The First 20 Days of Writing

1. The First 20 Days of Writing From pencils and pens to self-management

2. Brainstorm! • Let’s try to create a list of all of the different things a teacher has to do to get from Day One to having a student-managed writing workshop.

3. The First 20 Days of Writing • Timeline of First 20 Days • Seeds for Writing • Introducing Writing Folders • Introducing Writing Checklist • Introducing Pens • Managing Conferences • Introducing Peer Conferences • Supplies I Need to Start Writing Workshop

4. Timeline of First 20 Days • Lesson 1- • Structure of Writer’s Workshop (mini-lesson, writing, sharing) • Decorate Writing Folders • Lesson 2 – • Seeds for Writing (Watermelon vs. Seed) • Many forms you can use (What If?, Piece of My Heart, Favorites, Topic List, People, Places, and Things that are important to me) • Can extend over multiple days • Lesson 3 – • What to do when I’m ready to write • Black pen, Draft pocket of writing folder • Paper to use, lines to write on, name, Do a Write Aloud that isn’t perfect • Write Quietly • Lesson 4 – • Behavior Management system • Ask 3 Before Me • Green, Yellow, Red • Loss of privileges • Can extend over multiple days

5. Timeline of First 20 Days • Lesson 5 – • What do I do when I don’t know how to spell a word? • Spell it the best you can and move on • Anchor Chart of Spelling Self-Help Chart • Lesson 6 – • What do I do when I’m done? • Up to 3 stories in writing folder • Use portfolio for additional pieces • Lesson 7 – • Writing Checklist • Read your story out loud to make sure it makes sense • Introduce blue pen, Write Aloud • Can extend over multiple days if you notice that many students need extra help with sentence structure. • Lesson 8 – • Writing Checklist • Add to your story • Asking questions about a story (Model this) • Anchor chart (What Can I Add To My Writing?)

6. Timeline of First 20 Days • Lesson 9 – • Writing Checklist • Cross out things you don’t want • Write aloud, important to model this • Lesson 10- • Introduction to conferencing • Show video clip • What to bring to a conference • How to sign up for a conference • May extend over multiple days • Lesson 11 – • Writing Checklist • Introduce red pen • Circle words that do not look right • Model / Write Aloud • Lesson 12 – • Writing Checklist, Introduce Trial Page pocket of folder • Use trial page to check spelling

7. Timeline of First 20 Days • Lesson 13 – • Writing Checklist • Look up the circled words • May extend over multiple days of dictionary skills • Lesson 14 – • Writing Checklist • Read your story out loud. Listen for where your voice stops. Add punctuation. • May extend over multiple days of sentence work. • Lesson 15 – • Writing Checklist • Check for capitalization at the beginning of your sentences. • May extend over multiple days of capitalization practice. • Lesson 16 – • Introducing Peer Conferences • Meeting place, Timer, Goals, When can I meet? • Anchor Chart: Peer Conference Guidelines

8. Timeline of First 20 Days • Lesson 17 – • Final Copy • Uses pencil, special paper • How to incorporate changes into final copy • Lesson 18 – • Modes of Writing • Brainstorm list of types of writing (magazine article, letter, research report, poetry, recipe book, etc.) • Divide students into groups to come up with samples of types of writing for a poster/bulletin board • Lesson 19 – • How to Use Your Portfolio • Order to staple papers in, where to put them • Final Copy, Rough Draft,

9. What Can I Add to My Writing • Tell more about the characters • What do they look like? • Who do they remind you of? • What character traits do they have? • Tell more about the setting • What does the place look like? • What sounds are around you? • What does the place remind you of? • Tell more about the actions • How did she move? Run? Skip? Crawl? • How did he talk? Yell? Whisper? Shout? Stutter? • How did she look? Angry? Sad? Excited?

10. Spelling Self-Help Chart • Say the word slowly and write down what you hear. • Write what you hear first, next, and last • Think of the way the word looks • Write the word in parts • Think of another word with similar parts

11. Peer Conference Guidelines • You may pick a partner to meet with you when you have finished the whole writing checklist. • Meet on the brown carpet. • Sit EEKK! (elbow to elbow, knee to knee) • Set the timer for 4 minutes • Partner A reads his piece of writing • Partner B asks questions to help him understand the piece of writing • What is the writing piece about? • Is there a confusing part? • What do I need to know more about? • What do I like about this piece? • Partners switch roles if needed

12. Seeds for Writing • People who are important to me • Places that are important to me • Things that are important to me • My favorites • What if… • Brainstorm a class list to keep in folder • T Chart of characters and settings

13. Managing Conferences • Use a signal to mean that you are off limits • Tap light, hat, tie, flower in your hair • Create a behavior management plan or warning system • Create ownership by allowing students to help you decide on consequences • Use your FAB to help you keep track of conferences • Options: • Teacher-scheduled conferences 4 days a week • Student-scheduled conferences 1 day a week • Keep sign-up sheet on front board Timeline Brainstorm

14. Workshop Warning System • 1st Warning: Get back on track • Turn card to yellow • 2nd Warning: Move to new work area • Turn card to orange • 3rd Warning: Lose recess / Letter to parents • Turn card to red You may use the restroom one time during workshop if the pass is available. Timeline

15. Supplies Needed for Writing Workshop • 8-pocket Writing Folders • Printed Cover Page for folder (or blank paper) • Clear zipper pouches for pens • Black, Blue, and Red pens • Pencils and erasers • Writing Paper (options for paper) • Printed copy of writing checklist (laminated) • Half-sheets of writing checklist (optional) • Copies of Trial Page (pg. 86 in Scaffolding Young Writers) • Chart paper and markers