Writing Tips

Here are some suggestions to boost writing skills and interest:

- Buy or create a journal for your child and help him or her develop a pattern of writing in it each day.

- Allow your child to assist with writing tasks (notes, shopping lists, chore lists...)

- Have your child write the dinner menu or the weather forecast on a board.

- Write a fun or silly story with your child.

- Write notes to one another ("Thank you for helping me clean my room.")

- Have your child write in sand, whipped cream, or shaving cream.

- Build strong handwriting skills by strengthening the hand muscles (do mazes, spin tops, build with Legos...).

- Read your child's stories with him or her and celebrate their accomplishments. Go as far as encouraging your child to call and share with a loved one who is not living with you. This shows your child that you value the hard work he or she is doing and encourages your child to keep working hard and being creative.

- Visit some of the reading sites on the Educational Links page.

More Writing Games/Activities:

Finish the Sentence
Leave an incomplete sentence on the refrigerator for your child to discover when he or she wakes up in the morning ("______ pancakes for breakfast"). Ask your child to read the message and think about what would make sense in the blank ("We are having" or Let's eat"). Then, let your child write an unfinished sentence for you to complete.

Put in Order
Ask your child to think of a sentence and help him or her write each word on a separate slip of paper. Put the words in a paper bag and shake them up. Then take turns pulling out one slip at a time, and work together to assemble the sentence. Add a second and then a third sentence to the bag. How many sentences can you unscramble at a time?

Writing Work Samples

We will be focusing on writing in various genres this year and completing a Writing Work Sample. Writing Work Samples will be due in December. There will be more information to come as December approaches.

A great resource for writing (find examples and tips) is: http://www.readingrockets.org

K-2nd grade work samples will be scored based mainly on:
-Strong main idea
-Beginning, middle, and ending present
-Control over grade level writing conventions

3rd grade and above writing samples will be scored in the following categories:
Ideas & Content - Having a clear main idea and supporting details
Organization - Strong beginning, middle, and ending
Word Choice - Using interesting and concise words in the story
Sentence Fluency - Sentences with a range of lengths and starting words
Voice - Writing with personality and feeling
Conventions - Using proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation

*Kindergarten-2nd grade Writing Work Samples will not be formally scored. You will receive feedback by Mrs. Colbert related to the above categories.