1. Writing Workshop Topic 09/08/2016
After reading the story, Chrysanthemum, write about one of the following during our writing time:
Write about a time when you felt like you didn’t belong, but you kept trying
Write about your name…how did you get it, what does it mean, do you have any nicknames, how did those come about, etc.
Write about something your family does for you to help you feel better when you are down
Write about a time when you (or someone you know) courageously stepped in to make someone else feel good
Write about any other idea that came to you from reading the story.

2. Writing Workshop Topic 09/12/2016
Choose ONE topic from the list below, or come up with one of your own, to write about during our writing time today. Use at least five of your spelling words in your writing today. Please write for 8 minutes—do not stop—and write ONE page, single spaced.
Write about something you did over the weekend that you liked or disliked.
Write about something you didn’t do over the weekend, but wished you did. Explain why you wanted to but didn’t do it.
Write about something from your “Unforgettable Stories” or your “I Wonder…” lists.
Write a story you have inside of you.
Continue your writing from the last writing workshop writing time.

3. Writing Workshop Topic 09/14/2016
Choose ONE topic from the list below, or come up with one of your own, to write about during our writing time today. Use at least three of your spelling words in your writing today. Please write for 8 minutes—do not stop—and write ONE page, single spaced. PAY ATTENTION to INDENTING AND MARGINS!!!
Scan through our list of character traits—which one describes you? Explain which it is and why it fits you.
Choose a character trait from our list and write about which of them you think are most important for you and why.
Write about a time you (or someone you know) demonstrated a positive character trait (courage, honesty, kindness) or a negative character trait (rude, gloomy, obnoxious). Who was it, what happened, when/where did this happen, etc.?
Make up a story and write about a character who is a good example of a positive character trait.

4. Writing Workshop Topic 09/16/2016
For today’s writing workshop, write a description of a person, place, or thing. Start by making a quick list of possible topics. Select an idea from your list— remember the best topics come from things/people/places you know and care about. Write for eight minutes—do not stop—and write ONE page single spaced. Think about using adjectives and descriptions that show rather than tell.

5. Writing Workshop Topic 09/21/2016
In your writing journal, date today’s entry and make a two-column T-Chart. On the left write “person or place.” On the right, write “clear small moments that matter to you.” Develop a minimum of three examples of people or places, and the clear, small moments that matter to you to go with them—think of the teacher demonstration. Be sure your ideas zero in on people and places that mean something to you and that capture one small moment (the seed instead of the watermelon).

6. Writing Workshop Topic 09/26/2016
As we continue to get our minds ready to write a personal narrative, today, we want to think about “turning points” we’ve had in our lives. A turning point is a time in your life when you feel like you have learned something really important. Often it can be the first or last time you did something. For today’s writing time, make a t-chart in your writing journal. On the left, label the column, “turning points,” and on the right, label the column “clear, small moments that matter.” Develop a minimum of 2 examples of turning points from your life along with the clear small moments that matter associated with them.

7. Writing Workshop Topic 10/10/16
What’s the story here? Create a conversation between the two people in the picture and use it to tell the story that is happening. Follow the rules for dialogue, including correct punctuation, and write out at least a ½ page story for the picture—include dialogue in your response.
Effective dialogue example:
“Hey, Sam,” Emily said. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“Well, I’ve been right here,” Sam gloomily replied.
She sat down next to him and looked into his face. It worried her that he was here by himself.
“What are you going to do?” she inquired. She had never witnessed such depression before.
“I don’t know. I just want some time to think,” Sam said. As he did, Emily could see the pain in his teary eyes. She wanted so much to help him, but …
Ineffective dialogue example:
“Hi,” he said
“Hello” she replied.
“What are you doing?”
Just sitting here
Do you want to do something?
No, I’m too tired.
Well, I’m going to go now
Okay, bye
Bye

8. Writing Workshop Topic 11/14/16
We are getting ready to learn and write about the symbols that make up our American heritage. The word HERITAGE is defined as “tradition” or “something that can be passed down from previous generations, an inheritance.”
All of us have a unique heritage that makes us who we are. We see this heritage in the ways we gather as family and friends. Think and write about one of the following for your journal response today:
What is a tradition you follow? What do you do in this tradition? Where did it come from? Will you continue this tradition when you are grown up? Why?
What is a story you know from your own family history? Where do your ancestors come from? What is something that has influenced you that came from your grandparents or great-grandparents?

9. Writing Workshop Topic 03/06/17
Do different sentence structures, like appositive phrases, really make a difference when we write?
Using the class copy of sentence pairs, combine each pair of sentences into one sentence with an appositive phrase.
Basketball is an exciting sport to watch. Basketball was my favorite sport as a kid.
Basketball, my favorite sport as a kid, is an exciting sport to watch.
Then, underneath your combined sentences, explain the difference between the pairs of sentences and your combined sentences. Is there a difference? If so, what do you notice about meaning, interest-level, sound, etc. of the sentences.