My students need 200 sturdy writing folders in which to keep their writing papers as they progress from ideas to publication on their different writing projects.
My students love to write about their world. Their writing portfolios are full of treasured writing pieces from the joy of buying new blue sneakers to the sadness of watching a beloved brother taken away in handcuffs. Writing provides them with an outlet for sharing their world with others.
Though our school is in a small town, my students are quite diverse coming from various backgrounds, different economic levels, and unique cultures.
Some students grew up here as did their parents and grandparents; others have recently moved here from some very far away places.
One thread that pulls the diversity of our students together is their writing time. Our middle school, grades four to eight, has focused heavily on improving student writing. Realizing that our kids could not write a letter properly was unacceptable, so a strong emphasis was put on teaching writing and students have the opportunity to write in all classes.
At first, our students were reluctant to write simply because their writing skills were poor. But, as they found their voice and skills improved, writing began to blossom and has become a favorite part of the school day. The young authors celebrate sharing their compositions in class as well as on morning announcements on Wonderful Writing Wednesday.
My Project
My students will use these new writing process folders to store their writing from pre-writing to final draft. Not only will the folders provide students with a place to put their writing, but the folders also have organizational pockets and useful information to help young authors.
These folders will enable students to have a great storage system in which to file their writing. One lesson students will learn is that their hard work is worth saving and these folders will do just that.
The folders also have four organizational pockets that will help the young authors see that writing is a process and needs to be revised and edited until it's ready for publication. By physically placing their writing in the correct pocket they will better understand the art of revision and editing.
Finally, the folders offer three panels of information that will help young authors. One panel features pre-writing questions, one is a guide to revision, and one has a list of commonly misspelled words.
Our classrooms will improve greatly because sturdy laminated writing portfolios will replace the unsuitable ones we currently use.
Our current folders are ripped and repaired with duct tape, but they are not sturdy enough.
Our new writing folders will also provide us with organizational structure as they have pockets for pre-writing, rough drafts, revisions and editing. No more digging through those falling apart folders searching for that rough draft we need to work on. Organization is key!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Cormier and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.