Writing Workshop Soaring to Success
Harp Elementary School
September 24th, 2004
Writing Standard 4: Process
Students shall employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately.
WritingStandard 5: Purposes, Topics, Forms and AudiencesStudents shall demonstrate competency in writing for a variety of purposes, topics and audiences employing a wide range of forms.
WritingStandard 6:Conventions
Students shall apply knowledge of Standard English conventions in written work.
WritingStandard 7: Craftsmanship
Students shall develop personal style and voice as they approach the craftsmanship of writing.
The Writing Process
What are the benefits of using writing workshop?
Components of Writing Workshop
Writing Sharing Minilessons Reading aloud to children Conferences
Introduce the writing process
Regardless of whether you are teaching first graders or eighth graders, it is important to introduce them to the writing process and to help them learn the activities involved in each stage.
Guidelines for introducing the writing process
Use the writing process terminology. Develop charts listing the stages of the
writing process. Demonstrate the writing process. Keep first writings short. Demonstrate revising and editing activities
in minilessons. Use writing notebooks. Share writing with the class.
Develop a writing notebook
Notebook (3-ring binder ) Appropriate writing paper Black, blue, and red pens, pencils and
pencil holder Yellow highlighter (optional) Sticky notes (optional)
Charts
Stages of the writing process
Activities involved in the writing process
Class Collaborations
Shared writing in which children and the teacher write together.
We Use the Reading and Writing Processes
READING
Make predictions.
Read the book.
Respond by talking, drawing, or writing.
WRITING
Draw a picture or make a cluster.
Write the book.
Share your book in the Author’s Chair.
THE WRITING PROCESS
1. PREWRITING: Gather and organize ideas. 2. DRAFTING: Write a rough draft.3. REVISION: Share your draft in a writing group. Then make at least three changes.4. EDITING: Proofread and correct errors.5. PUBLISHING: Write the final copy and illustrate.
Your Jobs in a Writing Group1. Bring your rough draft and blue revision pen.2. Share your rough draft.3. Talk about your rough draft and listen for
compliments, questions, and suggestions.4. Take notes on your rough draft.5. Make a plan for revising your rough draft. 6. Be a good listener when other people share
their rough drafts.7. Give compliments, ask questions, and make
suggestions about other people’s rough drafts.
Proofreading Reminders
1. Say every word as you proofread.
2. Point with your pencil.
3. Proofread three times:
a. for spelling errors
b. for capitalization and punctuation
c. for homonyms
4. Ask someone else to proofread your paper.
Things to Say in Writing Groups
1. Be polite. Say things that will not hurt anyone’s feelings.
I like…… I got confused when……. Tell me more about… Your writing reminds me of…. Could you try to……
These are important things to say about someone’s writing LEADS DESCRIPTIVE
WORDS DETAILS DIALOGUE EXCITEMENT LOTS OF FACTS ORGANIZATION SETTING COMPARISONS
BEGINNING-MIDDLE-END
$10 WORDS SOUND WORDS CHARACTERS VOICE SEQUENCE REPEATED WORDS POINT OF VIEW PAINTS A PICTURE
How Do I Get Started?
Introduce the idea of writing a group composition and discuss the project.
The students and the teacher write the composition together, moving through the stages of the writing process.
Finally, the composition is published.
The Five-Step Minilesson
Introduce the strategy. Demonstrate the strategy or skill. Provide guided practice using the
strategy or skill. Review the strategy or skill. Apply the strategy or skill.
Teacher Responsibility
Student Responsibility
Modeled Writing
Independent Writing
“What the child is able to accomplish today with the teacher’s assistance she or he will be able to accomplish independently tomorrow.”
Vygotsky, 1978
2 ½ Hour Balanced Literacy Block
8:30-8:45 Arrival 8:45-9:45 Writing Workshop
Read Aloud
Minilesson
Independent Writing Guided Writing Investigations
Sharing
9:45-10:45 Reading WorkshopBook Talk
Minilesson
Independent Reading Guided Reading Literature Study
Sharing
10:45-11:15 Language, Phonics, and Word Study
“The goal of instruction has been achieved when the teacher observes that the children are applying the knowledge of the writing process when writing independently.”
Dorn, 1998
Writing Workshop
Writer Talk
Minilessons
Status of the Class
(5-15 minutes)
Independent Writing
Sharing/Evaluation
(5-10 minutes)
Guided Writing Investigations
Prewriting
Choosing a topic Considering purpose, audience and
form Generating and organizing ideas for
writing
Prewriting
Minilesson: Choosing a Topic
Prewriting
Minilesson: Considering Purpose, Audience and Form
Prewriting
Minilesson: Generating and Organizing Ideas for Writing.
Drafting
Writing a rough draft Writing leads
Drafting
Minilesson: Rough Draft
Drafting
Minilesson: Writing Leads
LEADS
Start with a Question
“Where’s Papa going with that ax?”
Charlotte’s Web
By E.B. White
Lead
Give A Startling Fact.
My dad and I live in an airport.
Fly Away Home
By Eve Bunting
Lead
Begin with Dialogue.
“I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister .”Ramona The Pest
By Beverly Cleary
Lead
Describe a setting.
Annie’s Navajo world was good--a world of rippling sand, of high copper-red bluffs in the distance, of the low mesa near her own snug hogan. The pumpkins were yellow in the cornfield, and the tassels on the corn were turning brown.
ANNIE AND THE OLD ONE by Miska Miles
Lead
Use a Sound.
Ho-dee-hum. It was another day at Sleepy Valley Sloth School, and all the sloths were just hanging around.
Score One for the Slothsby Helen Lester
Revision can be as easy as:
Crossing out and changing a word Drawing arrows where information is to be
moved Cutting and pasting sentences or paragraphs Inserting a caret to indicate that you are
adding a word or words Marking out a word or words that you don’t
want to use
Revising
Minilesson: How to Revise
The conventions of punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling should be taught through application.
Editing
Minilesson: How to Edit
Monitoring of Student Writing
Observing
Conferencing
Collecting Writing Samples
Keeping Records
Observing
One of the richest sources of information is observing children as they read and write.
(Donald Graves 1994)
Conferencing
There is no greater challenge than responding to young writers who are engaged in the messy process of writing.
Collecting Writing Samples
Children select their best pieces of writing from literature studies and themes to place in their portfolios.
Keeping Records
Teachers need to document the data collected through observations and conferences.
Students in grades 2-5 should publish at least 10-12 pieces during the school year.
Primary Literacy Standards
U. S. Department of Education
Publishing
Minilesson: Publishing the Final Copy
Ways to Share Writing
Sit in the “author’s chair” and read to class
Submit writing to a contest Display on a bulletin board Contribute to the local newspaper Make a class book Place in the school library Produce an audio or videotape
Grade Level Discussions
What are the benefits of using the writing process?
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