WANTED: Willing Writers for Writer’s Workshop Grade Level or Special Area: 4th grade Written by: Monique O’Neill, Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen, Evergreen, CO Length of Unit: 15 lessons, 45-60 minutes throughout the course of the year

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ABSTRACT This unit is meant to complement your writing workshop. It targets specific skills to teach students to improve and enhance their ability to write clearly, descriptively and succinctly. Whenever possible, picture books are used to model the skill being taught.

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OVERVIEW A. Concept Objectives 1. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. (Colorado Model Content Standards for Reading and Writing-Standard 4.2 A) 2. The student will develop an awareness of writing conventions in order to communicate effectively. (Colorado Model Content Standards for Reading and Writing-Standard 5) 3. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. (Colorado Model Content Standard for Reading and Writing-Standard 4.2 C) B. Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence 1. Fourth Grade Language Arts: Writing, Grammar, and Usage (p. 87) a. Writing and Research i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. Know how to gather information from different sources (such as an encyclopedia, magazines, interviews, observations, atlas, online), and write short reports presenting the information in his or her own words, with attention to the following: a) understanding the purpose and audience of the writing b) defining a main idea and sticking to it c) providing an introduction and conclusion d) organizing material in coherent paragraphs e) documenting sources in a rudimentary bibliography iii. Organize material in paragraphs and understand a) how to use a topic sentence b) how to develop a paragraph with examples and details c) that each new paragraph is indented b. Grammar and Usage i. Identify subject and verb in a sentence and understand that they must agree ii. Know the following parts of speech and how they are used: nouns, pronouns, verbs, (action verbs and auxiliary verbs), adjectives (including articles), adverbs, and conjunctions (and, but, or), interjections. iii. Know how to use the following punctuation:

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a) b) C.

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End punctuation: period, question mark, or exclamation point Quotation marks in dialogue

Skill Objectives 1. The students will learn the procedures of Writer’s Workshop. 2. The students will be responsible for putting together and maintaining a writer’s notebook in which to organize their writing. 3. The students will learn the procedures to add to or replace items from their writing portfolio. 4. The students will learn the procedures in which to share their writing with others. 5. The students will learn the procedures to evaluate their own writing. 6. The students will learn the procedures for peer conferences. 7. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes. (Colorado Grade Level Expectations 4.2.A) 8. The students will sort information as it relates to a specific purpose or topic. (Colorado Grade Level Expectation 4.5.E) 9. The students will organize his writing. (Colorado Grade Level Expectations 4.2.B) 10. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. (Colorado Grade Level Expectation 4.5.E) 11. The students will demonstrate knowledge of the four types of character conflict. 12. The students will be able to identify various types of setbacks. 13. The students will write a narrative that shows a character experiencing a setback. 14. The students will know when to create new paragraphs in a piece of writing. 15. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. 16. The students will use his knowledge of grammar to determine the subject and verb in a sentence. 17. The students will reread his own writing with the intent to revise. 18. The students will add details to his writing to provide clarity. 19. The students will delete sentences from a piece of writing that do not maintain focus. 20. The students will move words or sentences within a piece to better provide clarity. 21. The students will substitute words or sentences within a piece of writing to better provide clarity. 22. The students will produce a topic sentence that hooks the reader into the piece of writing. 23. The students will use a variety of ending techniques to conclude a piece of writing. 24. The students will produce a piece of writing that attempts to persuade the reader. 25. The students will edit a piece with the intent to publish the piece.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE A. For Teachers 1. Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide, by Marcia S. Freeman 2. Listen to This: Developing an Ear for Expository, by Marcia S. Freeman 3. Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi: B. For Students 1. Grade 1 Writing, page 24 Core Knowledge Sequence 2. Grade 2 Writing, page 43 Core Knowledge Sequence

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Grade 2 Spelling, Grammar and Usage, page 44 Core Knowledge Sequence Grade 3 Writing, page 66 Core Knowledge Sequence Grade 3 Spelling, Grammar and Usage, page 66 Core Knowledge Sequence

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RESOURCES A. How Writers Work: Finding a Process that Works for You by Ralph Fletcher (Lesson Two) B. A Teeny Tiny Baby by Amy Scwartz (Lesson Three, part one) C. Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon (Lesson Three, part two) D. Pigsty by Mark Teague (Lesson Three, part three) E. Scaredy Mouse by Alan MacDonald (Lesson Four) F. Alexander ad the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (Lesson Four) G. Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson (Lesson Four) H. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood (Lesson Four) I. Any chapter book (Lesson Five) J. Any non-fiction book written to inform (Lesson Six) K. Miss Piggle Wiggle (chapter one) by Betty MacDonald or any book from Appendix CC (Lesson Seven) L. The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle (Lesson Nine) M. Laminated pictures from magazines (Lesson Nine) N. Olivia and The Missing Toy by Ian Falconer (Lesson Fourteen) O. Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague (Lesson Fifteen)

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LESSONS Lesson One: Writer’s Workshop: What’s It All About? (30 minute lessons on three separate days) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) (overview) 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will learn the procedures of Writer’s Workshop. b. The students will be responsible for putting together and maintaining a writer’s notebook in which to organize their writing. c. The students will learn the procedures to add to or replace items from their writing portfolio. d. The students will learn the procedures in which to share their writing with others. e. The students will learn the procedures to evaluate their own writing. f. The students will learn the procedures for peer conferences. B. Materials 1. 2” binder with a plastic sleeve covering (one per student and one for the teacher) 2. 10 notebook dividers (one set per student) 3. Notebook dividers (enough to set apart each student in your class) 4. Three ring lined notebook paper (one package per student) 5. Black Sharpie (one for every group of four children, for writing names on notebooks) 6. Glue

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One plastic crate to hold portfolios Accordion file portfolio (you will need one per student in your class as well as one for yourself, to use as a writing portfolio) *you might solicit a business like Office Max or a law firm to see if they will donate these for you 9. Appendix A: Writer’s Notebook for Day 1 (one set of all three pages per student, *note to teacher-do not copy these back to back) 10. Appendix B: Writer’s Notebook for Day 4 (one per child) 11. Appendix C: Writer’s Workshop Tracking Sheet/Teacher for Day 4 (one per child, pages one and two can be copied back to back) 12. Appendix D: Writer’s Workshop Tracking Sheet/Student for Day 2 (one for teacher’s Writer’s Notebook) *note to teacher-you might wish to make a transparency to show the students how you will use this 13. Appendix E: Portfolio Log Sheet for Day 2 (one per student to put in teacher’s notebook) 14. Appendix F: Portfolio Additions for Day 3 (make one transparency for modeling and make enough copies for each student of both pages, place them in separate files in the portfolio crate; label one folder Portfolio Additions and one folder Portfolio replacements) *note-do not copy back to back 15. Appendix G: Writing Checklist (make enough copies of page one for each student and place in teacher’s notebook; make enough copies per student of page two and put in a file folder in portfolio crate labeled Checklist) 16. Appendix H: Writing Process Icons for Day 2 (one per student-copied back to back and an overhead transparency of each page) 17. Overhead projector for Days 2 and 3 18. One piece of poster board any color to make a class chart for Day 2 19. Different colored chart markers for Day 2 20. Red poster board with a big “no symbol” on it, laminated for Day 4 21. Appendix I: Words not to use in a peer conference (one copy per student; copy on a bright color like red if possible) Key Vocabulary 1. Organization: the way something is planned or arranged 2. Assemble: to put all the parts of something together 3. Author: the writer of a book 4. Publish: to produce and distribute a book 5. Edit: to check a piece of writing for spelling, grammatical, stylistic, and factual mistakes and shorten it if its too long 6. Revise: to change and correct something, often to bring it up-to date 7. Punctuation: the use of periods, commas, and other marks to make the meaning of written material clearer 8. Delete: to remove something from a piece of writing or computer text 9. Engage: to get someone involved 10. Conference: a formal meeting for discussing ideas and opinions 11. Peer: an equal, or a person of the same age Procedures/Activities-Teacher comments throughout this unit will be italicized. 1. *Note to teacher: This lesson is meant to be organizational in nature. It will be necessary to either organize beforehand or with your students their Writer’s Notebook. If you choose to hand it off to a parent have them refer to the layout in page 4 of Appendix A which is all the necessary forms for putting together the notebook. (If you choose to do this read through the following procedures until you get to how we’re using the notebook. Modify the directions to fit your needs).

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** You will need to put together a writer’s notebook for yourself. Place a dividing tab in the notebook for each student, label the tab with their name or with a number if you number your students alphabetically and assign them a number (then you can use the same tabs from year to year). Place a copy of Appendix D at the front of the notebook. Use this to track the means of sharing for your students. When a child has had an opportunity to use the author’s chair or write a classroom chart you can mark them off. This will allow you to look at the list quickly and know who has not had a chance to use author’s chair, then make sure they have an opportunity. Place a copy of Appendix E and Appendix G behind the divider of each student. Add additional rubrics or copies of student work you want to save as you go along. Day1: If you prefer to put the notebook together as a class, here are the procedures in detail. Hand out the complete set of Appendix A to each child along with their Writer’s Notebook and set of 12 notebook dividers. When each child has their materials, begin with the purpose of writer’s workshop, Writer’s Workshop is a time each day where we will pretend we are world famous authors. Authors who become famous have to learn how to write so that their reader always understands what they’re saying and doesn’t fall asleep. You have been learning how to write since you’ve been in kindergarten. This year we’re going to learn even more skills to help us write like real authors. It’s very important that writer’s have a place to store the pieces they are working on. Show me with a thumbs up sign if you like to read chapter books. Wait and look around…. Then say, awesome I love chapter books too! Show me with your fingers how many days you think it takes Mary Pope Osborne to write one of the Magic Tree House Books. Begin to record answers on the board, okay I see that John thinks its three days, etc. Continue to record five-six answers, note if anyone decides years or months instead of days. Then ask how many days they think it took Roald Dahl to write the BFG (note you can choose another author and book title your children might be familiar with, I know third graders at my school read the BFG so I know they have background knowledge of this book). Note five-six answers on the board. Point to one of the answers on the board and say, Raise your hand if you read the BFG in five days, so it’s possible to read a book in five days but is it easier or harder to write a chapter book in five days? Right, it’s much harder! Why? Remember last year when you wrote a piece, you made a first draft and then you changed thing. Your teacher asked you to change things and then you recopied it for a final draft. Did that take you a long time? Yes it did. So put your thumbs up if you would agree that writing takes longer than reading. I agree. Since we know that writing takes longer it’s very important for us to have a safe place to store our writing so that we don’t lose it. I bet Roald Dahl would have been very bummed if he had lost the BFG while he was in the middle of writing it. To keep us organized we are going to assemble our Writer’s Notebooks and once it’s put together I will tell you where we will store them and how we’re going to use them. First, I want you to put your full name in the bottom left corner of your notebook using the black sharpie that is in your group. I want you to take the first page titled Writing Skills I Use and Skills I’m working on. With a pencil write your name in the bottom left corner (full name). Now slip it down into the plastic sleeve on the front corner. Remember I told you I would teach you some new skills to make you write like a pro? Well, we will use this page to record the skills as you get good at them and use them in your writing consistently. It will be neat for you to see all the things you’ve learned throughout the year every

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time you pull out your notebook. The bottom half will be used to keep track of skills that you are trying out but think you need more practice with. This is a good list to have too so we know what we need to work more on. Take the second page marked Topics used, write your name in the bottom left hand corner; now glue it on the left hand side of the front cover, this is where you will write down the topic of a piece of writing and the date you started it and the skills that you’re working on in that piece. You’ll also want to note whether it’s finished or not and what’s left to do. This will help you to remember about a piece of writing from day to day, because remember Roald Dahl didn’t finish The BFG in one day and he might even have started writing Matilda if he was stuck in a spot and wanted to try something new. Writers often have two pieces going at once and it’s important for them to know where both pieces are and what the main target is, as well as what’s left to do. We won’t always publish every piece so some pieces will be finished in different stages. Tomorrow I’m going to tell you what the stages of writing are and then for each piece that we write I will tell you the stage of completion that I want for that piece. That’s what you’ll use this sheet for, it’s a reminder to you each time you open your notebook. We’ll discuss this sheet more the first time we write. Now take the sheet marked Topic Brainstorming and write your name in the bottom left corner and slip it in the plastic sleeve on the back cover of your notebook. We will often make lists to give us ideas of things to write about. We will use this paper to record the topics that we like. Often a writer will have a good idea while they’re out to dinner or at a movie and if they don’t write it down they might forget it. You can pull this paper out of your notebook at any time as long as I am not instructing and write down topics that you think of. Later you can decide whether you want to use that topic or not. We don’t always use every topic we think of but writing it down helps us to have that option and to not forget about it. Now we’re going to label the tabs of our dividers. We will put these in our notebooks so that we can find a section or a piece of writing quickly when we want to work on it. The first tab will be labeled Planning, Draft, Revising, Editing, Publishing, Word Choice, Target Skill Practice, Conventions, and Resources. Write these words on the board for students to copy. Allow time to complete this task and then say, now that you have them all labeled put them inside the three ring section of your binder in this order. We have now completed assembling our Writer’s Notebook. You will keep this notebook in your desk to use throughout the day. We will put every piece of writing we do in this notebook. Soon I’m going to tell you about your Writing portfolio’s and how those work, but sometimes you will take pieces of writing out of your notebook and put it in your portfolio. Tomorrow we will talk about the stage of writing and I will show where to put papers in your notebook during each stage. Day 2: Welcome back to Writer’s Workshop. Who can tell me the purpose of Writer’s Workshop? That’s right, to focus on becoming better writers. Who can tell me the purpose of our Writer’s Notebook? That’s right, we need our notebook to help us organize our writing and to insure that we don’t lose any of our writing. Today we’re going to discuss the steps a writer takes when writing a piece and how our Writer’s Workshop lessons will be conducted. Hand out Appendix H to each student. Put transparency of Appendix H on the overhead. I want to write a story, what should I do first? First I need to think about what I want to write about. A writer thinks about writing in many different

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ways. He might brainstorm a list of topics; remember important facts about something he read, etc. He has to put thoughts in his head about what he’s going to write about. That’s why the light bulb is there on your paper, sometimes writers will use a light bulb to signify that an idea has come to them like a light going on in their head. So this symbol will help you remember that the first step to writing is to think. You will have this in your notebooks to refer to but we are also going to make a big chart to hang so that we can see it. Call on a student to come up and draw the light bulb on the chart. After a writer thinks of their topic and has an idea in their head, what should they do next? That’s right; they should make a plan of how they’re going to organize their writing. This is one of the skills we will be learning this year because there are many different ways to organize writing depending on the purpose of your piece. How many of you have learned the star-dash outline? That is one way to plan a piece of writing. Why do you think it’s important to make a plan for your writing piece? That’s right; this gives you a chance to get down all the important parts of your topic so that you don’t forget to write anything down. It also helps you organize your piece so that you know how you want the piece to flow, this helps you as a writer so that when you start writing you don’t have to stop and think as much, you can refer back to your plan. So put your thumb up if you agree that making a writing plan is important. Okay, since we all agree that making a plan is important where should we keep our plan? Yes, in our Writer’s Notebook. I’m going to count to ten and I want you to pull out your Writer’s Notebook and find the section marked Planning. Ready, go! Count to ten, as you count walk around the room to monitor students finding notebook and the planning section. Guide if needed. Say, if you cannot find your planning section raise your hand or ask a neighbor for help. When everyone has it say, this is the section where you will keep your plans. Sometimes we will make a plan one day and then begin writing the next day so it’s extremely important to put your plan in this section so you can find it the next day. Sometimes we will just make a plan so I can show you how to do different ones, but we may not actually write about it. If you keep it in your planning notebook you can refer back to it and find something to write about later. Call on a student to come up and draw the Planning icon. Okay, as writers we have thought about our topic, we’ve made a plan, what should we do next? That’s right we going to begin to write. This will be our draft, we call it a draft because we know that usually we don’t do everything right the first time. When we finish writing this draft we will keep it in the section of our notebooks called draft. I want everyone to find the draft section, put your thumb up when you have it. I would like (student) to come up to the chart and draw the writing icon for our chart. After student draws on chart say, we said that this piece of writing is our draft and that drafts aren’t perfect, so who knows what we do with our draft next? On the mini poster you have it says we should share it. Why should we share it? When we share a piece of writing with someone we hear it like our reader does. When we write a piece we always want to focus on the reader, but to be a good writer/reader we must be a good listener! We need to learn to listen to ourselves reading our piece of writing out loud. When we do this we discover things that don’t sound right or make sense. We also begin to see the parts of our writing that we do well. Not only should we listen to our own writing but we should listen to and read the writing of others. When we read the writing of others we see what they do well and what they don’t do well. Then we can go back to our

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writing and maybe try some of those techniques or make sure that we don’t do those things. So when we share we read aloud our own writing to ourselves or others. We listen to others writing and we read others writing. Let’s draw the sharing icon on our chart. Wait for a child to do that. The next step of the writing process is to revise our writing. Who knows what revise means? When we revise something we change it. This is the place where you change things in your writing. The most common way to do that is add or delete something. You all know what it means to add something, you give it more. You might need to do that if you didn’t give your reader enough information. What does it mean to delete something? Right, it means to take it out. You might need to take something out of your writing if it’s confusing to your reader, or something we say the same thing twice and that can put our reader to sleep. Our sentences might all sound the same and you need to take words out and add new words to help keep your reader interested. These are ways to revise our piece. Revising is not checking for spelling or punctuation that will come in the next step. When you are working on revising a piece of writing you will put it in the revising section of your notebook. Please find that section, and then check with your neighbor to make sure they know where it is too. Call someone up to draw the revising icon on the chart. The next step is to edit your piece of writing. This means you will check for capitals and end marks as well as commas and spelling. You need to check this stage yourself but then it’s always good to have a friend or I check it as well. All professional writers have a Book Editor that reads their work for those kinds of mistakes. This step is very important because you don’t want to see a book on the shelf of a library that is full of misspelled words. Can you imagine trying to read a book that has no periods, you would never have a chance to catch your breath or think about what the author is telling you? After you have revised your piece by adding or deleting things you will place it in the editing section of your notebook, this tells you that this piece is now ready to be checked for grammatical errors before it can be published. Find the editing section in your notebook. Have someone draw the editing icon on the chart. The last step is to publish your book. Not all of our pieces of writing will get published. When we publish a piece of writing we make it look like a real book. First, we have to recopy it in our best handwriting, if you would like to type it you can. Next, you add any illustrations that you want to help engage your reader. Then give it a title page, a table of contents if necessary, an author page, and a cover. Authors do their best drawing and writing on these pages. Publishing your book can take a few days as you work on typing, illustrations, etc. This is an extremely important time to use your Writer’s Notebook to store the pages as you finish them in your Publishing section. It would be a shame to lose a piece of writing at this point. Locate the publishing section of your notebook right now. Have someone draw the publishing icon on the chart. As we close our Writer’s Workshop for the day it’s important for us to remember the stages of the Writing Process. When we conference I will ask you what stage a piece of writing is in, then you can set goals for how far you want to get in your piece in a workshop time period. I want you to look at the Writing Process icon page and study the steps in order for 30 seconds. Then I want you to turn the sheet over, see the steps in your mind, and then write them on the back of your paper. Ready, study for thirty seconds, go. Count to thirty or watch the clock, walk around and monitor as students study. At the end of thirty seconds say, now turn your paper and write or draw the steps. Walk around and check as they

