Writing+Information

= Being a Writer = The //Being a Writer// curriculum, developed by the Developmental Studies Center (DSC), was implemented (2011) by Franklin Public Schools in grades kindergarten through sixth. The curriculum focuses on the writer's workshop model which includes a focus on character education and social and ethical development. The program fuses a writing process approach with guided instruction, providing a clear scope and sequence to ensure students learn the important elements of writing. The following practices are implemented in the //Being a Writer// program:
 * Teacher and peer conferences
 * Classroom discussion
 * Collaborative writing tasks
 * Writing for real audiences and purposes
 * Student self-assessment
 * Regular periods of writing
 * Choice of writing topics
 * Models of good writing


 * Developmentally Appropriate Writing Process and Craft for Grade 1**
 * Write daily for various purposes and audiences
 * Generate ideas for writing
 * Choose their own writing topics
 * Extend writing to tell more
 * Confer with the teacher
 * Reread writing for sense
 * Learn about conventions from published works
 * Publish pieces in a variety of ways
 * Read and share published pieces with the class


 * Developmentally Appropriate Writing Skills and Conventions for Grade 1**
 * Write from left to write and top to bottom
 * Put spaces between words
 * Use a word wall to spell high-frequency sight words
 * Use letter sound relationships to approximate spelling
 * Capitalize the first word in a sentence
 * Use a period at the end of a sentence
 * Capitalize proper nouns and I
 * Use question marks and exclamation points

Listen to one another Give their full attention to the person who is speaking Share their partner's thinking with the class || Use writing and pair conference time responsibility || Use the prompt "I found out" to express interest in one another's writing || -cited from DSC
 * 6+1 Traits in the Being a Writer Program**
 * Ideas || the content or main theme in a piece ||
 * Organization || how meaning is structured in a piece ||
 * Voice || how the writer's personal tone comes across ||
 * Word Choice || the vocabulary the writer uses to convey meaning ||
 * Sentence Fluency || the rhythm, flow, and sound of the language ||
 * Conventions || spelling, grammar, usage, capitilization, and punctuation ||
 * Presentation || how the piece looks on the page ||
 * Social goals of the //Being a Writer// program**
 * Students listen respectfully to the thinking of others and share their own. || Speak clearly
 * Students work in a responsible way. || Handle materials responsibly
 * Students express interest in and appreciation for one another's writing. || Ask one another questions about their writing
 * Students make decisions and solve problems respectfully. || Discuss and solve problems that arise in their work together ||
 * Students act in fair and caring ways. || Share materials fairly ||

Get to know one another Get ideas for writing from read-alouds Draw and write about themselves Explore sentence punctuation || Use a word wall to spell high-frequency sight words Approximate spelling using letter sound relationships || Explore sentence punctuation Write on assigned and self-selected topics Use the word wall to spell high-frequency sight words Approximate spelling using letter-sound relationships || Write stories about themselves Informally revise to tell more Publish a story || Talk, draw, and write about nonfiction topics Reread and add information Explore sentence punctuation || Generate lists of words for different topics Explore descriptive language || Plan summer writing || = Handwriting = The Franklin Public School District utilizes the Zaner-Bloser handwriting program. Printing legibly is an essential skill in first grade. For more information about Zaner-Bloser [|click here.]
 * Scope and Sequence for Grade 1**
 * Fall || Writing Community || Build a caring community
 * Fall || Getting Ideas || Talk and develop ideas
 * Winter || Telling More || Reread and add details to tell more
 * Winter || Writing Stories About Me || Talk and develop ideas
 * Spring || Writing Nonfiction || Develop ideas for "all about" books
 * Spring || Exploring Words Through Poetry || Hear, draw, and write shared poems
 * Spring || Revisiting the Writing Community || Reflect on growth as writers and as community members