Personalizing the Notebooks

At the beginning of the year, each student decorates a blank composition book.  After bringing pictures and other special mementos from home, students personalize the notebooks in order to make them their own.

Before

After

Using the Notebooks

These renovated notebooks become a place for students to "grow" ideas and develop their writer's craft.   Students use the skills they learn during the Writing Workshop mini-lessons to improve their writing and create new stories.

Publishing

It is from these notebooks that students choose one entry that they want to publish.  Once a draft has been completed and students have conferenced with me in the final step of the editing/revising process, students publish their final copy of the story.