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write. Good job I can see you all know the steps, let’s say them together: Think, plan, write, share, revise, edit, publish! Great and where are we going to keep our writing as we go through these stages? In our Writer’s Notebook! (choral response) Day 3: Welcome back to Writer’s Workshop! Let’s review the stages of the Writing Process. Call on different student s to call out the stages. Then say, I can see that you’ve learned the stages of the writing process. We also know where to keep our pieces of writing as we’re working on them. Where is that? The Writer’s Notebook. Right, but what if we have a piece that we think we did a particularly good job on, what should we do with that? Right, we could publish it. But let’s say that I teach you how to make some different writing plans and you have designed one that you especially like. We’re not going to use that plan to write but you still think it’s your best plan ever. How can we keep track of it? People who have a job keep something called a portfolio. They do that so that if someone like their boss asks to see their work they can find it. Or maybe they’re trying to get a new job and they want to have a copy of the really great things they did in their other job. They can refer to their portfolio to show examples of the kind of work they can do. We’re going to keep a portfolio as well so we can show the kinds of work we can do. The portfolios are kept in this crate and you each have one with your number on it (name if you don’t use the number system). Remember I told you that throughout the year I’m going to teach you skills to make your writing better. We will call those Target skills. You will always have a chance to practice the target skills. If you didn’t hit the target on a piece of writing you might not want to save that in your portfolio. Do you think everyone will save the same things in their portfolios? No, they won’t. You get to save what’s important to you. Maybe you hit the target skill but it wasn’t your best handwriting and you know it wasn’t your best handwriting so you don’t want it in your portfolio. Keep it in your Writer’s notebook under target skills. I’m going to show you how to put something in your portfolio. See this stack of papers I have in my hand? (Hold up a piece of your writing to model.) This is a unit that I wrote this summer. It’s pretty thick isn’t it? I’m very proud of this unit. I worked very hard on it so that I could write down all the great ideas I have to teach you to be better writers. I would like to put this in my portfolio. Watch and I’ll show you how to do it. I’m going to walk over to the crate where the portfolios are kept, I’m going to find my portfolio and I’m going to pull it out. Next, I’m going to find the file in the front of the crate that says Portfolio additions. I’m going to pull out a sheet and take it back to my desk to fill out. I’m going to write on this one that is a transparency so you can see me write. You will write on the paper version. Display Appendix F on the overhead. Now I’m going to fill out this form starting with my name. The grading period line helps me to know when you put it in the portfolio; this is the first grading period so I’m going to write a one on this line. For the topic I’m going to put the name of my unit, you would write down the name of the topic of your piece. Now I’m going to write down why I chose this piece. (Write down a reason.) You might write down that you felt you had used your best handwriting ever or that you were proud of the hook you used, etc. Then include the target skills that were involved in the piece and be sure to fill in the section that tells what you learned. (Model filling in each of these blanks.) Now I’m going to take this sheet and staple it to my paper and then put it in my portfolio. I will then put my portfolio back in the crate. Am I going to put every piece I write in my portfolio? No, I’m

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going to save my portfolio for the things I think I did really well. There will be times when I ask you to fill out a paper called a rubric on your writing, if your rubric comes out with high marks that would be something to include in your portfolio. Are there any questions about how to fill out the portfolio sheet? Are there any questions about what should go in your portfolio? Now, there might be times when you want to take something out of your portfolio and replace it with a piece that you think is better, you can do that if you want. If you choose to do that you take out a sheet from the portfolio folder marked Portfolio replacement. Here is a copy of what that form looks like. (Display Appendix F, page 2 on the overhead). You fill this out by answering the questions. Walk the students through the form showing them how to answer. Some reasons for replacing a piece in your portfolio might be that you’ve practiced more on strong verbs and the piece you had in there before for strong verbs isn’t as good as the one you just wrote. You would rather have this one instead. Fill out the form, take out the old piece of writing and put it in your writer’s notebook in the correct section. File the replacement form in your portfolio. Now fill out a portfolio add sheet for the new piece you’re putting in. Okay let’s review what we just discussed regarding portfolios. When can you put something in your portfolio? Right, anytime you want. What do you have to do to put something in your portfolio? Yes, fill out an add sheet, don’t forget to staple it to your piece and then put it in your portfolio. Can you take something out of your portfolio? Yes, but what do you have to do? The most important thing to remember is to put something in its place. If you want to replace a piece how many forms do you fill out? Right, two-the replacement form and the add form. Your portfolio is how you are going to see how good a writer you’re becoming; I’m going to save things in my portfolio throughout the year too. Assess Day 3: Turn to the person on you right and tell them how to add a piece to your portfolio. Now turn to the person on your left and tell them how to replace a piece in your portfolio. Now look at me and tell me who gets to decide what goes in your portfolio? Right, you do! That concludes Writer’s Workshop for the day. Day 4: Welcome back to Writer’s Workshop! This week we are focusing on the pieces of writer’s workshop that are important for us all to know in order to make the most of our writing time. We know how to use our writer’s notebooks, we know the stages of writing and we know that it’s important to collect and save the best pieces of our work in our portfolios. We are almost ready to actually start writing. But before we do that it’s important for all of you to know what to do in case you need help, or you are done with a piece of writing and I’m busy with another student. If that happens I want you to ask a friend and today I’m going to show you how to do that appropriately. Remember the other day I said that it was important to share your writing with other students. We call that sharing a Peer conference. What do we call it? A peer conference. Okay, so what is a peer? Right, a peer is a person of the same age. So who would be (student name)’s peer? Right, you all are (student name’s) peers. What is a conference? A conference is a meeting where people discuss ideas and opinions. So what is a peer conference? Right a meeting of two people who are close to the same age. I’m going to model how we’re going to use peer conferences in our writer’s workshop. I’m going to pretend that my teacher gave me an assignment to draw a picture of myself. (Draw a big Target on the board-three circles of different sizes inside each other and write beside it self-portrait.) I’m putting on my paper

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the target skill-this is my drawing of a target and the skill is to draw a self portrait. By putting this on my paper, I will always remember what the skill I’m shooting for is. I want you to do that on your papers to. Now I’m going to begin. Draw a picture of your self and make something on the picture wrong. For example, draw a picture of your head using colored markers to denote your hair and eye color but give it an animal body. When finished say, I have finished my draft and now I’m ready to share with one of my peers. (Student name) is going to come up and help me with my conference. I’m going to put two chairs facing each other here in front of the room. (Student name) is going to sit in one of the chairs and I’m going to sit in the other, we will sit face to face with our knees touching. Now I’m going to show my picture to (name). The first thing (student) must do is she must pay my work a compliment related to the target skill. Then she can tell one thing she thinks I should do differently to better hit my target skill. Child says one nice thing, if they can’t think of anything prompt them. Does it look my real face, hair color, are the color of my eyes right, etc? Stand up and say, Now (name) is going to tell me one thing that he/she thinks I should change to make my picture better in order to hit the target skill. Now this might be hard for me to hear because I love my picture and I worked really hard on it. But I also know that (student) is my friend and that she cares about helping me become a better writer and is not trying to hurt my feelings. But just to make sure that we don’t hurt each other’s feelings we need to talk about some vocabulary words that are hurtful and not helpful just to make sure we don’t use them. Display red poster board and say I’m going to ask (student) to write any hurtful words on this class chart, we’ll keep it in our room to remind us of words not use during peer conferences. I want you to copy the same words on to your minichart that (student) just passed out, you’ll keep this in your writer’s notebook. You know what this symbol is right? Yes, it means no. Okay, tell me some words that we don’t’ want to use. Elicit responses, like ‘that’s stupid”, “you did it wrong”, “your handwriting’s terrible”, “this is dumb”, etc. Helper should write them on the chart as the students say them. Spend about five minutes on this then say, Okay; now let’s go back to the second part of the peer conference. I’m going to sit back down with (student) and I want her now to tell me one thing to change. Remember, it’s important that she focuses her answer on the target skill not the colors I used or how big I drew it, but what would help me hit the target. You’re looking for a positively stated response like, “The target is a picture of you. You do not have an animal body so I think you can hit the target if you give yourself a human body.” If you need to, prompt an answer like this or model and have child repeat it. Then say, Thank you for your feedback, I see what you mean. It doesn’t really look like me with an animal body. You’re right the target was to draw a picture of myself I’m going to go fix it. Thanks for helping me. Stand up and review what just happened. I practiced a writing skill then I asked a friend to help me peer conference. My peer gave me a compliment first, write on board Compliment first, and then she told me something helpful that I could use to hit the target. Now I’m going to give you a chance to practice a peer conference. The target skill is the same; I want you to draw a picture of yourself on a piece of paper (pass out paper). Don’t spend too much time on it because I’m only going to give you five minutes to draw. I do want you to make something incorrect like your hair color and shape, etc. Make one thing out of place like a wing for an arm, etc. We are focusing on a good peer conference, not being silly. What is

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the target skill everyone? Draw a picture of yourself with one thing out of place. Right, ready set, go! Set timer, walk around to monitor progress. 33. When timer goes off say, now I want you to get knee to knee with someone from your table group, you should be set in 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. Now I want you to take turns, one person will share first while the other gives a compliment and then they state one thing to better hit the target and then you will switch. Walk around and monitor, sit in on some peer conferences. 34. When it appears everyone has had a chance to conference say, now I want you to put your initials in the bottom right hand corner of the paper that you had a peer conference on like this. Have student that conferenced with you come up to the board and put her initials somewhere below the picture in what could be the bottom right corner. Talk about what initials are if needed. Then say, I want you to do this because when this paper goes in my writer’s notebook I might forget who helped me. If I can’t remember what your suggestions were I can come back and ask you to help me again. Now, what if I don’t agree with what my peer told me. Let’s say she told me I should give my picture a human body but I don’t want to, any ideas on what I can do? (Elicit responses.) I can ask another peer to conference with me on my piece or I can ask the teacher to conference with me. In both cases I don’t want to tell the person what has already been said. I’m asking for what we call a second opinion, I want to hear what the new person says on their own without them knowing what has already been said. If they both say the same thing then I know the first person was right and I should fix it, if it’s two peers and they both say something different then you need to ask me. 35. Closure: What’s the most important part of a peer conference? Right, to give a compliment first and then to state positively what can be changed. Also remember to focus on the target skill when you’re making fix-up suggestions. I’m going to give you all a copy of a list of words that are writer’s words so that when you conference you can use words that writers use. I want you to place this sheet in the section of your notebook marked Resources. I also want you to put the next two pages in the resource section. One page is a list of words that fourth graders need to be able to read and write. The other is a list of no excuse words which means these words need to always be spelled correctly-NO EXCUSE. (Hand out Appendix B and C-all pages.) Resources are things that you refer back to when you need them like a dictionary. I want you to put the picture of yourself in the section marked target skills. (monitor) Check with the person next to you to make sure both papers are in the right spot. 36. Assessment Day 4: For homework, I want you each to write five sentences about writer’s workshop. Tell me five things you learned. Please hand that in to me in the morning with your name, date and the target skill (draw target and write next to it, five things I know about Writer’s Workshop) at the top. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Day 1: Walk around and check to see if each notebook is put together correctly. 2. Day 1: Have students check each other’s notebooks. 3. Day 1: Ask why having a writer’s notebook is important. 4. Day 2: As we close our Writer’s Workshop for the day it’s important for us to remember the stages of the Writing Process. When we conference I will ask you what stage a piece of writing is in, then you can set goals for how far you want to get in your piece in a workshop time period. I want you to look at the Writing Process icon page and study the steps in order for 30 seconds. Then I want you to turn the sheet over, see the steps in your mind, and then write them on the back of your paper. Ready, study for thirty seconds, go. Count to thirty or watch the

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clock, walk around and monitor as students study. At the end of thirty seconds say, now turn your paper and write or draw the steps. Walk around and check as they write. Good job I can see you all know the steps, let’s say them together: Think, plan, write, share, revise, edit, publish! Great and where are we going to keep our writing as we go through these stages? In our Writer’s Notebook! (choral response) Day 3: Turn to the person on you right and tell them how to add a piece to your portfolio. Now turn to the person on your left and tell them how to replace a piece in your portfolio. Now look at me and tell me who gets to decide what goes in your portfolio? Right, you do! That concludes Writer’s Workshop for the day. Day 4: For homework, I want you each to write five sentences about writer’s workshop. Tell me five things you learned.

Lesson Two: Brainstorm, Plan and Pre-write (45-60 minute lesson across two days) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research i. Understanding the purpose and audience of the writing ii. Defining a main idea and sticking to it 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes. b. The students will sort information as it relates to a specific purpose or topic. B. Materials 1. How Writers Work: Finding a Process that Works for You by Ralph Fletcher 2. Appendix J: Personal Survey Lesson Two Day 1 (overhead transparency and one copy per student) 3. Overhead Projector 4. Appendix K: List Linking Lesson Two Day 2 (make an overhead transparency) 5. Five different colors of vis-à-vis markers for overhead Lesson Two, Day 2 6. Three different colors of markers per student Lesson Two Day 2 7. Stickers 8. Appendix L: Story Map (one for teacher to make copies when ready) 9. Appendix M: Timeline (one for teacher to make copies when ready) 10. Appendix N: Baseball Web (one for teacher to make copies when ready) 11. Appendix O: Fiction Planner (one for teacher to make copies when ready) 12. Writer’s Notebook (students will need their notebooks for every lesson following this one) 13. Pencil (students will need a pencil for each lesson following this one) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Plan: to work out ahead of time how you will do something 2. Pre-write: the steps you take before you write something 3. Brainstorm: a sudden idea; to get together with a group of people and share ideas on a topic or to solve a problem 4. List: a series of numbers, names or ideas

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Procedures/Activities 1. *Note to teacher: This lesson is meant to begin to teach your students how to brainstorm a list of topics. Then once they have a topic, how to plan, and what to do with that topic. There are many different ways to plan writing: lists, webs, timelines and graphic organizers to name a few (Appendices L-O offer examples of these). I will show you one beginning way to teach students to plan before writing. This is how to make a list of everything you know about a topic. Then, if needed, you can transform that list into a web. For those of you who use Step Up to Writing this step also includes the Star/Dash Outline. I will also give you a list of other activities you can do at the end of this lesson. Teach your children different plans throughout the year depending on the genre you’re teaching. Remember that any time you teach a new way to plan you need to model it and then provide a chance to practice it. 2. Day 1: Lesson: Welcome back to Writer’s Workshop. We have spent a lot of time setting up the procedures for our Workshop. This was important to get us organized. Today we are going to get started in the writing process. I want to see who can remember the first two steps of the writing process. On a piece of paper write down the first two steps. You can draw the icons if it helps you remember, if you’re not sure look at the process map in the resource section of your notebook. Monitor as students write or draw the steps. How many of you think the first step is to write? How many of you think the first step is to think? Right, the first step is to think about a topic or what you know about a certain topic. How many of you think the second step is to edit? No one? Good, the second step is to plan. Many times thinking and planning go together. 3. Today we’re going to talk about those two steps. First, I want to read to you from a book written by a man named Ralph Fletcher. If Mr. Fletcher wrote the book, what do we call him? That’s right we call him an author. That’s the object of our daily writer’s workshop is to help us to learn to write like the pros. So I think it makes sense to read things that the pros have written. In this book, Mr. Fletcher gives advice to people who want to be writers. I’m going to read you the chapters where Mr. Fletcher gives advice about how to get started writing. Then we will discuss his ideas; afterward we’ll try them out. Read Chapters 1-4, (or read a chapter a day throughout the week) the writing is conversational and a fast read. Your students should be able to sit through it and comprehend it. Discuss the important points of each chapter as you finish. 4. When finished say, we have read Mr. Fletcher’s thoughts on what you do before you actually write. I especially like how he asked other authors about what they do to get ready to write. I think finding a good topic is the hardest part. In our writer’s workshop I’m going to let you decide what you want to write about, I will ask you to try out and practice the skills I teach but usually you get to decide how that fits in to your topic. There will be times that I give you a topic but only after I’ve taught you everything you need to know on that topic. For example, I will ask you to write about the American Revolution in history, but only after I’ve taught you about it. The biggest thing I learned from Mr. Fletcher is that authors have to know something and care about what they’re writing about! So here we go, lets’ get started. I’m going to give you a survey that I want you to fill in. This survey will help you to learn al little about yourself. Just put an X next to each item that answers the question. 5. Hand out Appendix J. Model on the overhead transparency of Appendix J as you fill in one too. This will take about five –seven minutes. Talk out loud as you mark your items. Things like: Here in the people section, I’m going to mark

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cousin because I have a cousin that is always doing funny things. Sometime I might want to write about one of the funny things he did. I’m going to write the word funny on top of cousin so I’ll remember that I’m thinking of the cousin that is funny when I look back at this sheet again. Continue this process, encourage students not to check off every item but only those that they know something about and have an interest in writing about them. All students don’t have to be completely finished; you can refer back to this sheet later. Say, now I have some ideas in my head of what I can write about but this list is pretty large. I’m glad I did it because now I have a huge set of ideas but I need to make it more manageable for now. So I’m going to take my topic list out of the back cover of my notebook. I’m going to choose five of my favorite words from this survey and write them on my topic list. I’m going to choose rabbit from the pet list, etc. Model writing this on your list and choose four more. Say, now I want you to write five words from your survey on your list. You don’t need to do anything with the column marked Will I use it or why just yet. We will worry about those later. I just want you to get five topic ideas down for now, use words from your survey. Monitor, give about three minutes to do this then say, who would like to share their topic ideas? Allow a couple of children to share then say, this concludes Writer’s Workshop for today. Tomorrow we will take one of these topics and make a plan from it. Put these topic lists back in your Writer’s Notebook (back cover), put your survey sheets in the section marked plan. You will keep them there so you always have an idea of things that are important to you. Day 2: Welcome back to Writer’s Workshop. Remember yesterday, we worked on the first step to writing which is to think. We filled out a survey that showed some of our interests in order to give us ideas of something to write about. We also listened to an author tell us how he and other fellow authors come up with their topic. Today we’re going to choose a topic and make a plan. Planning is the second step in the writing process. I’m going to choose a topic from the survey I did yesterday. I want you to watch me as I make my plan, then I’ll you ask you to choose a topic and make a plan of your own. In the section on the survey marked pets, I saw the word rabbit. I don’t have a rabbit but I like rabbits so I think today I’ll write about a rabbit. Before you came to school today I listed all the things I knew about rabbits. (Display Appendix K on overhead.) First, I wanted to see if I knew enough about rabbits to write about them. My list is not in any order, I just wrote down things that I knew about rabbits as they popped in my head. From my list, I can see that I know a lot about rabbits. Now I’m going to go back over the list and see if there ideas that are similar or might go together. I’m going to sort my sentences into big ideas, just like we sort objects by color, size, etc. I want you to read through the sentences and see if any of the sentences look like they might together. Think about what the big idea might be. Put your thumb up when you have read all the sentences. Okay, here we go. Lets’ read the first sentence together (everybody reads out loud). What does this sentence tell us about rabbits? That they are mammals. Mammals are a kind of animal, so next to this sentence I’m going to write in small letters, kind of animal. Now I’m going to go down the list of sentences and look for other sentences that relate to mammals or tell me what kind of animal it is. I see a sentence about how baby rabbits are born. This is a characteristic of mammals so I’m going to draw a line using the same color that I the words Kind of animal with, to connect these two sentences. This will help me remember that they should go together.

