Writing Update

Dear Parents,

Your children continue to work on improving their writing skills throughout each day.  I have been pleased with their efforts and commitment to each lesson I teach.

Please find an update of what we have been doing and what is coming up:

Writing - The children are in the process of publishing their REVIEW writing piece.  Each child choose a topic that they know a lot about and with the help of this rubric, eventually worked on a final copy. 

Review Checklist

Choose a topic that you know a lot about.	Check
List things you like about it – at least 3 but 4 is better.	Check
Begin writing your introduction – list your things that you like using commas.	Check
Write your paragraphs – everything needs to be connected to your reason.	Check
Include examples in your paragraphs.	Check
Use specific details to prove you know what you are talking about.	Check
Start your paragraphs in different ways.	Check
Write a conclusion – talk about the big idea and again list your reasons in a different way.	Check

 The children are typing on a google document in class.  Those that do not finish this week will have it for extra homework.



Our next writing unit is titled MULTI GENRE.  We will begin talking about story elements: 

1.  A story has characters
2.  These characters say something
3.  Something generally goes wrong - a problem
4.  There is a solution
5.  A story has action
6. The most important parts are longer
7.  A story has a lot of description
8.  We always know where the characters are in the story - Setting

The children look back over the different genres or styles of writing they have done this year - Personal Narratives and Realistic Fiction.  They will then be asked to adapt one of these stories into a WHAT IF scenario.  Their story can then be changed into either a fantasy, mystery, realistic fiction, or even a scary story. 

The idea we want to impose on the children is that we can use what we know to create something new.  We want the children to have more exposure and practice writing in a variety of styles. 

 Below is a planning grid that can guide them thinking about the KEY parts of their story.  The emphasis is on a longer MIDDLE and a well thought out ending.

Beginning	Middle	Middle
Middle	End	End