FAQ - What Kind of Materials should I be gathering for Daily 5™ Work on Writing? (article)
Q What Kind of Materials should I be gathering for Daily 5™ Work on Writing? A We have tried a wide variety of writing systems in our lengthy careers -- binders, folders with loose leaf paper, spiral notebooks and composition notebooks. We have found that there is not one "best way" to teach children to manage their writing. The system which works for one teacher, may not work for another.
Personally, we love the composition notebooks (think black and white marbled covers of old). They come in a variety of styles and we can usually find them 3 for a dollar once back to school sales start. (Target is usually our go to store for this sale!) We always put composition notebooks on our supply list, but stock up for students who don't bring them and for those who'll fill more than one during the school year. We love the composition notebooks for a variety of reasons. They have a tendency to be sturdier than the spiral notebooks and they alleviate the loose paper issues students find difficult to manage. When it comes time for conferences, it is very easy to see the progress children are making and by year's end, there is a lovely progressive story of their writing growth. As a multi-age teacher, I keep all the notebooks on the shelf in the classroom. Kids will go all the way back to their very first writer's notebooks to show parents the big picture of their growth and often with a giggle, take a walk down memory lane. At the end of their years with me, I gather all their notebooks up, from first to last, and wrap them with a big bow. Parents and students have continued to come back to let me know how much they appreciated having these treasures! Since we do not have desks in our room, our children's writer's notebooks are stored in tubs in one area of the room. We typically have 4 tubs with 6 or 7 children's notebooks in each. Students who select Work on Writing grab their writer's notebook and a pen or pencil after being released and take them to the writing spot of their choosing. As typical for our styles, nothing fancy for Work on Writing Materials!
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