note

Story

Get Kids Pumped about Writing• Write everyday.

• Let students choose topics, materials, or forms of writing.

• Mini-Lesson Daily to model good writing.

• Give students ownership by using 3-ring binder notebooks, composition notebooks, or other journals.

• Share the writing with different audiences.

I Need Samples for Modeling

http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/#exp

Use Visuals to Stimulate Writing

Verbs: It’s What You Do• Drive

• Race

• Pass

• Laugh

• Steer

• Turn

• Concentrate

People Places Things

What do you see? What could you smell? Taste? Feel?

Patricia Polacco• http://www.patriciapolacco.com

I would recommend that all new writers keep their stories concise and close to their hearts.

Kevin O’Malley• First you have to come up

with a great idea. You have to let the idea float around in your head for awhile. Most good ideas will stay with you for a least a couple of days. When a new idea pops into my head I usually write it down in a note book. You never know when some bad ideas can be turned into good ones. 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/komalley/

Kate DiCamillo• Writing is seeing. It is paying attention.

• Write

• Rewrite

• Read

• Look

• Listen

• Believe in Yourself http://www.katedicamillo.com/index.html

Connecting Reading and Writing

Melissa Forney

Ralph Fletcher