Writer’s Notebook

What is a Writer’s Notebook?

Young writers often struggle getting started on their writing. Discovering a topic and searching for words is a difficult task. A writer’s notebook allows children to write about the things that are most important. It provides an easy, informal way to start thinking about new topics and ideas.  A writer’s notebook is a way to show young writers that writing is fun and can be useful.

How does the Writer’s Notebook work?Your child will be provided with a writer’s notebook in September. The first project will be to decorate the notebook. Your child will need your help to gather items to personalize the writer’s notebook. These items will be used to make a collage on the notebook cover. Please keep in mind that the items your child uses will be permanently glued to the notebook…so please choose items with care. Your child can bring in as many items to use as he/she wants and any unused items will be returned.

This personalized writer’s notebook will be an excellent tool to “spark” your child to write.

There will be monthly family writing projects to complete with the notebook.

What are the two objectives of the writer’s notebook?

1. It gives your child a place to write and store ideas.

2. It is a motivational tool that shows your child that writing is useful and fun!

Writer’s Notebook-Parent Letter

Dear Parents,

Today we launched another exciting component of writing…Writer’s Notebook! Simply put, a writer’s notebook is a safe place where a child can write any way he/she chooses. It consists of lists, pictures, postcards, words, phrases – anything that uses words!

To help create ownership of the notebooks, the children will decorate the covers with a total of 4-5 photos and/or personal mementos sent in from home. When selecting the items, keep in mind that they will be permanently glued to the notebook…so please select them with care.

Please send the materials to school in the Zip-loc bag no later than Friday, September 17. We will begin creating the covers for the notebooks on Tuesday, September 21.

Ideas Include…Please see page one of the PowerPoint for sample Writer’s Notebook covers.

PhotographsPost cardsBaseball cardsTrinkets (flat)Scrapbook decorationsStickers/stampsNewspaper clippings

Be creative! Any questions, just give me a shout!

Writers write about things they know. I know…

 

A Writer’s Notebook is not limited to print. Students may include sketches, photos, diagrams, or other visual representations – any material that represents the writer’s thinking or feeds the writing process.

 

Writer’s Notebook Examples!

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