Writing Workshop using Wordless Picture Books

             Third grade students have been discussing the stages of writing and practicing prewriting and drafting.  For the first prewriting class we created a story map as a class using a picture book without words.  This gave the students an opportunity to see how to begin writing a well organized story.  After we did the story map as a class, each student has been assigned a picture book without words to create a story from.  Using the story book provides some structure and content to start from, but allows them to add their own ideas.  Most importantly it shows them how the beginning, middle and end of a story are organized.  We’ve begun the drafting stage by organizing our story map into a beginning, middle and end.  Each student has begun writing out their story and they will work on revising them on the computer using spell check.