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(Draw a line connecting the first word of each sentence.) Now are there any other sentences? Yes, Rabbits are warm…is a characteristic of mammals and so it should go with the other two. I’m going to connect it with the other two sentences. (Draw a line connecting the second sentence-baby rabbits with rabbits are warm…) Now do you see any others that tell about mammals or the kind of animal a rabbit is? No, I agree. I don’t think there are any more so let’s move on and see if there’s another category. Let’s read the second sentence together (Rabbits live in burrow…). What does this tell us about rabbits? Yes, it tells us where they live. What is the word we use to explain where an animal lives? Yes, we call it a habitat. So I’m going to take a different color and write the word habitat next to this sentence. I’m using a different color so that I can easily see which sentences go together in the different categories I’m forming. Let’s go through the rest of the sentences and see if there are any other sentences that tell us about the rabbit’s habitat. (Using the color that you wrote the word habitat with, connect the sentences Rabbits live…climate, Rabbits live…desert, Rabbits line….burrows.) Move on to Rabbits eat plants, title it what they eat. Look for connections. Continue with Rabbits have especially long ears, label it what they look like and connect related sentences. Next, is Rabbits change their fur…., label this something like what they can do. Be sure to use a different color for each category. When finished with the list say, what we just did is called list linking. First, I wrote down everything I thought I knew about my topic. This step is called brainstorming. I didn’t worry about whether it all went together or would fit in my story. I just listed things I knew as they popped in my head. You’ll notice my list is not a story, it’s a list. Each sentence is on a different line and I left space in between each line for linking. The next thing we did was to read through a sentence, think about it and determine the big idea or the category we thought it fit into. Then we went through each sentence and linked them to that category. We continued through each sentence until we came up with five categories. Now when I want to write I have my ideas clumped together in categories, this will help me put them together in my piece of writing about rabbits. Now I want you to try. Remember yesterday you wrote down five topics on your topic list (back cover of notebook). I want you to look at this list, it’s on the back cover of your w. notebook. Choose a topic from this list that you think you know a lot about. I want you to begin to list what you know on a piece of your writing paper. I want you to label the top of your paper with the word Practice. In the far right-hand corner I want you to draw a small target, next to the target write list-linking (model this on the board). Your name should be on the top line starting at the left hand margin. When you start your list be sure to write only one sentence on each line, and skip a line in between each new sentence. I’m going to give you seven minutes (specify a time so they’re not writing forever-five to seven sentences will do) to write down as many sentences about your topic as you can. At this point your sentences don’t have to be elaborate but they do have to show what you know. At this point I’m not worried about punctuation or spelling, but your handwriting must be readable by you, me and a peer. Ready go. Walk around and monitor as students write. If someone doesn’t know what to write prompt by asking questions like: What does it eat? What color is it? What color hair does your cousin have, etc. When time is up, give this direction: I can see that you all have written about some sentences about your topic. Now I want you to take out at least three colors (pencils, markers, and crayons, what ever you prefer). I want you to start

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with the first sentence and decide on its category. Write beside it or underneath it the word that fits the category. Then using the same color read through your sentences looking for only that category. Call on a student that you observed had good sentences to read her first one aloud. Then say; now I’m going to ask (student) what category or big idea she thinks this sentence is about. Student answers prompt with questions if needed. Now I want (student) to look through his sentences and see if he can find another one that fits that category. Continue with this until you feel students have an understanding of what to do. Then give them an amount of time that you will allow them to work on linking their sentences. Remind them to use different colors. When time is up, tell students, now we will peer conference to see if we hit the target. When I say go, I want you to find a partner. You’ll take turns as reader and listener. I’m going to give you each a few stickers. As the reader you will state the category or big idea and the state all the sentences that fit in that category. As the listener you will give a thumbs up if all the sentences fit the category and put a sticker on that category. Then the reader will read the next category and sentences until you have gone through them all. The listener will provide a thumbs up sign and a sticker for each category that matches. Then you will switch. If the reader does not hit the target, remember it is the listener’s job to pay a compliment and then give the reader positive advice on how to hit the target. The target is list-linking. That’s all we’re looking for. Ready, Go! Monitor. * Note to teacher: This is a good beginning point for making a plan. You can now transfer list linking into a web or the Step up to Writing Star-Dash outline. The categories are the big ideas and the sentences are the dashes. Making a list first tends to get students writing and thinking instead of trying to think of a big category first and then trying fit things into the category. This way the categories naturally evolve. You also can make a list of things that happened in a time frame for a personal narrative and then they go back and number what happened first, second, etc. Or number what’s most important to least important and can they link any thoughts together. Whatever planning method you use remember that plans for narrative should be linear (a web won’t work) and plans for expository are generally genre specific. Whenever you teach a new planning method give students ample time to practice. In this lesson we are not going on to write, we’re just practicing the method. Ask for a plan occasionally as an assessment of planning and do not expect writing from it, this will tell you which students still need help with planning or pre-writing. Follow-up practice activities: a. Write different words on index cards and place them in a writing center. Students draw a card and make a plan (list-linking, webbing, star-dash, timeline). You can designate the plan you want them to make or they can choose one they like best. They peer conference with someone before they turn it in. b. Write CSAP-type prompts on index cards; attach them to a ring and hang them near your instructional center or space. Once a week, read a prompt out loud (first thing in the morning, at an odd break between specials, right after lunch recess, etc.). Discuss what the prompt is asking. What kind of piece do they want you to write? Is it a personal narrative, is it expository, or is it an imaginative story? Talk about keys words that help you know which kind of writing it is. For example, the prompt is Tell about a time when you helped someone, the words you,

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tell and time are all indicators of a personal narrative (the differences between them are discussed in up coming lessons). Now that they know what kind of story it is, have students make an individual plan for how they would write about that prompt. Or you could make a class plan together. c. Cut out and laminate pictures from magazines. Put these pictures in your writing center or send one home with each child for homework. The students study the picture and develop a plan for writing about the picture. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Day 1: The student completes the survey. 2. Day 1: The student generates a list of five topics from the survey. 3. Day 2: The student chooses a topic from his list of five. 4. Day 2: The student generates and writes a list of all the things he knows about his topic. 5. Day 2: The student links the items in his list into categories, using different colors to draw lines and label for each category.

Lesson Three: I Remember When…….(Personal Narrative) (three sixty minute lessons spread over time) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. understanding the purpose and audience of the writing iii. defining a main idea and sticking to it iv. Identify subject and verb in a sentence and understand that they must agree 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes. b. The students will organize their writing. c. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. B. Materials 1. Choose a book from the booklist of personal narratives on Appendix U ( you will choose a book depending on whether you are teaching part one, two, or three) 2. Appendix P: Two Narratives (one per student and one transparency) 3. Overhead projector 4. Appendix Q: Narrative Shape (overhead transparency) 5. Appendix S: Assisted Listing Technique (one per student) 6. Appendix U: Narrative Booklist (for teacher reference) 7. Appendix V: Transition or Time Words (one per student) 8. Appendix W: Feeling Words (one per student)

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Key Vocabulary 1. Personal: to do with one person only 2. Narrative: a story or an account of something that has happened. 3. Imagination: the ability to create new images or ideas that you have never experienced Procedures/Activities 1. Note to teacher: The object of day one of this lesson is to teach children what a personal narrative is. Most students have been writing about themselves for a while but didn’t know it was called a personal narrative. This is important as you teach students to read prompts in order to determine how to write about them, so this is an important writer’s vocabulary word. If they understand the terms for different pieces of writing then they can determine the organization of the piece. So always use the words narrative and expository. The difference between the two is simple, narrative includes a passage of time and expository is all other types of writing-informative, comparison, opinion, etc. 2. Part 1: Welcome back to Writer’s workshop. In our last lesson we learned how to make a list of all the things we know about a topic. Then we linked those topics into categories. That was step two of the Writing Process. Today we’re going to discuss step three. Who can tell me what step three is? Yes, step three is to write. Before we write it’s important to know that there are two kinds of writing. The first kind of writing is called narrative writing, the second is called expository. Today we’re going to talk about and read books that are examples of narrative writing. (Hand out Appendix P.) 3. There are two kinds of narrative writing. Please refer to the sheet I just gave you and tell me the first kind of narrative writing. Call on student. That’s right the first kind is called personal narrative. Who is the main character of a personal narrative? That’s right, the writer is. The writer refers to themselves as I throughout the story. The setting tells where and when the events took place. There is no plot to this kind of story; it’s just an account of what happened to someone. The ending is extremely important in a personal narrative. Listen to this story and tell me what you think of it. Tell a story about yourself when you were younger but make the ending dull. Something like: When I was young I used to go to work with my dad. He had his own construction company and I loved to ride in the big trucks. Then I would go home and go to sleep. Then say, what did you think? Did you like the end? It was pretty boring, and you’re probably thinking “what was the point of that story, why did she tell it to me?” Now listen to my story again and tell me what you think. T ell the story again, only this time spice up the ending so they understand why you want to remember it and tell it. For example: When I was young I used to go to work with my dad. He had his own construction company and I loved to ride in the big trucks. When I graduated from high school, I moved to Arizona to go to college. I missed being able to go to work with my dad. But every time I passed a big truck I would imagine that my dad and I were in it and I would smile. This reminded me of how much fun I used to have and I didn’t miss my dad so much. What did you think of that ending? I told you why the story was worth telling, because it reminded me of my dad. I also told you what feelings that story gave me. It’s good to end a personal narrative with the feeling that the story gives you, you can also tell what you learned or accomplished. You can also write about an event that didn’t happen to you it happened to someone else. Then you would tell the story using he, she or they as the main character.

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Now I’m going to read you a personal narrative (using your book selection). Note that any narrative will work. You just want a good example written in the first person that shows emotion. Nothing earth shattering has to happen but it should show a passage of time and that it was written by the author because it meant something. After reading, discuss the parts of the narrative. Note things like, the author wrote in the first person, used past tense (discuss tense at length if you need to, this is an important aspect of narratives-the author is telling something that has already happened). What emotion does the author evoke? Also discuss the organization of a narrative, point out about how many pages the beginning is, how many pages the middle is and how many pages the end is. Then say, I read this book to you because it is a good example of a narrative. If we’re going to write like the pros we should examine lots and lots of books written by the pros. A good narrative is written in the first person, what word do we use for that? Yes, we use the word I for the first person. The author in this book told of an event that already happened so she wrote in the past tense. What’s the best way to make a word past tense? Yes, by adding ed to a word it becomes past tense. For example, today I skip rope, yesterday I skipped rope. Brainstorm more if needed. Remember also that the author showed emotion in her story; we got a sense of how the characters were feeling. Note: Begin when you are ready, this may be a day or two later. You may want to read other narratives and point out the parts. Move on to actually writing when you are comfortable that your students understand how to write a narrative. You might also want to spend some time just narrative planning. This is a good time to use the star-dash outline, listing and then putting the list in chronological order, or introducing the story map on Appendix L. The actual writing part may take a few days depending on your students. Students who pick up quickly can write several narratives for practice. Read good narratives to your students throughout the year, asking students to tell you what kind of writing it is. Activity: Now we’re going to try our own personal narrative. Here are the target skills (draw target on the board write these words next to it) first person (writing using I), past tense, beginning-middle-end; your story should have a small beginning –a big middle and a small ending. The middle is where the important things happen. Show transparency of Appendix Q if needed as a visual for the shape of a narrative. It looks like a snake eating a rat, the head is small, the middle is large because the rat’s inside and the tail is small. The last two targets skills are to show emotion and a passing of time. To help you with the passing of time, I’m going to give you a sheet that has transition words on it. Transition words are words like next, after, then, etc. (Hand out Appendix U.) I want you to put this in the resource section of your notebook. I’m also giving you a list of feeling words in case you need them to help you describe how the story made you feel. (Hand out Appendix S.) I also want you to put this in the resource section of your notebook to refer to if you need it. Okay, I think we’re ready. The first thing you do to write your narrative is to think of a good story. I’m going to give everyone a few minutes to think of a story, if you have a story already in your mind begin to think about planning. Be sure to think of the most important part of your story that will be the middle or the rat in the snake. Allow a few minutes to think. Now I want you to get with a partner and sit knee to knee. I want you to tell your partner your story. I want your partner to see if they can determine the rat in your story. You will take turns doing this. Try to leave nothing out of your story but you don’t want it to

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put your partner to sleep either. Students take turns telling their stories to each other. Now that you have told your story out loud I want you to go back to your seat and list all the things you just said to your partner, this will be your plan (give direction based on the plan you want them to use). Once the plan is ready, ask the students to label the top of their paper with the word practice. Remind them of the target skills and ask them to write them at the top of their paper: first person, past tense, beginning-middle-end, emotion, passing time. When a student is finished have them peer conference with someone, the peer is concentrating on determining if the target skills are there. Provide a sticker for each target skill met. If time allows, the child should conference with you next. Focus on evaluation of the target skills not the whole piece. Note: you will be working with narrative writing all year as the students practice other target skills; this is the first step in assuring they know what a narrative is. You can assign a time limit to this narrative such as a week of writer’s workshop to have a finished draft. Teach the revising and editing steps to children as they need them. Students will work at their own pace. Extension, Narrative Two: Note to teacher: Use this lesson when you feel that your students have grasped personal narrative and are ready to write a narrative from a different point of view. Choose a book from the book list that depicts this type of writing. My favorite is Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. Setup the book by telling the children that since they have gotten so good at writing personal narratives they are ready to try writing a narrative from a different point of view. There are many books that are written as a narrative but the writer takes on a different point of view and writes from the eyes of someone or something else. I’m going to read you Stellaluna written by Janell Cannon. I want you to listen carefully to the story, at the end I’m expecting you to tell me who the main character is. This will give you the point of view that the writer decided to take, and then I want you to tell me what the writer had to do to be able to tell this story. Read the story and then ask questions that focus on the point of view and technique that the writer took. Things like: a. Who was the main character of the story? b. What point of view did the writer take? c. What did the writer have to do to write a story about bats? (She had to research and knows about bats.) d. What was the focus in the story? (The life of a little bat) e. What happened in the beginning? f. What happened in the middle? g. What happened at the end? h. Why do you think the writer told us this story? Remember, narratives show emotion or feeling, what were some of the emotions the main character in this story. i. What about this story made it fiction? What about it could have been true? Now that we have discussed this story, I want you to try this type of writing yourself. I want you to think of someone or something (a friend, cousin, animal) that you can write about. First, you need to make a plan, if this is someone or something that you don’t know a lot about you’ll need to research it first. One of the ways is to read books on that thing or animal, you can also talk to people and gather more information that way. Once you’ve made your plan, then start

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writing your story. Are you going to use the word I in this kind of writing? No, you’re not. You can name your character but be sure to tell your reader in the beginning what your character is, an animal or a person. In the middle you want to tell about the main thing that happens to your character. The end should show emotion or what your character has learned. When you’re finished reread your piece to yourself and then peer conference with someone. Okay, here we go. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw a target in the top write corner, your target skills are: beginning, middle, end; past tense, different point of view. Write these words next to the target sign. This will be your practice paper for narrative from a different point of view. Use a separate piece of paper for your plan. Ready go. Give students 20-30 minutes to plan and begin to write. Monitor and conference with individual children. Help get students started if needed. Put out a basket of books that are narratives written from a different point of view for students to look at as needed. This topic will be the focus of writer’s workshop for that week. Have students who finish one narrative try another one. You can put this type of narrative in your listening center. You can also pit out picture of animals that you cut out from a magazine to put in your writing center or to use as a prompt for those having difficulty getting started. Students write about the animal in the picture. Extension Part Three: Refer back to Appendix P (the two narratives) for this lesson; the children should have them in the resource section of their writing folder. Choose a book from Appendix U that is an imaginative story. My favorite is Pigsty by Mark Teague. This book mixes narrative writing and fiction beautifully. When you start reading it you think it’s a true narrative but the author weaves in fiction and imagination and comes up with story that is imaginative and quite funny. Set up the book by telling your students that sometimes narratives combine fact and fiction more than just animals talking to each other. Animals talking works in narratives told from a different point of view without making it fiction because the basic elements or events could have really happened to the main character. Imaginative stories start out like narrative but then combine some events that in no way could really happen to the character. I’m going to read you a story that does just that. I want you to listen carefully to the story; at the end I want you to identify the main character, the elements of the story that could be true, and the elements that are fiction. Read Pigsty or whichever book you’ve chosen. At the end, ask questions such as: a. Who was the main character? b. What elements of the story could be true? c. What elements of the story is fiction? d. Why do you think the author chose to write it this way? e. What person did the author write in, first or third? f. Did the author state the setting, when and where the story took place? g. Was there a problem in the story? After discussing the book direct the students to look at Appendix P. Tell them that the story you just read is a form of narrative called an imaginative story. It still has the elements of a narrative. It has a main character. The story can be written in either the first or the third person; in this case Mr. Teague used the third person. But you can write about yourself and insert fiction into your story. The story tells the setting, when and where it took place. This kind of narrative also has a setback, remember a setback is a problem that the main character

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encounters. The difference with this kind of narrative is that the plot or problem drives the story. That’s what it’s all about. In Pigsty, the problem was that Wendall’s room was so messy his mother called it a pigsty. In an imaginative story the problem drives the story and in the end instead of expressing emotion the character solves the problem. How did Wendall solve the problem in Pigsty? That’s right, he cleaned his room. How many of you liked this story? 19. Today in Writer’s Workshop, I want you to give this type of writing a try. You might go back to a narrative you have written, reread it to yourself and then see where you can insert fiction. Set up a plan for where you will add fiction to your story and then rewrite the story changing it by adding fiction. Or if you prefer, you can start a new narrative piece that either combines fiction and non-fiction or is totally fiction. Take out a piece of paper; label it practice on the top line in the center. In the top right corner, draw a target sign and write these target skills: setting, problem, solution, fiction. Don’t forget to begin with a plan. Walk around and monitor as students get started. 20. Related activities: Put out a basket of books that model this type of writing, direct students to this basket if they need more ideas or modeling. Put out a basket of pictures cut out of magazines to act as prompts if needed. You can also put this type of story in your listening center. Put pictures in your writing center, ask students to write three-five centers that combine fact and fiction. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Students write a personal narrative. 2. Students write a narrative from a different point of view. 3. Students write an imaginative story.

