Day 36: 10/24/19 - D Day: Writer's Workshop Session #8 - Final Touches before Publication

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is a 'D' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils.
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda

Homework: 

• Hand write the final copy of your narrative
• Work on your Illustration

Writers Workshop Session #8

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• W6.5 -With guidance and support from peers & adults develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and trying a new approach.

Part 1: Self Evaluation & Finishing Touches

1. Give your story a title
2. Use the Narrative Writing Checklist to put final improvements into your writing. At this point your writing is not done. It still needs your finishing touches. DO NOT JUST READ EACH CRITERIA AND MARK IT OF! Take your time to evaluate each component and make your writing the best it can be before working with a partner.
3. Use the plot line as an additional guide for your writing.

Part 2: Evaluation & Collaboration
Today you will choose another writing partner to work with to help you evaluate your writing and prepare it for final publication. 
1. Read your draft to your partner, including the Lead, the small details, the internal story, and all of the improvements you have made. 
2. You will use the Narrative Writing Peer Evaluator Checklist to get feedback

Part 3 - Illustration

• Create an illustration for your narrative
• Your paper needs to be oriented in the 'tall' position

Day 35: 10/23/19 - C Day: Writer's Workshop Session #7 - Using Narrative Writing Checklists to Edit & Revise my Writing

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is a 'C' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils. Check to see that you have everything you need for your morning classes. 
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda

Homework: 

• Use the narrative writing checklists to finish Revising and Editing your Narrative writing and make all final improvements
• Should be about 3 pages by the time you put all the pieces together

Writers Workshop Session #7

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• W6.5 -With guidance and support from peers & adults develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and trying a new approach.

Part 1: Instead of Said

Part 2
Self Evaluation & Finishing Touches

Your Action: Part 1
1. Give your story a title
2. Use the Narrative Writing Checklist to put final improvements into your writing. At this point your writing is not done. It still needs your finishing touches. DO NOT JUST READ EACH CRITERIA AND MARK IT OF! Take your time to evaluate each component and make your writing the best it can be before working with a partner.

Your Action: Part 2

1. Make the necessary improvements to your narrative.

2. Be sure to find the internal story in your own narrative. Look for ways to include it in the exposition, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. 

Or simply put...look at the beginning, middle, and end for places to develop the internal story. 

3. Have you used transition words? Where should you insert transitional words and phrases to make your writing flow better.

4. Look for places to improve your organization. Place the paragraph symbol where ever you need to start a new paragraph. The paragraph symbol looks like this _______

5. Use quotation marks around your dialogue.

Part 2: Evaluation & Collaboration
Today you will choose another writing partner to work with to help you evaluate your writing and prepare it for final publication. 
1. Read your draft to your partner, including the Lead, the small details, the internal story, and all of the improvements you have made. 
2. You will use the Narrative Writing Peer Evaluator Checklist to get feedback

Share: (If time)  To celebrate today’s achievements, you will share your draft with a small group.  When it’s your turn to read, don’t start until you have everyone’s eyes on you.  Make sure to read it like gold with lots of expression.  When it’s your turn to listen, try to lose yourself in the story you are about to hear.  Try to see and feel this powerful small moment just as the writer tells it. 

Day 34: 10/22/19 - B Day: Writer's Workshop Session #6 - Using Transitions & Developing the Internal Story

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is a 'B' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils. Check to see that you have everything you need for your morning classes. 
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda
• Pick up a :Transition Words & Phrases" booklet. Glue it onto the very next page in your notebook. Leave room for a title, and a few notes.

Homework: 

• Continue to add dialogue & small details to your narrative 
• Develop the internal story of your narrative
• Insert transitional words and phrases
• Once you have done this to your narrative it should be about 2 1/2 - 3 pages in length.

Writers Workshop Session #6

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• W6.5 -With guidance and support from peers & adults develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and trying a new approach.

Part 1: Using Transitions

• Transition words help writing flow from one idea to another
• The type of transition word to use depends on the purpose

Part 2: The Internal vs External Story 
Think back to my Viper story. 
What was that story about? It was about a boy going on a roller coaster for the first time. It is a detailed description of the events of that specific moment in time. We call this the _________________ Story.

Now think deeper. What was that story REALLY about? It was about a young boy over coming their own fears & doubts, and conquering challenges. We call this the _________________ story. 

Now think about your own narrative. Have you included an INTERNAL story in your own personal narrative? What is the internal story in your narrative? The internal story is like the "Conflict." 

