Click here or above for the writing planners
1. They must be able to spell well.
2. They must write strong, grammatically correct sentences.
3. They must use a lot of voice.
To accomplish this now less than overwhelming task (since I broke it down in to just three necessities), I came up with the following rules/guidelines for my writing lessons.
1. When modeling, the students MUST also be writing what I am writing, rather than sitting idle. Practice makes perfect, watching someone doesn't.
2. When modeling, students are held accountable for correct spelling, proper paragraph formation, punctuation, etc. In otherwords, they are just COPYING me, so it should look perfect.
3. Early in the year, students use a writing journal at a DIFFERENT time of day than the writing block so as to provide time for creative expression without confusing them and expecting them to already master my writing lessons/expecations. By November, the teacher will start to relinquish some of the modeling control and students will be writing more independently, using the planners described below and using the intended writing block time.
4. And finally, the use of sequential writing planners that set them up for success. Again, by November, I begin to relinquish control. So, we write approximately 2 class stories per week (I'm modeling, they are copying). In addition, they write approximately 2 of their own, individual stories per week. **I always use the hardest possible planner when modeling that I think the group as a whole can handle but.....during their independent stories, each child gets a planner dependent on what stage they are at in writing.
Click here for some of the writing planners. I am in the process of creating even more so stay tuned! These planners can be modified as needed based on a variety of topics, etc., and I have used them with 2nd - 6th graders.