In our classroom, students each have a writer's notebook to help them stay organized as they progress through the stages of writing.  Our notebooks are color-coded to help students differentiate between each stage of the writing process.  

We use 1.5 inch white three-ring binders for our Writer's Notebooks. 

Inside we have a pencil pouch that holds our writing tools needed for each stage of the writing process:  a blue pen, a green pen, and a red pen.

Next, we have a one-subject spiral notebook that holds our "First Drafts".  Using the notebook ensures that our first drafts stay in order so that we can see our writing progress throughout the year.  It also keeps them organized and neat. :)  Students use their blue pens to write their first drafts, and skip lines so that they will have room to revise and edit if it's a piece they choose to publish later on.
   
Behind the notebook is a list of genre ideas for students to write and also starter prompts for those times when students "don't know what to write" about. 

Behind the prewriting sheet are sample graphic organizers.  These help students remember the importance of brainstorming and organizing their thoughts before beginning the first draft.  After this prewriting, students will be ready to begin their first draft.  All prewriting and first drafts are written using a blue pen.  If writing workshop ends while students are in prewriting or first draft stages their work is left in the blue first draft notebook.

Once first drafts are completed, students move on to a new first draft, or if they have five drafts, they may choose to take one of their drafts through the publishing process.    Students keep track of the stories they've written on a story record log kept in the back of the notebook. 


If a student chooses a story to publish, he/she tears the story from the notebook and begins to revise their writing.  The revising checklist is kept in a clear sleeve in the Writer's Notebook.  To revise their work students use a green pen. 

After revising their work, students' writing should be more interesting.  If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the revision stage, their work goes into the green revise pocket.  After revising their work, students are ready to edit the piece for mistakes.  An editor's checklist is copied on cardstock for durability.  Editing rules are given to students as they are taught throughout the year.  This method also always for differentiation, since I can provide students with rules that I notice they're ready for during conferencing.  Once an editing rule is glued onto the checklist, students date and number the rule.  From this date on, the student is responsible for making these corrections independently in his/her writing.  To edit their work students use a red pen.

After editing their work, students' writing should be written correctly and free of major mistakes.  If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the editing stage, their work is placed in the red edit pocket.

After students have self edited their work, they sometimes have it peer-edited by a classmate.   After self-edit and peer-edit, students are ready to sign up to edit their work with the teacher.  The teacher uses this time to conference with the student about his/her writing and discuss writing strengths and items to work on in future writings.

Finally, students are ready to publish thier work.  Students may choose to publish in a variety of ways.  All final drafts are written in pencil.  This allows students to fix mistakes so that final pieces are error free.  The most popular forms of publishing are student-made books, on the computer, and reading their work to an audience. If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the publishing stage their work is placed in the purple publish pocket of their notebook.

Students also have an orange pocket in their notebook.  This pocket holds any references or resources students may have to use during Writing Workshop time.  These may include dictionaries, templates (how to write a friendly letter), special word lists, etc.