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/

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.

Getting Ready for Writing Day 1

What will your students write about on day one?
What will you model on day one?
What will your mini-lesson be on day one?
What will you expect your students write on day one?
http://eledblog.com/content/learning-about-units-study-launching-writing-workshop
http://abeaver.wordpress.com/2006/08/01/valentine-for-ernest-mann-by-naomi-shihab-nye/

Stars and Wishes

When conferring with a student, tell what works in the writing.  What did you notice?  What are the “stars“?  These are the positives of the writing!  Then the teacher decides on a teaching point.  I wish you would ….  This is the place where the teacher makes a suggestion to improve the writing.  There should [...]

Personal Narrative Unit by Jessica Meachum

Scroll near the bottom of the page and you will see lessons by Jessica on Personal Narrative, Question / Answer and even Pattern books.   http://www.jmeacham.com/writers.workshop/writing.mini.lessons.htm

Writing about an Object

My mom and a few of her closest friends, painted the nativity many years ago.  The grandchildren and my parents set out the nativity each year on Thanksgiving.  I could write about this tradition of setting up the nativity.  My dad gets the boxes out of the attic.  The little ones are under his feet [...]

Crafting Writers, K-6, Elizabeth Hale

Show, not Tell
“Writers need words that create images and emotions for other people in addition to telling a story (Crafting Writers, K-6, Elizabeth Hale, page 43).
 
Often teachers of writing suggest to their students that they need to move away from telling a feeling to showing a feeling.  The leap is too big for many writers.  [...]

Small Moment: Adding Details that Matter

Objective:  Today your job is to remember what your character/person is doing and write down the words of what you see in your mind. 
One of the lessons that my students need is adding details that add to the story instead of boring details.  Typically writers tell us that the sky is blue, the clouds are [...]