Independent Writing/Collecting Entries Even with modern technology, written communication is vital in today' society. The best way to become a writer is to write. It doesn't always have to be a school assignment. Students can learn to write by writing letters, keeping a journal, email to family and friends.
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 [Link]Arizona 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.
Parents, you can help with this next part because it is the part students dislike the most. It is hard for many students to understand when they have finished writing that is when the real writing starts. This is when they need to step back and proof read what they have written. Students need to go back and reread what they have written to make sure the writing is clear. Any areas that are confusing are made clear along with any punctuation and spelling corrections are made at this time. |