Goals and Objectives

In this class, students will learn to follow a writing process to produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience. This is an important skill our students will use throughout their lifetimes and on whatever paths they should choose to follow or build for themselves.

Materials Needed

Each class period students will need: 

• Writing composition notebook
• A writing utensil that allows for the best writing
• Chromebook
• Independent reading book
• Folder for organizing/filing handouts

Grading

Coursework will be weighted as 30% of the grade.  

Assessments will be weighted as 70% of the grade. 

My Expectations of Students

Each class period will begin with a quick writing exercise. In short, writers write. Every good writer spends a period of each day writing. Think of this as keeping a journal, or think of it as practice. Just like everything else, it takes practice to become a good writer.  

A short lesson will follow the quick write. Students are expected to listen, participate in turn-and-talks when asked, and sometimes take notes.  Then, we will work independently on our writing projects. During writing time, students are expected to write silently, so they do not distract other writers. There will be times we will write in a notebook and times we will write in Google Classroom. You must write. After all, this is writing class, and I cannot help you revise and edit if there is nothing on the paper (or Google Document).

I intend to conference with writers as often as possible. This is another reason it is important to work silently. At the end of the class period, on Fridays, if time allows, students will be given a chance to share what they have written that week. Writers are not required to share with the whole class, but they are required to share writing with me.  

Google Classroom  

Students will be given a class code to log into Google Classroom. Assignments, study guides, anchor charts, and any other classroom materials will be in Google Classroom. This can be accessed at home. However, students may also request a paper copy from me to complete at home. 

Writing Journals

In addition to the unit writing projects and end of unit assessments, students will be graded on their writing journals. However, I will not have time to read every entry. Journal grades will not be based on grammar, or spelling, or content. These are writers' personal reflections and daily exercises. Instead, students will be graded on whether or not the allotted writing time was used appropriately. It’s as simple as that. If students write during the writing time, they will receive a good participation grade. If they do not, grades will reflect this. I say again: writers write, and we are all writers in my classroom. It is crucial that good writing habits are built in this classroom. The writing process is as important for a writer as is the finished product. Rubrics will be provided for every writing project, including the daily journal writing. From time to time, as often as weekly, students may be asked to select one of their favorite entries from their journals to type in Google Classroom, revised and edited, for an assessment grade. These typed assignments will be graded on grammar, punctuation, and spelling.