Do you ever feel like there is not enough time to teach writing during a busy school day? I know that feeling! In this blog post, I want to share with you one way I squeeze in a little writing time.
My students build their writing muscles by using the strategy of writing for 10 uninterrupted minutes. This is known as our Drop Everything and Write! for 10 uninterrupted minutes sessions. This strategy can be used when there is not enough time to start a new lesson, but you want your students to be engaged in a meaningful activity. Plus, no special or extra preparation is needed.
I have created a Drop Everything and Write and Bingo resource that can be used to support you as you implement this strategy in your classroom. It is in available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Our-Writing-Space
The Strategy
Drop Everything and Write! for 10 uninterrupted minutes. A timer is set for 10 minutes. During this time, students and teacher write for the entire time. No one is allowed to talk or do something else. Everyone is engaged in writing! The power of this strategy is that everyone is actively engaged in writing at the same time, for a short time, and it is a daily habit.
Two Writing Bingos
Included in the resource are two Drop Everything and Write! Bingos that can be used to get students’ writing juices flowing and help to warm-up their writing muscles. There are different writing prompts to help them get started with their writing but eventually they will move into writing self-selected topics.
Benefits of This Strategy
Students are writing for a short amount of time.
It is a non-threatening writing activity that can help to
overcome (for some students) the dread of writing.
It helps students to build writing muscles.
It helps to build writing confidence.
Next Steps
After students have completed one of the writing bingos, it can be graded using a mini writing prompts rubric. Students will not have done any in depth writing, but hopefully, have been inspired to keep writing. The rubric can indicate to the students that they are on the right track with their writing ideas. By using the rubric, you will be able to monitor how much students are participating when they Drop Everything and Write! for 10 uninterrupted minutes.
The brief writing done in the 10 minutes can lead into the main writing session. Students can take one of the ideas they started in Drop Everything and Write! and develop it in the writing workshop time, during center activities, or during independent writing time. This extended writing can be taken through the writing process by the students. The finished writing can be graded using an extended narrative writing rubric.
What Will You Find In This Resource?
2 Writing Bingos
2 Book Covers (color/black and white)
5 Drop Everything and Write! Mini Posters (Color/ Black and White)
9 Writing Pages
1 Mini Writing Rubric
1 Extended Narrative Writing Rubric
Detailed Teacher Instructions
For more information about how I encourage my student to write for ten uninterrupted minutes, please read the blog post, Building Elementary Writing Muscles.
Happy Writing!
Sonia
