Writing Workshop Bibliography

By:  Gina Hicks

 

 

This list represents only the sites that I have visited and feel are good resources for teachers who would like more approaches to teaching writing in elementary schools.  I have also linked sites that students could be directed to use as part of writing workshop.  The categories mentioned below could be added to as the students’ writing skills expand.

 

Teacher Sites

 

Writing to Persuade

1        Persuasive Writing – Commercial Style – This site contains a persuasive writing lesson plan, using common products, for grades 3-5 or 6-8.  Cooperative learning can be implemented within this plan.  The site is located at: http://www.education-world.com/a_tsl/archives/02-1/lesson024.shtml

 

2.      About Protecting the Earth – This site contains a set of lesson plans that involve teaching first grade children the importance of protecting the earth by recycling, conservation and not polluting.  Children are asked to complete a letter persuading their audience to protect the earth.  This site is located at: http://www.uen.org/cgibin/websql/lessons/query_lp.hts?corearea=1103&area=2

                       Scroll down under “First Grade” to find “About Protecting the Earth.”

 

 

 

Writing to Inform

1.  Let’s Write a Newspaper Story - This exciting site contains a real-life writing course for teachers to download for use with students of varying ages.  It was created in partnership with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and the Hammond Elementary School in Laurel, Md.  This site is located at:

http://www.jhuapl.edu/newspapercourse/

 

2.      Writing Brochures – This site contains two lesson plans for writing brochures that teachers can use with students of varying ages. These lesson plans can be integrated with topics such as, history, mathematics and science.  Depending on what purpose the teacher or student chooses for writing the brochure, they could also be used for writing to persuade.  These plans can be found at:

           http://desktoppub.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa0828b.htm

 

Writing for Personal Experience

  1. Creative Writing – A Collaborative Effort – This site contains a creative writing lesson plan, for grades 1-12,  that takes a minimum of 25 minutes to implement. During this time students are beginning their own story, reading another's beginning and creating the middle section, reading yet another story and finally developing a conclusion for that story.  This plan can be found at:

            http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Writing/WCP0009.html

 

Student Sites

 

Writing to Inform

  1. Endangered Species:  There Is Still Time – In this lesson students will use the Internet in a variety of ways to learn about the importance of saving endangered species.  They will learn about specific animals that need our help as citizens of United States. Students will also share their concerns with others in hopes that they will want to help endangered animals everywhere.  This plan is designed for fourth graders, but could easily be adapted for other age groups.

http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Animals/ANM0069.html

 

2.  Going, Going, Gone:  Endangered Animals of the Rain Forest – This activity won first prize in the Master Search Contest in the spring of 1998.  Students, of varying ages, practice using the research process by following a prompt in which they need to find and present information about an endangered animal of the rain forest in a creative way. They choose an endangered animal and using what they have previously learned about the animals of the rain forest, begin by asking questions. They then gather information on skinny notes, organize their information using graphic organizers, and present their information in the form of a cereal box. The students use a rubric to evaluate their work.  This activity can be found at: http://www.classroom.com/edsoasis/TGuild/Lessons/RainFor.html

 

Writing for Personal Experience

  1. Stories from the Web – This site has so many choices for students of all ages!  They can read poetry, read interviews about authors and create their own stories at the “Join In” section. This site is located at:

http://www.storiesfromtheweb.org/

 

  1. Young Author’s Workshop – Wow, the possibilities are endless for students of all ages at this site!  Students will work through all the steps of the writing process, or jump to whatever steps in which they need more instruction.

http://www.planet.eon.net/~bplaroch/indexb.html