Ideas for Writing in a Writer’s Notebook WNB

Ideas for Writing in a Writer’s NotebookWNB Based on information from: Notebook Know-How By Aimee Buckner September 12, 2008

What is a Writer’s Notebook? A writer’s notebook is a writing space where students can save their ideas and words…in the form of a memory, a reflection, a list, a sketch, or a rambling of thoughts.

What a notebook is NOT! • Just a diary or a journal where students chronicle events.

Should students personalize the notebook? Absolutely! It is an important step in make the notebook valuable to them.

What it looks like!

What’s In? Daily Entries Lists Strategies Revision tips for Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency Editing tips for conventions

What’s Out? Writing Process Pieces Drafts Revisions Editing Final copies

Two Starting Points 1. From the front to the back Date each page Daily Entries Evidence of different strategies

2nd Starting Point From the Back to the Front Examples of good writing Focus pieces on each trait Editing examples

Teacher Presented StrategiesHistory of a Name Students can start the notebook by writing about their name.

Writing from a List Many writers keep lists: favorite books, movies to see, ideas for all sorts of writing projects. Listing facts is one of the best ways to brainstorm about a subject that interests you. Start with a list of “Best Life Events” followed by “Worst Life Events.”

Memories Memories just may be the most important possession any writer has. When you explore memories in your writing, pay attention to the feelings connected to it. Exploring a memory includes looking into not only what happened but also how it affected you then, and how it affects you now.

Questions/Wonderings We cannot control what students think about at any given time. They wonder about a lot of things! Teach students to capture their questions or “wonderings” in the notebook to allow time to reflect and think more deeply about the topic.

Rereading: Digging Out the Crystals Reread. Look for seeds! Look for sparks! Rereading keeps the notebook alive and well. Students find entries they didn’t finish or ones they want to add on to or start again.

Daily Pages Journaling in the Writer’s Notebook Allow students to write about the routine things that happen to them that they want to share.

Observations Pay attention to the world about you! • Record observations • Use sensory details

Writing from a Word • Choose a noun • Try using with verbs, adverbs, adjectives • Also works with quotes, similes, metaphors See what happens as your mind begins to wander.

Lifting a Line • Students choose an interesting sentence in their writing and use that sentence as the first line of a new entry!

Writing off Literature Good writers read a lot! When they read…they think! Writing off literature encourages students to react to what they have read…

NOTEBOOK EXPECTATIONSStudents are expected to: • Write daily in their notebooks • Find topics for notebook writing • Try strategies from mini-lessons • Respect their notebook • Use what they know about conventions

NOTEBOOK EXPECTIONSStudents can depend on the teacher to: • Provide time to write each day • Teach writing strategies • Teach a daily mini-lesson to show students how to be better writers • Have a writer’s notebook to share • Respect student’s notebooks • Teach the traits in focused mini-lessons

Application/Homework Write in your writer’s notebook. Share your notebook writing experiences with your students. Bring a book to October’s faculty meeting that you used to teach notebook writing. Be prepared to share with your colleagues how you used the book to teach an aspect of writing.

Final Thoughts The best way for anyone to become a writer is to write a lot. Learn along with your students the excitement that comes from having a filled notebook!

Keeping a notebook isn’t something you “get”… It’s not a science, there is no right way. Keeping a notebook is a process. It’s something that “gets” you!

Ideas for Writing in a Writer’s Notebook WNB