In writing we will create Writer's Notebooks. Students start each morning with a Quick Jot entry that can be on any topic of their choice. The Quick Jot can be simple, or complex. Each Quick Jot begins with the date, and these notebooks become a showcase of student writing and growth throughout the year. In addition, students will write weekly journals using elements such as introduction, body, and conclusion. We will learn how to use transition and linking words to help order and sequence ideas. We will have formal instruction on how to write an opinion piece, using text evidence to support views. We will also learn how to write informational text, summaries of text and compare/contrast essays. In the beginning of the year, we will write personal narratives about our first weeks of school and our summer break. Our bulletin board will soon display our self-portraits and mini-autobiographies.