Writing Curriculum
WritingALL INSTRUCTION IS BASED ON THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS.
Quarter 1 Objectives:
Although writing is not graded on the report card first quarter, writing instruction will be occurring. We will use Lucy Caulkin's framework to teach writer's workshop. During writer's workshop we will focus on the following skills and processes:
1. How to choose a topic to write about Sometimes students will be given a topic to write about but most times they will write about self-selected topics.
2. How to draw a detailed picture This includes using shapes to draw items (like a square for a shirt or a triangle for a dress), using the correct color for items (no purple grass or blue hair or green skin), and incorporating backgrounds (such as the blue sky or green grass in outside pictures).
3. Adding labels to pictures (nouns) Students will write words next to individual items in their pictures. This will help with temporary spelling, letter-sound association, and identifying naming words(nouns).
4. Using the word wall Students will use the word wall as a spelling resource to spell sight words as they are introduced, classmates' names, and color words. As the year progresses more words will be added to the word wall. Students will eventually be held accountable for spelling these words accurately in their independent writing.
5.Stretching out words/sounds Students will slowly say words, listen to the sounds, and write the letters for the dominant sounds they hear. For example, coat would be written cot because those letters represent the dominant sounds heard. (bs = bus, tabl = table, etc.) This is temporary spelling.
6. Writing a complete sentence Once students feel comfortable labeling pictures they will move on to orally telling a sentence about their pictures. Then they will write sentences using the word wall, their labels, and stretching sounds to spell words.
7. Reading Students will be encouraged and expected to read their writing to themselves and others (teachers, parents, partners)
8. Concepts about print
10. Handwriting Students will first learn the correct formation for writing uppercase and lowercase letters. (Never begin at the bottom and go up to write a letter or number.) Then students will practice how to write the letters with proper scale using handwriting paper.
Quarter 2 Objectives:
Most of us are drawing great pictures with the correct colors and shapes. Many of us can write labels and even a sentence about a chosen topic. Here are some skills and processes we will focus on during second quarter:
1.Using the word wall Each time we learn a new sight word we add it to the word wall. This wall acts as a dictionary for the students. Any time they use the sight words in their writing they can refer to the word wall for the correct conventional spelling. Students are ready to be held accountable for spelling these commonly used words correctly.
2.Planning a story Before students write they are required to think about what it is they want to write about. Then they draw a detailed picture about their topic. Next, they orally tell their sentence(s) to a partner or an adult or to themselves. Then they can begin writing.
3.Stretching out words/sounds Students will slowly say words, listen to the sounds, and write the letters for the dominant sounds they hear. For example, coat would be written cot because those letters represent the dominant sounds heard. (bs = bus, tabl = table, etc.) This is temporary spelling. You should notice more correct letters in each word written with temporary spelling. (pd = playground pagd = playground plagrd = playground)
4.Writing the sentences Once students feel comfortable with labeling, then they say each word in their sentence aloud to themselves or to a partner. After each word, they segment the sounds in the word to spell independently. If they are writing a sight word it must be spelled correctly by looking at the word wall or from memory.
5.Write a little, read a little Students are encouraged to write a few words, go back and read it , then continue on with the sentence. Repeating the process as many times as needed until the sentence is complete. This helps the student maintain his/her train of thought. Many times students forget what they are writing and repeat words or omit words.
6.SPACES, SPACES, SPACES From the very beginning we have promoted skipping spaces between words as they are being written. Please encourage this at home as well. This will help when your child tries to read back what he/she has written.
7.Adding nouns and action words Most of us are ready to write 1 or 2 sentences about our topics. We will focus on identifying and using action words (verbs) in our sentences.
8.Capitals and periods Now that we are learning how to write more than one sentence about a topic, we need to make sure that there is a period (or excited mark or question mark) at the end of each sentence and a capital letter at the beginning of each sentence. Have your child go back read their sentences and see if they can find any missing periods or capitals. This helps with self-corrections.
9.Reading Students should be able to go back and read their writing independently to another person.
10. Writing Folders Students will learn how to sort their writings as finished or unfinished. They will file their own writing papers in the correct pocket of their writing folders.
11.Handwriting Handwriting continues to be of importance when writing. All letter formation has been initially taught. Students will be refining their handwriting throughout the year.
