Writing

Writing for week of 9/29

Monday - I'm still working on Revision of the first draft and am focusing on Word Choice. I will read Brave Irene and ask kids to jot great verbs adjectives that they hear. It's pretty short, so you have two choices ... read during writing workshop and have them jot as you read or read it earlier and then copy it and give each group a few pages to highlight. (William Steig books are great for this, but could use many mentor texts.)

Also, I am asking students to begin studying all of the words they got wrong on that initial spelling assessment for a test on Friday. I have copies of a no excuse spelling list that I'm giving out. I'm going to start deducting points when these words are spelled incorrectly.

Wednesday - Revision Lesson on Fluency - underline first word of every sentence, count words in each sentence for variety of length and beginnings.

Thursday - I'm going to hand out the editing checklist -- I typed it up from Julie's handout and it's good, I think. I might highlight only some items for certain students, but I like it. I think I'll add the words to my word wall today and during morning meeting, I'll ask students to write them words in their journal. Then, during the morning meeting, we can play that be a mind reader game as the group activity. Next week, maybe we could start the spelling bee -- I think I am going to give spelling tests for these words to make my students more accountable.

Friday - More seed ideas for starting second personal narrative. - Newsletter for September (can't believe it)

Week of 10/6 - Sandy So, I'm a little behind from where I thought I'd be:)

Here are my next lessons: Mon (10/6) - Now that they've finished their first personal narratives, I want them to write better ones by choosing better topics. REad mentor texts like Eleven, Fletcher short stories like Statue, Name in Gold. I'll make copies for the students (and for you though you probably have them) so that they can start to think about what they like and what they notice. Tues - Generate more seed ideas, choose one, write an entry about what they want the reader to feel/think after reading. I'll start by talking about new ways to get seeds - first times/last times, strong emotions (I like this particularly). Then I want them to generate seeds and nurture it and then start writing. Wed. Better Leads - As I reviewed their initial prompts, only one student wrote about the setting.. so I thought I'd start there. I will also get them to practice writing a lead that isn't a summary. Tues (10/14) - How to paragraph using Roll that Rock... and teach them when you paragraph. Wed - Internal story - p. 109 in Lucy - teach them how to see saw between something happening and then what they're thinking... can show examples of this. Thurs - Story Mountain - Let's talk about this - last year I didn't introduce this until fict. narr, but I liked it. So, it might be a good way to get them to write about an idea where something actually happens of note and it is a good way to build a little suspense and stretch a part. Fri - Slow down the action - We'll try it on the rug - summarizing vs. bit by bi.t. I could walk in the room and they could write about that. Mon (10/20) - Endings again... Again,my students mostly had abrupt/trite endings. I think it would be a good day to explore mentor texts, notice what they do and then have them try it.

I did have the students use the editing checklist and it seemed to work better than others in the past... I'll keep you posted. Also, I haven't done the newsletter yet -- am thinking I might combine sept and oct because I want them to write more personal narratives and we have these short weeks.

In terms of spelling, I did give the spelling test to each student using their personal list and there are a few who still did not get them all right, so they will have to do it again on WEdnesday. In the meanwhile, I plan to use month-month words because they are commonly mispelled word and my students are poor spellers. I would like to explore that Words our Way and do that assessment -- maybe we can look at that this week? 'Hope this helps, Sandy _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WEek of 10/27

On Friday, I modeled slowing down action in my own story. I made a timeline from a seed idea I'd previously written and then picked the part I wanted to slow down and wrote just that part in front of them. Next lessons for the next two weeks: - Adding internal thoughts/internal story -- students need to infuse emotion into their stories. I'll model student sample who is doing it well and then I'll add it into mine. - Revising - I want to show them how I'll revise the piece I wrote in front of them for word choice, better descriptions, sensory details... They are not excited about revision, so I want to show them that even though I wrote a piece, I could still makeit better. - Revising - Paragraphs using roll that rock - haven't done this yet, but they need this. - Revising - voice - Most students are writing with nice voice, but I'd like for several of them to read theirs as a model for those who are telling their stories in the third person or who are leaving out that umph that strong voice lends to stories. I'd like them to come up with a definition for voice. - Revising - transition words. Find a student who is doing this well and model it. Then, you could do that monster feet transition lesson -- I have monster feet and transition word sheets if you'd like to borrow them. This is fun and they like to share them. - Editing - more on complete sentences - my students are struggling, I'm going to play a game with them where they create complete sentences so that they see that they need a complete thought - subject and predicate. - Editing - Proper punctuation/captialization in dialog - I have a sheet for this -- they are doing this all wrong.

For strugglers - I have several students who can't write without Annette or I sitting with them. I am going to change my expectation for them and require them to write less, but write better.

I'm thinking that the week after next, I'd like to have a celebration -- does that make sense? I have to look to see when we start fictional narratives... thought it was Dec... We should plan to do reflections right after the celebration and it would be nice if it was done before p/t conferences.

Additional/non-personal narrative lessons: I want to write some book reviews, so I'm thinking about taking a day to do that. I have the planner Michele gave me and I also have a planner from Bette if you want it. I think the kids could use a little break. Also, I am ready for my kids to start their newsletter. Week of 11/3

Monday: We need to review the Rally Editing and Revising assessment with the whole class. Tues: PD Wed: With conferences coming, this is a good time to meet with students to make sure that all have finished their 2nd/3rd personal narratives. Also, students need to complete the reflection on their writing folders. I am continuing to work on the piece I am writing in front of the class. I do want to do a quick show-don't-tell lesson which I will try to do today. As I meet with students, I want them to show me their coded final copy. I want them to pick their favorite p.n. (some have written 3-4) and then code them to show me where they've done the things we've talked about. Thurs/Fri: I am going to do my newsletter & as they work, I will conitnue to meet with students.