Seventh graders will be using the writing process to learn various forms of
writing this school year.
The writing process includes prewriting, drafting and reviewing, and
revising. These steps can overlap. After a revised draft is complete,
proofreading can be done. After all the errors and problems have been solved,
it is time to publish, present, and reflect.
Some of the forms of writing we will be learning this year are Personal and
Expressive Writing, and Observation and Description. We call each of these
lessons a "Writer's Workshop."
Your student may be required to turn in a typed paper at various stages in
the writing process. These are the typing guidelines:
*12-point font
*Times New Roman
*Double-spaced
*Length will vary by Writer's Workshop, but always a minimum of one whole page
Writer's Workshop 1, Personal and Expressive Narrative (personal experience)
DUE DATE FOR FINAL PAPER: 11/23 OR EARLIER
11/16/09 Prewriting and Sensory Detail chart due today. Begin drafting paper
(see text pgs. 34-35) This week we will be drafting and revising. A revised
version of the paper is due in class Friday for peer proofreading. Each
student must check in with me twice this week, each time describing at what
point in the writing process he is and the next steps.
11/12/09 Invitation to write: Think about a memorable incident or event in
your life. Re-create the experience for your readers by showing them what
happened, how it made you feel, and why you'll always remember it.
Focus on elaboration using sensory details, showing, and making your reader
feel present in the experience.
11/11/09 We are beginning to prewrite our personal-experience narratives by
journaling today on an interesting or important experience in our life.
Discovery Workshop, due October 6, 2009
1. Prewrite on a topic you care about. This may include making list of ideas,
idea webs, sentences. Begin writing sentences about 1 or 2 of those ideas to
see which one really gets your "creative juices" flowing.
2. Do a rough draft on that one topic you have the most to say about. Just
get your ideas into sentences and paragraphs on the paper. Try writing as
much as you can on that topic for 10-15 minutes straight.
3. Revise your writing. This is the time to take your rough draft and
rearrange, rethink, reorganize. Make it make sense to your reader. Take out
unnecessary or irrelevant information. Add explanation where it's needed.
This is the final step before proofreading.
4. Proofreading. We are doing peer proofreading in class to correct
capitalizations, spelling, grammar, punctuation. Also, all students are
checking in again with me either Thursday or Friday.
5. Publishing. Final typed paper due in class Tuesday Oct. 6.
The whole purpose is to work the writing process, learn each step well, so
we are taking it very slowly. I am not requiring a specific format this time
for the typed paper, but will for future papers.
