Davis and Hill gave me the idea to have students fill out a weekend writer's notebook assessment. I gave it to my students for the first time today and walked them through a sample of how to fill it out on the overhead projector. I also provided copies in English/Spanish so that their parent/guardian, who… Continue reading Weekend Writing Assessments
Author: Stacey Shubitz
Stacey Shubitz is a K-6 literacy consultant and former elementary teacher. She is the author of CRAFT MOVES and other professional books on writing workshop. Her new book, MAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK FOR YOUR CHILD WITH DISABILITIES (Guilford Press, 2026), empowers parents to navigate the special education system.
Poetry Friday is here!
“Hurt No Living Thing” Hurt no living thing: Ladybird, nor butterfly, Nor moth with dusty wing, Nor cricket chirping cheerily, Nor grasshopper so light of leap, Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat, Nor harmless worms that creep. --Christina Rossetti Poetry Friday is being held at Read Write Believe this week.
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Reacting to the World
I shared my September 11th WN Entry with my class today since my teaching point was: Writers react to things that are happening in the world around them by writing long about events in their writer's notebook. I was a bit nervous to share it with them since it paints a very vivid picture of… Continue reading Reacting to the World
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Round Challah
I've noticed that there aren't any explicit directions on how to make a round challah online for the Jewish High Holy Days. Hence, since I'm about to engage in some challah making, I think that my writing for today will focus around how to make one of those. I'm striving to make an Egyptian Style… Continue reading Round Challah
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Mapping Our Hearts
Heart Map Display Originally uploaded by teachergal My demo was too long. And because of that, the entire day ran late. HOWEVER, we had an amazing Writing Workshop where my students crafted maps of their hearts (Thanks to Georgia Heard!), which visually illustrate the most important things to them. Here's a photo of them all… Continue reading Mapping Our Hearts
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Today is Writer’s Notebook Wednesday
Please leave a comment with a link to your post, OR leave a comment with your entry. THANKS!!!
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Plan Boxes
I introduced the idea of Plan Boxes (see Lucy Calkins' Units of Study for grades 3-5 if you want more info on these amazing management tools!) to my class today. While some of them were familiar with the idea of creating a plan, I found myself implementing stricter guidelines with them this year than I… Continue reading Plan Boxes
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Gimmicks
I've been known to use lots of gimmicky things to get kids to write in their notebooks. For instance, I'll create mini-charts (aka: cheat sheets) of the large strategy charts I have hanging in the classroom. Then, I'll have the kids tape them into their writer's notebook to help them get started or to assist… Continue reading Gimmicks
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Writer’s-Reader’s Notebook
I received Linda Rief's Inside the Writer's-Reader's Notebook: A Workshop Essential (Heinemann 2007) the other day. I began reading it almost immediately. Even though Rief, a New Hampshire Middle School Teacher, gears her writing towards an audience of teachers who teach middle school, I still felt this was a must-read book for me since I… Continue reading Writer’s-Reader’s Notebook
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Poetry Friday
The sun is setting on another Rosh Hashanah. I've spent the past 48 hours with my family and my family-to-be. Hence, my Poetry Friday submission is a poem about the holiday that just passed. rosh hashanah by Alicia Ostricker the birthday of adam the innocent earthling and the day hagar and ishmael found water in… Continue reading Poetry Friday
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Welcome to the First-Ever Writing Notebook Wednesday!
We had a major technical problem with Mr. Linky (he didn't want to link!!!) this morning. Therefore, please post a comment with a link to your entry so we can do a round-up (a la Poetry Friday) later today. Updated: If you don't have a blog, fell free to type your writer's notebook entry in… Continue reading Welcome to the First-Ever Writing Notebook Wednesday!
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Stacey’s WN Entry: September 11th
Today is September 11th. My heart aches to be back in the City that I stood in on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. I will never forget the words, "A plane flew into the World Trade Center," as I sat at a job interview at a beauty and fashion headhunter. (Remember, this was six years ago...… Continue reading Stacey’s WN Entry: September 11th