Lesson Four: Setbacks (one lesson 45-60 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will demonstrate knowledge of the four types of character conflict b. The students will be able to identify various types of setbacks c. The students will write a narrative that shows a character experiencing a setback. B. Materials 1. Alexander and Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (character vs. character) 2. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood (character vs. government) 3. Scaredy Mouse by Alan MacDonald (character vs. self) 4. Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson (character vs. nature) 5. Appendix R Setbacks (one overhead transparency, one copy per student) 6. Appendix X (one per student and one overhead transparency) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Setback : something that delays you from making progress toward a goal

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2. Problem: a difficult situation that needs to be figured out nor overcome 3. Solution: the answer to a problem; an explanation 4. Conflict: a serious disagreement; a war or a period of fighting Procedures/Activities 1. Begin by reminding students that they have been learning how to write narratives. In a piece of narrative writing, the main character often experiences a setback. A setback is something that gets in the way of the character meeting his goal. There are several different types of setbacks that a character can face. For example, in Stellaluna the little bat Stellaluna was separated from her mother and didn’t know how to be a bat. Stories also often contain conflict. A conflict is a disagreement or a period of fighting. Many times conflict and setbacks go together in a story. We’re going to talk about both setbacks and conflicts today in writer’s workshop. 2. First we’re going to start with conflict. There are four types of conflict that a character can face. I’m going to hand you out a sheet that we’ll look at and discuss. It will show you the four types of conflict. Hand out Appendix W and display your copy on the overhead. 3. Look at your paper and raise your hand when you can tell me the first type of conflict. Call on student to read the first conflict-character versus character. In this type of conflict the main character has a disagreement or a problem with other characters in the story. In Pigsty, Wendall was having a conflict with his mother because she wanted him to clean his room and he didn’t want to. 4. Raise your hand when you can tell me the second type of conflict. Call on student to read the second type of conflict-character vs. self. In this type of conflict a character is having a disagreement with himself. For example, let’s say your parents are going out and they leave you with a babysitter. Your mom tells you that you need to go to bed at 9:00pm. She forgets to tell the babysitter. The babysitter asks you what time you need to go to bed. You stop and think for a minute because you could say 10:00 and she would never know that your mom really said 9:00. So you’re having a conflict with yourself because you know your mom said 9:00 but you really want to stay up until 10:00. This is an example of a character having a conflict with himself. 5. The third type of conflict is called character versus nature. This type of conflict happens when a character is caught out in a heavy snowstorm or a tornado and must find a way to survive, like in the Magic Tree House Story Twister on Tuesday. 6. The last type of conflict is character vs. government. This conflict happens when a character has a disagreement with a law or the government. The American Revolution is an example of character vs. government. The citizens that came to America from England no longer wanted to be ruled by King George, but King George didn’t want to let them go. This caused a war. 7. Now that we’ve discussed the four types of character conflicts let’s see if you can identify them in a story. I’m going to read you four different stories. Each one is an example of a character conflict. As I’m reading feel free to look at your papers to help you determine which conflict I’m reading about. 8. Read each story; discuss them at the end determining which conflict is depicted. 9. When finished reading all four stories say, now you’ve had a chance to determine the four conflicts a character can have. I want you to find a partner. I want you to name the title of one of the stories we just read, your partner will then state the type of conflict and why. Then you will switch with your partner naming a title and you will name the conflict. Do this until you have each had a chance to state

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two titles and determine two conflicts. I’m going to give you five minutes. Ready, go! 10. Set timer for five minutes, monitor students sharing. 11. At the end of five minutes say, Okay we now know the four types of conflict that a character can have. Now let’s talk about the types of setbacks that can happen to a character. 12. Take your conflict sheet and put it in the resource section of your writer’s notebook. I’m going to give you another paper that will remind you of the types of setbacks a character has. We’ll go through it together and then we will store it our writer’s notebook as well. (Hand out Appendix R and display yours on the over head). The first type of setback a character can have is injury. Now remember a setback is something that gets in the way of a character reaching a goal. If your goal is to win your baseball game on Saturday and you hurt your leg that is a setback due to injury. If you hurt your leg because your brother jumped on it then that is character versus character. If you hurt your leg because you were in a car accident then that is what kind of conflict? Right, character versus nature. Do you see how setbacks and conflicts go together? We’re going to talk about each of these setbacks. Go through each of the setbacks giving brief examples if needed. 13. When finished say, the target for this week’s writer’s workshop is to write a narrative that includes a setback. You can go back to a previous narrative that you’ve written and put in a setback or you can start a new narrative. When you plan be sure that the middle section of your narrative includes your setback, tell me what kind of conflict it is. Label the top of your paper practice and draw your target sign. Label narrative (beginning, middle, and end) and setback. Ready, go. 14. Monitor, conferencing with individual students. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will write a narrative that includes a setback.

Lesson Five: When to Paragraph (one lesson 45-60 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Organize material in paragraphs and understand a) how to use a topic sentence b) how to develop a paragraph with examples and details c) that each new paragraph is indented 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will organize his writing. b. The students will sort information as it relates to a specific topic or purpose. c. The students will know when to create new paragraphs in a piece of writing. B. Materials 1. Any Chapter Book will do for this lesson (choose one you’re reading aloud or that students have already heard)

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Appendix T: When to Paragraph page one or two depending on the one you think your students will like the most (one transparency and one copy per student) 3. Appendix Y: Venn Diagram pictures books vs. Chapter books (overhead transparency) Key Vocabulary 1. Paragraph: a short passage in a piece of writing that begins on a new line and usually is indented; a paragraph is made up of one or more sentences about a single subject or idea Procedures/Activities 1. Note to teacher: This lesson should be taught when you feel that your students are writing narratives long enough to warrant paragraphing. 2. Gather the students around you to begin your writer’s workshop. You have learned to write many different narratives. So far we have used picture books as our models for good writing. Chapter books are also models of good writing. 3. Today we’re going to talk about what it takes to write a chapter. But before we do that, let’s talk about the two books. We’re going to this chart called a Venn diagram to discuss the two kinds of books. Place the transparency on the overhead. In this side of the circle we will write down words that describe picture books, in this side of the circle we will record words that describe only chapter books. In the middle, where the two circles overlap we will record words that describe both books. Elicit responses from the students. Ultimately you want children to point out that chapter book are longer, contain less pictures if any at all, etc. You want the children to be aware of the two types of books and that writer’s choose to write chapter books when they feel they have more to share about a subject or when a story needs more pages to do it justice. 4. When you feel you’ve gotten the point across say, authors choose to write chapter books when they need more space to tell their story or they have a long story to tell. Some of you might like to try writing a chapter book so let’s take a careful look at the chapter book we’re reading as a read aloud. Refer to whatever book you’re currently reading. For the purpose of this lesson I’m going to refer to The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. The Boxcar Children written by Gertrude Chandler Warner is an example of a narrative written in the format of a chapter book. Why do you suppose the author chose to write it as a chapter book? Elicit answers. I agree, I think the author wanted to spend some time telling us about the children and the events that occur in their lives. This particular author wrote many books about the Boxcar children telling us different stories that happened to them. Sometimes when you’re writing a narrative the story gets long and the reader’s eyes tire if you don’t give them a break. One way to give the reader a break is to write in paragraphs. You start a paragraph by indenting it, which means pushing the first word into the right away from the margin. Then the second line wraps around and goes back to the margin. Paragraphs are easy to spot in books because of the indented word. Look at the first page of the Boxcar Children; you will notice that the first word of a paragraph is always indented. An author always indents the first word of a piece of writing. I’m going to pass around the book and I want you to examine the second and third pages noting how many paragraphs you see on the page. 5. Pass around the book, have the children take a quick look just looking for paragraph indenting. Then say, what do you think these two pages would look like if they were not divided into paragraphs? They would look like two pages full of writing. They might be a little scary to a reader, where a reader says,

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“This is just too much. There are too many words on this page. I don’t want to read it.” Then they might put it down and never read it. Paragraphing is an important tool that a writer uses to keep the reader interested in the story. Some of you are writing really long narratives that could be broken up into paragraphs. Today I’m going to teach you the rules to paragraphing. 6. Hand out Appendix T, whichever version you prefer. Display your copy on the overhead. You always start a piece of writing by indenting it. Picture books don’t do this because they’re writing a few sentences on a page and then they go to a new page. But chapter books and longer pieces of writing like you’re doing need to start with indenting. If you take two fingers and line them up to the left side of the margin, that is about the size of indenting that you need. When you go to the next line you write that word right against the margin. So the number one rule to paragraphing is the beginning of your piece. The second rule is to start a new paragraph if you go to a new place in the story. If you start at home and then go to the park, the park scene should be a new paragraph. The third rule to start a new paragraph is if there us a change in action in your piece. For example, your character is playing baseball and then he sits out for awhile and tells the story from the bench. The bench scene needs to be a new paragraph. The fourth rule to paragraphing is if there is a change in time. For example, you start your story telling the reader something that happened in the morning and then you move into what the character did that night. That’s a change in time and needs a new paragraph. The last rule is to start a new paragraph if you have a change in speaker. Every time someone new speaks in a story it needs a new paragraph. You can remember when to paragraph by remembering the word PATS. Place, action, time, speaker, I want you to turn and say those four words to a neighbor. In the word PATS I didn’t include the first rule, what is that? Yes, to always start a new piece with a paragraph, good. Now, I want you to take out a piece of paper and label it practice. The target skill is paragraphs. Please focus this week in your writing on using the rules of paragraphs. You can write about whatever you want but I want to see you trying out paragraphs in your narrative. Let’s get started! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The students will write a narrative that contains paragraphs.

Lesson Six: Moving to Expository: Informational (one lesson 45-60 minutes) A. Daily Objective 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. Know how to gather information from different sources (such as an encyclopedia, magazines, interviews, observations, atlas, online), and write short reports presenting the information in his or her own words, with attention to the following: a) understanding the purpose and audience of the writing 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will organize his writing.

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b. c. B.

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The students will sort information as it relates to a specific purpose or topic. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes.

Materials 1. Any non-fiction book written to inform 2. Appendix Z: page one Expository Planner (one per child and one overhead transparency) 3. Appendix Z: page two Blank Expository Planner (copy many for your class, keep in a spot for students to use as needed) 4. Overhead Projector 5. Vis-a-Marker (four different colors) 6. Large chart paper Key Vocabulary 1. Expository: a type of writing used to explain, inform, or persuade 2. Information: facts and knowledge 3. Non-fiction: writing that is real information about people, events and things Procedures/Activities 1. Gather your students around you. Say, today in writer’s workshop we are going to learn about another type of writing. It’s called expository. What type of writing have we been doing during our writer’s workshops? That’s right, we have been writing narratives. Remember narratives are a story that are either in chronological order or show a passage of time. Expository pieces are written for many reasons but do not show a passage of time. They are written to inform, persuade or give an opinion about an idea. Today we are going to discuss expository writing that is meant to inform the reader about an idea. I’m going to read you a portion of this book about lizards (you read your non-fiction book, this could be related to a science or social studies unit you are studying, for the purpose of this unit I’m going to use Eyes on Nature, Lizards for our dialogue). 2. Read the book to the students, use it as an opportunity to augment your curriculum. The point is to teach students that expository writing, especially informational writing, is meant to teach facts. 3. When finished reading say, was this book a narrative? No, did it show a passage of time? No, it did not. Why did the writer write this book? Yes, I agree he wrote this book to give us facts about lizards. What kind of a book do we call this? Yes, this book is non-fiction. This type of expository writing is non-fiction. It’s meant to give us facts and inform us about lizards. Does this book have any fiction in it? No, it does not. 4. This week in writer’s workshop we’re going to practice writing informational pieces. Before we begin, we’re going to talk about to plan for this type of writing. When the writer decided to write this piece about lizards, do you think he had all of the information in this book already stored in his head? No, probably not. He had to do some research in order to make a complete story. First, though I bet he made a list of all the things he did know about writing and then he sorted the list into categories. This helped him to decide the direction of the book. Then he researched each category to make sure his information was correct. 5. Remember back to the beginning of the year when I was teaching you how to plan your writing and I made a list of all the things I knew about rabbits? That was my informational list about rabbits. Then we sorted those facts about rabbits into categories. That’s what we’re going to do today.

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Take out five colored pencils and I’m going to give you a list of words that have to do with fishing. (Hand out Appendix Y, display your copy on the overhead.) This plan starts with words and not sentences. I wrote down all the words I knew about fishing. Now see these boxes down at the bottom where it says Main Idea. We’re going to sort the words and put them into boxes according to which ones might go together. In the example, you see I have sorted worms, night crawlers and crickets. What do these have to do with fishing? Right, they are all types of bait. So on top of this box I’m going to write the word bait. Now we’re going to choose a colored pencil, and find those words in the list and cross them off. Look for each word and cross it off. Then choose a different color marker. Okay are there any other words that can go in the bait box? No, okay let’s choose a different colored pencil and look at the word next to worms. The word is pole; write it in the bottom left hand box. (Model on the transparency.) What does a pole have to do with fishing? Right, a pole is a piece of equipment that you need to fish with. I’m going to label this box equipment. Now let me know if you see any other words that are equipment? Yes, reel, hook, bobber, sinkers and canoe are all pieces of equipment that use to fish with. Let’s cross those words out so we can see the words we haven’t used. 7. Continue this process until all the words are sorted then way, using a different color for each category. Then say; now I have categories of what I already know about fishing. Remember we learned how to paragraph so each of these categories would be a different paragraph. Now I can research each category to add facts to my piece. I’m going to give you a blank sheet that looks just like this. (Hand out Appendix Y, page two.) I want you to use this plan to fill in words that you already know about your topic. Then I want you to use a different colored pencil to sort your words into categories. From here you will turn this list into a star-dash outline. (If you use Step Up to Writing, please note that instead of this list you can use the baseball web on Appendix N, if you prefer webbing.) 8. After you finish your plan, please conference with a peer or myself and then move on to your writing. Remember this piece has only facts in it, so if you’re unsure about something you want to say please research it. What can you use to research your topic? Ask a child to come up and list on the chart paper all the ways that the students brainstorm to research a topic. Note: you can assign them a topic if you’d like to relate this to history or science. When you’re ready to write label your paper practice, the target skill is information. Any questions? Turn to your neighbor and tell each other what the target skill is for this week. When you both know, put your thumb up. Ready, go! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will write an expository piece that is informative.

Lesson Seven: SED: Specify, Elaborate and Describe (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional practice time) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. b. The student will develop an awareness of writing conventions in order to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87)

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B.

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Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. b. Grammar and Usage: (p.87) i. Know the following parts of speech and how they are used: nouns, pronouns, verbs, (action verbs and auxiliary verbs), adjectives (including articles), adverbs, and conjunctions (and, but, or), interjections. 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. Materials 1. Miss Piggle Wiggle (chapter one) by Betty MacDonald 2. Appendix AA: Tombstone pattern (blown up onto chart paper) 3. colored pencils or markers (one boxed set of at least the original eight colors) 4. Appendix BB: SED (one copy per student) 5. Appendix CC: Bibliography of books that show specificity (one for teacher reference) 6. Blank white paper (one per child) 7. White chalk 8. Three different colors of colored chalk Key Vocabulary 1. Specify: to mention something in an exact way 2. Elaborate: to give more details 3. Describe: to create a picture of something using words 4. Simile: a way of describing something by comparing it to something else 5. Visualize: to picture something or see it in your mind 6. Adjective: a word that describe a noun or a pronoun 7. Adverb: a word used to describe an adjective or a verb ; an adverb tells how, when, where, how often, or how much Procedures/Activities 1. Note to teacher: This lesson is intended to teach students to use detail in their writing. This target skill can be used in either expository or narrative writing. 2. Gather students to your instructional area and say, in our past writer’s workshops we have learned about the two kinds of writing. I want you to turn to your partner and each of you name one of the kinds of writing. Ready, go! 3. Which team would like to tell me the two kinds of writing? You’re looking for expository and narrative as the answer. Right, expository and narrative are the two kinds of writing. How do you know if a piece of writing is a narrative? Right, it shows a passage of time and chronological order. Is it usually fiction or non-fiction? Right, it can be both. When you write a personal narrative, who is the focus of the story? Right, the writer is the focus and writes it in the first person using the word I. 4. Now, let’s talk about expository writing. That’s the kind of writing we did when we wrote our informational pieces. So we have learned about the two types of writing. Everything we write for the rest of the year will be one of these two types of writing. In our writer’s workshop from here until the end of the year, we’re going to focus on learning specific target skills to make our writing better. 5. Today we’re going to focus on something I call SED. Write in big letters on the board S E D in capital letters with white chalk, leaving a little space in

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between each letter. SED is not a real word the way it’s written, instead it’s a word a made up to help us remember these three words. The first word is specify. Write specify going down underneath the s, using one of the pieces of colored chalk. The word specify means to tell something in an exact way. This is an important word for a writer to know because a writer’s purpose if to write so that his reader absolutely understands what he’s writing about. The next word starts with an E, it’s the word elaborate. Elaborate means to give more details about something. If you were sorting words like we did with the fishing words, would you sort the words elaborate and specific together? Yes, saying something in an exact way and then giving more detail is how writers get their readers to understand the story. The last word goes with the D, and that word is describe. If you describe something you give a picture of it using words. When you picture something in your mind you visualize it. That is what the words: specify, elaborate and describe are all about. These are things a writer does so that the reader can visualize the story. You want to be specific when you write. You want to elaborate and give enough details so your reader can see or visualize what you are trying to tell them with your words. I’m going to read a chapter to you from a book that I think is exceptional at providing the reader with so much information that you can’t help but see what is happening in the story. Usually I ask you to just listen when I read but this time I’m going to give you a piece of paper. I want you to take out your colored pencils or markers, you only need eight colors-one for each of the primary colors. As I’m reading I want you to draw a picture to fit the story. I’m going to read from a chapter book not a picture book so I want you to form the picture in your mind and draw it as you think it should look. I will read slowly to give you time to absorb the writing and form your picture. Ready, here we go. This is one of my favorite stories. You’ll see why as you listen. It’s called Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and it’s written by Betty MacDonald. I’m going to read chapter one today, Ms. MacDonald does an excellent job of describing what Mrs. Piggle looks like. I want you to draw her as I read. Read chapter one slowly emphasizing the good description with your voice. Note: If you haven’t read this book, read chapter one before reading it to your students. Take note for yourself of the wonderful use of similes and the way Ms. MacDonald uses adjective to give specificity. When finished, ask the children who would like to share their picture. Allow a few children to share what they drew. Discuss why they drew the things they did. Most likely you’ll get students who picked up pieces of it but didn’t have time to draw it all. That’s okay see if you can elicit all the different pieces the students picked up from the description-like how big is she, what color are her eyes, what color is her hair, what color of clothing does she wear, what does her house look like, etc. Then say, I’m going to reread some of my favorite parts of the story. Read the first paragraph again and then say I love how the author sets up this story. She tells us all the reasons that it’s important for us to know what Mrs. Piggle Wiggle looks like. She knows that the reader will wonder as they’re reading and she says that. She says” I will tell you so you will not interrupt and ask-who is Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and what does she look like?” Ms. MacDonald is telling us why descriptive writing is important. Listen to this description of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle: read on page nine where she describes the hump on her back. Say, these

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sentences are an example of elaboration. Ms. MacDonald didn’t just say she had a hump on her back, she explained what it was and why it was important to her. Now listen to this sentence: read on page 10 second paragraph about Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s eyes and hair. Then say, Ms. MacDonald told us what color Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s hair and eyes are, they are brown. But notice how she told us that her eyes were a sparkly brown. Can we form a picture of that in our minds? What does sparkly mean to you? Right, something shiny, I like how Ms. MacDonald added that because it lets me know that Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s eyes are not a dull brown but they shine. Notice how in that paragraph she goes on to elaborate about her hair. Elaboration is when you tell us more, you don’t just use an adjective attached to a noun, like brown hair. Brown is the adjective describing hair it helps us to know what color it is, but then she went on to tell us how long it is and how the children like to brush it. That is so important is forming a good picture of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Listen to this passage again, read page 11 second paragraph of the description of her house. Focus on the simile of the hose looking like a puppy lying on its back. Explain the description of a simile and how writers use similes to give you a reference point in your mind of what something looks like. There is another simile on page 15 paragraph two, “she got down on her knees creaking like a rusty gate.” Then say, this first chapter of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a great example of SED. It gives us specific examples, elaboration and great description of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and why the children like her. It allowed us to visualize Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. I want you to try to try out SED this week in your writing during writer’s workshop. There are some words though that some children like to use that are not examples of SED. Now that we know about SED I think we should agree to bury these words and never use them again. I have a tombstone here that we can write the words on to remind us which words do not help our reader to visualize what we’re trying to say. I would like (student name) to come up and be our chart recorder of our words. He will write the words on the tombstone. One word I’m thinking of is “cool.” For example, some of you might write I like skate boarding. It is “cool.” Does the word cool give me a picture in my mind? No, so let’s put cool on the tombstone. Now you might choose to use the word cool if you want to refer to something like a drink as being slightly cold, but it still doesn’t give a clear idea of how cold so you’ll want to attach a simile to it. My drink was cool on my tongue the way a raindrop feels when I open my mouth to catch it. That is a much more specific use of the word cool. Continue eliciting responses such as nice, pretty, big, long, beautiful, etc. Each of these words by itself is not specific enough to give someone a picture. People have different ideas about what pretty is, I think a dark cloudy day is pretty but you may not. That’s why we need to bury these words by because themselves they do not describe anything. I think we’re ready to begin our writing portion. The target is SED: specify, elaborate, and describe. You can describe using adjectives-color words and number words, using similes which give a point of reference, or through adverbs like slowly and quickly. I’m going to give you a paper to help you remember SED. I want you to put it in the resource section of your notebook. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw your target sign and label the skills. I want you to use one simile, adjectives, and one paragraph that includes elaboration (in Step Up to Writing these are the reds). Your piece can be either

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narrative or expository. What was Mrs. Piggle Wiggle? Right, narrative! Was it fiction or non-fiction? Right, non fiction. Ready, begin. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The students complete a piece of writing with one simile, adjectives and one paragraph containing elaboration.

