WRITER'S WORKSHOP MINI LESSONS

Establishing a Workshop Routine: We Can Help the Teacher

Lesson 3: We Use our Brains, Voices, and Hands to Help Mrs. Meacham

As students come to the carpet, congratulate them on sitting appropriately.  

Emphasize the importance listening and watching very carefully when we are at the carpet.

Read Can I Help?  by Marilyn Janovitz.  {or a different book about helping}

After reading the book, draw students attention to the importance of helping our moms, dads, family, friends.

Ask students how they have helped another person before.

Ask students how they can help the teacher.

Share with students that helping the teacher includes helping with Writer's Workshop.

Tell students that writers help other writers when help is needed.

Share that today's book helps us to learn that helping is OK.

Review the anchor chart that has been started.  

• Discuss the importance of sitting at the carpet.

• Discuss the importance of watching and listening with our eyes, ears, hands, feet, and voices.

Share with students that it is also important to help others when they need it.

Share, "When I am writing my story, I will ask you for help."

Ask, "Will you help me if I need help and ask for it?"

Ask the class how a student should show the teacher that they'd like to help.

• Ask, "Should they jump up and down?"

• Ask, "Should they shout out?"

• Ask, "Should they make lots of odd noises?"

• Etc.

Remind students that helping is important, but we must always make sure that we are helping appropriately.

Encourage students to listen carefully for times that help is needed as you write a journal entry.

Take pictures of students helping [during the teacher writing/modeling].

Create an ANCHOR CHART for "Writer's Workshop" routine, and add information and a picture about the day's lesson.

 

Resources:

Can I Help by Marilyn Janovitz