Daily writing activities, no matter what their specific content, familiarize students with the process of reflecting on and recording their ideas. To this end, keep a writing journal that students work on in class every day. Stimulate their creative writing by providing short prompts that ask students to explain their opinions, recount their experiences or make up stories. Avoid scrutinizing these journals for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Instead, focus on the thought processes and creativity of the entries. Open a written dialogue with each student to highlight his successes and offer guidance and advice.
In the upper grades, students will be expected to analyze and criticize literary works in essay format. Prepare third-graders for this task by working daily on literary-response assignments. After reading a class book, assign a prompt that asks a question about the events or characters. Encourage students to think of their audience as they attempt to write in a comprehensible, logical manner.
A book may also serve as a jumping-off point for a more creative assignment. Students can rewrite the ending of a favorite story or add in a deleted scene. Discuss literary point of view and authorial intent while rewriting a story from the perspective of a different character.
While literary or creative writing is often an end in itself, the written word is intimately connected to all scholastic subjects. When studying history or science, children can practice researching facts and writing reports on their findings. Help students focus their writing by identifying a thesis statement or question that motivates each essay.
Note-taking is a valuable life skill which third-graders can practice during daily lectures or individual study time. Model successful note-taking strategies, such as summarizing and bullet points. Encourage children to rewrite content in their own words, both for better memorization and to practice their skill at phrasing.
Children of all ages appreciate the opportunity to interact with computers and technology. In a classroom blog, students may record their thoughts and experiences to share with parents and peers. Blogging is a unique type of writing that allows for wide distribution and exchange of ideas. Students will be more devoted to creating understandable writing if they desire peers to comment and share thoughts over a blogging platform. Third-graders will also pick up essential computer skills, such as typing and word processing.