A Peek At My Week: Argumentative Writing Organizer

Well, it has been forever since I linked up with Jennifer for her A Peek At My Week linky on Mrs. Laughin's Laughings. 

I have almost forgotten how to do it.

First of all, we got off to a great start this morning....
 ...after these giant paws prodded me awake at 5:30 a.m.  That is his "whatever it was, I didn't chew it" look.  We went for a nice training walk around the block a few times.  Hank and I are trying out collars and harnesses...there might have been an incident last week where he tried to save me from the scary stroller that some lady was pushing up our street.  Today went really well!  Lucy and Hank did well together, and we all survived.  After that I fed my poor de-thatched front lawn.

Then Hank and Lucy tried out their homemade yogurt-peanut butter popsicle treats.  Big hit!  I will share my recipe tomorrow.

I polished up my Argumentative Writing Organizer and put on Teachers Pay Teachers.  This spring, I made it and used with success with my Read 180 class.  My kids needed STRUCTURE!

I found that not only does this organizer help them stay on track and focused, but it made my editing and revising so much easier!  Being able to see what they thought they were writing, helped me redirect them without asking, "What the heck are you doing?"  Never a good teaching strategy.  They were happier because they could ask me questions like, "Does this evidence support this detail?"  So much better than, "I don't know what to write."

This is a true OCD writing organizer!  Each paragraph has its own page, but they can be printed out two to a page to save paper.  It starts off with a Brainstorm and Writing Plan page.
Included with the six page organizer are detailed lesson plans for a week and more of writing instruction.
This organizer is a starting point and guide for struggling writers or for grade level writers being introduced to a new writing genre.  It allows them focus on the writing.  Check it out in my TPT store for 20+% off today only!

The rest of the week is pretty loose!  The only thing that is planned is a trip to Ikea tomorrow with a friend.  I need to find some affordable picture frames for my new office.

Other than that, I plan on doing a little sewing, some planning work for school, painting my back fence (unless I can pull a Tom Sawyer on someone:), and watching my grass grow!  It is scary to think that this is the 4th week of my vacation...it is going by too fast!

Be sure to link up with Jennifer and see what other people are doing this week!

4 comments

  1. Love your organizer for writing! It is very similar to the one I use with my students. I do a lot of argumentative writing with my 4th graders, since it is part of our state test.

    Erica

    Shepherd's Shining Stars

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  2. Hello! I just found your blog on Oh Boy Fourth Grade and love it. I just graduated and will be teaching 7th grade reading this August. I'm a new follower :)

    Suzanna
    Surprisingly Seventh

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  3. Dog walks are always such an adventure! I can't take my dogs on walks anymore because they both have such bad manners. They think they own the world. Maybe I could bribe them into behaving with some of those yogurt popsicle treats you talked about...

    Jennifer
    Mrs. Laffin's Laughings

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  4. Susan,
    I just stumbled across your blog, and love it. Thanks for sharing! I really like your argumentative writing organizer...as a 6th grade science teacher, argumentation is so powerful! Thanks!
    Sarah
    Meador in the Middle with Whole Brain Teaching

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