WRITER'S WORKSHOP MINI LESSONS

Editing: Mini Lessons for Checking a Writing Piece for Capitalization, Punctuation, Spacing, and Illustrations, Etc.

The pencil anchor chart on the wall was created by me based on the work of the wonderful Kindergarten teachers at Washington Elementary School in Sheboygan, WI.  They are a "Comprehensive Literacy School" based on Linda Dorn's work in Arkansas, and shared the pencil anchor chart idea with a team of teachers that visited them a few years ago.  Thanks to them for their originality and generous sharing spirits!  

• Large Editing Icons for Pencil:     

• Small Student Editing Pencils:    

Lesson 1: We Can Fix Our Writing So It Is Better

Determining WHAT the problem is...

Gather students around the carpet area.

Ask, "Class, have you ever found something that needed to be fixed?"

Facilitate discussion - allow students to share their experiences with finding broken things and fixing broken things.

Tell students that today's book will help us all to become better writers.

Read Fix-It by David McPhail OR read The Fixits by Ann Mazer.

Facilitate discussion about WHAT needed fixing, WHY it needed to be fixed, WHO fixed it, and HOW it was fixed.

Say, "When I have written a story, I always read it out loud when I am finished."

Say, "Is it a good thing to read what I wrote when I finish?"

Say, "Yes, you are right, good writers read what they wrote when they are done.  They even share it with others."

Say, "Sometimes when I read what I wrote, I see or hear problems."

Say, "Let me show you what I mean."

Say, "I am going to read to you what I wrote this morning.  I want you to listen and look for any problems that I might have."

SAMPLE problems:

• capitalization 

• spacing 

• punctuation 

• spelling 

• repeated words

• etc.

Read pre-written story to the class.

When finished, guide the class in determining WHAT needed to be fixed.

Say, "Now I'd like you to pretend that  your eyes and ears are like binoculars."

Say, "Use your eyes and ears to decide WHAT needs to be fixed in my story."

Use highlighter tape to mark where fixing needs to occur.

Commend students on their ability to listen for and look for problems.

Share, "Tomorrow we will continue working with this story.  We will talk about WHY these problems need to be fixed."

Remind students that good writers read their writing when they are finished.  

Remind students that good writers listen and look for problems as they read their writing.

Encourage students to read their writing and listen and identify WHAT problems need to be fixed.

Dismiss students for Writer's Workshop.

Resources:

Fix It by David McPhail

The Fixits by Anne Mazer