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Writing Exercises

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We rely on the ancient writing exercises, the progymnasmata, to guide our writing activities. With the goal of the writing to be shared with others orally, we work hard on developing copia--an abundance of words and ideas that lead to a resourcefulness of language. In
K-2, the emphasis is to become familiar with the progymnasmata and use the form to develop voice. 
Kindergarten

Quarter 1

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  • Copywork: Students trace the words of poems they are memorizing. This slows students down as they develop their writing, leading to excellence in letter formation.

    • Jack Be Nimble​

    • Little Bo Peep

  • Fable Retell Books: A combination of tracing and writing words as guided by teacher. Allows for students to retell the story with visual aids and short words to guide retell.

    • The Three Little Pig

    • The Three Billy Goats Gruff 

    • parallel text: Grandma and the Great Gourd

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Quarter 2​

  • Poetry Copywork

    • The Pine and the Palm​

  • Dendographia: students find words to describe deciduous trees in different seasons and trace given words for a hallway display​

    • Trees in different seasons

  • Encomium: students identify and write the different pillars demonstrated by a historical figure

    • George Washington Carver​

  • Comparison Writing

    • King Midas and the Golden Touch â€‹

    • parallel text: The Quiltmaker's Gift

  • Cumulative Semester Writing Project

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First Grade

Quarter 1

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  • Fable Retell Project: Shared writing project where students tell the next sentence and teacher guides the writing. Focus is on retelling beginning, middle, and end of the story. 

  • Maxim: Following class discussion, students independently complete sentence to amplify importance of a given saying.

    • An apple a day keeps the doctor away.​

  • Comparison: Following reading of parallel text and discussion, students independently complete at least two sentences to show which character did or did not demonstrate positive character. 

    • Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. â€‹

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Quarter 2

  • Encomium Writing: Following a modeled rainbow discussion of a paragraph, students will write their own paragraph noting the accomplishments of a pharaoh of their choice. Three sentences (two introductory and one conclusion) will be shared writing, while all facts noting accomplishments will be independent writing. 

    • Pharaohs of ancient Egypt​

  • Narrative Presentation: After narrating the steps of the Land Bridge to North America story as a group, students will work in small teams to narrate the story. They will work off pictures to be projected behind them, aiming to work in key vocabulary.

    • Land Bridge to North America​

  • Effictio writing: after gathering a set of descriptive words for characters, students will write their own Effictio paragraph of a character of their choice from the story. Two sentences (introductory and conclusion) will be shared writing, while all sentences describing the character will be independent writing. 

    • Winnie the Pooh​

  • Cumulative Semester Writing Project

Second Grade

Quarter 1

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  • Creating Vocabulary Bullseye: Students work on creating vocabulary aids for several fairy tale characters.

  • Synonymia: Given a set of learned synonyms, students write a synonymia sentence to emphasize character.

  • Vituperation: By utilizing a guide, students write a five sentence paragraph highlighting the poor character of a specific individual from a read fairy tale. Writing includes two sentences written independently that should 1) include robust vocabulary from vocabulary aid and 2) give clear text evidence to illustrate poor character. Choice of: 

    • The Fisherman's Wife​

    • The Emperor

  • Fable Retell: Guided retell of a parallel text. Students write six  individual sentences by following a  pattern, and six sentences including figurative language of their choice in a variation exercise. 

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Quarter 2

  • Ekphrasis: after developing robust vocabulary through oracy exercises, students independently write a descriptive paragraph from a scene, working to make the picture come alive with vivid description

    • Greek god/goddess of their choice

  • Position: prior to debate, students form a position backed by reasoning 

    • Assigned Greek god/goddess​

  • Effictio: after developing robust vocabulary through oracy exercises, students independently write a descriptive paragraph of a character of choice from a given novel study

    • Charlotte's Web​

    • A Christmas Carol

  • Cumulative Semester Writing Project

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