Pieces of Writing

Each term you will have two required pieces of writing. You should write about what you know, although each term one of your pieces must be a particular genre

• 1st nine weeks: expository
• 2nd nine weeks:  persuasive
• 3rd nine weeks:  poetry
• 4th nine weeks:  letter

  In this class we are practicing the WRITING PROCESS so you will confer with classmates and adult(s) when you complete your first draft. You will take some of their sugggestions, along with some ideas of your own, and revise before writing a second draft. You will read the second draft to people also and get further input until you decide that the piece is the best it can be. Then you self-edit it, correcting all the errors you can find (in a different color than what you wrote the piece). After having a teacher or parent correct the errors you didn't find, you write a final copy.

  
  
  • This process takes TIME. Spread your work over the four to five weeks given. Don't try to wait until the last minute.
  
  
  • Most sixth graders write best when they write about what they know. Many of our best pieces are personal narratives--stories about your own experiences (although you should feel free to make up some parts or exaggerate to make a better story).
  
  
  • Take advantage of the Workshop. Pieces can also be reports or other writing assignments from other classes, as long as you've gone through the Writing Process. You can also turn your SNTs into pieces.
  
  
  • Publish your pieces. Contests and places for publishing are posted on the blackboard. If you give it to me all ready to be mailed, except for the envelope being sealed so I can double check it, you will earn 25 extra credit points for submitting your piece for publication. If it actually gets published, you earn up to 100 extra credit points. There is no limit to the number of pieces you can publish, as long as they are pieces you've completed in Writing Workshop.
  
  
  • Remember late pieces earn only half credit. If you don't make the deadline, make up for it by doing at least one extra credit piece.
  
  
  • Take advantage of the help available. Involve your parents in your writing and ask the teacher for help when you need it.
  
  
  • Writing is so rewarding. As you practice your writing and improve your skills this year it will become even more fun.

  PARENT/TEACHER EDIT

  The Teacher Edit step of the writing process is designed to have the teacher correct all errors not detected by the student and to teach the student about those errors so as to decrease or prevent them in future pieces of writing. During the edit conference with the teacher the student is told about at least two areas in which s/he has mastered skills (often ones shown to be problems in the past) and two areas which can be improved that will create better pieces in the future. In addition, the teacher discusses other weaknesses in the particular piece which need improvement so as to make this piece the best it can be.

  This year we are offering students the option of having their parents perform this step in the process. In order to assist parents with this we would like to offer a few hints. First, be sure that the student has completed all steps up to the Parent/Teacher Edit step, particularly the self-edit. If someone else always makes the corrections for the student, s/he will not learn how to edit, and after all it is the student who is supposed to be learning from this process. Make particular note that the student is correcting errors pointed out in previous pieces of writing. All of these should be noted on the "Things ___ Can Do as a Writer" form which is run off on a colored sheet of paper. There is also a colored sheet noting previous spelling errors. These are run on colored paper because they are checklists which should be used when self-editing papers. Although the writing folder cannot be taken home without a note from a parent, the two sheets can be brought home at any time. In fact, this would probably help the student remember to add the two new suggestions to the list if the sheets were at home during the parent edit.

  In the state writing assessment test, students are graded on FOCUS, ORGANIZATION, ELABORATION/SUPPORT, AND CONVENTIONS. These are areas to be checking for in their writing.

  After the parent has edited the paper, correcting all errors not previously corrected s/he should complete the student conference form. If this is not done by the parent, there really is no way for the teacher to know if an adult had input on the piece. The skills mentioned at this step should be less specific to this piece of writing and aimed toward writing in general. Remember, these are the skills that will be added to the checklist to be used for future pieces of writing. In the Skills Mastered column the teacher often lists areas that have been problems in the past. Suggestions for Improvement are ones that can be used in future writing. Some of the skills that are discussed in sixth grade writing are listed on the next page. It might also help to invest in a writing handbook. Most bookstores carry several types and everyone in the family could use it as a reference. We use Write Source 2000.

  You may want to have your child put a piece in for teacher edit at some time and show it to you after it has gone through this process so that you can see what it entails. We hope that this will help you in assisting your child in his/her writing. If you have any questions, please let me know.

  
  

  EXAMPLES

  • Focus--stay on topic
  • Organize writing better
  • Elaborate--give more details
  • Write in complete sentences
  • Avoid sentence fragments
  • Avoid run-on sentences
  • Write in paragraphs
  • Change paragraphs at correct places
  • Change paragraph w/ change in speaker
  • Consistent tense
  • Consistent point of view
  • Appropriate point of view
  • Strong lead
  • Strong conclusion
  • Title that grabs the reader
  • Subject-verb agreement
  • Capitalize words in title
  • Capitalize proper nouns
  • Using active rather than passive voice
  • Self-edit carefully for spelling errors
  • Write out small numbers
  • Put " " around words actually spoken
  • Capitalize first word of quotation
  • Periods and commas always inside " "
  • Avoid overusing ( )
  • Follow rules on titles (be specific)
  • Follow rules on possessives (be specific)
  • Do not put 's in plurals
  • Use correct homonym (be specific)
  • Agreement of pronoun & antecedent
  • Use parallel construction
  • Avoid ambiguous wording
  • Vary sentence structure
  • Avoid vague or split reference
  • End sentence, piece w/ most important
  • Use commas in series
  • Avoid deadwood & flowery language
  • Keep writing in standard language
  • Avoid and-and construction
  • Correct double negatives
  • Topic sentences & supporting details
  • Follow format of specific type of writing
  • Logical plot
  • Piece matches purpose for writing
  • Use the BEST words
  • Use thesaurus
  • Use enough elaboration (SNT)
  • Keep piece on topic
  • Conference more & use advice
  • Improve transition
  • Use most logical order
  • Avoid bed-to bed pieces
  • Who=people; that=things
  • Follow rules studied for dialogue
  • Improve prewriting
  • Follow author's format when modeling
  • Give credit when modeling
  • Set off appositive w/ commas
  • Follow capitalization rule (be specific)
  • Follow comma rule (be specific)
  • Use lay, lie correctly
  • A lot & all right always two words
  • Good=adjective; well=adverb
  • Its=possessive; it's=it is
  • Write out most abbreviations
  • Avoid overusing very
  • Write more concisely
  • Apply spelling rules studied
  • Write about what know
  • Avoid redundancy
  • Avoid misplaced modifiers
  
  
  • Note: "Be specific" means tell the specific title, capitalization, comma, etc. rule needing to be followed.
  
  
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