Goals and Writing Workshop

I might just make my goal today! As long as I get this typed before 5:30...close enough.

My kiddos did a lot more writing today.  I bit the bullet and jumped right in to Writer's Workshop.  One of these days I just need to make myself sit down and map it all out.  Mr. D was asking me questions about Writer's Workshop yesterday after school, so that forced me to open the book and flip through my notebook of notes (I made last year when I read it).  It helped refresh my memory about how to make it work in my room.  I think we'll be okay.  But boy do we have a lot of work to do!

I got the 5th graders typing on the computers, but first we had to learn what Microsoft Word is and how to save a document and what spell check is and how it works... stuff the 6th graders already know how to do, stuff I forgot I taught them last year.  These little guys soaked it all up! I can tell it's going to be a good year.

I'm a little worried at how fast they're burning through the prompts in my prompt pail.  They'll pull sticks out of the can at least two or three times a session.  Hopefully they don't get bored with them for a long time.  Or maybe I can have some blank sticks set out so they can write their own prompts. There are actually five cans they can pick from: one with characters, one with settings, one with objects, one with situations/problems/obstacles, and one with creative thinking prompts.  I do have some other places they can get ideas on what to write, but they like the sticks!

We've been doing a lot of sharing writing too, something we didn't do much of last year.  The kiddos have been good about offering suggestions or having comments about the stories that have been shared.  I hope we can keep up this excitement! At least until November, when NaNoWriMo starts... I've already had some students talking about it.  Some have story ideas already too!