I believe children learn to write by writing. Writing is a big focus in my classroom and it is integrated into all areas of the program and curriculum. I believe many children are capable of writing at a higher level if given a framework with which to write. Each month I assign a writing topic that is related to a theme, holiday, science or social studies topic. Students are provided with a sheet on which the assignment is described and all of the required elements are listed (punctuation, grammar, illustrations etc.).

The writing process is:   1. Discuss a topic with a classmate to get ideas.   2. Complete the First Steps Narrative Plan to organize the details of your story.   3. Share your Narrative plan with a classmate.   4. Revise/Add details to your Narrative Plan based on suggestions made in Step 3.   5. Write the rough draft of your story.   6. Check the required elements sheet to ensure all elements have been included.   7. Share your rough draft with a classmate.   8. Revise and edit your rough draft with the classmate. Changes must be done in pencil       crayon and must be made only by the author. Complete the editing and revising sheets       (from the grade 3 provincial test).   9. Share your rough draft with the classmate again. 10. Write the final/good copy of your story. 11. Make the illustrations. 12. Make the title page. 13. Share your final copy with a classmate. 14. Complete the evaluation sheets. 15. Share your story with the class. 16. Display your story. 17. Take your story home to share with parents. 18. Have your parents write a comment and sign their name(s). 19. Return your story to school and place it in your writing file.

It is important to note that the required elements for story writing are taught in class during the first month of school and re-taught and reinforced throughout the year. The number of required elements increases as the year goes on and sometimes changes according to the writing assignment. The writing process, however, does not change. Teaching process writing in this manner is highly effective. Last year over half of my grade three students scored level 4 (above the provincial standard) in writing on the grade three provincial test. They had learned the components of a good story and to consistently include different forms of punctuation, grammar etc. into most, if not all of their writing.

Sometimes, it's not what students know, but whether or not they put it down on paper! With this form of process writing, my students learn to put what they know down on paper!

SNOWMAN ADVENTURE STORY Assignment: Using the First Steps NARRATIVE PLAN write a story about a snowman. In your story a character must create a snowman and experience an adventure with the snowman. Your adventure story must contain a problem and a resolution of the problem. Story Requirements: 1. Be based on the First Steps Narrative Plan sheets. These are to be completed      before you write the rough draft. 2. Have a rough draft of at least two pages in length on every other line. 3. Your story must have a setting. 4. Your story must have at least three characters. 5. The plot of your story must contain a problem and resolution of the problem. 6. Your story must have a final copy written on every other line in paragraph form      on lined paper. The first word of each paragraph must be indented and there      should be a blank line between each paragraph. 7. Be edited with a partner using the Provincial Test editing sheets at the Writing      Centre. Only YOU can write on your rough draft and ALL changes must be      made with a brightly coloured pencil crayon. 8. Include 3 different words/synonyms from the thesaurus.      (e.g. fast = rapidly) 9. Include 3 sentences ending with a question mark.      (e.g. Why did Jenny go home?)1 10. Include 3 sentences ending with an exclamation mark .        (e.g. Get out of here!) 11. Include 3 sentences in which one word is written entirely in        capitals to show EMPHASIS. (e.g. You did WHAT?) 12. Include 3 different contractions. (e.g. did not = didn't) 13. Include 3 different abbreviations ending in a period.        (e.g. Mr. Chung drove the car.) 14. Include 3 sentences containing quotation marks around direct speech.        (e.g. "Where did you go?" asked Mrs. Pike.) 15. Have a NEAT, ATTRACTIVE title page with a boarder. The title must be        written entirely in CAPITALS. Below the title should appear WRITTEN AND        ILLUSTRATED BY… 16. Include at least 3 illustrations drawn in pencil and coloured with marker. The        illustrations should be done on white paper and cut out and glued throughout        the text of the final copy. 17. When you have finished your final copy, you must have one person read and        approve it. If they do not approve it, then you should make the necessary        changes. 18. When your final copy is finished and approved, you must complete an        evaluation sheet on which the required elements are recorded.

SNOWMAN ADVENTURE STORY EVALUATION 1. Number of pages in rough draft? _________ 2. Rough draft is written on every other line?   Y     N 3. Number of pages in final copy? __________ 4. Final copy is written on every line?   Y     N 5. Paragraphs have been used in the final copy?  Y     N 6. Editing partner's name?  _________________________ 7. Changes have been made in the rough draft?   Y     N 8. Pencil crayon was used to make changes when editing?   Y     N 9. The setting is: 10. There are at least 3 characters?   Y     N 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 11. The plot contains a problem?   Y     N 12. There is a resolution to the problem?   Y     N 13. List the three synonyms and the words they have replaced. Original Word Synonym             14. Write the three sentences which end with a question mark. 1. 2. 3. 15. Write the three sentences which end with an exclamation mark. 1. 2 3 16. Write the three sentences which contain a word written entirely in capitals to show        EMPHASIS. 1. 2 3 17. List the three contractions and the words they are short for. Original Word Contractions             18. List the three different abbreviations and the words they are short for. Abbreviation Words For Which They Are Short             19. Write the three sentences which contain quotation marks. 1. 2. 3. 20.The title is written entirely in capitals?   Y N 21. The title page has a border?   Y N 22. How many illustrations did you include?   ( 3 required)   ______ 23. Signature of Approval: ___________________________________ 24. How would you rank how well the author did on his/her SNOWMAN       ADVENTURE STORY? LEVEL ONE The story contains none or almost none of the required elements. There is a lot of room for improvement. LEVEL TWO The story contains some of the required elements. There is a lot of room for improvement. LEVEL THREE The story contains most of the required elements. There is some room for improvement. LEVEL FOUR The story contains all of the required elements. The author should continue to do well. 25. What did you do well when writing this month's story? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 26. How could you improve your story? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 27. How would you rank how well you did on your SNOWMAN ADVENTURE STORY? LEVEL ONE My story contains none of the required elements. There is a lot of room for improvement. LEVEL TWO My story contains some of the required elements. There is a lot of room for improvement. LEVEL THREE My story contains most of the required elements. There is some room for improvement. LEVEL FOUR My story contains all of the required elements. I should continue to do well.

Story Outlines Story Evaluations Snowman Adventure Snowman Evaluation Anti-bully Anti-smoking Evaluation Plants Earth Day Evaluation Space Anti-racism

 

  

[Homeroom] [Process Writing] [Fix It] [Art] [Drama] [Centres] [Bulletin Boards] (Classroom Management) (Reflections) (Social Studies) (Math) (Equity) Homework = Borrow~A~Book + Choose~A~Chart + Poem of the Week + Home Learning Projects Copyright © 2001 Michael Moore