Grade 8 Writing Program
Ms. Miller
Room 12

Aims of the Grade 8 Writing Program

• Develop critical thinking.
• Improve communication skills.
• Develop fluency and flexibility in writing.

Strategies

• Journal
• Writing Workshop
• Grammar
• Assessment
• Portfolio
• Publishing

Journal

• 2-3 times a week.
• Develops flexibility and fluency.
• Allows for experimentation with genre, point of view and voice.
• Will remain private unless you choose to share your writing with me.
• Assessment will be through written feedback.

Curriculum Expectations

• 2.1 write complex texts of a variety of lengths using a variety of forms.
• 2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject and audience.

Writing Workshop

Writer's Workshop

• Write about what you know, or what inspires you.
• Drafts and revisions are ongoing. Try to be as objective as possible.
• Editing should be done by yourself, as well as by a peer, using our rubric.
• Publishing choice should fit the genre.
• Save your best work for your portfolio!

Curriculum Expectations

• 1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for more complex writing forms.
• 2.7 make revisions to improve the content, clarity, and interest of their written work, using a variety of strategies.

Grammar

• Formal-specific lessons based on need.
• Informal-incidental through editing by self, peers, and teacher.

Curriculum Expectations

• 3.1 spell familiar words correctly
• 3.4 use punctuation appropriately to communicate their intended meaning in more complex writing forms

Assessment

• Rubrics-devised to help the writer target strengths and areas for growth.
• Written feedback on specific pieces.
• Peer feedback.

Portfolio
A place to house pieces that you believe show your growth as a writer throughout the school year. It will be annotated by the author (you!) at the end of the year. Pieces will be chosen through conferencing.