mrs. sullivan-smith 7th grade english. reading & writing are intertwined reading: in class...
TRANSCRIPT
Mrs. Sullivan-Smith
7th grade English
READING & WRITINGARE INTERTWINED
READING: In class novels, short stories, plays, non-fiction material, student work, independent
reading (assigned & self-selected)WRITING: Narrative, Persuasive, Expository, Informational (assigned & self-selected topics)
What is Writing Workshop?
• Writing Workshop is time in class and at home for students to work on assigned and self-selected writing projects.
• The workshop model I use is the one described by Nancie Atwell in her book In the Middle (1998).
• The key elements of workshop are time and choice.
Why use Writing Workshop?
• Students write—and their writing improves• Writing time is scheduled and required• It is naturally differentiated• It’s a fabulous way to enforce revision• Students are acting like real writers in a
community of writers - “speaking the lingo”• Students are supported by peers & teachers -
they feel comfortable taking risks
What students do in class…• Plan, research, draft, type, revise, edit, make final
copies• Take notes on the mini-lessons in their binders• Add new rules to their editing lists• Sign up for teacher conferences • Confer with the teacher• Meet in peer conferences• Explore & follow up on contests/ publication opportunities*• Work on all writing for the class—• both assigned and self-selected
What students do outside of class…• Write (workshop or assigned): Plan,
research, draft, type, revise, edit, make final copies• Work on assigned and/ or workshop
pieces
DEEP Revision To see again/
to see with new eyes
• Students MUST SHOW EVIDENCE OF REVISION throughout the writing process based on peer and teacher suggestions
• Often, revising while typing is a viable option
Editing- individualized• Students use their personal editing list and an
editing checksheet to edit their own papers & peers’
• Students use pen (red/blue/purple) for editing• Teacher edits pieces (2nd drafts) and includes
new, individualized editing rules for each student
• Highlight FIRST WORD of every sentence to check for variation of sentence beginnings
• Read paper from BOTTOM to TOP
TYPING• Typing is required for 2nd Drafts & Final Copies• In case of technological malfunction, many
OPTIONS are available:• E-mail it to Mrs. S.• Save it on a flash drive, bring it to school & print in school• Type IN school – during resource, during lunch,
before school, after school• LAST RESORT – the old-fashioned method!NEATLY HANDWRITE, skip every other line
A typical lesson
• Literature/ Reading: Poem discussion, lit circle meeting, whole class reading/ discussion, quiz, library visit (15-30 min.)
• Mini-lesson (5-30 min.)• State-of-the-Class conference (5 min.)• Writing Workshop or Reading Workshop (30 min.)• Curriculum work: Vocab, Word Study, Spelling, Lit
Terms, Editing Lessons, etc. (0-30 min.)
First Quarter
• Introduction to the Writing Workshop: Expectations and Procedures
• Introduction to the Reading Workshop• Basic Writing Principles• Friendly Letter• Sensory Language/Figurative Language• Literary Elements• Free Verse Poetry• Memoir*• Suspense story
Second quarter
• Introduction to Book Club/Literature Circles• Research*• Mythology• Novel study• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop
Third Quarter
• Persuasive writing*/ essays• Vocabulary (Greek & Latin Word Elements)• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop• Drama – Shakespeare’s Much Ado About
Nothing• SOL Review
Fourth Quarter• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop• Poetry• Literary Analysis*• Focus on character development & theme• SOL Review• Novel study
8th grade WRITING and READING SOL TESTS
MARCH: WRITING SOLShort Paper portion
Multiple Choice portion
MAY: READING SOL
WRITING FOCUS AREAS(from the SOL Writing Rubric)
8th grade – SOL Writing TestCOMPOSING
Organization – a central idea, elaboration, unity, transitions
WRITTEN EXPRESSIONMake it memorable! Specific Word
Choice/Precise Vocabulary, Figurative Language, Tone and Voice, Varied Sentence Structure
USAGE/MECHANICSGrammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling
PLEASE SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE READING & WRITING AT HOME
• Fill your house with diverse types of reading material, providing kids an assortment of
fiction & non-fiction• Talk about what you are reading & ask kids higher-level questions about what they are reading• Discuss writing techniques of published writers • Provide encouragement & offer constructive feedback on your child’s writing
I’M HERE TO HELP
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME