Writer’s Workshop

Non-fictionResearch Unit of

StudyArlene BrownAmy FavreauCharlotte Gillespie

Share with your table…

What do you like about teaching writing?

What are you most comfortable with when teaching writing?

What do you want to learn about Writers’ Workshop?

Writers’ Workshop

Every child needs 50-60 minutes a day for writing and writing instruction

We need to teach children to write texts like other writers write- memoirs, stories, editorials, essays, poems- for an audience of readers, not just the teacher

Writers do not write with words and conventions alone- writers write above all with meaning

Children will invest themselves more in their writing if they are taught to select their own topics and write about subjects that are important to them

Foundations of Writer’s Workshop- Lucy Calkins

Children need to be explicitly taught the skills and strategies of effective writing, and the qualities of good writing

Provide children the opportunity and instruction necessary to cycle through the writing process regularly as they write, rehearse, draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing

Writers read- all sorts of texts

Continued

Minilesson (10 minutes) Independent Writing, Small Guided

Writing Groups, Individual Conferencing (40 minutes)

Sharing ( 10 minutes) Total time- One hour

Components of Writer’s Workshop

Organized Classroom Library Mentor texts are available and displayed Netbooks or other tools for writing Areas for large, small, partner and

independent work Writing center with paper, markers,

crayons, and other materials Children’s writing on display

Classroom Environment in Writer’s Workshop

Components1. Connection- Connect to prior

work2. Teaching- active demonstration

Develop Anchor Charts3. Active Engagement- Practice

for a minute( bring Writer’s Notebook to meeting)

4. Link- Summarize task for students

MinilessonMinilesson

Bring supplies with themSit next to Writing PartnersTeach children Turn and Talk RoutineTeach children how to manage

transitions between listening, talking, and practicing

Keep your minilesson- mini!

Management During Minilesson

Explicit instruction at the beginning of the Writer’s Workshop

Types of Minilessons 1. Craft, Content, and Techniques 2. Strategies and Procedures 3. Skills- Grammar/ Punctuation/ Spelling 4. Procedures and Organization

Minilesson

Making lists Things you care about Experiences Memories Writing more- adding detail Choice words/descriptive language Great beginnings Strong leads Surprising ending Observations One moment in time Voice- Finding your voice Genre studies- personal narrative, informational writing,

biographies, historical fiction, realistic fiction

Minilesson Ideas- Content focused

Spacing Phonetic spelling Verb tenses Use of adverbs and adjectives Use of proper nouns Paragraphing Punctuation Commas and quotation marks Appropriate grammar Use of and Correcting run on sentences Varied sentence structure

Minilesson-Conventions Focus

Anchor charts are tools for students to use during Writers' Workshop and aid children in remembering procedures and expectations.  Charts should be made with the children and added to throughout the year. Anchor charts need to be posted in the classroom where they are easily accessible to students.

Anchor Charts

Students write every day Students use a writer’s notebook and a

folder for organizing writing Students are at different stages of writing Teacher is a coach Teacher meets with students individually

and in small groups Students work independently

Independent Writing

Conferences occur during independent writing time

Teachers work with students individually or in small groups

Students meet with writing partners or in writing groups to discuss writing

Conferring

What are you working on as a writer? What kind of writing are you making? What are you doing to make this piece

of writing work? What do you think of what you’ve done

so far? What will you do next? How will you go about doing that?

Conferring Questions

Take notes during conferences to document students' progress and to plan future mini-lessons. • Listen to students read their entries aloud • Help students decide what they want to say • Provide feedback • Re-teach skills taught during mini lessons • Teach necessary new skills • Reinforce a writer's strengths • Give writers new ways of thinking

Conferring Continued

Sharing time wraps up the workshop

Reinforces the focus of the mini-lesson

Celebration and reflection- What did we learn? Where are we going next? 

   

Sharing

Grammar and conventions are key components of WW and RW

Teachers need to teach grammar skills within the WW and RW block

For example, your mini-lesson could have a specific grammar focus…nouns, verbs, adjectives…which you will have students focus on in their reading and writing

Another example, teaching metaphors, similes, personification- another mini-lesson focus for students

Conferences are key for assessment- notice how students are applying specific grammar focused skills and strategies

Grammar and Conventions

Six traits fits perfectly into the Writer’s Workshop Model

The trait are woven throughout WW lessons

Six Traits

When we open the gates to nonfiction discovery, we open our thinking and expect the unexpected, making reading discoveries, research discoveries, and writing discoveries on our way.

