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 4: We Can Fix Our Writing So It Is Better

Determining HOW the problem can be fixed...

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.

Good readers determine WHO could fix the problems that need to be fixed.

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

Read Mr. Fix It by Joy Cowley.

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 to you what I wrote a few days ago."

Read pre-written story to the class.

Guide the class in remembering WHAT needed to be fixed and WHY it needed to be fixed and WHO could fix it.

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, "And yesterday, you helped me to determine WHO could fix these problems."

Say, "Today, let's talk about HOW to fix the 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.

Commend students on their ability to decide WHO could fix the 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?"

Ask, "HOW could these problems be fixed?  Let's start with the first one.  We will fix these problems together."

Work with children to fix the problems:

• capitalization 

• spacing 

• punctuation 

• spelling 

• repeated words

• etc.

Commend students on their ability to determine HOW problems can be fixed.

Say:

• "Finding WHAT the problems are, 

• knowing WHY they are problems, 

• deciding WHO will fix them, and 

• knowing HOW to fix them is very important."

Say, "There is a special word that I want you to know about."

Write the word "Editing" on the board.  

Share with the class that what we have been working on the past few days is called "Editing" - -

• finding WHAT the problems are

• knowing WHY they are problems

• deciding WHO will fix the problems 

• knowing HOW to fix the problems

Share, "Tomorrow we will all get a new writing tool that will help us when we are editing our stories."

Remind students that good writers 

• read their writing when they are finished

• identify WHAT the problems are

• think about WHY their problems need to be fixed

• determine WHO can fix the problems

• decide HOW the problems will be fixed

Encourage students to read their writing and listen and identify WHAT the problem areas 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.

Encourage students to decide HOW the problems will be fixed.

Dismiss students for Writer's Workshop.

Resources:

Toolbox Twins by Lola M. Schaefer

Mr. Fix It by Joy Cowley