Lesson Eight: Don’t Hit Your Reader over The Head! (45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of writing conventions in order to communicate effectively. b. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line ii. How to develop a paragraph with examples and details 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. B. Materials 1. Appendix DD (page one): Don’t Hit Your Reader Over The Head (one copy per student and one over head transparency) 2. Overhead Projector 3. large chart paper 4. chart marker 5. Appendix DD (page two): Don’t Hit Your Reader over the Head Writing Center (one for teacher to refer to-write on index cards) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Infer: to draw a conclusion after considering all the facts D. Procedures/Activities 1. Gather children around you in your instructional space. Then say, when we read Mrs. Piggle Wiggle we learned how to be specific in our writing. We learned that this is important so that our reader can visualize our characters and the setting. We learned about similes to give a reader a reference point for understanding. Sometimes we can state things in a way that is “hitting our reader over the head.” For example, I’m going to write a passage on my paper that is hitting my reader over the head. See if you can find the sentence that does that. 2. Write a story similar to this one on the chart paper. Talk out loud as you write. We went to the beach. It was interesting. I’m glad we went. My dad said it was fun too. 3. Then say, is the reader going to have fun with this story? No, instead of giving the reader clues about why the beach was interesting or fun, I hit him over the head. Instead of telling the reader it’s interesting or fun, I should give him clues so that he can figure it out himself. This is called inferring. The word” infer” means to consider the facts and then draw a conclusion. You can help your

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reader to do this by giving specific examples in your writing and then they draw conclusions about whether it was fun or interesting. When you do this you engage your reader and involve them in your story. For example, watch me write a different version of my story that doesn’t hit my reader over the head. Turn the chart paper over and write something like this: We went to the beach. We saw two bottlenose dolphins and they came so close to us you could see their eyes. I could even feel the vibration from their swimming in the water. We saw pelicans, hermit crabs and a stingray, too. I filled a basket with shells. One of the shells was as big a football. I hope we can go back again soon so I can add more shells to my collection. In this story did I tell my reader that the beach was interesting? Was it interesting? How could the reader tell? Elicit answers like: bottlenose dolphins so close you can see their eyes, is very interesting. All the different things I saw at the beach is interesting, a shell as big as a football is interesting. Do you think I had fun? Yes, because I said I wanted to go back you could infer that I had fun. You don’t want to go back to a place unless you had fun. So this time I didn’t hit my reader over the head. I allowed my reader to do someone work by gathering together the clues I gave him and then figure out that I had fun. I’m going to give you a sheet to put in the resource section of your notebook to help you remember not to hit your reader over the head. Hand out Appendix DD. Display your copy on the overhead. Then say, I want you to take out your colored pencils or markers. Together we’re going to brainstorm other sentences that will hit our reader over the head. I want you to write these sentences on your picture. Use a different color for each sentence. I will write mine as well so that you can see what I want you to do. If you’re ready give me two snaps. Okay, let’s write down the two sentences that I wrote in my beach story that hit my reader over the head. The first was, “it was interesting.” Write that down. The second was, “it was fun.” Can you think of any others? Write down responses like: He is mean. It is cold. It was boring. It is quiet. He is tall. It is windy. The cat is friendly. The turtle walked slowly. Then say, now that we have brainstormed some sentences that hit the reader over the head we’re going to do some writing. Today I want you to write two stories. The first one will be short like my beach story. In the first piece I want you to write a story with a sentence that hits your reader over the head. When you’re finished I want you to peer conference with someone. Your partner needs to determine the sentence that hits the reader over the head, by saying “boing, it made me sick really hit me over the head”. Then I want you to go back to your seats and write the story again, down below your first version or on the back. This time your piece should be full of specific clues, similes and elaboration. When finished I want you to peer conference again with the same person. Your partner needs to listen and determine if you took out the “boing” sentence and replace it with clues. Then the partner needs to make an inference like “wow, you must have had a serious stomach ache after you ate twelve hotdogs!” Something like that. Okay, what’s the first thing you’re going to do? Write a piece that has a “boing” sentence. What’s next? Peer conference with a partner. Then? Rewrite the piece leaving out the “boing” sentence and giving clues that allow the reader to infer. What’s the last step? Peer conference with a partner. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw your target sign and write “boing” beside it. Follow up activity: write the sentences on Appendix EE on index cards. Put them in a writing center. The student draws a card and then writes the

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sentence on the card. Below that the student then writes a sentence that is more specific or adds a simile. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will write a piece that will allow the reader to draw an inference.

Lesson Nine: Strong Verbs Get the Job Done! (45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. b. Grammar and Usage i. Identify subject and verb in a sentence and understand that they must agree ii. Know the following parts of speech and how they are used: nouns, pronouns, verbs, (action verbs and auxiliary verbs), adjectives (including articles), adverbs, and conjunctions (and, but, or), interjections. 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. b. The students will use his knowledge of grammar to determine the subject and verb in a sentence. B. Materials 1. The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle 2. Plain white paper (one copy per child) 3. Pencil (one per child) 4. Copy of Appendix EE: Brain Warm up (one for teacher reference) 5. Laminated pictures taken from magazines that show people or animals doing something (one per student) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Verb: a word that expresses an action or state of being 2. Subject: the person or thing that is discussed or thought about in a sentence or book 3. Active: energetic and busy 4. Passive: you let things happen to you D. Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children around you. I’m very proud of the growth that I see in your writing. You are beginning to write with specificity and some of you are using a lot of similes. 2. When we focus on producing good describing words sometimes we use a lot of describing words which are called adjectives. We use adjectives to describe and tell more about the subject of our sentence or story. The subject is the noun (person, place or thing) that the story is about. Sometimes we get so focused on describing what the subject looks like that we forget about what is happening in the story. What is the subject doing? The doing part of a sentence is the action.

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Does anyone know what the word is called that is an action? Right, it’s a verb. While it’s important to use adjectives and similes for specificity, we don’t want to lose focus on the action. The action is what your reader is looking for. It’s important for them to have a clear picture of the story but if there is nothing happening they will get bored and fall asleep. To keep your reader engaged you want to use strong active verbs. There are two types of verbs, they are active and passive. An active verb shows action. For example someone tell me what the verb is in this sentence: Johnny ran down the street. Call on someone to tell you the verb is ran. Then say, the verb is ran and it shows action, Johnny is doing something. Now I’m going to tell you another sentence, someone tell me what the verb is. The cat is sitting on the swing. Call on someone most likely they will tell you sitting. Say, yes sitting is a verb it is what the cat is doing, but the word “is” is a verb too. We call this type of verb a linking verb or a helping verb and it is passive. Passive means you let things happen. So the word is, is helping the word sitting but it’s not actually doing anything. There are other verbs that are helping verbs they are: is was, are, and am. We use these words like verbs but they don not show action, for example what’s the verb in the sentence “I am happy.” You might think there isn’t one because there’s no action. The verb is am but it’s passive. When you write you want to use more action verbs than passive verbs. I’m not saying you can’t use passive verbs because sometimes they do help you say something just right, but your reader will stay engaged if you use more active verbs. Remember that’s why we write for the purpose of our reader, so we always want to write in a way that will satisfy our reader. For example, I’m going to give you a sheet of plain white paper. I want you to take out your pencil and your crayons. Fold your paper in half the hamburger way (this means top bottom, not side to side). I’m going to tell you a sentence. On the top half of your paper I want you to draw a picture of what you see. Say this sentence, The black, pointy eared squirrel is sitting on the tree. Write it on the board. Wait while students draw their picture. Then say, now I’m going to say another sentence draw a picture of what you see in this sentence on the bottom half of your paper. Say this sentence, the squirrel scampered up the tree and bounced from branch to branch looking for acorns. Write this sentence on the board. Give students a moment to draw. Now I want you to look carefully at each picture. Which picture do you like better? If it were in a book which would be more appealing to a reader? Accept all answers, and then say, I agree that both sentences are good however I feel that the first sentence hits the reader on the head. Most people know that a squirrel can be black and that it has pointy ears, so this sentence doesn’t tell the reader anything new. However, the second sentence engages the reader by allowing the reader to get a picture in his head about what the squirrel is doing. What is the verb in the first sentence is sitting. Is this passive or active? Yes, sitting is passive. What is the verb in the second sentence? There are two verbs in the second sentence, one is scampered and the other is bounced. Do these verbs show action? Yes, so which of these sentences will better engage our reader? Right, the second one. So whenever possible we want to write with good strong verb. Now I’m going to read you a story written by Eric Carle. The title of this story is called The Very Clumsy, Click Beetle. Mr. Carle uses good strong verbs in this story. I’m going to read a page to you and I want you to tell me the verb Mr. Carle uses. When you hear it say, “Ooh, scampers with your thumb up.” Everyone try that, ready 3,2,1, OOOh, scampers.

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Read the story pointing out the strong verbs, this book has great vocabulary in it like: rummaged, crawled, ambled, etc. You may need to explain what these words mean to your student. 7. When finished say, Mr. Carle used great strong verbs to describe the actions of the click beetle and the other characters in the story. Do you see how using strong verbs adds to a story? It’s another way of adding specificity to your piece by specifically describing the action that is taking place. Now, I’m going to give you a picture from a magazine. When you get your picture I want you to examine it for action. What do you see happening in the picture? 8. Hand out pictures; give two-three minutes for students to examine their picture. 9. Then say, now, when I say go, I want you to get with a partner and sit knee to knee in our peer conference style. I want you to tell your partner at five sentences about your picture. Each sentence needs to contain a different strong verb. As you say each sentence, the listening partner will say, “OOOH and the strong verb.” Do this with each sentence then switch. I’m going to give you about five minutes, ready, go! 10. Allow five minutes, and then say, now I want you to take your picture back to your seat and write down your five sentences, underline your strong verb. Be sure to label your paper with the word practice and the target skill is strong verbs. Remember, not to put is or was next to your verb because that makes it a passive verb and we want your verbs to be active. I’m going to give you seven minutes to write your five sentences and then we will share. Ready, write. 11. When everyone appears to be finished, ask a few to share their strong verbs. 12. Follow up activity: a. Put the pictures in your writing center and ask students to write five sentences with active, strong verbs. b. Do the brain warm up activity on Appendix EE for the first few minutes of writer’s workshop each day. c. Write passive verbs on index cards, put them in your writing center; children draw a card –write down the passive verb and beside it turn it into a active verb. For example, is sleeping is the passive version and the student writes slept. d. Cut out headlines from the newspaper, put them in a Ziploc bag in your writing center. The students draw a headline out and using a highlighter they highlight the strong verb. Next, they write a sentence using that verb in a different way. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student writes five sentences that contain active, strong verbs.

Lesson Ten: Sentences That Come Out of Left Field (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will organize his writing. b. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time.

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The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message.

Materials 1. Appendix FF: Left Field Sentences (overhead transparency) 2. Overhead Projector 3. Vis-à-vis Marker Key Vocabulary 1. Focus: to concentrate on something or somebody; the center of interest of attention 2. Maintain: to continue to say that something is so Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children to your instructional space and say, Sometimes when we write we focus so hard on making our reading specific that we include things that sort of match our topic but don’t really matter to the focus of the story. I call these left-field sentences. I call them that because there’s a saying that refers to something coming out of nowhere. When that happens we say that came out of left field. Do you remember back when you were in first grade? Your teacher was teaching you about the revolutionary war or some other subject and she probably said, “Are there any questions?” Then someone raised their hand and when she called on them that person said something like, I went out for pizza last night; do you like pizza? Sometimes that happens a teacher will be teaching and a student is so excited to tell her something that he says something that has nothing to do with the topic. That’s a left field sentence. Well those sentences are easy to spot in our writing because we know they have nothing to do with the topic and we can spot them and take them out. What’s harder is to find the sentences that sort of are on the topic but not completely. For example, I’m going to show you four different paragraphs and we’re going to find the left field sentences together. 2. Display transparency of Appendix FF. Read the first passage out loud. 3. Then say, what was the focus of this paragraph? The focus of this paragraph is a boy and swimming. Is there a sentence in this paragraph that does not talk about a boy and swimming? Yes, the third sentence says, “I rode in the front seat.” That sentence doesn’t have anything to do with swimming. So I’m going to cross that sentence out. That is our left field sentence. The boy was telling us where he rode in the car but it doesn’t maintain the focus of the paragraph. You want to be careful with sentences like that because it seems to fit when you write it. That’s why all writers go back and re-read what they wrote. Sometimes they re-read as they write instead of waiting until the end. You want to always reread at least at the end looking for left field sentences. Let’s try the next one, read the passage out loud. 4. Follow the same procedure, determine the focus and then look for a sentence that doesn’t maintain the focus. Repeat this with the last two passages. Then say, we have practiced looking for left field sentences in other people’s writing. Now we’re going to practice writing and finding our own left field sentences. I want you to take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw your target sign and label the target skill left field sentences. You’re going to write a paragraph of five to ten sentences that has a focus. I want you to put in one left field sentence. I’m going to give you twenty minutes to plan and write. At the end of twenty minutes we will peer conference. Remember you’re trying to put in one left field sentence. Just one I don’t want your paragraph to be silly and completely off focus. Ready, write.

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Set timer for twenty minutes, when the timer goes off, ask students to get into groups to peer conference. They should be in the peer conference position. One student reads his piece while the other student listens for the left field sentence. This is a good editing skill for children as it allows them to consciously listen for things that don’t fit. The student should then cross out his left field sentence when found. Then students should switch. Conference with children who cannot determine the left field sentence. When finished allow for a few students to share. 6. Close writer’s workshop by saying, today I asked you to purposely write a left field sentence so that I could make you aware of what they are. I also wanted you to practice listening for them and finding them. You will be a better writer if you can re-read you own writing and find left field sentences. You will also be a great peer conference friend if you can listen for and find left field sentences. But the idea is to not write left field sentences. You want to determine the focus of your story and stick to it! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will find a left field sentence in another student’s writing.

Lesson Eleven: You Are So Opinionated! (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. understanding the purpose and audience of the writing 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes. b. The students will organize his writing. c. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. d. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. B. Materials 1. Piece of large chart paper 2. Chart marker 3. Appendix GG: Prove it! (one copy per student and for one overhead transparency) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Fact: a piece of information that is true 2. Opinion: the ideas and beliefs that you have about something 3. Declare: to say something firmly 4. Evidence: information and facts that help prove something or make you believe something is true 5. Prove: to show that something is true 6. Clarify: to make something clear

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Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the students to your instructional space. Today we’re going to talk about a type of writing that is called opinion writing. When you write your opinion you tell the reader what you think about something. You use this type of writing when you give a book review saying whether or not you liked a certain book. You also use this type of writing when you tell someone what your favorite book, food, song or movie is. When you give your opinion the first thing you do is make what we call a declarative statement. A declarative statement states the topic and forms your opinion. 2. For example, I’m going to model how to write an opinion paper. I’m going to start it like this: I am a good seamstress. (You can write anything, but the point is to declare your self good at something.) What is this first sentence called? Right it’s called a declarative sentence. I am declaring that I am a good sewer. Do you think that’s true? Who knows right, there is no measure of what a good sewer is, but I think I’m good so it’s my opinion. Good is one of those words that should rest in peace by itself because the reader has no idea what good means, it’s different for every person. But you can use good in a declarative statement if you go on to elaborate and give details that support your statement. So I’m going to continue now by adding supporting evidence. How many of you have ever seen a show on television where there was a lawyer and a courtroom? That’s what lawyers do. They present their evidence to a judge and a jury to prove why their side is right about something. In an opinion paper you need to provide evidence that proves to your reader that your opinion is correct. There ways to prove it to your reader. I’m going to finish my piece and then we’ll examine it for evidence. My story: I am a good seamstress. I’m not ready to sew clothes that people buy but I’m good enough to sew costumes for my children. I learned through a class that I took with a friend. But to stay good at it I have to practice and sometimes I speak to the ladies at the fabric shop to learn more. One Halloween I sewed a costume for my daughter, she was Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. I sewed a dress, apron and bonnet that looked like the dresses Prairie women wore. I used a calico fabric that was just like the prairie women used to get at the general store. When she wore it, my friends said she looked like she walked right out of the book. That was six years ago and I’m very pleased that it hasn’t torn, ripped or faded. People still ask me to borrow it for plays, Halloween and Pioneer Days. Every time I pull it out of the box I’m reminded of how rewarding it is to be able to sew. 3. Okay let’s talk about the evidence in my piece. I’m going to give you a sheet for the resource section of your notebook. Hand out Appendix GG, display your copy on the overhead. This sheet tells you the different ways that you can provide evidence in you piece to prove it. We’re going to use this sheet as a reference as we go back over my piece. The first piece of evidence is to give specific examples. Can you find any in my piece? I described in detail the type of costume I sewed, the reader can infer that I must be pretty good if I sewed a costume like that. The second way to present evidence is to tell exactly what you mean. In the second sentence I clarify exactly what I mean, my things don’t belong in stores but I’m good enough for costumes. The third way to present evidence is to use a number. Did I do that? Yes, I did when I stated that the costume had lasted six years I gave my reader a number. Do many of you have your clothes last for six years? No, that’s a long time for clothes isn’t it, so that’s further evidence that my costume lasted a long time compared to the length

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of time we have clothes. This tells the reader I must be pretty good if the costume hasn’t ripped or torn in that time. 4. The next way to support your evidence is to quote someone else who thinks so too, this could be your mom, dad, teacher, coach, etc. Right here when I said my friends said my daughter looked like she walked right out of the book, I was telling my reader that my friends think I’m a good sewer too. 5. Another way to present your evidence is to compare to something, I did that when I made the comparison to the length of time the costume lasted. You also want to give a real life example, that’s what the costume is something I actually sewed that is direct evidence of my ability. You can use charts, maps or tables as supportive evidence. If I were submitting this for publishing I would add a picture of my daughter in the costume so that the reader can visualize the costume I’m talking about. 6. Now we’ve examined my opinion paper, do you agree that I proved that I’m a good sewer? Good, now during our writing time I want you to write an opinion paper. You can tell me about something you’re good at, like baseball, soccer, horseback riding, etc. Or you can tell me about a favorite food, book, movie, pet, your evidence needs to support why it’s your favorite. Favorite is one of those words that needs to be supported with evidence. 7. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw your target sign and the target skill is to prove it! Now when you prove it you don’t have to use all these things on this sheet. But I do want you to use descriptive details, quote an authority and use a number for supporting evidence. Write those words on the board. Try at least those three ways, if you want to do more you can but those three are the main ways I want you to achieve the target. When you’re finished you’ll peer conference. Today you’re looking for whether or not your partner has proved it! Remember to plan, write your topic and then outline your supporting evidence. Ready, go! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will write an opinion piece that quotes an authority, gives describing details and uses a number as supporting evidence of their opinion.

Lesson Twelve: Revising Made Easy! (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will add details to his writing to provide clarity. b. The students will delete sentences from a piece of writing that do not maintain focus. c. The students will move words or sentences within a piece to better provide clarity. d. The students will substitute words or sentences within a piece of writing to better provide clarity.

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B.

C.

D.

