In our classroom students participate in Writing Workshop daily.  During writing workshop I will model writing through a mini-lesson which targets a specific skill or concept.  The mini-lesson is followed by independent writing time for students.  Students can choose what to write about and how to publish their writing.  Through Writing Workshop students experience and practice all the stages involved in the writing process.  To help students with the stages, they follow specific guidelines and keep a Writer's Notebook to keep them organized through the process. 

We use three-ring binders for our Writer's Notebooks.  In the back cover of the notebook is an explanation of the sequence of stages of Writer's Workshop.

Inside we have a pencil pouch that holds our writing tools needed for each stage of the writing process:  a blue pen, a green pen, and a red pen.

Next, we have a clear plastic sleeve that holds our "Prewriting Sheet".  It lists genre ideas for students to write and also starter prompts for those times when students "don't know what to write" about. 

Behind the prewriting sheet are sample graphic organizers.  These help students remember the importance of brainstorming and organizing their thoughts before beginning the first draft.  After this prewriting, students will be ready to begin their first draft.  All prewriting and first drafts are written using a blue pen. They write a line, skip a line, to make it easier to read, revise, and edit. If writing workshop ends while students are in prewriting or first draft stages their work is stored in the blue first draft pocket.

Once first drafts are completed, students will be ready to revise their writing.  The revising checklist is kept in a clear sleeve in the Writer's Notebook.  To revise their work students use a green pen. 

After revising their work, students' writing should be more interesting.  If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the revision stage, their work goes into the green revise pocket.

After revising their work, students are ready to edit their work for mistakes.  An editor's checklist is kept in a clear plastic sleeve for student use.  To edit their work students use a red pen.

After editing their work, students' writing should be written correctly and free of major mistakes.  If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the editing stage, their work is placed in the red edit pocket.

After students have self edited their work, they have it peer-edited by a classmate.  "Editors" in our classroom rotate on a weekly basis.  Editors have special visors to wear so other students know who to take their papers to during Writer's Workshop to be edited.  After self-edit and peer-edit, students write their final copy in pencil and they are ready to sign up to edit their work with the teacher.  The teacher uses this time to conference with the student about his/her writing and fix all mistakes that remain in the work.

Finally, students are ready to publish their work.  Students may choose to publish in a variety of ways.  All final drafts are written in pencil.  This allows students to fix mistakes so that final pieces are error free.  The most popular forms of publishing are student-made books, on the computer, and reading their work to an audience. If Writer's Workshop ends while students are in the publishing stage their work is placed in the purple publish pocket of their notebook.

Students also have an orange pocket in their notebook.  This pocket holds any references or resources students may have to use during Writing Workshop time.  These may include dictionaries, templates (how to write a friendly letter), special word lists, etc.

After students publish a piece of writing, they share it with their classmates in the "Author's Chair". 

Students then take their published book home to share with their family.  Books are sent home in a special "Young Author" bag (see printable below) which invites parents to write comments about the book.  Books are returned the next day and displayed in the hall or classroom for others to enjoy!

As you can see, young authors are always hard at work on various stages of the writing process in our classroom.

I would like to give a HUGE thank you to Becky Hicks and Amanda Madden whom so graciously allowed me to borrow their ideas for this wonderfully organized Writer's Workshop notebook.  Please visit their sites to see more wonderful ideas!