Your Action:

1. Think about the plot structure. Does your narrative follow the plot line. Is there an exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, & resolution?

2. Find the internal story in your own narrative. If you have not include one, look for ways to include it in the exposition, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. 

Or simply put...look at the beginning, middle, and end for places to develop the internal story. 

3. Have you used transition words? Where should you insert transitional words and phrases to make your writing flow better.

Share: (If time)  To celebrate today’s achievements, you will share your draft with a small group.  When it’s your turn to read, don’t start until you have everyone’s eyes on you.  Make sure to read it like gold with lots of expression.  When it’s your turn to listen, try to lose yourself in the story you are about to hear.  Try to see and feel this powerful small moment just as the writer tells it. 

Day 33: 10/21/19 - A Day: Writer's Workshop Session #5 - Zooming in on the details & Adding Dialogue

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is an 'A' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils. Check to see that you have everything you need for your morning classes. 
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda
• Take out the 3 leads you wrote for your seed idea

Homework: 

• Add dialogue & small details to your narrative 
• Once you have added the lead, dialogue, and details, your writing should be at least 2 pages long.

Writers Workshop Session #5

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• W6.5 -With guidance and support from peers & adults develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and trying a new approach.

Part 1: Rehearsal  - You Do:10 minutes

*Most writers don't just pick a story idea and then write the book; they get ready to write by rehearsing.

***Pick a new writing partner - someone you have not yet worked with***

**The Viper Story**

Partner 1: Tell the story that is your seed idea (DO NOT READ) I want to hear you using the same dramatic storytelling voice you use in the hallway, when something unbelievable has just happened to you and you bump into your best friend and tell them all about it.

Partner 2: Lean in and expect to get goose bumps! 

As you tell your stories, you start to figure out what you want to show about your characters and how you want to make your partner react to certain parts of the story......That is exactly why we might story-tell our story before we put it on paper or make revisions to a draft. 

Follow Up Whole Group: 

• Does anyone want to share about the rehearsal you had with your writing partner? 
• What did you notice about your story vs your writing?
• How was your story different from your writing?
• How can you use your rehearsal to help your writing?

Part 2: The Lead

With your partner share the leads that you have written for your narrative about a small moment in time.

Tips

• Be super supportive
• Help your partner notice where good work happened in their leads.
• Help your partner pick the lead, or combination of leads, that you think works best for the story they just told you.

Part 3: Zooming in on the Small Details & including dialogue

Some people think of work, especially hard work, as a negative thing, but we don't have to be those people.

The best writers are not just born with incredible talent.  The people who become pros are people who figure out how to work at it.

"Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work."

Albert Einstein

*Successful Learners see hard tasks as challenges...
...They see failures as opportunities to learn.

Now, I want to teach you how to deliberately zoom in on the small details that you want to see in your own writing.

Original writing:
 (Author has climbed a tree in a park even though her mother warned her not to)

"Don't look down, just keep climbing-you're almost to the top," Lydia urged. I swallowed and snuck one quick look down at her.

First attempt at zooming in on the small details:
Lydia was still standing at the bottom of the tree, holding my dark, blue sandals with one hand and shielding her eyes, with the other, as she looked up at me.

These are tiny details, but not something someone would notice who is stuck high up in a tree.

Second attempt at zooming in on the small details:
The tree swayed slightly, and I tightened my grasp on the trunk.  A rough piece of bark dug sharply into my forearm, but I didn't dare move.

"I think I need help getting down," I shouted, my voice high and tight.  I thought about my mother's clear warning to stay out of the trees that bordered the playground.  This must be why.

"Hold on, " Bobby called.  He circled slowly around the tree and then walked towards Lydia, talking to her in a low voice.  I couldn't hear him over the rustle of the tree's leaves.  Suddenly he grabbed Lydia's arm and pulled her away from the tree.  "Run!" Bobby commanded, and they made a dash for the gate.

Writers, the author here has really tried the technique of zooming in on the small details.  To do that the author really had to put herself back in the park and replay the scene in her head.

Your Action:

Look for places in your own narrative to practice this technique of zooming in on the small details of the moment. Make revisions to your original piece. You may write them in the margins or on another page of your ELA Notebook.

1. Include adjectives to describe nouns.
2. Insert details to describe precise actions
3. Incorporate internal thinking
4. Add dialogue to develop your characters. 
5. Tap into the reader's senses. (Sound, smell, feel, sight, & Taste)

Share: (If time)  To celebrate today’s achievements, you will share your draft with a small group.  When it’s your turn to read, don’t start until you have everyone’s eyes on you.  Make sure to read it like gold with lots of expression.  When it’s your turn to listen, try to lose yourself in the story you are about to hear.  Try to see and feel this powerful small moment just as the writer tells it. 