Materials 1. Appendix HH: Types of Revision(one per student and one overhead transparency) 2. Overhead Projector 3. Chart paper (one –two sheets) 4. Chart markers (four different colors) 5. Scissors (one pair for teacher lesson) 6. Scotch tape 7. Plastic kid sunglasses or paper glasses (one per student; ask for donations of money or old glasses that you can pop the lenses out of, or visit a dollar store, Oriental Trading company; they do not have to be fancy) 8. Sunglasses or a glasses frame without the lenses (for the teacher) Key Vocabulary 1. Revise: to change or correct something; bring it up to date 2. Addition: to add on to an original 3. Substitution: something or someone use in place of another 4. Reorganize: to rearrange things neatly and in order; to organize again 5. Delete: to remove something from a piece of writing Procedures/Activities 1. Gather children to your instructional space with their writer’s notebooks. Today in writer’s workshop we’re going to talk about what to do when we’ve finished a piece of writing. 2. Turn to the resource section of your notebook and find the page that shows the icons of the writing process. Let’s read the steps together: Think, plan, write, share, revise, edit, and publish. 3. Now I just said we were going to talk about what to do when we’ve finished a piece of writing. So what step in the process comes after writing? Right, revise comes after writing. Who knows what the word revise means? The word revise means to change or correct something. So how can we apply that word to our writing? Right, it means we need to change things in our writing. Why might you need to change something in your writing? Yes, so that it’s clearer for the reader. How many of you like to change things in your writing? That’s what I thought, not very many of you. Changing things can seem like a lot of work but you’re doing it for your reader so it’s a necessary step especially if this is a piece you want to publish. Revising is not scary or even hard when you know how to do it. So today I’m going to teach you how to revise, are you ready? 4. Okay, here we go, the key to revising is look at your writing through the eyes of a reader. It’s hard for us because be reread our writing through the eyes of a writer who is tired and doesn’t want to do any more work. So to gain a new pair of eyes as a reader when I revise I’m going to put on my special reader-revising glasses. 5. Put glasses on for students, then say I’m ready to revise but I don’t have anything to revise yet so first we better write something together. Then we’ll revise it together. Get chart paper ready and take your glasses off, set them aside for use later in the letter. 6. Now I’m going to write a piece for you: Write a simple five-six sentence paragraph, include a left field sentence, and a sentence in that you need to move. Write a word twice in a row and leave out an important detail. You can use the following paragraph if you like: I went to the circus with my mom and dad. We saw watched clowns, they were my favorite part. And then the trapeze artist swung on a tiny bar over my head. The clowns fell out of a tiny, red car. There

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7. 8.

9. 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

were so many of them I thought they would never stop. Before we went I ate pizza. The trapeze artist was a girl wearing a shiny purple outfit. I asked my mom if we could back to the circus tomorrow, but she said we’ll have to wait until next year when the circus comes back tour town. Now we’re ready to revise this piece of writing. Let’s look at the kind of revisions that we can make. Hand out Appendix GG, display yours on the overhead. This paper tells you the four kinds of revisions a writer might make when rereading their piece. The first thing is addition. Now this doesn’t mean addition like two plus two this means putting more in your story. You want to make sure your reader is getting a clear picture so you want to ask yourself when you reread through a reader’s eyes. Can I picture who, what, where, when, how many, or which one in this piece of writing? If you can’t then you’re going to add something to make it clearer. So the first way to revise is to add to make it clearer. What’s the first way? Right, to add. The second way is to substitute something. Sometimes writers will write the words he or she a lot when it’s better to use the person’s name so this might be something you substitute. Other times we might start with “and then” a lot, to make you writing clearer take out “and then” and replace them with one of our transition words. So what are the first two ways to revise? Add and substitute, that’s right. The third way is to delete something from your writing. This means to take it out. Sometimes a writer will say the same thing twice, he might use different words but they carry the same meaning and don’t help to make the writing clearer. You’ll want to delete one of those sentences. You’ll also want to delete left field sentences or sentences that hit your reader over the head. The fourth way to revise is to reorganize your writing. This means that you’re going to move sentences so that they go together. Sometimes we’ll write a sentence about something and then we’ll move on to another big idea, then we go back and give a detail about the first big idea. You’ll want to move the detail so it goes with the big idea. You can do this by writing above the big idea or drawing an arrow that connects the first word of the detail sentence to the period at the end of the big idea. This shows you want them to go together. Okay, let’s review the ways to revise: add, substitute, delete, and reorganize. Super, now that we know how to revise let’s practice. I’m going to put on my reader-revising glasses and I have a pair for each of you. I want you to put them on. When you have these glasses on you are no longer a writer you are now a reader. You are reading this piece first to see if there’s anything that needs to be added for understanding? You’re going to ask your self: do I know who, what, where, when, how many? Ready, let’s read it out loud together. Are there any things that need to be added for clarity? Accept any answers that make sense. Use one of the chart markers to add description or sentences. Show students how to draw the carat or arrow between words and the write words or sentences above. Then say, great we’ve added some things that will make it clearer to a reader. Now we’re going to read it again looking for things that we might substitute or replace. Point out the phrase: and then, in the third sentence, replace with something like the word next (use a different colored marker that the first one). Look for any other places you might replace a word for clarity. Now we’ve checked for additions and substitutions, let’s look for words or sentences that we don’t need. Cross out the word saw in the second sentence

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using a third colored marker, point out that we don’t need both saw and watched but watched is a stronger verb so that’s the one we’ll keep. “Before we went I ate pizza” is a left field sentence, point it out and cross it out. 16. Now we’re going to read for the last type of revision, reorganization. Let’s see if we need to move anything around so it makes better sense and ideas stay together. Cross out the sentence that begins “and then the trapeze artist”….Put it above the “ate pizza” sentence. This should put clowns and trapeze artists together. 17. Now let’s read the piece again out loud to see if we missed any revisions. Read out loud be sue to recognize changes. If you agree that this sounds better snap twice. I agree too. We made all four revisions in this piece of writing. You may not always need to make all four changes but you do need to check for them. When you get better at reading for revising you can check for two things at once, but for now until you’ve had more practice I want you to read your piece four times looking for each revision one at a time. To help you remember the types of revision, I want you to put this paper in the resource section of your writer’s notebook. We’re going to store our glasses in this basket and you can get a pair whenever you want to read your writing for revising. Hold onto them for now, because today the target skill is to revise. You’re going to pull out a piece of writing from the draft section of your notebook and you’re going to reread it and make any necessary revisions. You don’t need to recopy it, make your revisions right on the paper like we did. Don’t erase anything because it’s important to see what was there before this helps you to see why you’re revising something. Use four different colors like I did in my model. If you have a large section that you want to add or a big change please see me and I’ll show you how to cut apart your paper and add more lines into the middle of a piece. Ready, look through your notebook, choose a piece of writing, put on your glasses and begin! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will add details to his writing to provide clarity. 2. The student will delete sentences from a piece of writing that do not maintain focus. 3. The student will move words or sentences within a piece to better provide clarity. 4. The student will substitute words or sentences within a piece of writing to better provide clarity.

Lesson Thirteen: Ways to Hook ‘Em! (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. Organize material in paragraphs and understand how to use a topic sentence. 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes.

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b. c. d. B.

C.

D.

The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. The students will produce a topic sentence that hooks the reader into the piece of writing.

Materials 1. Appendix II : Ways to Hook ‘em page one (one copy per student and one overhead transparency) 2. Appendix II pages two and three are for your use when you feel your students are ready 3. Overhead Projector 4. Ranger Rick Magazines or Time for students (two –three magazines for modeling; these magazine articles generally start with great hooks) Key Vocabulary 1. Hook: a device used to fasten something together or to catch a fish; to grab someone’s attention 2. Topic: the subject of a sentence, story or discussion 3. Sentence: a group of words that conveys a complete thought, having a subject and a verb Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children to your instructional space with their writer’s notebooks. Say, today we’re going to focus on a target skill that will really make a difference in our writing. This skill is called a hook. If you looked up the word hook in the dictionary you would find that it’s a device used to catch something like a fish hook or a device that holds something together like a hook on a jacket. Well the hook we’re going to use is a device to catch something. The device we’re going to use is our topic sentence and we’re going to use it to catch readers! Your topic sentence is one of the most important sentences of a piece. It sets your reader up for what the story is going to be about so it needs to be catchy and really engaging to the reader. There are techniques that you can apply to your story that will really grab your reader and hook them in. I’ve written out each of these techniques on this sheet I’m going to give you. We’ll go over it together and then I want you to keep it in your resource section in your writer’s notebook. 2. Hand out Appendix HH and display yours on the overhead. Go through each technique providing an example of a topic sentence. Then say, I’m going to read you a couple of lines from some of the articles in these magazines. They model some of the different techniques we have just learned about. I’ll read a couple of lines and then I’ll ask you to tell me what kind of hook the writer used. 3. Keep up the overhead with the techniques on Appendix HH as you read. Read a couple of lines from an article from Ranger Rick or Time for Kids. Then say, what type of hook did the author use? Do this with five to six articles. 4. Then pass out a laminated picture to each child. Then say, we’re going to practice writing our own hooks. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Then draw your target sign and label the target: hooks. I want you to try to write five different sentences about your picture using five different hooks. Watch me and I’ll do one for you. 5. Choose a picture and write on your chart paper five sentences using five different hooks. The hooks that students pick up the fastest are: the question, exclamation, onomatopoeia, startling fact, idiom, play on words, and alliteration. For example, if you chose a picture of a skier in the air and the jump is below, you

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could write the following hooks: Have you ever thought about what it would be like to fly? (question) Look out below!(exclamation) Whoo, hoo, that’s the sound of me flying! (onomatopoeia) Thousands of skiers every year try to fly over jumps; only hundreds make it without injury. (startling fact) Look before you leap! (idiom) Super skiers seek satisfaction in high places. (alliteration) Write your hooks like this with the kind of hook written in parentheses so the students can see which ones you used. 6. Then say, the way I write this story will take on a different perspective depending on the hook I use, that’s why the hook is so important. But as you can see from my picture, it’s quite easy to come up with different hooks. You don’t have to choose the same kinds of hooks that I used, you can use any hook on this page but choose five different ones for the same picture. You can do more five if you want, but be sure to write at least five. Be sure to label in parentheses which hook you wrote so that I can tell that you know the difference between them. When finished find someone to peer conference with. You’re looking to see if your partner met the target skill of five different hooks. You can give a sticker for each correct hook. Each person needs to share, and then if there’s time you can trade pictures and try five different hooks for a new picture. When you’re finished be sure to put you sheet on hooks in the resource section of your notebook. Ready, begin. 7. Follow up activity: Put the magazine pictures in your writing center and have students write five hooks, labeling each hook. When ready for more advance techniques use the Appendix II pages two and three. Use the same procedure to teach. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will produce a topic sentence that hooks the reader into the piece of writing.

Lesson Fourteen: Ending Techniques (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Providing an introduction and conclusion 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will choose specific vocabulary to communicate his message. b. The students will use a variety of ending techniques to conclude a piece of writing. B. Materials 1. Appendix JJ: Ending Techniques (one per student and on overhead transparency) 2. Overhead projector 3. Olivia and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer C. Key Vocabulary 1. End: the last part of something, to finish 2. Conclude: to finish or end something; to arrive at a decision based on the facts you have

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D.

E.

Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children to your instructional space with their writer’s notebooks. Welcome to writer’s workshop. Do you remember when we talked about and practice different beginnings for our writing? We called them hooks, because they’re meant to hook our reader into our writing. Well today, we’re going to talk about ending techniques. Endings are important because they close the story for the reader. If we don’t have a proper ending our reader might walk away feeling frustrated because we’ve left them hanging. I’m going to pass out a sheet of ending techniques, we’ll go over them together and then you can keep it in the resource section of your notebook for later use. 2. Hand out Appendix JJ and display your copy on the overhead. Let’s go through each of the techniques together. I have written an example next to each technique so you can get an idea of how it can be used. Then after we’ve discussed each f the techniques I’m going to read you a story and we’ll see if we can determine which ending technique the author used. Go through each technique one by one, I’ve included sample sentences so you should be able to just read them and discuss with the children. 3. When finished, read Olivia and the Missing Toy. Read it with drama that a mystery deserves, and then discuss the ending technique. The author draws on the feeling of the main character which is technique number one. 4. Then say, we have learned a lot of ending techniques and we have seen how a published author used the technique of ending with a feeling. Today I want you to write a piece and use one of these endings from the ending techniques. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Today’s target skills are: hook, description and ending technique. Your piece should have a hook; it should also provide description and use one of the ending techniques. When you’re finished be sure to re-read your piece for any revisions, then peer conference with someone to determine if you hit the target. Ready, begin! Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will produce a piece of writing with an ending technique.

Lesson Fifteen: Persuade Me! (one 45-60 minute lesson with additional time to practice) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) i. Produce a variety of types of writing—including stories, reports, summaries, descriptions, poems, letters—with a coherent structure or story line. ii. understanding the purpose and audience of the writing 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes. b. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. c. The students will produce a piece of writing that attempts to persuade the reader. B. Materials 1. Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague

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2.

C.

D.

Appendix KK: Persuasive Arguments- page one (one per student and one overhead transparency) 3. Appendix KK: Persuasive Arguments-page two and three (one copy of each on an overhead transparency) 4. Chart paper 5. Chart marker Key Vocabulary 1. Persuade: to succeed in making someone do or agree to something 2. Argue: to give your opinion about something Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children to your instructional space. Welcome to writer’s workshop. We have learned to write personal narratives this year. We’ve also learned how to write expository pieces that give information and state our opinion. 2. Today we’re going to focus on another type of expository writing. This type of writing tries to persuade someone to do what we want them to or to give us something that we want. When we persuade someone we state details or evidence that will convince them we are right and should get what we want. 3. To begin, I’m going to read you this story. It’s called Dear Miss LaRue: Letters from Dog Obedience School. I want you to listen for the main characters. a. Which character is doing the persuading? b. What is he trying to get? c. Who is he trying to persuade? d. What were some of his arguments? 4. Ready, ready the book. 5. When finished refer back to the questions that you gave as you set up the book. a. Who was the main character? (the dog) b. What was the dog trying to get? (He wanted to come home from dog obedience school.) c. Who was he trying to persuade? (Mrs. LaRue) d. What were some of his arguments? He wanted Mrs. LaRue to think that the school was mean to him, he wasn’t chasing the cats, he didn’t mean to knock her over-he was trying to save her, etc. e. How did the dog communicate his arguments to Mrs. LaRue? (in the form of a letter) 6. Right, one of the main ways to try and persuade them is by writing a letter to them. You’ve learned to write friendly letters where you’re conversing or checking in with a friend. We’re going to write a persuasive letter and try to persuade some one of thing of something. Who do you usually try to persuade? (Parents, teachers, principal, etc.) Let’s brainstorm some ideas of things that you might try to persuade your parent of. 7. Display chart paper and write down (or have a student record) things the children to you they might want to persuade their parents for. Some examples might be: a bigger allowance, a pet, a later bed time, chance to do a different sport, etc. These are all things you might write a letter to your parents in order to persuade them. What might you ask your teacher for? (no homework, more time to draw, more free time, more computer time, more recess, etc.) What might you try to persuade your principal to do? (no dress code, more recess, more free dress days-if you have a uniform policy, no uniform, better school lunches, etc.) These are all things that you might try to persuade someone. So now you have some ideas of things you could write about. It’s important to craft your ideas thoughtfully in order to persuade someone. If you don’t have good arguments

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you will never persuade them. It’s important to understand that just because you write a persuasive letter it doesn’t mean that you will automatically get what you want. But if you don’t try you’ll never know. So we want to learn how to write well formed arguments that will give us more of a chance at getting what we want. It still might not work but if you give it your best shot you’ll know that you tried and you may find that they accept some of your arguments if not all of them. Here is a sheet of arguments to use when writing a persuasive piece. 8. Hand out Appendix KK page one and display your copy on the overhead. Go through each type of argument with the children. Then display Appendix KK page two and read the sample. Point out the arguments used. Then say, you’ve listened to the letters of Miss LaRue and how the dog tried to persuade her. You’ve learned the types of arguments to state and you’ve seen a sample written by another student. Now, it’s your turn. The target this week is to write a persuasive letter to someone. You decide if it’s going to be your mom or dad, the principal, your teacher, etc. Then decide what you want to try to persuade them to do. Then as you plan list your major arguments and the details that you’ll use to back them up. Remember to reread for revision before your peer conference. Take out a piece of paper and label it practice. Draw your target sign, the skills are hook-you want to be sure to hook them in so they’ll read on, persuasion-you want to have at least three food arguments, and then an ending. In persuasion you save your best argument for the end. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will produce a piece of writing that attempts to persuade the reader.

CULMINATING ACTIVITY Young Author’s Day: Culminating Activity A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. The student will have an understanding that we use a variety of writing for different purposes. b. The student will develop an awareness of writing conventions in order to communicate effectively. c. The student will develop an awareness of how to choose vocabulary to communicate effectively. 2. Lesson Content a. Writing and Research (p. 87) b. Grammar and Usage i. Identify subject and verb in a sentence and understand that they must agree ii. Know the following parts of speech and how they are used: nouns, pronouns, verbs, (action verbs and auxiliary verbs), adjectives (including articles), adverbs, and conjunctions (and, but, or), interjections. iii. Know how to use the following punctuation: a) End punctuation: period, question mark, or exclamation point b) Quotation marks in dialogue 3. Skill Objective(s) a. The students will generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing purposes.

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b. c. d. e.

B.

C.

D.

The students will sort information as it relates to a specific purpose or topic. The students will organize his writing. The students will create readable documents with legible handwriting or word processing at the appropriate time. The students will know when to create new paragraphs in a piece of writing. The students will reread his own writing with the intent to revise. The students will add details to his writing to provide clarity. The students will edit a piece with the intent to publish the piece.

f. g. h. Materials 1. Each student will need to choose a piece of their writing that they would like to publish 2. Final copy paper appropriate for publishing ( enough for each child to recopy their piece) 3. Plain white paper for illustrations (enough for each child to illustrate their piece) 4. Colored pencils, markers or crayons (one set of one kind per student) 5. Appendix LL: Young Author’s Day Invitation (one per family in your classroomcopy on an inviting color) Key Vocabulary 1. Edit: to check a piece if writing for grammatical errors 2. Publish: to produce and distribute a book Procedures/Activities 1. Gather the children to your instructional space. Then say, we have been working really hard this year. We have learned to use many different target skills to improve our writing. It’s now time for us to share our writing with others. That’s what writer’s do. They write a piece so that many people can read it. They work hard on their piece to make sure it’s specific, and clear to the reader through the revision process. Then they move on to the editing process. When we edit, we go back over it again looking for any errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation. 2. I want you to choose your favorite piece of writing; you can take it either from your writer’s notebook or your portfolio. If you haven’t revised this piece, you’ll want to put on your revising glasses and re-read it to see if you need to make one of the four revisions. Then I want you to read it again, this time you’re looking for errors in capitalization. Check the word after every period to see if the next sentence begins with a capital, check the word I to make sure it’s capital and check for names and proper nouns to insure that they’re capitalized. Read it out loud to yourself, if you stop to take a long breath there should be a period there. Check for proper spelling, if you’re not sure if a word is spelled correctly circle it and then you can go look it up. If you find a word is not correctly cross it out and write the word correctly above it. Make all corrections with a colored pencil so they stand out. When you’ve finished editing, be sure to peer conference. Your peer should listen to your piece and then read it for themselves. Then before you can publish you must conference with me. When I say you’re ready, you will get the final copy paper from this basket. (Show the students where they can find the paper you want them to use.) Be sure to copy your piece in your nicest handwriting (students can type if you prefer and have access to computers.) 3. Tell students how you want them to set up the piece, do you want them to illustrate every page, every couple of paragraphs, one illustration, etc. Do you

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E.

