Minds On

Reviewing the writing process

Let’s review the writing process. The writing process is a series of 5 steps.

We start by warming up with a brainstorm. We think of ideas about our writing topic. This helps to organize our ideas when we write a draft.

We revise our drafts to add details and change words to make sure our writing is just the way we want it to be. Then we check our draft over to make sure the spelling and grammar is correct. This step is called editing.

The following image describes the 5 steps of the writing process. Review the image or access the printable document to keep a version for your reference.

Steps of the Writing Process

Press the Activity button to access the Steps of the Writing Process.

Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

Examine this sentence: I went to the zoo with my dad

This sentence is hard to read. How can we make it easier to read?

Examine this sentence: Plants get food from soil

This sentence is missing two important things that every sentence needs. Can you guess what the sentence is missing?

Examine this sentence: A plent needs water to grow

Do the words in the sentence make sense? How can we correct this sentence?

child standing in the rain beside flowers

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

When we edit, we want to make sure our grammar and spelling are correct.

In this learning activity, we will focus on how to edit our work.

Action

Making edits

When we edit our work, we:

  • use a capital at the beginning of each sentence and for names of people, places and calendar words
    e.g., The flower is red.
  • use punctation at the end of each sentence
    e.g., My dog is brown. What is your name?
  • check words are spelled correctly using spelling strategies
    e.g., word wall, smaller words in larger words, familiar words

Access the following fillable and printable Writing Checklist to help you edit your work. You can also complete this activity in your notebook.

writing checklist

Press the Activity button to access the Writing Checklist.

Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)

Capitals

Every sentence begins with a capital letter.

The name of people or places, days and months are called proper nouns. Proper nouns also start with a capital letter. Proper nouns can be found any place in a sentence. For the following sentences, point out where capitals are missing.

  • a plant drinks water just like me.
  • my dog tutu eats food just like me.
  • all living things need food and water.

Press the ‘Missing capitals’ button to check your answers.

A plant drinks water just like me.

My dog Tutu eats food just like me.

All living things need food and water.

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

Try it out!

Read about what plants need to be healthy. As you read, can you spot where sentences need capitals?

a plant needs water to grow. it needs good soil full of nutrients. it needs sunlight too. my mom, sonja, and i take care of our plants by watering them on monday and friday each week. when a plant has water, soil and sunlight it lives in a healthy environment. healthy environments make strong plants!

If possible, share your answers with a partner and edit this paragraph.

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

Punctuation

Every sentence must have an ending mark.

Punctuation Use when you are: Example
Period (.) Telling The dog barks.
Question Mark (?) Asking What time is it?
Exclamation Point (!) Feeling We won!

These ending marks are called punctuation. Join Teacher Wynne as she discusses punctuation in the following episode of Homework Zone.

The following sentences are missing punctuation. Can you figure out which punctuation to use? Compare your answers to those provided by pressing the ‘Hint’ buttons.

The sunflower is tall (Blank)

The sunflower is tall.

Why is the sunflower yellow (Blank)

Why is the sunflower yellow?

Look at how many seeds are in the sunflower (Blank)

Look at how many seeds are in the sunflower!

Student Tips

Spelling words

There are many tools to help us spell words correctly:

  • say the word s-l-o-w-l-y and write what you can hear
  • use words you know
  • listen for little words inside
  • use a word wall
  • write it part by part

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

If possible work with a partner to edit these sentences. Look for capitals, punctuation and spelling.

  1. people are just lik plants and animals
  2. we ned water and fod.
  3. we al ned a healthy environment to grow
  4. Wow, plants nd animals are jest like us

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

Consolidation

Writing

Plants need several things to grow and survive. Think about some of the things plants need, examining the image provided for some ideas.

What plants need to survive. Air, water, light, room to grow and nutrients

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

Think about and write about things that plants need to grow. Make sure to include a title and write in sentences. Share your writing with a partner if possible. Read the work out loud.

Access the following fillable and printable Writing Checklist to help you edit your work. You can also complete this activity in your notebook.

writing checklist

Press the Activity button to access the Writing Checklist.

Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity?  Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.