Writing Strategies

Writing Strategies

Writing to express opinions, provide information, and/or create a story goes far beyond letter
formation and spelling rules. In school, students are learning the writing process. Out of school,
help is needed to reinforce, encourage, and support students in their writing process. Writing
out of school provides a connection between writing and everyday experiences. These
strategies reinforce what your student is learning in third grade.

Activities to do at home:

• Help your child organize his/her thoughts by planning what he/she wants to write. Using
sticky notes or a graphic organizer will provide a visual way to accomplish this.
• Discuss family stories and history. Encourage your child to ask questions. Work together
with your child to create a book, magazine, poem, short story, newspaper article,
pamphlet, or other written narrative of your family’s history.
• Encourage (and help) your child to write a letter, birthday card, get well card, thinking of
you card, or thank you note to family members or friends.
• Help your child create a poster, collage, pictograph, or infographic about something
your child or your family learned or experienced recently.
• Encourage your child to draw and/or write his/her own version of a favorite story. Or,
encourage your child to create or write a next chapter (or page) for his/her favorite
book.

When your child asks a question, research the answer together using books or
computers (under your supervision). Then create an informative poster or collage which
tells the question, the answer, and uses both texts and illustrations to show what they
learned.

• Encourage your child to find a picture from a newspaper or magazine, cut it out, paste it
on paper, and write a story about it.
• Help your child choose something that he/she wants to do or learn to do. Work with
your child to research information related to the topic chosen. Ask your child to create a
brochure, flyer, or “How To” manual or guide describing/explaining the topic, or how to
do something. Then, together, you and your child can follow the guide to do or learn to
do the chosen topic.
• During a family event, take a photograph. After the family event, ask your child to write
a brief summary to go along with the photograph and send the photograph and your
child’s summary to the local newspaper to be printed with community events.
• Keep a family journal of trips, weekends, and special times spent together. Your child
can both write and illustrate the journal. Pick a favorite entry from the journal and use it
to expand your child’s writing. You and your child can write a longer piece or story about
that event and illustrate it with photographs or drawings.
• Under your supervision, begin to help your child use a computer to research a topic or
communicate with friends and family. Your child can also use the computer to write
his/her own pieces or pieces you write together.