Thursday, September 4, 2008

SWBAT: understand that they will be taking part in a writer’s workshop this year and name 4 or 5 important rules for our classroom.

DO NOW: Complete Book Receipt as fully as you can.

DEVELOPMENT:

1. Welcome and self-introduction.

2. Discuss Book Receipt. Ask students to have their parents review and add work numbers, etc.

3. Fill out Delaney cards.

4. Distribute parent letter. Read aloud if time permits. Please note the sections for the binder. For some reason, many students miss this part…Each student and his/her parents must sign. This is to be placed in the front of every student's binder. It is vital that each student have a writer's notebook ASAP They really should buy at least a two-pack, that way they are prepared when they have finished with their own. They need a writer’s notebook before MONDAY, but if they could bring it tomorrow, that would be splendid.

5. Distribute VISIT THE VIRTUAL MS. QUINSON sheet. Homework is to visit me on line tonight, if possible. If not tonight, before the end of school Friday. Be sure to leave me your complete e-mail address.

6. Also, email me at equinson@ccsd.edu.

7. Today we need to talk about class rules. Discuss my ideas about rules. The golden rule. Our former school motto. What is similar?

8. Brainstorm and create a web on the board about Respect + Responsibility = Success. What do each of these words mean? Decide which are the 4-5 rules we think are the most important rules to have for our classroom.

9. Discuss basic ideas of writer’s workshop. Discuss student work display and ideas of publications. Magazines, bulletin boards etc. Ask students to bring in marble composition book if at all possible tomorrow, but not to make anyone’s parents go out tonight only for that. But if you happen to have one, or if you are going out anyway, please bring it tomorrow. If you can’t it will not be a big problem.

10. Ask students to write down the title and author of the books they read over the summer with their names at the top of the page. Discuss blogging as summer reading assignment. Answer questions as necessary. Depending on time, perhaps have a real book talk???

11. Distribute surveys. First model the check off version. See if any similarities evolve between students or between myself and students. Explain reading and writing surveys. If time allows, they can complete them in class, if not, they can finish them at home.

12. Review/summarize. If time allows, perhaps make name cards.

H.W.: 1. Read and sign parent letter. Due tomorrow! 2. Complete Book Receipt. Due tomorrow! 3. Get all supplies by Monday, bring writer's notebook to class tomorrow if possible or Monday at the latest. In any event, you will need paper and a writing implement tomorrow. 4. Visit the virtual Ms. Quinson and visit the page where you can find the lesson plans and handouts. I want to be sure you can get to the website, so I know you can use it! ALSO! Send me an email message at equinson@ccsd.edu. Make sure you give me the password located at the bottom of today’s plans on this page in your message. This must be completed by the end of school Friday!!! Do it tonight! Have fun! If you REALLY can’t get on line, please speak to me after class. 5. Complete surveys about yourself as a reader and writer. 6. We are going to begin blogging about our summer reading soon, so make sure you have finished at least three books from the summer reading list. If you have already finished that reading, read 20-30 minutes in another independent reading book.

The password for your email message to Ms. Q is: Shakespeare!

Friday, September 5, 2008

SWBAT: begin writing in their writer’s notebooks, understand basic entry format, etc. and write about an important object that they have with them and why it is important to them.

DO NOW: Pass forward your book receipt and take out your writer’s notebook.

DEVELOPMENT:

Distribute literature and grammar books. Have students write titles and book numbers on their completed book receipts. Collect book receipts.
Review rules again. Review that we are going to have a wonderful, exciting journey together this year, but that it will require a great deal of work. We are going to start this week with a day or two getting used to using a writer’s notebook, which we will be using mostly as a dialogic journal. Then on Wednesday we will begin reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It is a wonderful but challenging novel about a young man’s experiences as he grows up. You will be reading a lot and writing a lot. Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be an exciting, but bumpy ride!
Explain that today we will begin with procedure for writer's workshop. Outline workshop routine: DO NOW/Mini-lesson/Writing Time/Share-Wrap-up. Explain a little bit about entry format.
Give mini-lesson on writing about an object you have with you.
Kids write.
Share/Review.
Mini-lesson on free writing/stream of consciousness. Discuss meaning of the word consciousness. How authors (such as Faulkner and Joyce) have used stream of consciousness in their writing. (Put up overhead of such passages if appropriate.) Model my own stream of consciousness writing on the overhead.
If time allows, we may do writing off a word.
Review/summarize.

H.W.: 1. Write about an object in your home which has special meaning to you (at least one page) and free write (at least two pages.) 2. Make sure you have finished your summer reading assignment. If you have already finished those books, read at least 30 minutes in any independent reading book. We’ll be beginning Great Expectations next week, so you may want to finish up whatever book you are reading now. Many students find it difficult to keep two novels going at the same time. Of course, you may enjoy that, in which case, go right ahead!!! J 3. Bring your binder and writer's notebook to class Monday and everyday for the rest of the year