WRITING MINI LESSONS1. Procedural: Explaining the folder. Tell them they will write everyday. May or may not complete a piece in one day. Explain: the use of the four pockets in folder. ( I use 2 plain 2 pocket folders taped together to make one 4 pocket folder as a writing folder.
Word Wall Pocket: portable word wall
Writing Ideas Pocket: We will generate a list of ideas later.
Writing In Progress Pocket: pieces currently being written
Waiting To Be Published: (Explain publish) Must have 5 pieces in this pocket before picking one to be published. Paper clip these together in groups of 5. Use paper I provide.
Show them a little book that will be used for publishing. These books will be read by others. The ultimate is to publish, so only pick favorite pieces.2. Procedural: Explain the writing block procedures.
Have folder ready on desk but do not open it up. Sometimes I will tell you what you will write, sometimes you will choose what to write. There is always a mini lesson before you write. Either begin a new piece or continue with one from yesterday. You CANNOT ask me how to spell a word. You use the WW, theme boards, or stretch out the sounds like a rubber band. If you think a word is not spelled correctly, circle it so we know to look it up later. Just get your thoughts down on paper. There is time to share after writing called "Author's Chair."
Practice stretching out a word today if time.3. Procedural: ( This takes several days to model each step.) Discuss the steps in writing. A writer does not
complete a piece in one day and rarely will you. It is a step-by-step process. Model steps:
a) Brainstorm - topic and ideas about topic, use of webs, graphic
organizers
b) First draft - we don't worry too much about spelling and
punctuation being correct at this point. Just get your ideas down. We will clean it up during editing.
c) Revise - reread and make changes and add more
Put inside of folder that is labeled "Waiting to be Published "
d) Editing -
1. edit yourself - reread the piece, do check-offs from editor's checklist, correct errors Add Editor's Checklist # 1 and 2. (Name and Date and Title)
2. peer edit - must go to special place with a buddy, read your story to your buddy. Make corrections. Trade papers. Sign papers. MODEL
e) Discuss Publishing later.4. Writing Mini Lesson: Model continuing a piece.
Reread piece. Add on. Use editor's checklist to edit.
5. Writing Mini Lesson: Read - Aunt Flossie's Hats and Crabcakes Later. Brainstorm list of writing ideas. They create own list. Other book to read this week: The Button Box by Margaret Reid,
Ideas:
Memories about items Have you ever lost something?
pets, Found something?
Friends Gotten hurt at school?
Family Helped a friend?
an overnight Received a special gift?
a holiday Have you ever gone a field trip?
one day of vacation Made something?
the day the ______ broke What do you know about school?
things I have read about Walmart?
things I wonder about Fixing things?
what I did Saturday Have you ever driven a tractor?
Have you ever ridden a bike? A 4-wheeler?
On a train? Watch the news?
A plane? Read something in the newspaper?
Given a gift? Played in the snow?
Gone to a party? Played in the rain?
A family reunion? Picked out a new pet?
Have you ever been in Kindergarten?
Who was your teacher? Lost and old pet?
First grade?
Second grade?6. Writing Mini Lesson: Proper form - paragraph: Indent, caps, and
margins. Add Editor's Checklist #3 and 4.
7. Writing Mini Lesson: Sentences - Sentence not a sentence.
Proper end marks.8. Writing Mini Lesson: Kinds of Sentences. Statement, command,
question, exclamation. (Do one each day.) Statement - Play -tell me something. Question - Play - Ask me something. Repeat with other sentences. Include some in teacher writing on overhead. Add Editor's Checklist # 5 and 6.9. Writing Mini Lesson: Parts of a sentence. Subject, predicate.
These make a complete sentence. Leave part out, students correct. Add editor's checklist # 7.10. Writing Mini Lesson: Main Idea and Details Use graphic
Organizer before writing piece.11. Writing Mini Lesson: Publishing - read rules about publishing.
May publish only after peer edit, revise, and add more. Piece
must be neat enough that it can be easily read.