Quarter 1 Objectives:
Although writing is not graded on the report card first quarter, writing instruction will be occurring. We will use Lucy Caulkin's framework to teach writer's workshop. During writer's workshop we will focus on the following skills and processes:
1. How to choose a topic to write about Sometimes students will be given a topic to write about but most times they will write about self-selected topics.
2. How to draw a detailed picture This includes using shapes to draw items (like a square for a shirt or a triangle for a dress), using the correct color for items (no purple grass or blue hair or green skin), and incorporating backgrounds (such as the blue sky or green grass in outside pictures).
3. Adding labels to pictures (nouns) Students will write words next to individual items in their pictures. This will help with temporary spelling, letter-sound association, and identifying naming words(nouns).
4. Using the word wall Students will use the word wall as a spelling resource to spell sight words as they are introduced, classmates' names, and color words. As the year progresses more words will be added to the word wall. Students will eventually be held accountable for spelling these words accurately in their independent writing.
5.Stretching out words/sounds Students will slowly say words, listen to the sounds, and write the letters for the dominant sounds they hear. For example, coat would be written cot because those letters represent the dominant sounds heard. (bs = bus, tabl = table, etc.) This is temporary spelling.
6. Writing a complete sentence Once students feel comfortable labeling pictures they will move on to orally telling a sentence about their pictures. Then they will write sentences using the word wall, their labels, and stretching sounds to spell words.
7. Reading Students will be encouraged and expected to read their writing to themselves and others (teachers, parents, partners)
8. Concepts about print
- writing top to bottom (return sweep)
- writing left to right (directionality)
- using spaces between words
- writing mostly with lowercase letters
- capitalizing first letter only in own name, I, and first word in sentence
10. Handwriting Students will first learn the correct formation for writing uppercase and lowercase letters. (Never begin at the bottom and go up to write a letter or number.) Then students will practice how to write the letters with proper scale using handwriting paper.
Quarter 2 Objectives:
Most of us are drawing great pictures with the correct colors and shapes. Many of us can write labels and even a sentence about a chosen topic. Here are some skills and processes we will focus on during second quarter:
1.Using the word wall Each time we learn a new sight word we add it to the word wall. This wall acts as a dictionary for the students. Any time they use the sight words in their writing they can refer to the word wall for the correct conventional spelling. Students are ready to be held accountable for spelling these commonly used words correctly.
2.Planning a story Before students write they are required to think about what it is they want to write about. Then they draw a detailed picture about their topic. Next, they orally tell their sentence(s) to a partner or an adult or to themselves. Then they can begin writing.
3.Stretching out words/sounds Students will slowly say words, listen to the sounds, and write the letters for the dominant sounds they hear. For example, coat would be written cot because those letters represent the dominant sounds heard. (bs = bus, tabl = table, etc.) This is temporary spelling. You should notice more correct letters in each word written with temporary spelling. (pd = playground pagd = playground plagrd = playground)
4.Writing the sentences Once students feel comfortable with labeling, then they say each word in their sentence aloud to themselves or to a partner. After each word, they segment the sounds in the word to spell independently. If they are writing a sight word it must be spelled correctly by looking at the word wall or from memory.
5.Write a little, read a little Students are encouraged to write a few words, go back and read it , then continue on with the sentence. Repeating the process as many times as needed until the sentence is complete. This helps the student maintain his/her train of thought. Many times students forget what they are writing and repeat words or omit words.
6.SPACES, SPACES, SPACES From the very beginning we have promoted skipping spaces between words as they are being written. Please encourage this at home as well. This will help when your child tries to read back what he/she has written.
7.Adding nouns and action words Most of us are ready to write 1 or 2 sentences about our topics. We will focus on identifying and using action words (verbs) in our sentences.
8.Capitals and periods Now that we are learning how to write more than one sentence about a topic, we need to make sure that there is a period (or excited mark or question mark) at the end of each sentence and a capital letter at the beginning of each sentence. Have your child go back read their sentences and see if they can find any missing periods or capitals. This helps with self-corrections.
9.Reading Students should be able to go back and read their writing independently to another person.
10. Writing Folders Students will learn how to sort their writings as finished or unfinished. They will file their own writing papers in the correct pocket of their writing folders.
11.Handwriting Handwriting continues to be of importance when writing. All letter formation has been initially taught. Students will be refining their handwriting throughout the year.