Course Description

Assignment Calendar

Class Title:	Writer’s Workshop	Code:	E325
Text:	Various Resources	Rating:	3
Prerequisite:	None	Grade:	5-6
Fees:	None	Max:	15
Can be repeated? Yes

Description: Students will have fun using language to paint a picture with their own words. Students will engage in activities that will help them access their own creativity. This class will take a progressive approach to effective writing, in which students will start with sentence structure, word choice, and basic grammar, and then move into elaboration techniques, figurative language, and paragraph writing. Possible projects may include personal narratives, journaling, expository writing, fiction and poetry.

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Homework - Use the sensory images graphic organizer from class to write a paragraph (at least 5 sentences) describing a story setting. In class, we brainstormed ideas to write about a cool, rainy day. You may write about this, or any other setting/environment you would like. Be sure to use at least 4 of the senses to describe the setting, and try to write in a way that doesn't sound like you are just listing things (I saw ____. I heard ____.) Here's my example for the first few sentences:

As I arrived at Apex and got out of my car, I was met with a cool mist on my face. The sky was gray and gloomy, and I was surprised by how dark it was this late in the morning. Students hurried into the building, and the sound of their wet, squeaking shoes filled the air....

Homework

In class, students started revising their previous stories to add "show, don't tell" to describe emotions and feelings. For homework:

1. If you didn't finish in class, rewrite at least one "telling" emotion from a previous story so that it "shows" the feeling in 2-3 descriptive sentences. Complete this on your "Show, don't tell" handout from class.

2. Think of a time you felt a strong emotion. Write about it in a detailed paragraph, using show don't tell. Tell a little of the story behind the emotion, then SHOW the emotion (what did it look like? sound like?)

Example: It was finally our turn to board the roller coaster. My legs were shaking as I took my seat and pulled the bar over my lap with a click. As the car jerked forward, my heart started racing and my breathing quickened. I turned to my friend and whimpered, "This was a big mistake! How did I let you talk me into this?" I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the plunge I knew was coming.

**Please remember to keep all your writing organized in a binder or folder so that you have access to it during class each week. We will often pull out old stories to work on revising as we learn new writing techniques and skills.

Homework

Please finish your "Show, Don't Tell" organizer from class. For each telling statement on the left side, write 2-3 sentences to show the emotion instead. For example:

Telling: My brother was angry.

Your SHOWING revision: My brother clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at me. His face turned as red as a tomato at he screamed, "Give me back my toy!"

Homework

Please finish the storyboard picture plan (beginning, middle, and end) that you started in class for your personal narrative. Then, write the story. Be sure to skip lines and try to aim for at least 4-5 sentences for each picture in your storyboard.

Today students brainstormed ideas for "small moment" personal narratives by making a list of important people and places in their lives. Then they added 1-3 small moment story ideas for each person or place. This will serve as an idea bank as we continue to work on personal narratives and memoirs over the next couple of months. If you didn't finish your lists in class, do so for homework. See the attached picture for an example.

First Day Reminders

It was a great first day at Apex! Students wrote their first personal narrative today to give me some baseline information and so we can see how much we grow as writers by the end of the year. They should finish it at home and bring it back next week if it was not finished in class (this should be done without parent assistance).

Also, just a reminder for students to bring a 2-pocket folder and a have a section in their binder for this class.