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 3: We Can Fix Our Writing So It Is Better

Determining WHO can fix the problem...

Gather students around the carpet area.

Briefly discuss what was learned yesterday - 

Good readers read their writing to find WHAT problems there are.

Good readers read think about WHY the problems need to be fixed.

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

Read Who Can Fix It? by Leslie Ann MacKeen OR read Turtle and Snake Fix It by Kate Spohn.

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

Say, "I am going to read what to you what I wrote a few days ago."

Read pre-written story to the class.

When finished, guide the class in remembering WHAT needed to be fixed and WHY it needed to be fixed.

SAMPLE problems:

• capitalization 

• spacing 

• punctuation 

• spelling 

• repeated words

• etc.

Say, "You were very good detectives and you found WHAT the problems in my story were."

Say, "You also were able to think about WHY the problems needed to be fixed."

Say, "Today, let's talk about WHO will be able to fix these problems."

Review problems marked by the highlighter tape.

Commend students on their ability to determine WHAT are problems.

Commend students on their ability to know WHY they are problems.

Say, "We know we can't leave these problems in the story.  They are problems that need to be fixed."

Ask, "WHO could fix these problems?"

Say, "Yes we could fix our own problems.  Writers do fix their own problems that they find."

Ask, "What about if an author [writer] feels that they can't fix the problem, WHO else could they get to help?"

Commend students on their ability to determine WHO is able to fix problems in writing.

Share, "Tomorrow we will continue working with this story.  We will talk about HOW problems can be fixed."

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

Remind students that good writers identify WHAT the problems are as they read their writing.

Remind students that good writers think about WHY the problems need to be fixed.

Reminds students that good writers determine WHO can fix the problems.

Encourage students to read their writing and listen and identify WHAT the problem are that need to be fixed.

Encourage students to think about WHY the problems need to be fixed.

Encourage students to determine WHO could fix the problems.

Dismiss students for Writer's Workshop.

Resources:

Who Can Fix It? by Leslie Ann MacKeen

Turtle and Snake Fix It by Kate Spohn