Make the writing process fun for a third grader. Instead of learning to write about a book or a subject that requires research, allow him to interact with his friends by interviewing them. In this writing workshop, not only does the student learn to write, but also how to get information from another person. Give students 20 minutes to ask each other questions. These questions can be generated by the students themselves or the teacher. The student then writes a paper introducing his partner, based on the answers from the interview.
Show students that writing isn't just about research, but expressing themselves. Give the student a topic and then allow her to choose what to write about based on that topic. As an example, ask her to write about a special superpower she would like to have and how she would use that power. This will allow her to use her imagination while writing. At the end of the workshop, students get a copy of each classmate's paper in a folder to read for entertainment.
Host a workshop that teaches how to write a paper producing instructions for others. Examples of writing instructions can include writing directions for how to get from one location to another or how to complete a recipe. Using the recipe option can allow you to demonstrate the importance of being specific in instructive writing. Choose a dish to prepare and bring the necessary ingredients into the class. Instruct the students to write a recipe for how to prepare the dish. Choose several recipes and follow the directions. Students will see why it's important to be specific in giving instructions if the instructions on the paper are not clear enough to complete the recipe.
Editing does not have to be a mysterious process that only teachers use. Conduct a workshop for students in which they edit the work of their classmates. Start the workshop by editing a few papers together, reading them aloud in the front of the class and having the teacher explain the editing process and how she would edit that paper. Then, pair up the students and instruct them to exchange papers they created at the beginning of the workshop and edit the papers for each other, explaining the edits they make or providing additional information that would make the paper better.