Welcome to Building Fluency Come in Find your favorite place in the room to sit Glue the upside-down snowman to the top of your notebook/paper and… Write!!!!!!

Building Writing Fluency “Fluency is the ability to generate text-a lot of it-in a short period of time. This gives students something to work with when it comes to rereading, revising, and even editing.” Aimee Buckner

Outcomes Deepen understanding of the purpose of writing fluency and using the strategy to build student stamina in writing Obtain activities to build fluency and stamina daily in your classroom

Building Stamina

Aimee Buckner “Notebook Know-How” “When I think about my most reluctant writers, I realize they are the ones who don’t write fluently. They have trouble thinking of what to write, or how much to write, or they forget what they wanted to write.”

“Although the cliché ‘going through the motions’ means doing something half- heartedly, sometimes that’s what it takes to get moving. Once I start writing, I write more. Once I scribble that first word, more come. I am in the flow.” Jeff Anderson "The only way to do it is to do it: by writing, writing, writing." by Barbara Michaels author of Ammie, Come Home and The Wizard's Daughter as well as others

Picture Prompt

Aimee Buckner “Notebook Know-How” “I now realize what writer have been trying to tell us “non-writers”-that we shouldn’t write for significance, but rather that we should write as a habit. Sometimes we’ll write something significant and sometimes we won’t it is the act of writing-the practice of generating text and building fluency- that leads writers to significance.”

History of a Name 1. Put your name (a family name, your child’s name, a pet’s name) at the top of your page. 2. Write about the name. – How was the name chosen? – Who chose the name? – Why is it significant? – What do you like/dislike about the name? Put subject at the top of your page (mission). Write about topic – Where located? – Who founded? – Native American Tribes – Structure/Architecture?

What is Fluency? “To get past “page fright,” writers need to experience the power of motion. Before we start a piece of writing, the page is blank. To get the ballpoint rolling, we must simply begin.” Jeff Anderson

Power Writing Teacher displays two words. Students select one. Teacher says, “Write as much as you can, as fast as you can, as well as you can in one minute. Go!” Students write for one minute. Teacher calls time: “Stop writing. Lift your pencil up in the air. Draw a line underneath what you just wrote. Count the number of words you wrote.” Students record word count under the line. Teacher record results for each round on chart. Repeat for a total of three rounds.

More Power Writing – “Toss Ins” Have students continue writing for another minute, but this time, the teacher will randomly “toss in” additions to include in their next minute’s writing. – Example… “Add the number 1,000; add a superlative; add an appositive; add a social studies term.” – Basically, you are “tossing in” specific items related to class learning

Why Writing Fluency? Everything we write today (quick-writes, prompts, power writing) prepares us for the writing task of tomorrow (test questions, thoughtful reading responses, describing math processes, science observations, effective communicators of their learning). Fluency = Building Writing Stamina Writing Standard 10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Writing From a List Make a quick list based on a self-selected topic (literature, science, social studies). List topics might include things they are experts on, best events in their lives, worst events, favorite words. They star or highlight the item on their list they want to write about. Then, start an entry on that word or topic.

Lift A Line “Fluency is the ability to generate text– a lot of it– in a short period of time.” Aimee Buckner “This gives students something to work with when rereading, revising, and even editing.” Aimee Buckner “To get past “page fright,” writers need to experience the power of motion. Before we start a piece of writing, the page is blank. To get the ballpoint rolling, we must simply begin.” Jeff Anderson “Fluency is the ability to generate text– a lot of it– in a short period of time.” Aimee Buckner “This gives students something to work with when rereading, revising, and even editing.” Aimee Buckner “To get past “page fright,” writers need to experience the power of motion. Before we start a piece of writing, the page is blank. To get the ballpoint rolling, we must simply begin.” Jeff Anderson

Share Your Best Practices Quickwrite – Individually, list all current fluency activities you use in your classroom As a table group make a list on the paper that you do in your classroom to build writing fluency. Each group will share out one idea Post Quickwrite – Individually, list all current fluency activities you use in your classroom As a table group make a list on the paper that you do in your classroom to build writing fluency. Each group will share out one idea Post

When Will I Fit This In??? Where can you find 15 minutes for your students to write and share every day? Discuss with your table group. (Remember, it can be in any content area, any time.)

Three Things To Remember about Writing Fluency Students who write every day will become good writers and thinkers. Fluency builds stamina needed for higher level learning. Fluency pushes students not only past writer’s block but opens to door to the belief that each and every student has something of value to say.

Resources Professional Texts Notebook Know-How Aimee Buckner 10 Things Every Writer Needs to Know Jeff Anderson