Name: ______________________________________
Readers Work and Workshop Assignment
Constructing Long Writes
Part I: Selecting a Long Write Prompt
Directions: Review the long write prompts presented for your specific short story. Discuss the
questions with your small group before selecting one for all of your group’s readers to
explore.
Long Write Prompts: “Charles” by Shirley Jackson
1. Consider the story’s main character:
 What are three traits you would use to describe the character?
 How are these traits revealed?
2. Looking back through the text:
 How does the author lay clues within the text to reveal the true identify of
Charles?
Long Write Prompts: “Slower than the Rest” by Cynthia Rylant
1. Consider the relationship between two significant story characters:
 What is the relationship like?
 Why is this relationship important to the story?
2. Consider the author’s purpose in writing the short story:
 What is the author’s message?
 Why is this message important for readers to consider?
Long Write Prompts: “Boar Out There” by Cynthia Rylant
1. Consider the main character in the story:
 What does the character learn or realize in this story?
 Is this a life lesson that readers are also meant to learn?
2. Consider the plot events of the story:
 What is a big moment in the text?
 Why is this important?
Part II: Pre-writing—Planning Your Long Write
Directions: In your RNB, construct an I.P.E2.C.C plan for your answer to the long write prompt.
First collect and develop your own ideas, and then we will share our reader’s ideas with our
partners.
 Introduction
 Point
 E2 (Evidence and Explanation)
 Connection
 Conclusion
More on Back
Part III: Drafting and Revising—Composing your Long Write
Directions: Compose your long write entry by referring to your planning in your RNB. Be sure
to format the top of your notebook page to look like the model below:
Response to Literature- Practice
“Short Story Title” (Author’s Last Name)
2/18/13
Prompt #
Begin writing prompt by indenting your first line to show the start of a new
paragraph….
To compose a complete long write, you will need to dedicate at least 20-25 minutes
of focused writing time in order to fully write, revise, and edit your work.