VII.

want them to include an author’s page, title page, table of contents, etc.? Set up the procedures as you see fit. 4. Let’s begin, go through your pieces and choose one to publish. 5. Allow a week of writer’s workshop for the publishing process. 6. Then hold a Young Author’s Day, inviting parents to come and view the finished manuscripts. You can also partner with a younger grade and allow the children to read their pieces to a group of younger children. If possible display the books in your school library or local library. Call your local newspaper to come and interview the students in your classroom about the writing process. Assessment/Evaluation 1. The student will edit a piece with the intent to publish the piece.

HANDOUTS/WORKSHEETS A. Appendix A: Writer’s Notebook (Lesson One) B. Appendix B: Writer’s vocabulary (Lesson One) C. Appendix C: Writer’s Workshop Tracking Sheet/Teacher (Lesson One) D. Appendix D: Writer’s workshop Tracking Sheet/Student (Lesson One) E. Appendix E: Portfolio Log Sheet (Lesson One) F. Appendix F: Portfolio Additions (Lesson One) G. Appendix G: Writing Checklist (per grading period) H. Appendix H: Writing Process Icons (Lesson One) I. Appendix I: Words not to use in a Peer Conference (Lesson One) J. Appendix J: Personal Survey (Lesson Two) K. Appendix K: List linking (Lesson Two) L. Appendix L: Story Map (Lesson Two) M. Appendix M: Timeline (Lesson Two) N. Appendix N: Baseball Web (Lesson Two) O. Appendix O: Fiction Planner (Lesson Two) P. Appendix P: Two Narratives (Lesson Three) Q. Appendix Q: Narrative Shape (Lesson Three) R. Appendix R: Setbacks (Lesson Four) S. Appendix S: Assisted Listing Technique (Lesson Three) T. Appendix T: When to Paragraph Lesson Five) U. Appendix U: Narrative Booklist (Lesson Three) V. Appendix V: Transition or Time Words (Lesson Three) W. Appendix W: Feeling Words (Lesson Three) X. Appendix X: Types of Conflict (Lesson Four) Y. Appendix Y: When to Paragraph (Lesson Five) Z. Appendix Z: Expository Planner (Lesson Six) AA. Appendix AA: Tombstone Pattern (Lesson Seven) BB. Appendix BB: SED (Lesson Seven) CC. Appendix CC: Books that show specificity (Lesson Seven) DD. Appendix DD: Don’t Hit Your Reader Over the Head-pages one and two (Lesson Eight) EE. Appendix EE: Brain Warm-Up (Lesson Nine) FF. Appendix FF: Left Field Sentences (Lesson Ten) GG. Appendix GG: Prove It! (Lesson Eleven) HH. Appendix HH: Types of Revision (Lesson Twelve) II. Appendix II: Ways to Hook “Em –three pages (Lesson Thirteen) JJ. Appendix JJ: Ending Techniques (Lesson Fourteen) KK. Appendix KK: Persuasive Arguments-three pages (Lesson Fifteen) LL. Appendix LL: Young Author’s Day Invitation (Culminating Activity)

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MM. VIII.

Appendix MM: Rubric for Evaluating Target Skills

BIBLIOGRAPHY A. Aumann, Maureen; Karas, Gwen; Sage, Pat; Tyler, Caela. Primary Steps: Reproducible for K-2 Teachers. Denver, CO: Read, Write Connection, 2002. B. Cannon, Janell. Stellaluna. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1993. ISBN 0-590-48379 C. Carle, Eric. The Very Clumsy Click Beetle. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1999. ISBN 0439-21603-6 D. Fletcher, Ralph. How Writer’s Work: Finding a Process that Works For You. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000. ISBN 0-380-79702-X E. Falconer, Ian. Olivia and the Missing Toy. New York: Antheum Books for Young Readers, 2003. ISBN 0-689-85291-6 F. Fletcher, Ralph and Portalupi, JoAnn. Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2001. ISBN 0-325-00362-9 G. Freeman, Marcia S. Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-928895-13-4 H. Freeman, Marcia S. K-5 School-wide Writing Program. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House Publishing, 2003. I. Freeman, Marcia S. Listen to this Developing an Ear for Expository. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House Publishing, 1997. ISBN 0-929895-19-3 J. Guiberson, Brenda. Cactus Hotel. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1991. ISBN 08050-2960-5 K. MacDonald, Alan. Scaredy Mouse. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2002. ISBN 0-43943786-5 L. MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1947. ISBN 0-59041386-4 M. Schwartz, Amy. A Teeny Tiny Baby. New York: Orchard Books, 1994. ISBN 0-53107177-4 N. Sevaly, Karen. Teacher’s Friend. Riverside, CA: Teacher’s Friend Publications, Inc., 1986. ISBN 0-943-26300-1 O. Sitton, Rebecca. Spelling Sourcebook for Fourth Grade Teachers. Scottsdale, AZ: Eggar Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-886-05030-9 P. Teague, Mark. Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2002. Q. Teague, Mark. Pigsty. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-439-59843-5 R. Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1972. ISBN 0-689-71173-5 S. Wood, Audrey. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1985 ISBN 0-439-63240-4 T. Warner, Gertrude Chandler. The Boxcar Children, #1. Niles, IL: 1949. ISBN 0-80757674-3

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Appendix A, page 1

Writing Skills I Use 1.______________________________8._________________________ 2.______________________________9._________________________ 3._____________________________10._________________________ 4._____________________________11._________________________ 5._____________________________12._________________________ 6._____________________________13._________________________ 7._____________________________14._________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Writing Skills I’m Working on 1.__________________________8._____________________________ 2.__________________________9._____________________________ 3._________________________10._____________________________ 4._________________________11._____________________________ 5._________________________12._____________________________ 6._________________________13._____________________________ 7._________________________14._____________________________

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Appendix A, page 2

Topics Used

*Y=yes N=no

Date Used

Target Skills

Finished*

If no state what stage it’s in P=plan D=draft R=revise

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E=edit

P=publish

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Appendix A, page 3

Topic Brainstorming Topic

* Y=yes N=no

*Will Use It?

Why?

M=maybe

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Appendix A, page 4

Layout of Writer’s Notebook You will need a copy of Appendix A (all four pages) one per student Put page 1 in the sleeve of the front cover as shown cover What skills I Use

cover -------------------What Skills I’m working on

Glue page two on the left hand side of the inside cover.

left hand inside cover Topic page

Put page three in the back cover Back cover Topic B.storm

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Appendix B

Words of a Writer Book words: cover page table of content illustrator

author title chapter copyright

index title page glossary publisher

Writer’s Workshop Words: Author’s chair compliment journal peer conference writing conference

portfolio word wall target skill writing notebook strong verbs

list practice date

writing expository period punctuation onomatopoeia action word hook

narrative question description simile dialogue editing ending

Writer’s words: prewriting universal word peer conference target skill publishing revising story information

(adapted from Building A Writing Community: A Practical Guide by Marcia Freeman)

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Appendix C, page 1

Fourth Grade High Frequency Words able

between

during

gone

across

bottom

either

great

against

brought

else

half

alone

build

English

happened

already

built

enough

heard

although

cannot

everyone

heart

American

carefully

everything

heavy

among

carry

example

horse

animals

center

fact

hour

answer

certain

family

however

another

common

field

hundred

anything

complete

finally

idea

area

country

floor

important

beautiful

dark

follow

instead

become

deep

found

itself

begin

distance

friend

language

behind

done

girl

large

(adapted from Spelling Sourcebook by Rebecca Stinton)

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Appendix C, page 2

learned

pattern

round

thought

least

perhaps

sentence

through

leave

person

several

tiny

less

picture

shown

toward

letter

piece

simple

town

light

poor

since

understand

living

possible

size

United States

longer

power

someone

usually

low

probably

special

voice

main

problem

stood

walked

matter

question

strong

warm

mean

quite

suddenly

watch

might

rain

summer

weather

mind

reading

surface

whether

money

ready

system

winter

morning

real

talk

within

notice

remember

that’s

young

oh

river

themselves

outside

round

though

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Appendix C, page 3

Fourth Grade No Excuse Words (the following words should always be spelled correctly)

a

first

it

so

two

about

for

like

some

up

all

from

make

than

was

an

had

many

that

we

and

has

more

the

were

are

have

no

their

what

as

he

not

them

when

at

her

of

then

which

be

him

on

there

will

been

his

one

these

with

but

how

or

they

would

by

I

other

they’re

you

can

if

out

this

you’re

could

in

said

time

your

do

into

see

to

each

is

she

too

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Appendix D

Student Sharing Tracking Sheet (Teacher) Name

Author’s Chair

Modeled a skill

Student work used in lesson

Chart writer

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

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Appendix E

Writing Process Tracking Sheet Name____________________Grading Period_________ Title

*P=plan D=draft R=revision E=edit P=published

Stage of Process*

Mode of Sharing**

Target Skills

Used as an assessment***

**PC=Peer Conference ***Y=yes /give score AC=Author’s Chair N=no G=Group Conference TC=Teacher Conference (write date of conf. next to TC) (adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix F, page 1

Portfolio Log Sheet for Inclusion Name_________________Grading Period____________ Topic_________________________________________ Why did I include this piece?_______________________

What target skills did my piece include?______________

What did I learn from this piece?____________________

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Appendix F, page 2

Portfolio Log Sheet for Replacement Name __________________Grading Period________ Why am I removing this piece from my portfolio?

Where am I going to put it instead?

What did I learn from this?_________________________

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Appendix G, page 1

Name________________Grading Period_____________ Writing Skill Checklist for Teacher Criteria

Consistently

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

Purpose

Organization

Focus

Details

Conventions

*You can simply check the box or list skills in each box, (i.e. commas in a list might go in the consistently box for conventions and quotes in dialogue might go in sometimes for a certain writer). Use either to evaluate a piece of writing or to evaluate a grading period, maybe useful to share at parent or student conference.

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix G, page 2

Writing Skill Checklist For Child Name________________Grading Period____________ Criteria

Consistently

Frequently

Sometimes

Never

Purpose

Organization

Focus

Details

Conventions

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Appendix H, page 1

(adapted from Teacher’s Friend)

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Appendix H, page 2

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Appendix I

Peer Conferences

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Appendix J, page 1

Personal Survey

Put an x next to each thing that you know something about (there are lines to write in your own ideas if needed). I have been to a: _____zoo

_____airport

_____park

_____circus

_____desert

______fair

_____farm

_____forest

______lake

_____amusement park

______marineland

______museum

_____waterfall

______mountain

_______city

_____stadium

______parade

_______beach

______swamp

______movie theatre

_______bowling alley

______foreign country

______on a cruise

_______big party

_____________________

_________________

____________________

_____________________

_________________

____________________

I can: _____sing

____braid

_____run a computer

_____swim

_____cook an egg

_____draw

_____saw wood

______recite a poem

_____ride a bike

_____ski

______dance

______subtract

_____whistle

_______do magic tricks

______sew

_____jump rope

_______skip

______tell a story

_____play a musical instrument ____________________

_________________

___________________

__________________

_____________________

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Appendix J, page 2 My favorite kinds of books are: ______mysteries

______history

__________________

______adventures

______science

__________________

______poems

______fairy tales

______biographies

______science fiction

People I know: _____veterinarian

______sheriff

______coach

_____dentist

______cousin

______cheer leader

______teacher

______plumber

______computer ace

______carpenter

______rancher

______lab technician

______singer

______banker

______ grandmother

______math whiz

______drummer

______mechanic

______baby-sitter

______truck driver

______writer

______librarian

______doctor

______dry cleaner

______postman

______waitress

______dancer

______cook

______ grandfather

______fisherman

______secretary

______teacher

______lawyer

_________________

___________________

____________________

_________________

___________________

____________________

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Appendix J, page 3 Sports I like: _____soccer

_____baseball

_____hockey

_____football

______lacrosse

_____gymnastics

_____horseback riding

______skiing

_____swimming

______snowboarding

______softball

______volleyball

______bowling

______hiking

______rock climbing

______mountain biking

______dirt biking

______tennis

______________________

___________________

____________________

______________________

___________________

____________________

_____dogs

_____cat

Pets I have: _____rabbits _____guinea pig

_____horse

_____lizard

_____snake

_____fish

_____bird

_____turtle

________________

____________________

__________________

________________

____________________

__________________

__________________

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix K

List Linking • Rabbits are furry mammals. • Rabbits live in burrows or under brush piles. • Rabbits eat plants. • Baby rabbits are born alive • Rabbits have especially long ears. • Rabbits live in almost any climate. • Rabbits have whiskers. • Rabbits live in the desert. • Rabbits live in the forest. • Rabbits change their fur color to camouflage themselves. • Rabbits have powerful hind legs. • Rabbits are warm blooded animals. • Artic rabbits turn white in the winter. (adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix L

Story Map-Linear Organizer for Narrative (adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

First

Next

After that

Later

Then

Finally

 The most exciting event in your narrative. Fourth Grade, WANTED: Willing Writers for Writer’s Workshop

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Appendix M

Timeline Our Field Trip to the Zoo Linear organization/Personal Narrative

Got on bus.

9 am

10 am

Arrived at zoo. Got in groups.

Saw mammals and birds.

Then

11:30 am

Ate lunch on grass outside monkey house.

12:00 pm

Saw polar bears.

Then

2:00 pm

Reptile House

Back to school

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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fans

umpires

gloves

Appendix N

Baseball Web Expository

players

people

bats

equipment

coaches

mask

Baseball track

bases

scoring

outfield

field

innings

how to play

stadium rules

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide) Fourth Grade, WANTED: Willing Writers for Writer’s Workshop

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Appendix O

Fiction Planner (adapted from Building a Writing Community: a Practical Guide)

Setting

Main Character Problem or Goal Beginning

List events in order Include one setback

Middle

End

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Appendix P

The Two Narratives Personal narrative (Non-Fiction) • Main character is the writer. • The story is written in the first person, using I. • Setting is where and when the events take place. • No plot. • Some setbacks or small problems may be involved in the events. • The ending drives the story; it is the point of the story—why the writer remembers it and wants to tell it. • The ending reveals the writer’s strong feeling about the event, what he learned or accomplished. • There is a passage of time (throughout a day, week, year). Personal Narratives may also be Observational Narratives. This narrative takes on another’s point of view (The diary of a worm, A Day with the wild ponies). This type of narrative is written in the third person or from the point of view of the character (like the worm).

Imaginative Story (fiction) • Main characters may be the writer, people, animals, and other creatures (real or imagined). • Story may be written in the first person, I or in the third person: he, she, it, or they. • Setting is when and where the events take place. • There is a plot or at least a problem, also known as a setback. • The plot or problem drives the story. • The character solves the problem by the end of the story.

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix Q

Shape of a Narrative

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix R

Setbacks in Narrative Setbacks are events and circumstances that prevent a character from reaching his goal, getting what he wants, or solving the plot problem.

Kinds of Setbacks: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Injury Getting lost Loss through death Loss of an important object Deadline not met Natural calamities: rain, flood, blizzard, locust, earthquake Natural events: tide coming down, sundown Man-made calamities: war, theft, fire, boat sinking Added responsibility Villain activity ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________

In fiction of chapter book or novel length, the character faces several setbacks and solves the last, biggest one in a grand way for a satisfying conclusion. In a short narrative, such as a 45 minute prompted one, there is time only to focus a story around the main character overcoming one interesting setback.

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix S

Assisted Listing Technique For Chronological Order Technique is for any children planning a story or young writers who have the story or young writers who have the story in mind but write so slowly that they lose it as they write.

Procedure: 1. Ask the child to tell you the story. Model this in front of the class so that peers can learn to help each other. 2. Write the events in list form as the student tells you the story. Write them in easy to read printing but in abbreviated form. 3. Prompt things like: Where are you or the character? What are you doing? Who is with you? What happens first, next? What is the most important thing you want your reader to know? What is not important? (Cross those off your list.) 4. Leave the list on the child’s desk or in his notebook as a guide.

Example: 1. Went to a llama farm on Saturday 2. To llama farm 3. llama ate a dog biscuit 4. llamas are brown and white 5. Took pictures of baby llamas 6. llamas wouldn’t come to the fence 7. picnic on the grass 8. swimming in the pond on the farm 9. home 10. forgot my llama picture Student then puts this list into outline form if you use Step up to Writing.

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical guide)

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Appendix T, page 1

When to Paragraph in Narratives • Start of the piece • Change of time • Change in place • A major change in the action • Change of speaker • Every 6-7 lines if none of the above Give your reader a break Remember P.A.T.S for Paragraphs (place, action, time, speaker)

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix T, page 2

When to Paragraph Remember:

P

lace

A

ction

T

ime

S

peaker

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Appendix U, page 1

Booklist of Narratives

Use these picture books to show your students examples of narratives Aliki. My visit to the Zoo. Scholastic, Inc. New York, New York, 1997. ISBN 0-439-08647-7 Arnosky, Jim. Wild Ponies. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 2002. ISBN 0-439-52949-2 ** Brett, Jan. The Mitten. Scholastic, Inc. New York, New York, 1989. ISBN 0-590-44015-2 * Bunting, Eve. Happy Birthday Dear Duck. Clarion Books, New York, 1988.ISBN 0-395-52594-2 *** Calmenson, Stephanie. The Frog Principal. Scholastic Inc. New York, NY. ISBN 0-590-37071-5 * Cannon, Janell. Stelluna. Scholastic, Inc, New York, NY, 1993. ISBN 0-590-48379 ** Carle, Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug. Harcourt Publishers, China, 1977. ISBN 0-06-443450-8 ** Carle, Eric. A House for Hermit Crab. Simon and Schuster Books, Hong Kong. ISBN 0-88708-1 ** Carle, Eric. The Very Busy Spider. Scholastic, New York, NY, 1984. ISBN 0-590-43119-6 ** Charles, Faustin and Terry, Michael. The Selfish Crocodile. Scholastic, New York, 2000. ISBN 0-43913575-3 *** Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius. Penguin Group, New York, NY, 1982. ISBN 0-14-050539-3 * Cronin, Doreen. Diary of a Worm. Harper Collins, 2003. ISBN 0-06-000151-8 ** Cuyler, Margery. Skeleton Hiccups. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 2002. ISBN 0-439-47913-4 *** Dealy, Erin. Goldilocks Has Chicken Pox. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 2002. ISBN 0-439-539382 *** dePaola, Tomie. Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile. The Putnam and Grossett Group, New York, NY, 1987. ISBN 0-698-11401-9 *** dePaola, Tomie. Tom. The Putnam and Grossett Group, New York, NY, 1993. ISBN 0-698-11448-5 * Flournoy, Valerie. The Patchwork Quilt. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1985. ISBN 0-590-89753-5 * Fraser, Mary Ann. IQ Goes to School. Scholastic New York, NY, 2002. ISBN 0-439-57650-4 * Guiberson, Brenda Z. Cactus Hotel. Henry Holt and Company, New York, NY, 1991. ISBN 0-80502960-5 *

