Collaborative Writing in 4th Grade

Lesson Plan Title: Classroom Collaborative Writing and Publishing
Topic: Descriptive Narrative
CCLS: Editing Identify punctuation, spelling, and grammar and usage errors in the draft.
Revising Evaluate the draft for use of ideas, content, organization, word choice, and sentence fluency
. Use a variety of sentence structures.
Use resources to include more powerful vocabulary.

Teaching Points: Students will work together, in groups, 1. to utilize the writing process through technology 2. to publish their final draft on class website
Materials: Laptop Computers for student use: Class website
Procedures:
1. Assign students to writing groups
2. Give students the assignment and discuss the criteria.
3. Review and discuss requirements of a great story. (a story contains a beginning middle and end and has a plot, setting(s), and character(s).
4. Assign each member of the group specific tasks but remind students that every member is responsible for the whole product.
5. Allow class time to begin and continue the assignment.
6. Provide time for peer editing and revisions.
7. Publish final pieces on class website
8. Each group will then read and respond to each other group’s published work.
Closure: Students will write a self-reflection on the computer site and will also share their thoughts about the assignment. They will also critique the quality of their own group’s published piece. In class discussion, students will reflect and share how this assignment helped them to grow as a writer and will discuss what areas still need to be improved.