CHIPPEWA RIVER WRITING PROJECT

Elizabeth Miller, TCAmanda Cornwell, TC

Writing in Elementary GradesSession I - Grades (K-3)

1. Be “in the work” when in the room

2. Determine which information and teaching strategies match your needs

3. Share with colleagues

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Norms

Participants will gain a better understanding of CCSS across the grade span.

Participants will gain a better understanding of what student writing looks like in early elementary grades.

Participants will gain insight into writer’s workshop approach that includes various types of writing.

Participants will gain new strategies for teaching writing through the use of mentor texts.

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Objectives

Motto “Teachers Teaching Teachers” Fostering change in the teaching of writing across grade

levels Focus areas:

The craft of writing Digital writing

Summer Institute, Youth Camps, Professional Development

http://chippewariverwp.wikispaces.com/Chippewa+River+Writing+Project for more information

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About CRWP

Writing into the day:

Starting the day the CRWP way…

What does writing instruction look like in your classroom?

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Shifting student needs

New demands from writing programs Writing curriculum must include opportunities to practice daily Focus on informative, opinion & narrative writing

Evolution of writing includes digital tools CCSS – College & Career Ready Standards

Why change now?

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Examine standards for changes and growth across the grade span

1. Highlight nouns * 2. Highlight verbs **3. List content & Skills

* You may choose to keep in phrases for clear understanding** Take notice of specific word choices that are made

Understanding CCSS

Contentnouns

Skillsverbs

“What does the student need to know?”

“What does the student need to be able to do?”

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How did the “feel” of the standard change? What new content or skills were added in

each grade? How will we bridge gaps when there are

leaps in the learning? What do the standards look like in our

classrooms? What ways can we increase rigor in our

classrooms?

Debriefing on CCSS & continuing the work…

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 GIMME A BREAK...

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Read the student samples looking for evidence of what the student knows and can do.

Highlight evidence from student sample that relates to expectations from standard

Imagine what the evidence from other grade levels would look like in student work.

Exploring Student Samples

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“My Favorite Book” K, Argument (Opinion)

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K, Annotation

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“Owl Moon” Grade 2, Argument (Opinion)

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Grade 2, Annotation

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Need for “routine writing” Writer’s workshop approach

Elements: Minilesson = explicit instruction

Work session = independent practice Conferencing = guided practice Peer review = editing & revision Share = publication or distribution

Writing includes many types (opinion, informative/explanatory, and narrative) as well as subgenres

Writing across curricular areas

Daily Writing Instruction

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 GIMME A BREAK...

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Mentor Relationships

Watch Video

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Nonfiction Mentor Texts  By: Lynne Dorfman, Rose Capelli

Mentor Texts (defined): "Pieces of literature you and your students can relate to, fall in love with, and return to and reread for many different purposes. They provide the models for the types of writing that can be studied and imitated and that will allow our students to move forward as writers.” (p.2)

Author to Author:  How Text Influences Young Writers Retrieved from: http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/writingbeliefs

•"Writing and reading are related. People who read a lot have a much easier time getting better at writing. In order to write a particular kind of text, it helps if the writer has read that kind of text. In order to take on a particular style of language, the writer needs to have read that language, to have heard it in her mind, so that she can hear it again in order to compose it." 

Mentor Relationships

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Write a persuasive letter – Click Clack Moo Cows That Type BY: Doreen Cronin

Step 1 – Read the text at least twiceStep 2 – Share and respond to student exemplarsStep 3 – Prewrite (*create classroom lists)Step 4 – Offer a shared writing experienceStep 5 – Students write lettersStep 6 – Peer review

*Write a persuasive letter on a topic of your choosing that could be used in your instruction 

**Refer to CCSS spreadsheet ***Strive to include the necessary components of an opinion piece for

your grade level

Teaching Demonstration #1

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*Write a descriptive paragraph on a topic of your choosing that could be used in your instruction 

**Refer to CCSS spreadsheet ***Strive to include the necessary components of an opinion piece for

your grade level

Teaching Demonstration #2

Write a Descriptive Piece – Coffee By: Student Author

Step 1 – Read the mentor textStep 2 – Give Prompt: “Think of a time when you experienced

something new…”Step 3 – Journal writing Step 4 – Share as a class

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www.chippewariverwritingproject.org

Dorfman, Lynne R., and Rose Cappelli. Mentor texts: teaching writing through children's literature, K-6. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse Publishers, 2007. Print.  

Mentor Text Lesson: Click Clack Moo Cows That Type By: Vicki Hoodhttp://www.writingfix.com/Picture_Book_Prompts/ClickClackMoo3.htmRetrieved on 2/28/14

Mentor Text Video - Reading Rocketshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM0paVzgGHI&feature=player_detailpage

Resources