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Appendix U, page 2 Hassler, Kurt. Hannah and the Homunculus. Sleeping Bear Press, Chelsea, MI, 2001. ISBN 1-58536043-0*** Hopkinson, Deborah. Girl Wonder: A Baseball in Nine Innings. Atheneum, 2003. ISBN 0-689-833008 Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. Puffin Books, New York, NY, 1962. ISBN 0-14-050182-7 * Kirk, David. Miss Spider’s Tea Party. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 2000. ISBN 0-590-47725-0 ** Lester, Helen. Tacky The Penguin. Scholastic, Inc., New York, 1988. ISBN 0-590-99451-4 *** Lionni, Leo. Little Blue, Little Yellow. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1959. ISBN 0-590-47942-3 ** Long, Melinda. How I Became a Pirate. Harcourt, 2003. ISBN 0-15-201848-4 Noble, Tricia Hakes. The Day Jimmy’s Boa ate the Wash. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1980. ISBN 0-590-33672-X MacDonald, Allen. Scaredy Mouse. Scholastic, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-439-437-86-5 ** McMullan, Kate. I’m Mighty. Harper Collins, 2003. ISBN 0-06-009290-4 ** Palatini, Margie. Piggie Pie. Clarion Books, New York, NY, 1995. ISBN 0-395-86618-9 *** Paxton, Tom. Going to the Zoo. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1996. ISBN 0-439-083-73-7 Pfister, Marc. How Leo Learned to be King. Scholastic, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-590-51153-X *** Pinkney, Brian. The Adventures of Sparrowboy. Simon and Schuster, 1997. ISBN 0-689-81071-7 Provenson, Alice. A Day in the Life of Murphy. Simon and Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0-689-84884-6 * Scwartz, Amy. A Teeny Tiny Baby. Orchard Books, New York, NY, 1994. ISBN 0-531-07177-4 Sendak, Maurice. Where The Wild Things Are. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1963. ISBN 0-59004513-X *** Teague, Mark. Pigsty. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1994. ISBN 0-439-59843-5 *** Tyson, Leigh Ann. An Interview with Harry the Tarantula. National Geographic, 2003. ISBN 0-79225122-9 ***

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Appendix U, page 3 Vjiorst, Judith. Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1972. ISBN 0-689-71173-5 Winnick, Karen. Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers. Boyds Mills Press, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, 1996. ISBN 156397-806-7 * Wood, Audrey. King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub. Scholastic, New York, NY, 1985. ISBN 0-439-632404* Wood, Audrey and Teague, Mark. Sweet Dream Pie. Blue Sky Press, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-59096204-3 *** Wright, Betty Ren. The Blizzard. Holiday House, 2003. ISBN 0-8234-1656-9 Yoshi and Andrew Clements. Big Al. Scholastic, New York, NY, 1988. ISBN 0-590-44455-7 **

*Personal Observation **Narrative from another point of view ***Imaginative Story

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Appendix V

Transition or Time Words and Phrases First

second

third

later on

Soon

finally

lastly

after a while

Next

then

suddenly

a year later

Now

just then

just as

quickly

At dusk

at dawn

never

during the day

Immediately meanwhile

afterwards an hour later

By the time

hours went by

moments later

At first

when

that evening

In (the spring)

by(four o’clock)

Suddenly

right away

On (Christmas morning) Some time later

late (in the day) during (dinner) by the time

in just (twenty minutes) hours went by

as soon as

(adapted from Primary Steps)

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Appendix W

Words that show Feelings happy

ecstatic

exhilarant

exuberant

frustrated

sad

terrified

scared

excited

frightened

electrified

exhausted

tired

petrified

sleepy

silly

calm

happily

gleefully

calmly

hopeful

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Appendix X

Types of Conflict

Character vs. Character

Character vs. Self

Character vs. Nature

Character vs. Government

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Appendix Y

Picture Book –Chapter Book Venn Diagram Picture Books

Chapter Books Both

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Appendix Z, page 1

Expository Information Planner

(adapted from Building A Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix Z, page 2

Expository Information Planner

(adapted from Building A Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix AA

Words That Should REST In PEACE

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Appendix BB

My teacher

S p e c i f y

E l a b o r a t e

D e s c r i b e

to

so that my reader can visualize!

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Appendix CC

Books that Model Specificity Barrett, Judi. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, 1978. ISBN 0-68970749-5 Brett, Jan. Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve? G.P. Putnam Publisher’s New York, 2002. ISBN 0-399-23873-5 Buchanan. This House is Made of Mud. Rising Moon, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1991. Bunting, Eve. Happy Birthday, Dear Duck. Clarion Books, New York, 1928. ISBN 0-395-52594-2 Carle, Eric. Hello, Red Fox. Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-689-84431-X Carle, Eric. The Mixed Up Chameleon. Scholastic, Inc, New York, NY, 1975. ISBN 0-590-42143-3 Carle, Eric. I See a Song. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1973. ISBN 0-590-25213-5 dePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Poinsettia. Scholastic, Inc., New York, 1994. 0-590-63098-9 Hindley, Jonathan. The Perfect Monster. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 2001. ISBN 0-439-2677161 Hoberman, Mary Ann. A House is a House for Me. Puffin Books, New York, 1978. ISBN 0-14050394-3 Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. Scholastic, Inc, New York, NY, 1991. ISBN Houston, Gloria. The Year of The Perfect Christmas Tree. Dial Books for Young Readers, New York, 1988. ISBN 0-8037-0299-X Howard, Jane R. When I’m Sleepy. Puffin Books, New York, NY, 1985. ISBN 0-14-056759-3 Katz, Karen. The Colors of Us. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1999. ISBN 0-439-22116-1 Kellogg, Steven. Paul Bunyan. Morrow Junior Books, New York, NY, 1984. ISBN 0-688-05800-0 MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, 1947. ISBN 0-590-41386-4 Mole, Karen Bryant. I Feel Shy. Sundance Publishing, Littleton, Mass., 1998. ISBN 0-7608-3919-0 Moses, Brian. I Feel Jealous. Sundance Publishing, Littleton, Mass., 1993. ISBN 0-7608-3913-1 Root, Phyllis. One Duck Stuck. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, ISBN 0-590-51661-2 Wood, Audrey. Piggies. Scholastic, Inc, New York, NY, 1991. ISBN 0-590-50967-5 Wood, Audrey. The Napping House. Scholastic, Inc., New York, NY, 1984. ISBN 0-590-97546-3 Fourth Grade, WANTED: Willing Writers for Writer’s Workshop

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Appendix DD, page 1

Don’t Hit Your Reader Over The Head!

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Appendix DD, page 2

Don’t Hit Your Reader Over The Head Writing Center Copy the following sentences on index cards. Place cards in your writing center upside down. The student draws a card and writes down the sentence exactly as he sees it. He then writes another sentence that leaves out the word that hits the reader over the head and makes the sentence more descriptive by adding detail or a simile.

Example:

Student draws this card: It was fun. He copies down the sentence. Then underneath that sentence he writes a sentence like: The circus had so many silly clowns I laughed until my stomach hurt. This sentence doesn’t hit the reader over the head. It allows the reader to infer that if the writer stomach hurt from laughing the circus must have been fun.

Sample Sentences: He is tall.

It is hot.

It was fun.

It is boring.

She is smart.

It is quiet.

I love my dog.

It is cold.

It is windy.

He was tired.

He is happy.

The band was loud.

The kids are scared.

The library is busy.

The food was good.

My teacher is nice.

The mall is crowded.

The movie was funny.

This book is good.

My friend is nice.

(adapted from Building a Writing Community: A Practical Guide)

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Appendix EE

Strong Verbs Brain Warm-up Say a verb, your students give you strong verbs that you can use that mean the same thing. Some samples follow. You can say these orally or you can have students write them down creating their own thesaurus of strong verbs. 1.

Say the word:

Look

Students respond with words like:

2.

Say the word:

observe, peek, peer, seek, watch,

move

Students respond with words like:

strut, stroll, amble, skip, scamper, walk,

run, gallop, crawl, 3.

Communicate Students respond: talk, yell, whinny, neigh, moo, crow, sing, sputter, mutter, reply, respond, tweet, howl

4.

Dance Students respond: twirl, leap, pirouette, balance, skip, hop, tap, spin, sashay, boogie, jump,

5.

Tell me all the things you do to a soccer ball: Students respond: kick, slam, protect,

Say the word:

Tell me all the things you do when you:

wham, punch, push, race, run,

tap, 6.

Tell me all the things you do at a baseball game: Students respond: cheer, clap, play, participate,

run, catch, hit, slam, pitch, retrieve, slide, eat, throw, zing the ball, zip the ball, swing the bat, 7.

What do you do on a trampoline? Students respond: Bounce, jump,

skyrocket, flip, turn, spin, tumble,

fly, jet through the air

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Appendix FF

Sample Paragraphs: Left Field Sentences My mom took my brother and me swimming. We went to the Arlington Park Pool. I rode in the front seat. The park has a pool that has black lines painted on the bottom. That helps you swim in a straight line. But only if you can open your eyes under the water.

Everyone in my family is tall. My Uncle Tom is the tallest. He can touch the ceiling in our house. My Dad is the next tallest. He can touch the ceiling if he stands on tiptoe. The ceiling is made of that popcorn stuff. When my brother gets a little older he might be able to touch the ceiling, too. Now he can if he stands on a milk crate.

Baby lions are called kittens. They follow their mother everywhere. They learn to hunt by watching her. They are mammals. They practice pouncing on insects and lizards.

The team was ready to play. The pitcher yelled in to the catcher to watch out for the next hitter. The catcher threw the ball to the first baseman. He threw it to the shortstop. Then the pitcher got it. He pitched the ball. Strike one! The hitter got ready for the next ball. The right fielder was chewing gum. The pitcher threw another strike.

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Appendix GG

Oh Yeah, Prove It!! Ways to provide supporting evidence: 6.

7. 8.

9.

10.

11. 12. 13.

Clarify what you mean. (How good do you think you really are? Use descriptive details. Use a number or statistic. (How many home runs did you hit? How many years have you been playing?) Quote an authority. (Who else thinks so, your mom, dad, teacher, coach, grandpa, etc.?) Make a comparison. (I’m as good a hitter as my older brother. We both hit at least two home runs a game.) Give a real life example. Give reasons why. Use a chart, map, table, or diagram. (You might graph the number of homeruns you have achieved and then provide an average per game)

(adapted from Marcia Freeman’s School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix HH

Four Types of Revision

1. Addition: • More words per sentence • Who, what, where, when, why, how many • Any new target skill

2. Substitution: • • • • •

Replace and thens Replace some saids (use words like: replied, responded, etc.) Specific names for pronouns Pronoun for repetitive use of a name Point of view

3. Deletions: • • • •

Repeated words Extra words Left field sentences Sentences that hit the reader over the head

4. Reorganize: • • • •

Move words or sentences Cut and paste paper together to add room Draw arrow to insert sentences Letter or number changes that go together

(adapted from Marcia Freeman’s School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix II, page 1

Ways to Hook ‘em 1.

Question: Did you ever wonder what it would be like to fly?

2.

Exclamation: Two years ago we had a blizzard that brought seven feet of snow!

3.

Noise: Hmmmm, that’s the sound of a hummingbird’s wings as they flap at an amazing speed.

4.

Setting: Once upon a time, in a far off land there live an ogre and his donkey.

5.

Amazing or Startling Fact: Penguins legs are so far back they have to stand up straight or they will fall over.

6.

General to Specific Statement: Most students like macaroni and cheese but I like it so much I would eat it for every meal if my mom would let me.

7.

Words in Capitals, Bold, italics, or unusual fonts: LOOK HERE NOW!

8.

Superlative: In March of 2003, we had the largest amount of snowfall from one storm in the history of Colorado.

9.

Contrast: My mom likes roses, but my favorite flower is the daisy.

10.

Comparison: When you ski over a two foot jump you fly like a bird.

11.

Alliterative phrases: Super skiers soar through the sky.

12.

Talk directly to the reader: You should really take care of the earth. I’m going to tell you three ways you can help.

13.

Definition: Hook: a device used to catch something. You can use a hook to catch your reader.

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Appendix II, page 2

14.

Poem or ditty: Roses are red, violets are blue I’m using a hook and you can too!

15.

Riddle: What has four wheels and flies? A garbage truck. Garbage trucks travel the streets of our city every day.

16.

Anecdote: (narrative vignette or a short funny story) Once my dog came walking through the house with my sister’s hat on. It had fallen on her head and she couldn’t get it off. My dog does funny things like this all the time.

17.

Idiom: A piece of cake! That’s what my dad said when he tried to teach me to ride my bike.

18.

Quotation: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.” I wonder if this is still what men and women say when they join the armed services.

19.

Pun: (a joke based on one word that can have two meanings) People work as bakers because they knead (need) the dough.

20.

Play on words: Moove on over to the farm to learn how cows live.

21.

Exaggeration: (hyperbole: overstatement) This box feels like it weighs a ton.

22.

Name of a famous person or place: Mount Vernon, Virginia was the home of George Washington.

(adapted from Marcia Freeman’s K-5 School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix II, page 3

Introductory Paragraphs (for pieces that are more than one paragraph) • Build an introductory paragraph (two or more sentences) that incorporate your hook. • Construct the introduction after you write the body of the piece, when you know where you want to lead your readers. • The content of the piece determines the function of the first paragraph: -Give background information. -Tell how you got interested in the subject. -Tell how you feel about the subject. -Set a tone or atmosphere. -Tell why the topic is important to the reader. -Define the topic. -State a problem. -Tell what you want. -State your position on an issue. -Tell what you want. -Explain the organization of the piece. (There are two ways to get to my school.)

(adapted from Marcia Freeman’s K-5 School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix II, page 3

Fiction First Lines 1. The author introduces the main character by name. 2. The author describes the main character. 3. The main character, named, is thinking or doing something. 4. The main character is talking. 5. The author describes the setting (time, place, or both). 6. The author sets up the conflict in the first line. 7. An event is in progress. 8. Combinations of the above. 9. A letter or a note. 10. A prologue telling of a past event that sets up the story. Examples: On Saturday, July 15th, Aqueduct Racecourse’s great stands bulged and overflowed, spilling thousands of spectators onto the track’s bright green infield. (The Black Stallion Mystery, Walter Farley) Mrs. May lived in two rooms in Kate’s parents’ home in London: she was, I think, some kind of relation. (The Borrower’s, Mary Norton) Henry Huggins stood by the front window of his square white house on Klickitat Street and wondered why Sunday afternoon seemed so much longer than any other part of the week. (Henry and Beezus, Beverly Cleary) I won Dribble at Jimmy Fargo’s birthday party. (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume) It was a dark and stormy night. (A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L’Engle) Dominic was a lively one, always up to something. (Dominic, William Steig) (adapted from Marcia S. Freeman’s K-5 School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix JJ, page 1

Ending Techniques If writing a picture book the ending technique is one to two sentences. For paragraphs the technique begins the final paragraph of two or more sentences. 1. Tell or reiterate how you feel about the subject. (On cold and stormy nights I feel safe inside sitting next to my dad by the fire.) 2. Ask the reader a question. (I’ve learned that recycling is important for our earth, have you?) 3. Use a universal word: all, everyone, ever day, each of us, everything, ever time, everybody, always. (If everyone wore there seatbelts there would be a lot less deaths in car accidents.) 4. Make a comparison. (Skiing off three foot jumps is as close to living the life of a bird as I’ll ever get.) 5. Give the last step in a process. (Allow the cookies to cool for five minutes, then dunk in milk and eat for a warm, gooey treat.) 6. Invite the reader to learn more, reference where they can get more information. (If you enjoyed this article on fly fishing check your local library for more information and how to videos.) 7. Offer the reader advice. (When your in a car it’s smart practice to always wear your seat belt.) 8. Make a prediction. (If you follow these steps I think you’ll agree you’ve just made the best tasting cookies you’ve ever had.)

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Appendix JJ, page 2

9. Circle back to your hook using the same device or style. (So when skiing over jumps always look before you leap!) 10. Quote the key person in the story. (So as John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country.) 11. Draw an analogy or a conclusion from the ideas or examples. (With the evidence presented one can conclude that it’s important to you life to always wear your seat belt.) 12. Present the clincher in an argument. (Having a rabbit will make me more responsible, and we both know you’re always telling me it’s important for me to develop responsibility.) 13. Remind the reader of the main points (in a paper of 4-5 pages). (The four seasons we discussed in length are: spring, summer, fall and winter. Each is distinct in their way.)

(adapted fro Marcia Freeman’s K-5 School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix KK, page 1

Persuasive Arguments Introduction: State the topic and your position. Use any of the hooks you’ve learned. Then use the following types if arguments to present your case. 1. Scientific facts: • Statistics • Empirical evidence 2. Show how you will gain values: • Responsibility • Independence • Involvement • Ethical behavior • Respect • Preserve the environment • Happiness • Health 3. Benefit to the Audience: • Save them money • Make money • Gain status • Gain health 4. Direct Quotes: • Quote something the audience said • An authority 5. Charts and Tables: 6. Personal Vignette or story: 7. Analogy or comparison:

(adapted from Marcia S. Freeman’s School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix KK, page 2

Samples of Persuasive Writing Dear Mom, Mom, you should let me have a horse. I know you will say not at first because we have no place to keep it. But Kristin told me I can keep it at her grandfather’s farm with her two horses. If I had a horse I would take care of it. Grandma is always saying that taking care of a pet develops responsibility. You could buy me the horse for my birthday. I’ll spend my own money to buy stuff for the horse. I know I can get a saddle secondhand from a kid in my class. And you were the one who wanted me to take riding lessons anyway. Having a horse will give me a lot to write about in writer’s workshop and I will get better grades. Don’t you think it would be worth a try? Your daughter, Jody

First paragraph acknowledges the opposition and tries to disarm it, how?

Argument #1:

Argument #2___________________________________________________

Argument #3(The clincher)_______________________________________

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Appendix KK, page 3

Persuasive Samples Dear Mom and Dad, I need another rabbit. I know you don’t want me to get another rabbit, but listen to my facts. I’m sure at the end of my letter I will have convinced you. I could breed a new rabbit with the one I already have. I know you are saying, ‘NO” in your head but I could sell the bunnies and make money. Wouldn’t it also be fun to hold those cute little balls of fur? I would also take care of her. As you know, I take care of the rabbit I have. I would spend time with them and I would let them out. You are always saying that taking care of the rabbit is making me more responsible. Now, I know you both are saying, “Absolutely not,” it costs too much money. But I would pay for her and the food, the supplies, and the whole nine yards. Of course, you might have to raise my allowance. I could enter her in the Fair. Isn’t that brilliant? She could win awards and I would even get more involved in 4-H. And that’s good, isn’t it? My last thing to say, especially to you Dad, is it would save us money if we were ever starving. Think of all the possibilities there would be: Rabbit stew, roasted rabbit, rabbit al a mode, boiled rabbit, baked rabbit, stuffed rabbit, and even rabbit pot pie. I’m just kidding but it crossed my mind. Now that I’ve told you everything, I would just like to say that if I didn’t really want another rabbit, I wouldn’t have taken time out of my busy schedule to write you. Yours truly, Kristin

(adapted from Marcia S. Freeman’s K-5 School-wide Writing Program)

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Appendix LL

You are cordially invited to attend our Young Author’s Day. Date: Time: Place: Please come and view the manuscripts the budding authors of RMAE have published. Fourth Grade, WANTED: Willing Writers for Writer’s Workshop

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Appendix Mm

Rubric to Evaluate Target Skill Name of Student:__________________________ Type of Writing:__________________________ Target Skill being evaluated:__________________

3 Target skills were reached 100% of the time. Writing conventions were present 100% of the time. Ideas were presented clearly 100% of the time.

2 Target skills were reached 80% of the time. Writing conventions were present 80% of the time. Ideas were presented clearly 80% of the time.

1 Target skills were reached 50% of the time. Writing conventions were present 50% of the time. Ideas were presented clearly 50% of the time.

0 Target skills was not attempted. Errors in conventions were too many to note. Ideas were not presented in a clear manner.

Comments:____________________________________________

Key: 3=Advanced proficiency toward target 2=Expected proficiency toward target 1=More instruction and practice are needed 0=More time, support, instruction and practice are needed

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