Writing / Writer’s Workshop – Inquiry Teaching

The Writing Process

Drew Story — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 19:37:51 +0000

This is a free resource and just a simple listing of “the writing process.” It is useful for introducing and reminding students that when writing, revisions and re-writing are expected and desired outcomes. Striving to have a “perfect” or final written piece is not expected but often what students first think is being asked of them.

We found this handout very useful and think you will, too. The handout is an outline of the writing process to be used with a directed discussion.

Subject Areas: All
Materials Required: Copies of provided handout, or a digital copy displayed
Time Needed: 15 – 20 minutes.

(Semester) Final Projects

Drew Story — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:14:20 +0000

This handout is geared towards Social Studies and provides a list of six research based projects that students can choose from to create a culminating final project, working as individuals, pairs, or groups. We always let students decide how they wanted to approach this task letting them choose if they wished to work in a group or individually.

These project ideas allow for various learning styles your students have to be utilized. Additionally, the projects themselves provide good review materials for the entire class.

Subject Areas: History, Social Sciences
Materials Required: Printed handouts, other materials may be provided by the students themselves.
Time Needed: At least two full class periods, plus homework, or more in-class work days as desired.

Postcards From History

Drew Story — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:53:37 +0000

Sometimes a simple writing and art project can act as a closure activity for any unit. We had students create a “postcard from history” with attention to details including the drawing of the stamp, who was the card written to and/or by, in addition to what was written and drawn on the card itself. This lesson always worked well and pairs well with a quick read-around follow up. See our free Teacher’s Guide for Read Arounds if you wish to add that feature to your lesson.

This handout is created to work with any history class and includes directions for students.

Subject Areas: History, Social Sciences
Materials Required: Printed copies of the handout, colored pencils/pens/crayons.
Time Needed: Usually a full class period or as homework.

Writing Prompts – Learning Logs

Drew Story — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 15:27:15 +0000

We like to begin or end a lesson with a simple writing prompt. If at the end of the lesson, often the prompt was “What was learned today?” Having students focus their thoughts and put them into written words always aids retention and the follow up discussions were insightful and sometimes led to entire other lessons. We would refer to these writings as “Learning Logs.”

This list of over 80 writing prompts will also help stimulate lesson ideas for you. Please consider downloading our free Teacher’s Guide to Open Ended Discussions, too. It pairs well with this list.

Subject Areas: ALL, but many fit best with Social Studies
Materials Required: Optional, but a display of the prompt is helpful.
Time Needed: 15-20 minutes usually.

The Monster Drawing

Drew Story — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 14:02:12 +0000

This lesson is intended for a Language Arts class to help students learn to use similes and metaphors — show not tell language skills. It’s simple, fun, and effective!

Subject Areas: Language Arts, English.
Materials Required: Paper, colored pens, pencils, or crayons. Optional – whiteboard or display for posting prompts.
Time Needed: Typically an entire class period.

Teaching Guide for Read Arounds

Drew Story — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 00:23:57 +0000

FREE! This lesson plan format is often one used in a “Writer’s Workshop” environment. It is simple to execute and highly effective. This lesson is easily adapted for use with any written assignment in any subject area.

Broken into small groups, students spend an entire class period reading one another’s work, comparing and contrasting the quality of writing, and providing feedback in an anonymous manner. It works with any grade level.

The activity requires students to have completed a written draft of an assignment.

Subject Area: Any
Focus: Writing and editing
Materials Required: Whiteboard or display
Time Needed: One class period

Discovering Atlantis

Drew Story — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 02:39:50 +0000

Always a fun activity for students, this culminating activity simulates the analysis of an archaeological dig on an imaginary island thought to be Atlantis.

Students may work in groups or independently as they write an essay using deductive inferences. Essays are then shared in a “read-around” activity. This lesson packet contains all you need to run the simulation, with directions and step by step guidance for the read-around activity, too, plus additional resources that may be used as extensions of this lesson.

Atlantis typically takes most classes two full periods to complete in addition to a homework assignment. It may take three to three and a half class periods if the writing is done completely in class.

Please consider adding a good introductory lesson to making deductive inferences by using our “The Flowers of Guatemala” lesson.

Subject Area: History, Social Sciences
Materials Required: Printed handouts, optional need for a whiteboard or display, too
Time Needed: Two full class periods, plus homework, or three in-class work days total.