Writers' Workshop

Monday, 9:15-10:05am | Tuesday, 1:20-2pm

Wednesday, 2:20-3pm | Thursday, 12:40-1:20pm

Friday, 11:05-11:45am

During our writing workshops, students are explicitly taught transferable skills related to writing conventions, processes and strategies along with text structures and genres so they can apply higher level comprehension strategies in order to express themselves effectively using the skills taught within our Language Arts program, in other subject areas and in real life situations where writing is required.

Write a Letter to Author, Robert Munsch!

Background Robert Munsch in our classroom:

Read alouds, guided reading and personal reading of Robert Munsch books and poems.
Author study on Robert Munsch and illustrators including the consistent style, and the multicultural and socio-emotional themes in much of his writing.
Through writers' workshop, students wrote at least one short story and a series of poems in a style like Robert Munsch. Like Robert Munsch, students are encoured to draw from their existing knowledge and expereinces.
Goal of Munsch Unit
- Create a class book with compilation of student stories, illustrations and poems in the style of Robert Munsch
- Invite Robert Munsch to visit class and to present (or mail) him the class book
- Each student will get to take home a physical colour copy of the class book and an e-book will be posted on the class blog.

This Week: Students are working on writing a letter to Robert Munsch to persuade him to visit our class (school) so our students can present their completed Munsch-inspired book to him.

Goals of this week's Letter Writing Workshop:

All students in our class will write a letter to Robert Munsch to:

Let Robert Munsch know about the Munsch-inspired class book compilation of the students' stories and poems
Invite him to visit class to receive book
Any other details they feel relevant

Extra Supports:

Students are allowed to write by hand or use one of their devices and necessary assistive software to allow them to focus on organizing their thoughts, get them recorded, and allow for higher level thinking as they draft and revise their letters.
Our ELL who also has organization difficulties may also use translation software if he chooses to jot down his notes, and/or first draft in Spanish by either typing or speech to text which can then easily be translated to English for us to revise.
Students have the opportunity to work on this during Catch Up Time, or if they have completed another task early. Some students are confident enough, and have access to the necessary support (eg. a tutor or Assistive Tech) outside of school so may work on this outside our classroom.

Adaptation of:

Bubble Gum Letters a Persuasive Writing Activity:

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/Recipe/00196/

Supported by student-created Anchor Charts on Text Structures and Genres:

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/Recipe/50152/

Extra Resource:

Robert Munsch Official Website with stories and poems

http://robertmunsch.com/

Literacy Food Groups:

Motivation for Literacy
Writing Conventions
Writing Processes and Strategies
Reading Comprehension Strategies
Text Structure and Genres

Lesson 1: Monday Introduce Letter & Model

WHOLE CLASS:

Students are introduced to this week's activity and collectively create success criteria for writing their successful letters to Robert Munsch.

Review and Model: Sample Letter using Four-Square Chart to organize initial thoughts.

INDEPENDENT WORK:

Students work on their own to complete their own four-square chart with ideas for their first draft. Students may also use their devices to assist them in getting their ideas out and into an electronic version of the chart.

Students who have successfully completed their four-square charts can begin jotting sentences in their writing notebook, or on an electronic device.

Lesson 2: Tuesday First Draft

WHOLE CLASS:

Review of yesterday's lesson, and objectives and success criteria of "Letter to Munsch" unit. Students share some of their ideas for their letter from their completed four-square chart.

Review and Model writing a sample letter adapted from four-square chart.

INDEPENDENT WORK:

Students work on developing their ideas from their completed four-square charts into a first draft of their letter. Students may use their devices to assist them in writing their first draft.

When completed, students share with teacher for conferencing and feedback.

Lessons 3-5: Editing & Revising to Final Draft

Throughout the week, we will continue to review our success criteria then students will continue to work on drafting, revising and re-revising their letters. On Friday, they will do their final draft of the letters.

Final Drafts: Students who wish to type their final draft letters may do so while others who feel more confident about their handwriting may do a handwritten final draft instead.

Early Finishers: Can work on other unfinished writing activities including those in other subject areas.