Monday
1. Journal: What are your
strengths and weaknesses as a writer; what types of writing do you like to
do? What types do you hate doing? Tell anything else about yourself as a writer
that you wish.
3. Have both pieces and portfolio checked in during journal and small group
activities.
4. Turn in paper Parent Info forms if needed.
5. Reader/Writer's
Workshop
a. Discuss journal – how we see ourselves as
writers.
1) What is the relationship between
what we like and how well we do?
2) How about when we are given a choice
vs. when we are told what and how to write.
b. Small Group
Reader’s Roundtable – 4 each.
1) Pass around or read aloud your
Assigned Topic and Type Essays.
2) Discuss pieces and select the best
one from your group.
3) Repeat the same procedure for your
Personal Choice Essay.
c. Full group sharing and discussion:
1) Read various best pieces.
2) For each, explore:
a) What you liked in the various
writings – how you responded to them.
b) Would you call each type an
essay? Why or why not?
c) What kind of writing would you
call it? Why?
d. Place
both pieces in Portfolio when done.
1. Journal: 7 minute Free
Write.
3. Seats
4. Have 2 pieces and portfolio checked if you haven’t already.
5. Turn in paper Parent Info forms if needed.
6. Portfolio/Enrichment
Workshop (with computer overhead)
a. Set up Portfolios.
b. Examine the Enrichment component of the
class.
c. Assign Enrichment choice: Due F, 2/8.
7. Reader’s/Writer’s
Workshop
a. Continue & conclude reading and
discussions from yesterday.
b. Choose one of your first pieces to
polish: both SRDs
and your chosen final copy should be in your portfolio by M, 2/11.
1. Journal: What is your
definition of a good time? You have
plenty of time to write so don’t hesitate to extend your definition.
3. Reader/Writer Workshop
a. Using the book. It’s my first time with it too, so I intend
to use it to see what works. Consider
yourself the lab rat!
b. Read
the Professional Model for Chapter 8, pp. 127-129.
c. Answer
questions 1-5, p. 130.
d. If you finish early, move on to
tonight’s homework.
4. Have 2 pieces and portfolio checked if you haven’t already.
5. HW: Read Chapter 8, pp. 117-122; answer Q’s 1-5, pp. 120-121 on same
paper as today’s in-class work for tomorrow.
6. Reminder: SRDs of your first two pieces and your chosen
final copy should be in your portfolio Monday.
1. Journal: Now that you’ve
read both a student and a professional model of a definition essay, what do you think of them? If you like them,
tell why and what you think you’ll enjoy in writing them. If you don’t like them, tell how you might
take that type of writing and make it more enjoyable for yourself.
2. Grammar of the day 5
3. Reader/Writer’s Workshop
a. Focus on question 1, p. 130: Purpose – importance of
purpose.
b. Audience: to whom are they writing? Importance of audience.
c. Review the questions for both models as
appropriate. Hand in questions.
d. Topic selection: possible topics.
1) Brainstorm possible topics together.
2) Of course, come up with a few of
your own as we go as well.
e. Then, “strain” topics through your
filters:
1) Personal taste: pare your topics
down to things you think you’d enjoy or find interesting.
2) Criteria 1, p. 123: does your topic
have enough characteristics to make it interesting and “fully-developable?”
3) Criteria 2, p. 123: make sure you
can develop your topic in a way that is interesting to your intended
audience. Who is or will be your
audience?
4) Consider your purpose in writing a
Definition Essay. Wouldn’t
hurt to write it down.
f. Establish
your topic: due Monday.
4. Reminder: SRDs of your first two pieces and your chosen
final copy should be in your portfolio Monday
Friday
1. Journal: 10 minute Open
Write.
3. Enrichment Workshop
(with laptop labs)
a. Select Enrichment Choice – put on Enrichment Pick sheet passed around
class.
b. Begin Enrichment Work.
c. Due
dates for Enrichment are 3/1 and 4/1.
4. Reminder: Both SRDs of your first two pieces
and your chosen final copy should be in your portfolio Monday. Also,
have a topic picked for your Definition Essay by Monday.