Writing Workshop Curricular Calendar
Essential Question – “How can I use punctuation to help readers better understand my
writing?”
Unit 4 (2 weeks)
A Study of Punctuation and Complex
Sentence Structure
Using Written Language
Conventions to Convey
Meaning
Sentence Complexity
Adapted by J. K. and O. K., Whittier School, Long Beach Unified School District, 11/2003
From Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Writing Curricular Calendar 2002-3
• Touchstone texts
• Short, typed text
• A Fresh Approach to
Teaching Punctuation by
Janet Angelillo
• Touchstone texts
• Short, typed text
• Sentence Composing in the
Middle Grades by Don
Killgallon
• Sentence Composing for
Elementary School by Don
Killgallon
Mini lessons
(Based on assessments)
• As a whole class, teacher and
students read picture books
or short text and talk about
punctuation and what they
notice.
• They name the effect that
using punctuation has on the
text’s meaning—building the
reader’s understanding.
• Mini-lesson: Noticing How
Authors Use Punctuation,
Janet Angelillo (p. 40)
• Mini-lesson: Modeling an
Author’s Intentions, Janet
Angelillo (p. 45)
• Writers work in small groups
to research specific
punctuation marks.
• Writers find punctuation in
“real world” texts.
• Writers revisit previous
writing in order to use
punctuation to create similar
effects in their own writing.
• While using punctuation to
convey meaning, writers will
also improve sentence
complexity.
• Writers use simple sentences.
• Writers use compound,
complex sentences.
• Writers combine sentences to
improve comprehension.