Writing Workshop — 6-12th- ADD ARTICLES HERE

FUN with Writing!

As writing teachers, we can get so bogged down with meeting the demands of standardized testing and drilling our students on analytical writing skills that we can lose sight of the fact that writing can be FUN!

Creative Writing, Writing WorkshopMeredith DobbsDecember 8, 2022creative writing, writing workshop, choice, promptsComment

Argument Games for Secondary ELA

Check out these games to get your students arguing as a means of targeting persuasive skills such as rhetorical analysis and persuasive writing/ speaking. — by Bespoke ELA

Writing Workshop Resource Roundup

We know as English teachers that writing workshop is a foundational approach to writing instruction in the modern classroom. But if you’re like me, I am always searching for new tips, tools, and resources for implementing writer’s workshop— to make it more manageable for me as a teacher as well as more approachable for my students.

Online or In School: 5 Writing Activities for B2S That Don't STINK!

We wanted to come together as a team of teachers to share some new ideas that are creative, important, and FUN for students. The goal is to hook students right at the beginning of the year so that they begin to build comfort and confidence as writers in your class.

Here are FIVE Writing Activities for B2S that Don’t Stink!

3 Activities to Get to Know Your Students as Writers

There is nothing more exciting than getting to know your new students during the first few days and weeks of school! When I think about back to school lesson planning, I am always eager to create lessons that allow me to get to know my students on both personal and academic levels.

Maximizing Writing Conferences with Older Students

Tips for running writing workshop conferences in middle school and high school classrooms #WritingWorkshop #MiddleSchoolELA #HighSchoolELA

6 Creative Lessons to Inspire Secondary Writers

A roundup of creative and engaging activities for middle school and high school ELA

5 Mini Lessons to Begin Your Informational Writing Unit

In this blog post you will find five mini lesson, in the order I would teach them, for your next informational writing unit. These mini lessons have been created based on standards and using common struggles students face with this type of writing.

Writing Mini-lessons, Writing WorkshopAmanda WernerOctober 15, 2019mini-lessons, writing mini-lessonsComment

Back to School Writing Workshop Ideas for Secondary ELA

It’s that time of year once again. School is back in session, and it’s time to take a new group of students through writing workshop to produce pieces of writing that target essential skills. Check out these ideas to get your students started with writing workshop this year!

5 Mini Lessons to Launch Both Reading and Writing Workshop

Launching is about accomplishing two things: teaching routines and getting students excited to do the work of reading and writing. It’s that simple. In this article you’ll find five mini lesson topics that you can use to accomplish both of these goals.

Writing WorkshopAmanda WernerAugust 6, 2019launching workshop, writing workshop, reading workshopComment

5 Ways to Incorporate Vocabulary in Writing

Looking for meaningful ways to have students practice using new vocabulary words in writing? Check out these 5 unique approaches to engage middle and high school learners. #VocabularyActivities #MiddleSchoolELA

FREEBIES, Writing Assignments, Writing WorkshopMelissa KruseJuly 15, 2019vocabulary, writing activities, writing workshopComment

Five Ways to Target Commentary for Essay Writing

This is a topic that I have spent quite a bit of time on simply because it is the one skill that my students struggle with the most. You can find more posts from me on this topic here and here. Here are FIVE ways to target commentary in essay writing:

Best Places to Find Upper Grade Writing Mini Lessons Online

Teachers are busy! The last thing they have time for is writing their own lessons, but sometimes it can be really challenging to find the right lesson. In this article you’ll find links to the best places online for writing mini lessons!

Writing Mini-lessons, Writing WorkshopAmanda WernerFebruary 3, 2019writing mini lessons, mini lessonsComment

Three Essential Editing and Revision Mini-lessons for Argumentative Writing

Argumentative writing is a cornerstone of writing across content areas. Essentially, all pieces of writing are an argument.

10 Reasons Secondary Teachers Should Try Reading & Writing Workshop

This article is meant for secondary teachers who are on the fence about whether to try reading and writing workshop in their class next year. Below you'll find ten convincing (I hope) reasons why you should definitely give workshop a chance!

Tone Tunes: Using Music to Teach Tone in Poetry

Being able to decipher the tone of a piece of writing is crucial to being able to decipher the thematic message of a text. This is absolutely true for analyzing poetry.

8 Must Have Writing Workshop Charts

Here is my personal definition of a writing chart: any information displayed in your classroom to support students in their endeavors as writers. Charts can be small, medium or big. They can be handwritten or typed. They can be written on whiteboards or paper. I believe charts can even be digital and posted in Google Classroom for at home reference!

Writing WorkshopAmanda WernerJanuary 30, 2018writing workshop, writing charts, mini-lessonsComment

Avoiding Plagiarism - 6 Effective Teaching Strategies All Educators Need

Teaching high school students to avoid plagiarism is no easy task. Try these strategies from Reading and Writing Haven to scaffold students' understanding and lead them to success.

Three Famous Christmas Speeches to Inspire Writing

It's the "most wonderful time of the year" once again! Every year, the holiday season inspires new movie ideas, and some of these movies go on to become some of the most beloved films of all time with some of the most well-known movie speeches in film history.

Engaging Holiday Writing Activities for Middle and High School

Read about three meaningful ways to keep students engaged in your secondary ELA classroom this holiday season. These writing activities will add value to your classroom culture while engaging students and keeping them focused. They're perfect for fast finishers and station activities.