Mrs. Sullivan-Smith

7th grade English

READING & WRITINGARE INTERTWINED

READING: In class novels, short stories, plays, non-fiction material, student work, independent

reading (assigned & self-selected)WRITING: Narrative, Persuasive, Expository, Informational (assigned & self-selected topics)

What is Writing Workshop?

• Writing Workshop is time in class and at home for students to work on assigned and self-selected writing projects.

• The workshop model I use is the one described by Nancie Atwell in her book In the Middle (1998).

• The key elements of workshop are time and choice.

Why use Writing Workshop?

• Students write—and their writing improves• Writing time is scheduled and required• It is naturally differentiated• It’s a fabulous way to enforce revision• Students are acting like real writers in a

community of writers - “speaking the lingo”• Students are supported by peers & teachers -

they feel comfortable taking risks

What students do in class…• Plan, research, draft, type, revise, edit, make final

copies• Take notes on the mini-lessons in their binders• Add new rules to their editing lists• Sign up for teacher conferences • Confer with the teacher• Meet in peer conferences• Explore & follow up on contests/ publication opportunities*• Work on all writing for the class—• both assigned and self-selected

What students do outside of class…• Write (workshop or assigned): Plan,

research, draft, type, revise, edit, make final copies• Work on assigned and/ or workshop

pieces

DEEP Revision To see again/

to see with new eyes

• Students MUST SHOW EVIDENCE OF REVISION throughout the writing process based on peer and teacher suggestions

• Often, revising while typing is a viable option

Editing- individualized• Students use their personal editing list and an

editing checksheet to edit their own papers & peers’

• Students use pen (red/blue/purple) for editing• Teacher edits pieces (2nd drafts) and includes

new, individualized editing rules for each student

• Highlight FIRST WORD of every sentence to check for variation of sentence beginnings

• Read paper from BOTTOM to TOP

TYPING• Typing is required for 2nd Drafts & Final Copies• In case of technological malfunction, many OPTIONS

are available:• E-mail it to Mrs. S.• Save it on a flash drive, bring it to school & print in school• Type IN school – during resource, during lunch,

before school, after school• LAST RESORT – the old-fashioned method!NEATLY HANDWRITE, skip every other line

A typical lesson

• Literature/ Reading: Poem discussion, lit circle meeting, whole class reading/ discussion, quiz, library visit (15-30 min.)

• Mini-lesson (5-30 min.)• State-of-the-Class conference (5 min.)• Writing Workshop or Reading Workshop (30 min.)• Curriculum work: Vocab, Word Study, Spelling, Lit

Terms, Editing Lessons, etc. (0-30 min.)

First Quarter

• Introduction to the Writing Workshop: Expectations and Procedures

• Introduction to the Reading Workshop• Basic Writing Principles• Friendly Letter• Sensory Language/Figurative Language• Literary Elements• Free Verse Poetry• Memoir*• Suspense story

Second quarter

• Introduction to Book Club/Literature Circles• Research*• Mythology• Novel study• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop

Third Quarter

• Persuasive writing*/ essays• Vocabulary (Greek & Latin Word Elements)• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop• Drama – Shakespeare’s Much Ado About

Nothing• SOL Review

Fourth Quarter• Ongoing Writing & Reading Workshop• Poetry• Literary Analysis*• Focus on character development & theme• SOL Review• Novel study

8th grade WRITING and READING SOL TESTS

MARCH: WRITING SOLShort Paper portion

Multiple Choice portion

MAY: READING SOL

WRITING FOCUS AREAS(from the SOL Writing Rubric)

8th grade – SOL Writing TestCOMPOSING

Organization – a central idea, elaboration, unity, transitions

WRITTEN EXPRESSIONMake it memorable! Specific Word

Choice/Precise Vocabulary, Figurative Language, Tone and Voice, Varied Sentence Structure

USAGE/MECHANICSGrammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling

PLEASE SUPPORT & ENCOURAGE READING & WRITING AT HOME

• Fill your house with diverse types of reading material, providing kids an assortment of

fiction & non-fiction• Talk about what you are reading & ask kids higher-level questions about what they are reading• Discuss writing techniques of published writers • Provide encouragement & offer constructive feedback on your child’s writing

I’M HERE TO HELP

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME