May Writer's Workshop



NON-FICTION RESEARCH


Purpose: Earlier in the year, students learned nonfiction reading strategies.  This writing unit will build on that knowledge and allow students to practice those strategies, this time as writers. 

In this unit, students begin by reading a collection of texts across a single topic.  Students will learn note taking strategies  and learn to take notes as they read.   Those notes will help students develop an All About book on their topic  of choice.

Goals:
Students will be able to...
·      Write details that support the main idea of a page (structure)
·      Make use of nonfiction features to teach information (structure)
·      Elaborate using multiple strategies (i.e., giving more details by explaining where, when or how, or providing an example with a personal story; giving warnings, giving definitions of tricky vocabulary, or adding supplemental pages with papers of their choice.)
·      Add a personal touch to books by starting some sections with a lead, such as a question to the reader, or by giving an example using a story from their own life. (Voice)
 ·       Reread work to make sure it is readable – check for capitalization, end punctuation, word wall words, and spelling rules. (Mechanics)

**You can help your child at home by asking him/her to say what they learned about their topic.**