Must have 5 pieces. Discuss signing up for teacher
edit. Where do we do this? NO ONE bothers us.12. Writing Mini Lesson: Nouns, Proper Nouns
13. Procedural: "I'm done." Model what to do.
You're not done. Start writing again.14. Writing Mini Lesson: Review of spelling: stretch out words, use
WW, theme boards, Add Editor's Checklist #8.15. Writing Mini Lesson: Staying on topic. Write a story that is not
on topic. Class edits and offers suggestions.
Add Editor's Checklist # 9.16. Writing Mini Lesson: Good beginnings: Prior to this
lesson tell them pay attention to beginnings in stories. Reference: What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher.
Good starters:
*Let me tell you about. . .
*Have you ever wondered. . .
*Have you ever wondered why. . .
*I like to _________ for many reasons.
*I think ________ was _________ for many reasons.
*I just learned facts about. . .
*Let me tell you how ______ and _______ are alike.
*Let me tell you how _________ and ______ are different.
*It's fun to _______. First you. . .
*Many changes happen to ________ as they ____.
*People used to think _________, but now we know ________.
_________ was a ___________ person.
*Starting in the middle of a scene:
*Plink, plink, plink, went the _____________.
*Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room - at last.
*Dialogue lead: "Where's Papa going with that axe?" said Fern
to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
"Wait, wait for me!" little Jill yelled.
*Begin at the end, use of flashback, then proceed to tell story.
Read the book Louis the Fish by Arthur Yorinks's ( the
circular lead/close.) Once a first draft is finished, a
circular lead /close is easy to create. Have students look
at their endings and ask them if they can begin with those
closing words as well. It brings their writing full circle.
Read Eric Carle's book, the Grouchy Ladybug, an
example of this type of lead.
*The climatic lead: Begin at the point of greatest conflict.
Example: The remains of Thanksgiving dinner sat like an abondoned wreck on the dining room table: she had eaten it all and the guests hadn't even arrived yet.James and the Giant Peach - great beginning
Tuck Everlasting - flashback and great beginning14. Writing Mini Lesson: Verbs - action words. Make a list for said,
run, fun, etc. Use thesaurus and stories.
15. Writing Mini Lesson: Punctuation for dialogue.16. GR Mini Lesson: run-on sentences
17. Writing Mini Lesson: Adjectives - what kind, how many
These are colorful words, powerful words.
Model - write a piece that has no adjectives, let class help to
add adjectives.18. Writing Mini Lesson: Replace repetitive words with pronouns.
19. Writing Mini Lesson: Articles: A, an, the - when to use.
20. Writing Mini Lesson: Middles - the details. Model details
Using the table as a graphic organizer.21. Writing Mini Lesson: Adjectives that compare - big, bigger,
biggest - good, better, best22. Writing Mini Lesson: Good endings. Model a good ending.
Next day write one with a bad ending. Class edits and corrects. Reference: What a Writer Needs by Ralph Fletcher23. Writing Mini Lesson: Using the 5 senses to write.
24. Writing Mini Lesson: Revision. Model how to revise.
25. Writing Mini Lesson: Commas - introductory words
26. Writing Mini Lesson: Commas - words in a series,
27. Writing Mini Lesson: Focused Lesson - Letter writing.
28. 5 Paragraph Essays: Focused Lesson - State Goals
a) Expository
b) Persuasive
c) Narrative29. Writing Mini Lesson: Transitions
30. Writing Mini Lesson: Conclusions
31. Writing Mini Lesson: Important Poem
The most important thing about a pencil is you use it to write.
It has an eraser for mistakes.
It needs to be sharpened often.
It is yellow.
The most important thing about a pencil is you use it to write.32. Writing Mini Lesson: Focused Lesson: Writing a diamante
poem33. Writing Mini Lesson: Creative Writing (Fractured Fairy Tales)
· Developing a character *Theme or moral
· Developing a plot *Developing a setting34. Writing Mini Lesson: Focused Lesson: Alliteration - tongue
twister35. Writing Mini Lesson: Report Writing
Use graphic organizer given at Cheryl's workshop
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