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Lesson 2#                        Writers Workshop

SUBJECT:  Language Arts

TOPIC:  Writing a Continuation of the Story

TIME FRAME:  4 - 5 classes

COMMON ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS:   Communication, independent Learning, Personal Social Values and Skills, Critical and Creative Learning.

MATERIALS:  Writer's Workshop question sheet and paper.

1.  OBJECTIVES:        Saskatchewan Language Arts Curriculum

Cognitive:  Students will...

- demonstrate increasing ability to communicate ideas orally and in writing.
- recall the purpose and intent of writing legends.
- critique their own writing process.
- recognize their own personal growth and development as writers over a period of time.

Psychomotor:  Students will...

- compose a legend through written language.
- proofread for accuracy and clarity of writing.
- proofread for appropriate punctuation and capitalization.
- examine word choice and usage for appropriateness.
- share or display their published work.

Affective/Spiritual: Students will...

-respect the ideas, language and communication styles of others.
- recognize and appreciate through interaction with literature, similarities and differences among cultures, lifestyles and experiences.
- provide peers with assistance and suggestions in writing.

2.  RESOURCES:

                            http://www.ozkids.com/ozkids/oban/index.html

3.  PURPOSE/TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The purpose of this lesson is to give students' an opportunity to create a legend of their own.  As with oral tradition each storyteller tells the legend differently.   This lesson gives the students' a chance to put their own ideas in the story and publish their work.  The lesson is also designed to encourage creativity and imagination while working on the fundamentals of writing.  It's a way to support the students' writing process.

4.  ACTIVITIES/IDEAS:

Day One:  The legends the students' have already been working on, along with the question sheets should define to the students' how a legend is composed and what are its characteristics.  It is important to let the students know that they will be publishing their own story.  Have the students' take out their  question sheets from the previous lesson and research the website.  Discuss with the students' that they are to write a continuation to the legend.  If students' are having difficulty coming up with ideas, provide assistance.  Have the students' modify the characters, the outcome, and the problem.   They should be able to write at least half of a page during this process.

Day Two:  The students' should have the first rough draft completed.  Begin to edit the first draft.  The students' should feel free to include the first part of the legend if it helps them to organize their thoughts.  Partner the students' into "edit" pairs.  Have them ask each other questions about their content:

a) Does every sentence make sense?
b) Did you use capitals where they belong and put periods at the end of every sentence?
c) Is there any misspelled vocabulary? or words you are not sure of?
d) Where can you check to see of those words are spelled correctly?
e) Is your handwriting easy to read?

        Have students' write down the answers to these questions so that they can keep a copy of their writing and corrections in their own portfolio.

Day Three:  Start student conferences and have students continue on their second draft. 

Day Four:  Have students' complete their final draft and begin illustrating their compositions.  Have the students' complete a self - evaluation sheet, focusing on their growth as writers.  After the illustrations are complete,  the students' should make a cover page for the story and bind it together.  A location in the classroom should be set up to display their work.

Day Five:  Use this day for students' to finish up and for the ones that are finished, have them read each others work.

EVALUATION: