Independent Writing/Collecting Entries In third grade the writing program is called Write From the Beginning. This program involves a pre-writing program called Thinking Maps. Thinking Maps teach students ways to organize their thoughts prior to writing. In addition to these two programs students will incorporate the Six-Traits writing model to writing paragraphs, stories, letters, poems, and reports. Third graders will focus on writing a topic sentence followed by 3-5 details and concluding sentences. Our goal this year will be to write a five-paragraph report/story that effectively follows the Six-Traits writing model. Please check the third grade writing standards
After the mini lesson, students work in their Writing Notebook to collect entries that may later become published pieces of writing. The total writing time lasts for about 35-40 minutes, but during that time some students may be involved in conferences with me or with their peers.
Students choose entries in their notebooks to take into "draft form." It is these carefully selected pieces of writing that will be taken through the process of editing and revising so that they can be published and shared with others. All entries in the Writing Notebook do not become published prices of writing. All published writing is added to each student's Writing Portfolio, and some pieces will even be put into their student created books to be taken home at the end of the school year.
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