Sixth Grade Writing Workshop

My heart says to write. My hands want to write. My mind has ideas.

How do I get it all on paper?

The Champion School 1

Write in the Middle

We do not learn to write by writing. We develop writing style through reading.”

The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen

The Champion School 2

Writing Write Vocabulary

Writing Literature

Grammar

The Champion School 3

Writing is boring!

• Do you write a little every day?

• Do you write about things important to you?

• Sometimes don’t worry about mistakes.

• Sometimes take time to edit.

• We read to learn. We write to learn.

• Explore each door.

• Make writing powerful.The Champion School 4

The Writing Process

• Prewriting: Choosing and collecting to make a plan

• Writing: first draft• Revising: Clear up

“wanderings”• Editing: spelling,

grammar, punctuation

• Publishing: Putting your writing out there for others to see, hear, read, enjoy

• Collecting: Keep a portfolio of your writing projects

The Champion School 5

Writing Steps Prewriting – rehearsal or brainstorming – help students to find the

purposes and audiences

Writing the rough draft – concentrate on getting a “chunk” down on paper

Revising – writer’s craft

Editing – proofreading/writing mechanics

Publishing – informal & formal

Conferencing with teachers & peers throughout the writing cycle

The Champion School 6

Writing Well, Writing Best

R elat ed W or ds

Key W or d

W eb Y our T hought s

W r it e F r eely

D iscover y

U se as an I dea R ef er ence

Keep Y our L is t t o t he S ide

M ake a "S hopping L is t "

W r it ing S ub j ect s

The Champion School 7

Reader, Writer

• Read BooksRead Books

• Read MagazinesRead Magazines

• Read NewspapersRead Newspapers

• Read Internet News Read Internet News

• Visit BookstoresVisit Bookstores

• Ask Your TeacherAsk Your Teacher

• Find Out What Your Parents ReadFind Out What Your Parents ReadThe Champion School 8

The Champion School 9

Be An Investigator• As you read, investigate how the author

wrote “his” story

• Who was the audience?

• What was the purpose?

• How did the author describe his characters and setting?

• What as the plot? Why do you think it was chosen?

• As you read, investigate how the author wrote “his” story

• Who was the audience?

• What was the purpose?

• How did the author describe his characters and setting?

• What as the plot? Why do you think it was chosen?

The Champion School 10

Four Types of Writing

S en sory A w aren ess

D esc rip t ive

S tep s , C au ses , E xp lan a tion s

E xp os ito ry

S om eth in g H ap p en ed

N arra tive

A M u s t D o , A M u s t Th in k

P ersu as ive

Y our W r it ing Pr ompt W ill Give Y ou Clues

The Champion School 11

I’ve decided what style of writing, now what?I’ve decided what style of writing, now what?

It’s time to collect details to support your

writing.Gather your thoughts.

Read about your subject.

Surf the Net.

Participate. Be a part of what you are writing.

Watch videos, T.V.

Interview experts.

Talk it up.

Visit the library.

The Champion School 12

Create Cool Graphic Organizers to

Organize Your Thoughts

• Fishbone

• Time Line

• Venn Diagram

• KWL

• Line Diagram

• Sensory Chart

• Explanation Diagram

• 5 W’s

The Champion School 13

VENN DIAGRAM

Things In Common

Differences

DifferencesThe Champion School 14

Sensory Sensory ChartChart

Tastes

Tastes

SmellsSmells

TexturesTextures

Soun

dsSo

unds

SightsSights

The Champion School 15

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

How?

5 W’s Graph

narratives, news, stories

The Champion School 16

Cycle Diagram

Evaporation

Condensation

Precipitation

The Champion School 17

It’s Time to Write

First Draft of Ideas

Use the information you gathered. Add whatever you think necessary.

REMEMBER, IT’S JUST A DRAFT

The Champion School 18

Revision•Reread your draft

•Get another opinion

•What will you change?

•What will you delete?

•How will you create interest?

•Who is your audience?

•Did you follow directions?

•Do whatever is needed to make it great.The Champion School 19

Be the EditorBe the Editor

CAPITALIZATION

PUNCTUATION

SPELLING

GRAMMAR

•Buddy Read

•Prepare final copy

•Proofread

•Share with a friend

•Present final copy

The Champion School 20

“Practice, practice, practice writing. Writing is a craft that requires both talent and acquired skills. You learn by

doing, by making mistakes and then seeing where you went wrong.”

Jeffrey A. CarverScience Fiction Author

The Champion School 21

Enjoy what you wrote, you’re the

author!!!

The Champion School 22