Weekly Record of Writing Vocabulary

Keep track of the words your students use in their writing. When you get an initial writing sample from the Observation Survey, write all correctly spelled words on this chart. Keep this record handy when thinking about your lesson plans.

Writing Vocabulary Chart

Fill in this chart on a weekly basis, adding new words that your emergent writers record correctly in their journals. The chart shows change and growth over time. It's a good one to show parents and use for planning your lessons.

Writers Suitcase Homework

This reproducible form is meant to assess oral and written language that is used during sharing time. Children are expected to write about their sharing and then read it to their classmates before presenting the actual object. This greatly enhances the experience.

Writers Suitcase Letter to Parents

Writing Research Reports

These reproducible forms are meant to facilitate the development of research report and book report writing skills. The suggested ideas and activities on the pages below are intended for intermediate students in a library setting or in a regular classroom. Students should already be familiar with standard book reports that include character descriptions, setting, plot, problem, and resolution. These activities should enable them to go beyond the traditional "book report." Children should be encouraged to browse, scan the shelves and titles, and skim the tables of content before making a selection. Reading and reporting can and should be a pleasurable experience!

These Dewey book reports are not standard, fill-in-the-blank forms, but thought provoking questions and challenges with critical thinking skills in mind. Individual student and teacher interests and talents are allowed for and cooperative grouping is encouraged. Students should be motivated and trained to be thorough in their reporting and to make a nice presentation package. Teachers and/or librarians may choose to assign particular questions for certain students or add additional bonus projects for others. It is suggested that students always include the top portion of each report page for easy identification of the topic.