Writer’s Workshop

Observations and finding intention: During choice writing, I noticed that a lot of students were
taken an interest in writing stories and making chapter books. To extend this interest I want to
teach them how to create fiction stories with deeper structure and meaning.

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Development of ideas, editing, team work and publishing

Hypothesis: What do you predict the children will do and learn from this?

I predict that the students will learn how to create stories with a well developed plan, interesting
characters, a dynamic setting, and a defining problem and solution.

Setting: Where will you offer this?

This will be offered in small groups on the rug for the next few weeks.

Materials

1. Lined paper
2. templates
3. Pencils
4. Posters
5. White boards

Standards

Standard 3: Writing and Composition

B. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, descriptive details, and
clear event sequences. (CCSS: W.3.3)
i. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or
characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds
naturally. (CCSS: W.3.3a)
ii. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and
events or show the response of characters to situations.
(CCSS: W.3.3b)
iii. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event
order. (CCSS: W.3c)
iv. Provide a sense of closure. (CCSS: W.3.3d)

Writing Workshop Plan

Day Strategy Activity Materials

1 Planning - Brainstorming ideas for Poster, prompts (3-4),

our story. I will help
1-30-17 students brainstorm 1. Write a story about
Standard what they want their something strange
story to be about. I will and weird that might
Standard 3 1.5 provide them with take place in your
- Brainstorm ideas for different prompts they neighborhood.
writing can use or encourage 2. Create a story from
them to use their in the past. Choose
imagination. an era, and write a
Target: story about a
- “Write a list of at lease character. (Native
We are learning how to three ideas and choose americans,
brain storm ideas to one by tomorrow.” cleopatra, cave
make a good story. men, a solider in
World War 1).
3. Imagine there is a
I’ll know i’ve got it dinosaur still alive, it
when: has been hiding out
of sight all these
I can brainstorm three years and now asks
ideas for an interesting you for help.
story. Describe what
happens next.
Reflection: 4. You are a candy bar
on the shelf in the
The students were really grocery store.
excited about being able Someone has just
to create a story. They put you in their cart.
were able to come up Describe what
with many fun and happens next.
interesting ideas. Most 5. Toy Story theme.
of the students were 6. Class dojo monster
able to brainstorm at story
least 3 ideas.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

2 Character Development - Use character sheets - Character sheet

Standard 3.B. 2
ii. Use dialogue and
descriptions of actions,
thoughts, and feelings
to develop experiences
and events or show the
response of characters
to situations.
to being mapping out - pencil
your characters.
Decide how many
- clip boards
characters in your
story. What they look
like, their interests,
hopes and dreams.

Learning Target

We are learning how to

develop characters
using descriptive
adjectives to explain a
characters physical
appearance, thoughts,
and feelings.

I’ll know that I’ve got it

when:

I have created an
interesting dynamic
character.

3 Character development
continued or if ready
beginning to develop
the setting.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

4 Setting Activity - Setting cards for

different places with
Standard - Talk about the lots of adjectives
-Write narratives to setting, descriptive
develop real or
- Adjetives sheet
words to describe the
imagined experiences setting. Is there more
- Blank paper to draw
or than one setting? something
events using effective How do good authors
technique, descriptive describe settings?
details, and Paint a picture in your
clear event sequences head
Learning Target:
- draw setting and then
label descriptive
We are learning how to words around the
use descriptive details setting.
and modifiers to create - Example - beach
an interesting setting.

I’ll know i’ve got it

when:

I can create a setting

with at least three
descriptive details and
modifiers.

