Finding the Middle Ground: A Writing Program Overview for K-1

Erin MonnJanuary 16, 2012 In-ServiceNew Bloomfield Elementary

Please Do Now!Think about what you enjoy about teaching writing and

what frustrates you about teaching writing. List at least three of each.

Please share with a partner.

Purposes for Today

Provide a K-5 overview of the writing program

Provide a Kid Writing refresher Discuss what writing looks like in

first grade

K-5 Writing Program Overview

K-Kid Writing 1-Kid Writing/Process Writing

(Depending on student need) 2-Review and Develop Process

Writing/Introduce Collins Writing 3-Develop Collins Writing 4-Use Collins Writing 5-Use Collins Writing

How does Harcourt fit in with all of this?

K-Continue to use Harcourt as it fits with Kid Writing

First Grade Start the year with Kid Writing Begin to introduce process writing as students become

ready for it Use Harcourt to know what writing skills you need to cover You do not need to do a new piece of writing every week Allows for:

More creativity on your part Use all those great ideas from blogs, websites, etc.

More time to spend teaching, modeling, practicing different steps in writing process

More time to conference with students Increase amount of time students spend writing

What is Collins Writing?

Kid Writing Refresher Set-up

Various options Organization of writing groups What are the other students doing?

Literacy centers that include reading and writing Cut-a-part sentences Picture sorts Handwriting Write the room Response to story

Kid Writing Refresher-cont.

Minilesson Based on students’ writing Whole group minilesson

OR Small group minilessons

Teacher Modeling During minilesson, model what you want

students to work on Think alouds are important

Kid Writing Refresher-cont.

Small groups Review whole class minilesson or do your

group minilesson Give students a minute or so to think about

what they want to write Student choice Can encourage students to “branch out” Can have students write about same thing (Ex.

Letter to Santa) Students draw pictures first

Encourage detail

Kid Writing Refresher-cont.

Kid Writing (Support you give varies on needs of students) “Tell me about your picture.” Provide sentence for student or help student

form sentence(s) Count number of words in sentence Enunciate sounds in words as student writes As student writes, have him/her go back

and reread sentence from beginning Remind student to use resources

Word wall, Kid Crowns, environmental print

Kid Writing Refresher-cont.

Adult Writing After student has finished writing Read sentence(s) word by word writing the correct

spelling of word underneath student writing As do so, point out the sounds student heard and

letters student wrote correctly Acknowledge words student spelled correctly

Rereading After adult writing, reread sentence(s) for student

and have student reread sentence(s) 2 stars and a wish

2 things student did well 1 thing to work on

Writing in First Grade Start year with Kid Writing Begin to shift groups into process

writing as students show they are ready Process Writing

Steps Brainstorming, Graphic Organizer, Rough Draft,

Editing, Revising, Final Draft Goal

By the end of the year, students have been introduced to all steps in the writing process

Writing in First Grade-cont.

How do I teach process writing? Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

Introduce Model Guided Practice Independent Practice

Use consistent vocabulary Step 1-Brainstorming

Describe brainstorming Model how to brainstorm ideas

Think alouds are important Brainstorm together Students do it on their own Build in student choice

Writing in First Grade-cont.

How do I teach process writing? Step 2-Developing a graphic organizer

Same process Use brainstorming lists already have

Step 3-Writing a rough draft Same process Build off of brainstorming lists and graphic

organizers already have After Steps 1-3 have been introduced,

modeled and practiced, stop and do a few writing pieces just focusing on these three steps

Writing in First Grade-cont.

After practicing first three steps of writing process, introduce editing Same process Use pieces already written

Introduce revising Same process Use pieces already written

Writing in First Grade-cont.

Step 5-Writing final draft Same process Use pieces already written

After you have introduced, modeled, and practiced all five steps, have one writing assignment where they go from start to finish (Steps 1-5)

What are Our Expectations for this Year?

K-Continue with Kid Writing First Grade

If not doing so already: Incorporate teacher modeling/think

alouds Introduce process writing steps Have students do some writing that does

not go through the entire process Pull in some of your own ideas for writing

activities

Key Points Editing and revising are NOT the same

thing! Editing-capitalization, spelling, punctuation Revising-changing words/sentences, taking

away/adding in Modeling is Key!

Think alouds Making mistakes Starting over Getting stuck

Key Points-cont.

If nothing else, remember this from today:

NOT EVERY PIECE OF WRITING NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE WRITING PROCESS!

Ticket Out the Door

Complete the 3..2..1 on a note card and leave in the basket on your way out. 3-List three things you learned about

writing today 2-List two questions or comments about

what you learned about writing today 1-List one idea you plan to try in your

classroom

Resources

Collins, J.J. Ed.D. (2007). The Collins Writing Program: Improving student writing and thinking across the curriculum. Massachusetts: Collins Education Associates.

Hines, Debra. “PLN Course 1: Critical Reading and Writing in Support of Secondary Learning”. Capital Area Intermediate Unit, Summerdale, PA. 7 December 2010. Lecture.