Reading/Writing Workshops

The Reading/Writing Workshops are based on Debbie Miller's book "Reading With Meaning: Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades" and Debbie Diller's "Making the Most of Small Groups: Differentiation for All". The setup of this page and many of the workshops are courtesy of an amazing teacher Beth Newingham http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/.

Mini Lesson: 10-15 Minutes

Each Reading/Writing Workshop session will begin with a mini lesson that lasts approximately 10-15 minutes. Each mini lesson will focus on a reading or writing strategy. There may be times where a strategy will be studied over the course of several days, in which case the mini lessons that week will be related to that strategy.

Independent Practice of Skill

Each Reading/Writing Workshop session will end with time for the student to independently practice the skill we have learned in the mini lesson. Students will have approximately 20 minutes to use and practice their new skill.

Skill: Choosing a Book

Using different size jackets, we voted on which clothing was just right. We related shopping for clothes to "shopping" for books. It is important that students choose books that are just right for them. Books are not one size fits all. On chart paper we made a list of things that make books too hard (big), too easy (small), or just right.

Mrs. Burnett tries on a jacket that is too small.

Josie tries on a jacket that is too big!

Autumn tries on a jacket that is "just right"!

Check out these sites to help you find a "just right" book.

Goldilocks Rules!

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover

As students record books in their reading logs, they are expected to categorize the books by genre. Since many students are unfamiliar with this concept, they were introduced to the different categories within fiction and nonfiction texts. To practice the concept, they were given genre cards and asked to hold them up as I introduced and described the features of books in our classroom library.

As anyone who has ever written anything can tell you, getting started is the hardest part. Students worked on creating personal Writer's Notebooks. These notebooks will be used to germinate the seeds of thoughts that will eventually turn in to stories. Students personalized their notebooks to make them their own and foster their writing creativity. These renovated notebooks become a place for students to "grow" ideas and develop their writer's craft. Students use the skills they learn during the Writing Workshop mini lessons to improve their writing and create new stories.