5 - Continue setting plan, Same as above just Same as above just

encourage to add lots of finishing finishing
descriptive words to
use. Talk about multiple
settings. If all are
finished move on to day
6.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

6 and 7 Plot - This is what makes Plot worksheet

up the story the body. Notebook
Standard: Rising action work-sheet
i. Establish a situation
- We need to know pencil
and introduce a narrator before we write what
and/or characters; is going to happen.
organize an event - Beginning- Middle -
sequence that unfolds End
naturally. - Rising action - climax-
solution
Learning Target
- We need at least five
We are learning to pages/ chapters.
develop interesting and - Complete the plot
structured plots that worksheet. Think
unfold naturally. about what the
problem is and how
I’ll know that i’ve got it the character solves it
when: and is effected by it.
How does your
- I can develop a well character solve the
constructed interesting problem. Series of
plot that has an steps.
introduction, rising
action, climax, and
conclusion.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

8 Hook - The hook is what - Hook sheet

Standard
Write narratives to
develop real or
imagined experiences
- Writers have to think
or
events using effective
technique, descriptive
details, and
clear event sequences.
(CCSS: W.3.3)
Learning target:
I can develop an
interesting hook to start
my story that pulls - Today we are going
readers in.
I’ll know I've got it
when:
starts you entire story - White paper
what pulls the reader
in.
- Notebooks
- Pencils
carefully about how
they start their
stories. Often times if
they send their story
to a publisher if they
don't have a good
opening sentence the
publisher will throw
the story away and
not read it, even if it is
an amazing story.
to think about an
interesting hook that
captures our
audiences attention.

I have started my story

with an interesting hook
that captivates my
readers attention.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

9, 10 Begin writing - YAY it’s time to right. - Computers

After so much - Writing folder
Standard: planning this is where
Write narratives to we begin out story.
develop real or We will follow our
imagined experiences plans that we have
or made and write our
events using effective first chapters.
technique, descriptive
details, and
- Support students
clear event sequences. work one on one
(CCSS: W.3.3) encourage descriptive
details and interesting
Learning Target: sentences.
I can begin my story - Start writing on
using a hook and computers
introducing my setting
and character.

I’ll know I've got it

when:

I can write the first

chapter in my book.

11, 12 Making our stories - today we are going to

interesting and exciting check in and make
sure our stories are
Standard: following a structure
Write narratives to and are still
develop real or captivating the
imagined experiences reader.
or
events using effective
- At the beginning of
technique, descriptive the lesson discuss
details, and that it is important to
clear event sequences. be continuously
(CCSS: W.3.3) adding juicy details to
make your story
Learning target: interesting.
- It’s time to start
I can write the second chapter two if you
and third chapters in my haven’t already.
books using interesting - Support students as
and juicy detail and they write their next
following my plan. chapters.
Day Strategy Activity Materials

13,14, 15, 16 Finishing our stories - Finishing writing - Computers

stories.
Standard:
Write narratives to
- Supporting students
develop real or as they write their
imagined experiences stories. Working one
or on one to make sure
events using effective they are following
technique, descriptive their plan, writing
details, and juicy details, sticking
clear event sequences. to one plan.
(CCSS: W.3.3)

Learning Target:

I can compete my story

with at least five pages
and make sure that it
follows my plot.

Day 17 and 18 Edit our stories - Have students switch - Peer review sheets.
stories with another
Standard: student and have
Demonstrate command them edit and peer
of the conventions of review their friends
standard English stories filling out a
capitalization, peer review sheet.
punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
- Encourage students
to correct spelling,
quotation marks,
capitalization and
make one good
comment and one
needs to improve
comment.
- Before printing I will
also check students
stories and work with
them to ensure they
have proper spelling,
punctation, and
quotation marks.
 Day Strategy Activity Materials

Day 19 and 20 Publish and Illustrate - Students will have a - Students have access
two days to illustrate to their own coloring
their stories after they utensils or they can use
have been printed out. the class supply of
Students are permitted markers or crayons.
to use anything
appropriate for
illustrations including
images from the web,
markers, or colored
pencils.

Day 21 Share - Students will share - Published books

their projects with other
members in their group
by passing their books
around in a circle and
thinking of positive
comments to say about
the final product.

Reflection

Overall, this was a very meaningful and fun unit. The children were so excited to write their
stories and all grew and learned so much from the month of instruction. The students all
developed stories that had interesting characters, details about the setting, and a problem and
solution. It was inspiring to see all the children become so excited about their writing, so much
so that a few took them home and started second books as soon as they finished.