Mammoth of the Month

August: Routines in Writing

September: Introduction to 6 traits
October: Idea Development, Word
Choice, Conventions, Organization
November: Sentence Fluency, Voice
December: Presentation
January: Editing/Revising
February: Personal areas of growth
(identify 1 individual goal a week)
March: Expanding on formats of
presentation
April: Writing open house
May: Review and book binder

Please make sure to tear off the last page

with our daily schedule and hang it on
your refrigerator!

Each month students will

focus on improving
specific areas of writing.
Mammoth of the month
will be posted on the white
board, and students will be
given specific topics each
day to promote growth in
that area. Writing centers
will be geared toward
goals. Students will be
encouraged to share
personal experiences and
be provided the ability to
incorporate their home
language and culture into
assignments and sharing.

Goals
Improvement in individual writing ability, with progress made on
personal areas of needed growth. (Writing process steps and
individual goals set)
Presentation of writing shared in format that engages audience.
(Focus on pronunciation, sentence fluency, and presenting skills
each Friday.)
Ability to share ideas in narrative, informational, and argumentative
formats. (During journal writing time each day.)
Whole class or small group improvement on areas of difficulty in
writing. (During writing centers on Wednesday.)

Routines
1. Consistent focus on the writing process
Stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, evaluating, publishing
The writing process will be used as a resource to develop stronger writing
skills. Students will leave fifth grade with a firm understanding of each
step in the process and be knowledgeable in how to edit and improve
their own writing.
W.5.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.

2. Journal writing
Daily journal writing based on debate article or prompt given. Students
will also be provided free write days and time to write about topics they
enjoy specifically. During writing journal time, students will be required
to state their views in narrative, informational, and argumentative
formats, depending on the prompt given. For instance, students may
read a short passage and be asked to share their opinion using
argumentative writing.
Standard: W.5.10 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 discipline-specific tasks, purposes,
and audiences.

3. Writing centers
Students will attend a writing center every Wednesday that focuses on
developmental writing skills related to the Mammoth of the Month skill.
Students will often complete tasks in pairs, small group, or individually
depending on the expectations of the center that day. Technology
including apps and Chromebooks will be used at this station to improve
spelling, grammar, and sentence structures within writing.
W.5.2b Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

4. Friday presentations
Each Friday during writing time, students will share their work of the
week. At the beginning of the year, students will read aloud poems of
others before reading their own works. Students may sit in the writers
chair, or stand while sharing.
W.5.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event
sequences.

Daily Schedule
8:10-8:20

Lunch/Attendance

8:20-9:05

Band

9:05-10:20

Reading/Writing

10:20-10:50

Science

10:50-11:15

Music

11:15-11:35

P.E.

11:35-12:00

DEAR

12:00-12:30

Lunch/Recess

12:30-1:45

Math

1:45-2:15

Social Studies

2:15-3:00

MTSS enrichment

3:00-3:05

Homeroom

3:05-3:35

Monday:
Library
Tuesday: Counselor
Wednesday: Library
Thursday: Reflex Math
Friday:
Reflex Math