The first few days of a Writer's Workshop are extremely important. They set the groundwork for how the class will function throughout the entire year. It's important to take it slow and not just jump directly into writing pieces. This unit gives a few suggestions on how to get the students motivated and excited about writing. By interviewing each other as writers and by reading book flaps about published writers, students begin to understand what to write about and to view themselves as writers. Once that foundation is built, the rest of the year will go smoothly.

Students will:

1. Interview each other and parents to find out why and when writers write
2. Discover where published writers get their ideas
3. Begin "notebooking" their ideas

Lesson 1: What We Know About Writers

Lesson 2: Where Writers Get Their Ideas

Lesson 3: Notebook Writing

Culminating Activity

The year-long Writing Workshop should eventually culminate in a publishable piece of writing for each student. How? All the necessary ingredients are right there in their notebooks, which are filled with ideas they can build on to create a finished piece worthy of publication.

Supporting Books

Books for Launching Writer's Workshop