Writing Workshop
The idea of a writing workshop is to create an environment where students feel comfortable building their writing skills.
Throughout the year, I encourage my students to write and explore their sense of writing on all fronts. Students practice writing through warm ups to increase speed, essays to encourage organization, and writing prompts to build stamina. Most importantly, students are given creative writing outlets throughout the year. It is important to build skills in writing and reading, the same way you would lift weights to build muscle. Students are encouraged to take control of their educational writing, but also find an inner strength and peace through creative writing.
The following images are various examples of our writing workshops.
Throughout the year, I encourage my students to write and explore their sense of writing on all fronts. Students practice writing through warm ups to increase speed, essays to encourage organization, and writing prompts to build stamina. Most importantly, students are given creative writing outlets throughout the year. It is important to build skills in writing and reading, the same way you would lift weights to build muscle. Students are encouraged to take control of their educational writing, but also find an inner strength and peace through creative writing.
The following images are various examples of our writing workshops.
ESSAY WRITING
There has been much debate over the practice of 'writing formulas' over the years. As mentioned before, students are not constantly required to use the following format. But I do find it important to create a foundation that struggling writers - and even confident writers - can fall back on.
Annotating/ identifying
My students identify with teacher modeling. I chose to set up stations where students could see all stages of an essay. Our first stations consisted of the following groups:
***THE FOLLOWING STATION ROTATION IS SIMPLY AN EXAMPLE. Please check other webpages for specific class activities***
Station Rotation 1
1) Work with Ms. Parker to identify and annotate the INTRODUCTION of a pre-written essay on a 7th-9th grade level. (Disclaimer: I explained that this essay was chosen because it gave an example of a basic essay about character traits. I pointed out when evidence and wording was weak. We also added detail to strengthen the essay).
1) Finding Evidence from the play, The Diary of Anne Frank, using a Graphic Organizer to identify 3 character traits and 2 quotes per character trait. Students used Venn Diagrams to choose character traits.
3) Use Macbooks to investigate Anne Frank's character development.
|
http://unctv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/midlit11.ela.splafrank/character-change-the-diary-of-anne-frank/
|
Station Rotation 2
1) Annotating and identifying the BODY of an essay.
Highlighting and identifying was followed by note taking in ILL. Of course, discussion was conducted during highlighting and identifying. Teacher poses questions to guide students towards identifying the key details in the text. Personally, I lead in the following order: Identify 2 strongest words in 1st sentence, labeling 'lead in', finding EVIDENCE (this is out of reader's order, but helps with thought process), identifying SUPPORT ( ask what the purpose is? Explain that this explains to the reader, why the writer included the evidence and thought it was supportive of the character trait).
|
2) Evidence/Explanation Graphic Organizer. (Disclaimer: most students struggled with this graphic organizer. I made sure to walk through and explain the teacher model while group 1 reread the essay as a refresher for discussion. I also allowed an additional day after to work on the graphic organizer with the teacher once the station rotation 2 was complete).
3) Vocabulary and sentence strengthening.
Station Rotation 3
1) Identifying and Highlighting the CONCLUSION. Note taking in ILL.
2) P.P.E.- Point, Proof, Explanation. Used to help organize student's thoughts. While the handout only provides 1 graphic organizer, students will create 3 of these (2 on the back) to organize their thoughts for their upcoming essay.
3) Students fill out graphic organizer to prepare the pieces of their Introduction paragraph for future essay.
Sources
http://www.palmbeachschools.org/multicultural/documents/FramedParagraphs.pdf
Essay: http://www.123helpme.com/character-sketch-of-anne-frank-view.asp?id=230331
P.P.E.: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teach-Students-to-Write-Analytically-Using-Gradual-Release-of-Responsibility-948903
Evidence/Explanation: https://inclusionfusion.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/the-grapihc-organizer-that-saved-my-life-and-my-sped-kids-open-response-scores/
Introduction Paragraph Graphic Organizer: http://www.syracusecityschools.com/tfiles/folder718/unit03-Literary_Thesis_Essay_Graphic_Organizer.pdf
Essay: http://www.123helpme.com/character-sketch-of-anne-frank-view.asp?id=230331
P.P.E.: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teach-Students-to-Write-Analytically-Using-Gradual-Release-of-Responsibility-948903
Evidence/Explanation: https://inclusionfusion.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/the-grapihc-organizer-that-saved-my-life-and-my-sped-kids-open-response-scores/
Introduction Paragraph Graphic Organizer: http://www.syracusecityschools.com/tfiles/folder718/unit03-Literary_Thesis_Essay_Graphic_Organizer.pdf