Writing Videos

Here are some videos and teaching ideas about writing.
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749217

Unit of Study: Fiction Writing

This is a link to a great write up about one of Lucy’s units of study:  fiction.  I am always searching for references to Lucy’s units since many of the teachers I work with use the units as a resource. 
http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/unit-of-study-fiction-writing-grades-3-5/

How-To make crayons!

This was one of my FAVORITE VIDEOS when I was a little girl!  This is an awesome procedure lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgyR8

Essay Writing Ideas

Many schools are using Lucy Calkins’ materials and Units of Study.  One of her units includes an essay unit.  Jim Trelease has a site that includes a weekly essay.  It is awesome!  http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/essay-of-week.html  
I am always looking for resources.  This is another site of wonderful resources for us.

Lucy Calkins Writing Kits

 
http://literacybytes.com/  A wonderful site as a Grade 3-5 staff implements Lucy Calkins kits in their building.

Essays for Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study

Site that supports teachers searching for essays for Lucy’s Essay’s Unit
http://eolit.hrw.com/hlla/newmainlinks/writ.jsp

Writing Realistic Fiction Effectively

Professional Resources
Live Writing: Breathing Life into your Words by Ralph Fletcher
First Grade Writers Units of Study to Help Children Plan, Organize, and Structure Their Ideas by Stephanie Parsons (Ch 5)
Workshop Help Desk Grade 2 A Quick Guide to Teaching Second-Grade Writers with Units of Study (see what Lucy Calkins wrote for November).  She writes about [...]

Teaching Second Grade Writers

Workshop Help Desk Grade 2 A Quick Guide to Teaching Second-Grade Writers with Units of Study by Lucy Calkins Author and Series Editor (First Hand Heinemann)
Lucy briefly explains how to use the units over the course of the year in second grade. 
http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/teaching-second-grade-writers-by-lucy-calkins/     
Stephanie Parsons gives a few more ideas for Units of Study.

Units of Study: Retelling

This website is developing ideas for units of study for reading. 
This unit encourages students to check for understanding or confusion:  http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/strategies-for-checking-comprehension/ 
This unit encourages students to check for retelling:  http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/readers-think-and-talk-to-grow-ideas/
This unit encourages students to realize that they have thoughts as they read.  http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/readers-think-and-talk-to-grow-ideas/

Kinder Wiki Space

Kindergarten Wiki Spaces
http://kindergartencce.wikispaces.com/Author+Study+-+Eric+Carle
Authors As Mentors by Lucy Calkins suggests that each grade level decide on an author to study.  This school is studying Eric Carle in Kinder.