Camp Write Along Has Begun!

Camp kicked off yesterday with an inspiring video from Kid President. Campers are writing about how they can change the world, and what they would banish if they were king or queen of the world. We also had a guest speaker from Cedar Ridge, Mrs. Jipp. She shared what expectations are for high school writers, and how important expository writing can be for college applications and beyond. The fourth grade classes are getting pepped up about writing.

Spring Break Challenge

The following letter was sent home with students today. I hope everyone has a terrific week!

Students,

Spring Break is a great time to have some fun experiences and then write about them. This week, you will have two optional, but awesome assignments for writing. Due Monday, 3/21 

1. You will choose a prompt and write a one page paper. You will turn in your plan, rough draft (use different colors to revise and edit.) You will use the revising checklist and the editing checklist to revise and edit your rough draft. You will turn in your final copy as well. You need to hand write this paper and it needs to fit on one side of a piece of notebook paper. Work hard on this. Using the writing process is the way published authors write. You can break this process into several days or do it all in a few hours. Do your best and show us your best writing! 
2. You will also do at least one piece of free writing this week. Be creative! Write about something that happened over spring break. Write a poem, a song, a script, a newspaper, a commercial, or a book! Have fun and use your imagination. 

We included a lesson plan with research about the writing process to help you have more background knowledge and refresh your memory. We have also included a model text written by a fourth grader in a previous year. This piece is a good example of a well-organized essay. We want to be sure that all of our students can write a detailed, focused, organized, interesting expository essay and we know that free writing is a love of our students and we want to encourage writing everyday for everyone (parents included) for life! 

Here are the items needed to turn in on Monday, March 21 to get a special reward (besides pride in hard work): 

1. plan for expository essay 
2. rough draft-different colors used to show revising and editing 
3. editing checklist 
4. revision checklist 
5. final copy of expository essay-(handwritten, one side of notebook paper) 
6. one piece of free writing-(choice of the child) 

Have a wonderful spring break. Relax and enjoy time with family and friends. Use some of this extra time to enjoy some writing and reading together as well. 

Thanks and happy reading and writing! 

 Sincerely, 
Meaghan Kirby