By Stephanie HarveyNon-Fiction Matters

What is Research? How have you done research in the

past?

How have you used nonfiction materials?

Does research have to end with a product?

What tools can you use for Research?

Tools for finding information

Books E-books Data bases Websites Newspapers Videos/audio Magazines Interview Primary sources (original) other

Tools for presenting information

Blogs Formal report Glogster/posters 3D projects Audio/video Web pages Wiki Prezi Voki Other

Research StepsThese strategies are important for any research you need to do….

The Big Six The Super Three

The Big Six- Grade 3- Adult 1. Task Definition

Define the information problem- restate or put in own words Identify information needed

2. Information Seeking Strategies Determine all possible sources Select the best sources

3. Location and Access Locate sources (intellectually and physically) Find information within sources

4. Use of Information Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch) Extract relevant information

5. Synthesis Organize from multiple sources Present the information

6. Evaluation Judge the product (effectiveness) Judge the process (efficiency)

The Super Three- K-21. Plan

What am I supposed to do?What do I need to get the job done?What do I want it to look like when I'm done?

2. DoI must locate the things I will need (books, websites,

materials etc.).I need to ask questions, read, and take notes.I need to use the information I find to create

something.3. Review

Did I do what I was supposed to do? Am I proud of what I've done?Is there something else I should do before I say I am done?

Discuss this with your table How could you use The Big Six or The Super

Three to answer a simple question such as…

What is the habitat of a marmot?

Was this process easy?What is the best way to teach students how to use The Big Six or The Super Three?Share with the group.

Pathways to the Common Core

Pathways to the Common Core Videos

Research Unit of Study Guide Go to http://ms.sau57.libguides.com/research-units-of-study

The Research Unit of Study and Alignment are from this website.Look at The Research Unit of Study Tab, locate your grade level, and familiarize yourself with the Common Core Standards and the I Can Statements that tie in Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop and technology.

Common Core With your grade level team take the I Can statements that were

developed this summer and edited this year…..

Think about a topic or area of study you would like to have your students research.

Would your topic or area of study work with the strategies in the Big Six or Super Three?

What do you want your students to know at the end of the research unit? Keep in mind the big picture goal is to have students understand the process of researching and not necessarily the facts gathered because of the topic?

How are students going to demonstrate their understanding of the research process?

Written document, notes, poster, video, glogster, report…etc… The expectations and outcome will determine the resources you may

choose to access.

Digital Resource ToolsK-2- Independent Resources for our youngest learners

Along with traditional resources…digital tools are easy, fun, and engaging.

Pebble Go- science and social studies data basisBookflix- pairs fiction and nonfiction titlesInteractive e-book with digital writing

Digital Resources Grades 3-5Along with traditional resources…digital tools are easy, fun, and engaging. Power Kids Life Science Earth and Space Science CultureGrams Ebsco- kids search magazine World Book Interactive ebook with digital writing

Gathering and Documenting Research

Note taking Pictures and illustrations Print information and highlight Graphic organizers Note cards Collaborative discussion and sharing

Google Researching Students need direct systematic

instruction in order to access the appropriate materials available on the internet

Options for Google researching… Whole class guided research Small group guided research Individual guided research

Organizing Information and Presentation

Once students have gathered, documented, and discussed their new learning, they need to synthesize and organize their information, and decide how to share and demonstrate their learning.

Traditional Sharing Report Poster Diorama Chart Skit Oral Presentation Game Etc…..

Digital Presentations- K-2 Interactive ebook and digital writing Podcasts Word Cloud- Wordle…etc Video presentation

Arlene will model the different tools and teachers will practice.

Digital Presentations 3-5

Interactive ebook with digital writing Podcasts Word Clouds- Wordle…etc Video presentations Interactive poster-Glogster Slide presentation- Power Point and Prezi Animated Voice Presentation-Voki Movies-

Arlene will model interactive ebooks, Glogster, Voki

Develop Lesson Plan Outline Work with grade level teams to determine a outline

of study…Lessons should include--Intro to Research-Developing topic idea-Introducing databases and ways to collect information-Organizing and Synthesizing Information-Developing presentation- traditional and/or digital-Presenting Information-Evaluating Information