|
The
following activities provide teachers with a simulation how
WriteSite supports the writing process. In this
guided lesson, an imaginary narrative piece will be drafted, revised,
edited, and published. All steps of the writing
process are incorporated.
Each "session" corresponds
to approximately 45 minutes in a classroom or computer lab.
Because writing is the driving force here, many (if not all)
of the activities are not dependent on technology, and
all demonstrate sound practices in support of the
writing curriculum.
All activities presented adhere
to Oregon
Grade Level Instructional Standards (targeted for 7th - CIM)
Prewriting:
Loosen up with a freewriting
activity using WriteSite
Session One:
Drafting (Classroom
Activity)
- Lessons will vary
- Rough draft in timed-writing
situation
Session Two: Text
Entry: Draft
(Computer Activity)
- Introduce
Write Site
- Helpful to have
site bookmarked
prior to using the lab
- Type draft into
Word, spellcheck,
and save
- Note:
this is arguably a first revision
because rarely is a piece
converted from analog (paper) to digital
(computer) without some
modification
- Review procedure for
saving writing locally (before posting to Write
Site)
- Review procedure for
posting to the Write Site
- Use Text-to-Speech software to
have piece "read" to author before posting
- Copy/paste the first
draft into WriteSite
- Authors view and respond to
classmates's drafts using response structure
- Note: teachers may wish
to respond after 1st revision (Session Four)
- Prepare printouts for session
three's small-group reading/responding
activity
Session Three:
Read Around & Small
Group Response Activity (Classroom)
- Note:
this session introduces two important workshop
components, and requires
a slightly longer session (two class periods?) when
initially introduced
- All papers are read
using read-around
activity
- Small group response activity
in 4-person small groups
- Students prepare
a revision of the draft for session four. Among other input, they
will rely on classmate's online responses
and from ideas generated from read around and small-group response
activities
Session Four: Text
Entry: Revision
(Computer Activity)
- Students make
revisions, spellcheck,
and save locally under different filename
- Review procedure
with participants
- Optional: have
piece digitally "read" to author before posting
the revision
- Students post the
revision
into WriteSite
- Review procedure
with participants
- After posting, authors respond
online to other students using response
structure
- Printouts
(double-spaced, readable
font & size) are required for Session Five's conventions
activity
- Teachers may decide to respond
to revisions following the conventions
activity
Session Five:
Conventions/Editing Activity (Classroom Activity)
- Introduce and divide
class into
editing groups (possible examples below)
- Spelling & Word Choice
(optional spelling
diversion)
- Punctuation & Capitalization
- Verb Tense
Usage, Subject-verb
Agreement
- Sentence
Structure, Run-on's, & Fragments
- Review procedure
with participants
- Outside of class:
students prepare
final piece based on face-to-face feedback, online
teacher and peer-response
contributions, and conventions/editing activity
Session Six: Text
Entry: Final
(Computer Activity)
- Students copy revision from
WriteSite into a word processor (or open their revision
if available
locally), make changes, and spellcheck
- Optional: have piece
digitally "read" to
author before posting the revision
- Students post their
final
copy into WriteSite
|
