Capitalization  See  Communications Arts – Grammar / Usage / Mechanics

Graphic Organizers See Graphic Organizers

Punctuation  See  Communications Arts – Grammar / Usage / Mechanics

Parts of Speech  See  Communications Arts – Grammar / Usage / Mechanics

Spelling  See  Communication Arts – Spelling

Vocabulary See Reading – Vocabulary

ACT Writing
“What High Schools Need to Know”;  essay examples including scores and comments [...]

Today the students and I took a look at different kinds of leads authors use to enter their stories. You can see the kids identified them and labeled them accordingly to how they saw E. B. White and Katherine Patterson enter their stories. The students decided that E. B. White used a question, dialogue and [...]

In the writing class, the flipchart mini lesson is a perfect tool to model short excerpts of the writing craft that can make a student’s writing grow. These lessons can include procedural, convention, and craft lessons. Some can be invitational but most should be an expectation for the writer to Have-A-Go at the lesson that [...]

Mark Mil Liken Pointing

Ralph Fletcher writes in his book, “boy Writers”, about how we are cheating the male population in our writing workshops. Writing test scores indicate that boys have fallen far behind girls across the grades. In general, boys don’t enjoy writing as much as girls. What’s wrong? How can we do a better of job of [...]

I love technology. I use three computer languages to write in, I develop web sites, I train others to use technology in their writing workshops and I at times turn my back on the technology I love. I was born in 1951. I am of an era that use to write letters. We would take [...]

All the Places to Love Lesson

After many years of teaching the writing workshop I have found there are some key parts that one must have in place in order to provide a successful environment for the young writers.

A mini-lesson focuses on a specific teaching point and lasts five to twenty minutes. You can teach a mini-lesson with a whole group, small group, or with individual students. Mini-lessons are ideal for quick lessons leading to active engagement.
Steps for Completing a Mini-Lesson
Before you plan your mini-lesson, you need to determine your teaching point. A [...]

Mark Mil Liken Pointing

New Kirk

Launching A Writing Workshop by Ralph Fletcher

The Revision Toolbox TEACHING TECHNIQUES THAT WORK

Free Mini Lessons

All the Places to Love Lesson

Writing Workshop Mini LessonsWriting Workshop Mini Lessons (book)
Print: $20.00
Download: $10.00
This book contains a collection of writing mini lessons for the writing workshop.

Writing Workshop LessonsWriting Workshop Lessons (book)
Print: $19.99
Download: $10.00
A book full of writing workshop lessons.

Graphic Organizers for the Writing WorkshopGraphic Organizers for the Writing Workshop (book)
Print: $9.98
Download: $7.00
This book is full [...]

Celebrate Secondary

Intermediate

Sketching People Mini Lessons in Writing Workshop

Writing Workshop Mini LessonsWriting Workshop Mini Lessons (book)
Print: $20.00
Download: $10.00
This book contains a collection of writing mini lessons for the writing workshop.

Writing Workshop LessonsWriting Workshop Lessons (book)
Print: $19.99
Download: $10.00
A book full of writing workshop lessons.

Graphic Organizers for the Writing WorkshopGraphic Organizers for the Writing Workshop (book)
Print: $9.98
Download: $7.00
This book is full [...]

Yellow Sands

Lead Mini Lessons

All the Places to Love Lesson

Writing Marathon
Louisiana site director Richard Louth describes the magic, and anxiety, of leading a writing marathon. While revealing that “things do go wrong,” he admits surprising success and offers tips for conducting a marathon, writing prompts, and excerpts of participants’ writing.
Café du Monde and the click and clanging of the glasses and silverware. One of [...]

Poetry Slams in the Writing Workshop make the writing come to life. It is a great way to get people moving and engaged whether they are 10 or 50 years old.
History of Poetry Slams
Marc Smith is credited with starting the poetry slam at the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago in November 1984. In July [...]

It is important when cultivating a language for writing building wide to provide a situation where many (550 kids) the opportunity to read and make comments on writing. We posted over 100 pieces of writing on the walls of our building. Sticky notes and pens were made accessible. When students went to the restroom or [...]

There are so many ways for young writers to come up with ideas to write about it’s hard to choose a favorite. I personally enjoy the heart map that Ralph Fletcher et al describe. It is a particularly good instrument to use when searching for a powerful topic to write about such as in the [...]

Writing teachers would agree that the most difficult population to inspire to write can be the boys that sit in front of you. I believe, in part, that is because so many of them prefer first to work in a non linguistic mode and secondly they enjoy writing and thinking about “boy” topics: hunting, rough [...]

I have introduced many kinds of writing already this year. It allows the young writers many choices. The kids love to have a say (choice) in what they write. Here is a list of what we do so far as of 10/27/09.

Our Genre Selection List
View more documents from David Stoner.

In the writing class, the flipchart mini lesson is a perfect tool to model short excerpts of the writing craft that can make a student’s writing grow. These lessons can include procedural, convention, and craft lessons. Some can be invitational but most should be an expectation for the writer to Have-A-Go at the lesson that [...]

I’ve spent thirty years exploring every aspect of what technology can do and more specifically how it can make learning better in my classrooms. I’ve come to believe though…there are times that today’s technology can not beat the communication modes of years gone by. When was the last time you held and cried over an [...]

Writing teachers would agree that the most difficult population to inspire to write can be the boys that sit in front of you. I believe, in part, that is because so many of them prefer first to work in a non linguistic mode and secondly they enjoy writing and thinking about “boy” topics: hunting, rough [...]

Patricia MacLachlan is an extraordinary writer and one a writing teacher can freely use to model writing in the wriitng workshop. In her book, All The Places To Love, she displays the use of skillfully using prepositional phrases that tell you when and where things are happening. Sometimes she puts the prepositional phrases at the beginning of her lovely sentences. But sometimes they can be found in the middle or at the sentence’s end. By using these prepositional phrases it will give your writing fluency and beauty for the reader to enjoy.

Everyone has secrets. This lesson taps into that human equation. Using mentor texts that were lifted from other writers the students and I study what the writers attempted to do. If we can name it we can claim it to use in our own writing.
 
 
I Never Told Anyone

What Titles Do you Teach From?
(polls)

What if…by Regina Williams is an excellent resource to use to structure a lesson for student success. All children naturally wonder about our world and what could be if they had the power to change things. So the “What if…” concept is a fascinating one for them to ponder as they compose.
What If…

In the Writing Workshop and the Reading Workshop young learners need ways to process the information you’ve presented. This paper includes over 25 ways to deepen their thinking and understanding of the material.
Representing to Learn Activities

Revision must be made a visual tool for the young writer in a writing workshop. I use this story from my early years and ask the students to confer with me. As they point to my writing and ask questions I take notes. After the teacher / student conference I think out loud about what [...]

Writing Using the Five Senses

Leads

Writing Workshop Framework

10 Ideas