Writer's Workshop First Week Plans

     Today I was able to get into my classroom for a longer chunk of time and get started.  I had to move rooms for this year so I'm pretty much starting from scratch with all of my things in bins and boxes.  Most of it is still in those bins and boxes, but my furniture is all moved around where I think I want it which is a huge accomplishment!

     When I haven't been able to get in my room, I've been starting to plan out my first week.  We have a four day week the first week starting the day after Labor Day.  I thought I'd share my plans with you because I know I always like to see what others are doing in their classrooms to get ideas.  You can click on the pictures below to open up the Google doc of my plans.

    At the end of my plans I included a few examples of student letters to incoming second graders.  If you didn't do this activity at the end of the year but would like to use them to help your students generate ideas for the "What Second Graders Can Do" anchor chart, feel free.  You could also just read them aloud verbally and change the greeting to (i.e. "Dear first grader") to suit your class.

   Here are a couple of pictures of the letters.

     Some details about starting writer's workshop that aren't listed in the plans....

• On Day 1 I introduce the procedure for getting pencils.  I use 2 pencil cups- sharp and dull/broken.  When a student needs a new pencil, they trade it in for a sharp one.  No students sharpening pencils during learning time!
• Starting on Day 1 we discuss stamina and work on building our stamina as writers.
• We keep track of our stamina minutes on a graph.  This is super motivating for the kids!
• We will use the "What Second Graders Can Do" anchor chart to help us write what we want to do in second grade and to create our class promise during word work time.  I frame the writing of our promise by referring to the chart and asking, "If these are all the things we want to be able to do, how are we going to promise to act in our classroom to help us get there?"
• I play "quiet work music"during writer's workshop to help kids focus.  Again, they love it!  I use classical music for kids and some of the nature c.d.'s that you can find at Target, Amazon, etc.  

    Let me know what you think about my plans.  How do you launch writer's workshop?

Click on the picture to check out the c.d.

    On a side note, I found these two great files during the TPT Back to School Sale!  Check them out and link up with what you bought!

I am going to do this activity the first day.  I will use one of the "Steppin' into 2nd Grade" writing sheets during writer's workshop.  During our intervention block, I will have the kids complete the craft part.

After introducing this song to my students orally, I'll show them this book.
We will put it in our class library (I have a song books bin) for them to choose from when picking
books for independent reading time.

  I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' and The School Supply Addict!