Day 32: 10/18/19 - D Day: Writer's Workshop Session #4 - Picking a Seed Idea & How to Write a Good Lead

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is a 'D' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils. Check to see that you have everything you need for your morning classes. 
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda
• Take out Journal Entry #3

Homework: 

• Write 3 different Leads for your Seed Idea (All 3 together should be approximately 1-2 pages in length)

Writers Workshop Session #4

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

Part 1 - Collaboration & Evaluation

(You do: 10 minutes)

Directions: Share your second journal entry with a writing partner (You choose your own partner. For each journal entry you will pick a different partner.) 

With your partner: (Discuss any of the following)

• Identify the things that "WOW' you.
• Share your thoughts and feelings
• Discuss any connections you make to your partners writing
• Look for figurative language: personification, simili, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, idioms, & onomatopoeia
• Analyze the characters? What do you know about them?
• Identify the setting? Did the writer develop a setting?
• Analyze the elements of plot. Is there an exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, or resolution?
• Look for conflicts. Can you identify what types of conflicts the author included?
• Analyze the mood & tone of the journal entry.
• Can you identify a theme? If so, what is the theme?
• Did the writer write about a small moment, or did they summarize?

As we grow as writers, it is important that we analyze our writing, but that we can practice writing without judgement. In this way we don't worry about what others will think or how we will be evaluated. I will eventually evaluate your final piece, but just like a coach has practices with their players before the "Big Game" I want you to think of these journal entries as "practice" and I want you to take risks, and try new things with your writing without worrying about getting a good grade. 

**********************************************

It is also important that we continue to have an environment of respect for all. Remember what Lucy Calkins said about  your writing, Honor your writing, and honor each other's writing!

"Read it like it's Gold!" 

**********************************************

Follow Up Whole Group: 

• Does anyone want to share about the discussion you had with your writing partner? 
• What did you speak about?
• How has your writing improved since your 1st entry?
• What do you still need to work on?

Part 2 - Picking a Seed Idea

(We do - 15 Minutes)

Writers, today is an exciting day! Today instead of generating new personal narratives, you will need to look over your collection of stories and choose just one.  

Writers often call that a...

Seed Idea

...meaning you will nourish and grow that seed idea into a published piece of writing.  

It can be daunting to wrap you mind around all you have written and choose just 1.  

This is the time when you have to really pay attention to the little voice as you reread. Find the one that whispers to you that there is just something about this story, that this story idea has the potential to become a really important piece of writing.  Try to find one that has strong meaning to you. Remember, that does NOT mean that the personal narrative is already an incredible piece of writing.  It might just be an idea that you think you can develop into a powerful and meaningful story.  

Reread the 3 entries you have written and start to notice which stories could be your seed idea.  

Writers, you will get a paper clip to mark your seed idea.

Congratulations, writers, and welcome to your seed idea.

Now...

Part 3 - How to Write a Good Lead

(We do - 15 Minutes)

Today I want to teach you that writers also prepare

 to write powerful narratives by trying  out several different leads.  

Writers, you know how much the first sentences, or paragraphs of a story, matter.  We call this the lead. The 1st bit of text on a page has a BIG job of grabbing the reader's attention, making the reader want to put everything else aside so he can just  read, read, read. 

Think about Freak the Mighty: I Never had a brain until Freak came along, and that's the truth, the whole truth. The unvanquished truth is how Freak would have put it. 

Authors try out different leads, looking for the one that will set them up to write a great story.  

4 Ways to Write a Good Lead

1. The Dialogue Lead - uses dialogue between characters

2. The Inner Thinking Lead - shows what a character is thinking

3. The Small Detail Lead - describes the small details of the scene

4. The Action Lead - describes precise character actions

**Look at my examples**

Writers, I want you to think about the beginning to your story, and try a few different leads:

Your Task: Write a few different leads to your story. Think... what is my story really about. What leads will work best for me. 

Once you have tried at least 3 different leads, you might find that you can combine them to make a really strong start to your  story.

Share: (***If Time***) Partners read your best lead  in your best storytelling voice.  Listen for how the writer grabs you and makes you want to hear the rest of the story.  

