It’s coming to that time again, the closing of summer and the starting of school. Hurrah for new beginnings!
Start the school year on the right foot by having kids write the first day. Nothing complicated or onerous, but something that can be very helpful in providing feedback and informing your instruction. Here are two simple activities:
Writing Sample – Finding out your students’ writing proficiency levels is essential for your planning. An easy way to do this is with a writing sample. Invite students to write about something they did (or would have like to have done) over the summer. Other prompts could be, “What is important for me to know about you,” or “What (or who) do you really care about?” These samples will give you information about your student’s writing abilities as well as insights into who they are. Date and keep these samples to measure progress during the year.
Writing Survey – Besides assessing students’ writing abilities, find out how they view writing and themselves as writers. You can use the survey I developed below. In addition to the beginning of the year, give it in the middle and end of the year too. What changes take place, and what do they tell you about what you are doling?
For more writing ideas and activities, click on the Resources tab on the homepage.
Have a fantastic year!
Leave a Reply