Writing Workshop

  • Writer's Workshop

     

    Our writing program is called Writer's Workshop. We will complete an average of one unit per month. 

    The routine of our lesson with start with a mini-lesson about a writing skill or strategy. Then, students will have a chance to try the new skill or strategy in their own writing.  Last, one or students will share how they applied the new concept in their writing peice.

     

    Our proposed schedule will be as follows:

     

    September- Launching 

    In this unit, students will be getting acquainted with our workshop routines and expectations.  They will learn how the workshop sounds and looks and how they are expected to perform.

     

    October- Small Moment Narratives

    In this unit, students will be learning to stretch one small moment into a 5 page story.  A focus will be placed on including all tiny details of a brief event.

     

    November- Authors as Mentors

    In this unit, students will be using famous authors as mentors for their own writing.  A focus will be placed on including dialogue, inner thinking, strong verbs and show-don't-tell.

     

    December- Letter Writing

    In this unit, students will be writing personals and persuasive letters.  Students will be expected to include a date, opening, body, closing and signature in each letter. They will also learn to share and request information.

     

    January- Responding to Literature

    In this unit, students will be learning to respond to literature.  Responses will include "I wonder...because...", "I feel...because...", and connections between this book and (1) other books read or (2) real life.

     

    February- All-About Books

    In this unit, students will choose a topic they know a lot about and create an original non-fiction book.

    Books will include a cover page, table of contents page and a glossary.

     

    March- Non-Fiction Writing from Research

    In this unit, students will use what they know from the "All-About Books" Unit to create another non-fiction book. However, in creating this book, students will refer to additional resources to add more facts to their writing.

     

    April-Poetry

    In this unit, students will learn how real poets write: how to gather ideas, how to use figurative language to make the poem come alive, and how to omit unneeded words to increase emotion.

     

    May- Realistic Fiction

    In this unit, students will use real life events and turn them into fiction by changing, or tweaking one part of the story.  For example, a day at the beach may turn into a story about going surfboarding while at the beach- even if surfboarding did not really happen.

     

    June- Writing and Revising our Best Work

    During June, students will have the chance to revisit their previously published pieces and enhance them by adding various author's craft moves we learned thoughout the year.  This may include a more engaging beginning, similes, small actions, etc.