We will begin Writer's Workshop Session #5 on Monday by picking a 4th writing partner and sharing the leads that we wrote for our narrative, so it is very important that you do your best. Honor your writing. Write like it's Gold

RTI - D Day

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

Writing Strategy: Quick Write - Try different leads for your narrative

Directions: Practice developing a strong lead for your narrative. 

Write:

• A dialogue Lead
• An Inner Thinking Lead
• A Small Detail Lead
• An Action Lead

Day 31: 10/17/19 - C Day: Writer's Workshop Session #3 - The Narrative Writing Check List & Quick List #3

Good Morning 6th Graders,
          Today is a 'C' Day. Make sure you use the bathroom & sharpen your pencils. Check to see that you have everything you need for your morning classes. 
                           Thank you
                           Mr. Trumble
ELA:
Do Now:

• Write tonight's homework down in your agenda
• Take out Journal Entry #2

Homework: 

• Finish Journal Entry #3 (Fill 1 - 2 Pages minimum)

Writers Workshop Session #3

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

Part 1 - Collaboration & Evaluation

(You do: 10 minutes)

Directions: Share your second journal entry with a writing partner (You choose your own partner. For each journal entry you will pick a different partner.) 

With your partner: (Discuss any of the following)

• Identify the things that "WOW' you.
• Share your thoughts and feelings
• Discuss any connections you make to your partners writing
• Look for figurative language: personification, simili, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, idioms, & onomatopoeia
• Analyze the characters? What do you know about them?
• Identify the setting? Did the writer develop a setting?
• Analyze the elements of plot. Is there an exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, or resolution?
• Look for conflicts. Can you identify what types of conflicts the author included?
• Analyze the mood & tone of the journal entry.
• Can you identify a theme? If so, what is the theme?
• Did the writer write about a small moment, or did they summarize?

As we grow as writers, it is important that we analyze our writing, but that we can practice writing without judgement. In this way we don't worry about what others will think or how we will be evaluated. I will eventually evaluate your final piece, but just like a coach has practices with their players before the "Big Game" I want you to think of these journal entries as "practice" and I want you to take risks, and try new things with your writing without worrying about getting a good grade. 

**********************************************

It is also important that we continue to have an environment of respect for all. Remember what Lucy Calkins said about  your writing, Honor your writing, and honor each other's writing!

"Read it like it's Gold!" 

**********************************************

Follow Up Whole Group: 
Does anyone want to share about the discussion you had with your writing partner? 
What did you speak about?

Part 2 - The Narrative Writing Checklist & Quick List #3

(We do - 15 Minutes)

Directions: Generate Quick Lists to help you organize Ideas
(We Do: Review points 4 - 5 & 7-8 for writing powerful personal narratives)

• 4 Climb inside the moment and write within the narrator's point of view.
• 5 Make the characters say the words and use the tone that shows their personalities.
• 7 Zoom in on the small but powerful details that really capture big moments and feelings.
• 8 Use the Narrative Writing Checklist to ask, "As a writer, what are my strengths? What are my needs?" Then, plan your next steps.

Next Steps

1. Create New Notebook Page.
2. Review How my Writing will be evaluated.

Today we are going to make one last Quick List.

Open to the next page in your notebook.

Date & Title your notebook 

(You do)

(We do)

What are some of the "Firsts" you put on your list?

What are some of the "Lasts" you put on your list??

What was a moment you realized something important?

Part 3 - Quick Write Journal Entry #3

(You do - 20 Minutes)

Directions: Pick one of the moments on Quick List #3 and...

1. Write in detail (do not summarize a stretch of time)

2. Help readers picture the episode - a small action/moment & exact dialogue.
4. Climb inside the moment and write within the narrator's point of view.
5. Make the characters say the words and use the tone that shows their personalities.
7. Zoom in on the small but powerful details that really capture big moments and feelings.
8. Use the Narrative Writing Checklist to ask, "As a writer, what are my strengths? What are my needs?" Then, plan your next steps.

* Think - My entry should be like Max writing about one of the events on the rising action

We will begin Writer's Workshop Session #4 tomorrow by picking a 3rd writing partner and sharing our journal entries, so it is very important that you do your best. Honor your writing. Write like it's Gold

RTI

Standards:

• W6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and a well structured sequence of events
• W6.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

Writing Strategy: Quick Write - Journaling

Directions: Pick a new moment on Quick List #3, or return to the moment you began writing about earlier today, and 

1. Write in detail (do not summarize a stretch of time)

2. Help readers picture the episode - a small action/moment & exact dialogue.

* Think - My entry should be like Max writing about one of the events on the rising action