The document summarizes a literacy conference hosted by the Coastal Savannah Writing Project (CSWP) at Armstrong Atlantic State University. Over 100 K-16 educators from several counties attended the conference, where the keynote speaker discussed using multimedia projects to engage 21st century learners. CSWP fellows then led workshops on reading and writing strategies. Upcoming CSWP events include literacy workshops on using technology and building strong sentences. CSWP offers summer institutes and professional development for teachers to improve literacy instruction.

1. F A L L 2 0 1 2
COASTAL SAVANNAH WRIITIING PROJECT’S
O ASTAL AVANNAH R T NG RO JECT S
L IT E R A C Y L E T T E R S
www.cswp.armstrong.edu
CSWP HOLDS FALL LITERACY CONFERENCE CSWP FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/coastalsavwp
As teachers begin their new school year, we all are looking for new
literacy strategies to help students become stronger readers and writers. Become a FAN
The Coastal Savannah Writing Project, hosted by Armstrong Atlantic
State University, is dedicated to helping primary, middle, and secondary CSWP’s Facebook page shares
school teachers and administrators build student success in literacy by • podcasts and articles on
offering professional development opportunities. reading and writing
strategies
On October 1, CSWP held its second annual Leap into Literacy
• student writing contests
conference for K-16 educators. Participants came from Savannah-
Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, Effingham, Glynn, Beaufort, and Jasper • comments and discussions
counties. Our guest speaker was Dr. Bryan Marshall. co-author of Songs of about writing and reading
Freedom, an award winning multi-media project for students about the strategies implemented by
Underground Railroad. The project consists of a picture book, video, and local teachers
songs written and performed by hip-hip musicians. Dr. Marshall spoke on
• support for literacy
the topic of using multi-media, multi-genre reading and writing projects to
reach our 21st century learners. He also shared extensive narrative writing instruction in K-12
strategies and ideas for all teachers to take back to their classrooms. classrooms
• photographs of Summer
After a B&N book sale and author book signing, CSWP Fellows from the Institutes, writing marathons,
2011 Summer Writing Institute presented twelve one-hour reading and workshops, and conferences
writing strategy workshops in two Breakout Sessions, giving participants a • upcoming events and
total of three hours of professional development. As one participant wrote, information on workshops
“It was a morning well spent.”
Save the Date!
Super Strategy Saturday Super Strategy Saturday:
November 12, 2011 December 3, 2011
Using SCRATCH to Create Strong Sentences as Building
and Share Interactive Stories Blocks for Writing
with Julie Warner with Donna Loyd

2. THE LOREM IPSUMS
Coastal Savannah Writing Project @ Armstrong Atlantic FALL 2012
NOVEMBER SUPER STRATEGY SATURDAY WORKSHOP
TECHNOLOGY & WRITING:
Using SCRATCH to Create and Share Interactive Stories
Facilitated by Julie Warner, CSWP Technology Director
Saturday, November 12; 9:00am to Noon@ University Hall Room TBA
REGISTRATION FORM is available on CSWP Facebook
and the CSWP Website WORKSHOPS page.
Registrations must be received by November 4.
Scratch is a free educational programming tool that can be used to create
and share virtual stories integrating visual images, animation, and sound to
engage even reluctant writers! Developed for use by 6 to 16-year-olds,
elementary, middle, and high school teachers can use Scratch as a tool in
their classrooms. Scratch overview: http://vimeo.com/2102968
CSWP goes to the AMLE Annual Conference in Louisville
2010 CSWP Fellow Heather Brougham-Cook and CSWP Director Lesley Roessing will be presenting at the annual
conference of the Association of Middle-Level Educators (formerly NMSA) in November. Heather will present on
“Using Mentor Texts to Teach Content-Area Terminology” and Lesley is presenting on two topics: “Writing to Learn
Across the Curriculum” and “Making Information Interesting and Research Rock.” Ms. Roessing was also invited to
participate at the AMLE Authors’ Roundtable to share The Write to Read: Response Journals That Increase Comprehension.
2012 Fellow Donna Martin will be attending the conference to add to her repertoire of middle-grade strategies.
October 20 The National Day on Writing
In light of the significance of writing in our national life, to draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing
we engage in, and to help writers from all walks of life recognize how important writing is to their lives, NCTE
established October 20 as The National Day on Writing. Making it official, the Senate passed resolutions
in 2009 and 2010 declaring October 20 the National Day on Writing.
CSWP SUGGESTION to honor and celebrate writing on October 20: One activity that all teachers can do with
their students is an I Am Poem.
The “typical” structure is 3 stanzas. However teachers or writers can feel free to change the verbs, and emergent
writers might work best with one or two stanzas. It is more advantageous for teachers to model their example
first.
I pretend… I understand…
I am… I feel… I say…
I wonder… I touch… I dream…
I hear… I worry… I try…
I see… I cry… I hope…
I want… I am… I am…
I am…
After students draft their individual I Am poems, have each put an asterisk or a sticky star or happy face (sticker
or drawing) next to a favorite line. Students then stand in a circle and each reads his or her favorite line, creating
a class “We Are” poem. You can begin and end with “We are Mrs. Roessing’s 8th Grade English Class” or “We
are the _________ School __ Grade students.” It does not matter if students repeat the same verb.
CSWP would love to have emailed copies of your class “We Are Poems.”
Extensions: In Social Studies class write an “I Am” poem for a historical character; in science, for a planet; in
math, a geometric shape or a number; in art class, a painting or artist, in physical education for an athlete…
2

3. THE LOREM IPSUMS
Coastal Savannah Writing Project @ Armstrong Atlantic State University FALL 2012
―I found the strategies to
help me find my voice in
writing were phenomenal. I
cannot teach what I have not
experienced myself. The
focus on the teacher as a
writer will in turn energize
―I‘ve stretched myself the students and promote a
beyond what I thought I was life-long love for reading and
capable of. I am thinking like writing.
Deidre, 2011 CSWP Fellow
a writer now, seeing things
differently, excited about the Registration available on
possibilities with the students www.cswp.armstrong.edu
I will teach.
Barbara, 2010 CSWP Fellow
CSWP SUMMER INSTITUTES
The Coastal Savannah Writing Project 2012 Summer WRITING Institute is a 3-week, 6-credit
writing institute for K-12 teachers and administrators in all content areas. The Institute provides a
place and time for teachers to demonstrate and learn diverse effective classroom practices, teach and
learn writing processes, examine writing theory and research, become comfortable writing in
divergent modes and genres, independently and collaboratively, and share writings with colleagues.
The Summer Institute brings together local teachers in all grade levels and all disciplines for reading,
writing, research, and practice. Participants accepted to join the institute meet each day to read,
write, discuss their writing, read about and discuss effective ways to teach writing and use writing as
a learning tool, research writing topics, and improve their teaching practices by designing and
presenting demonstrations of effective teaching practices. As a result of these activities, teachers are
better prepared for their own classrooms and for teaching other teachers.
Summer 2012 Coastal Savannah Writing Project will offer a 2-week, 3-credit READING Institute.
CSWP focuses on the core mission of improving the teaching of reading and writing and improving
the use of writing and comprehension of text across the disciplines by offering high-quality,
professional development for educators at all grade levels in all content areas, across the curriculum.
NEW! Spring Term 3-credit graduate course “TEACHING WRITING & WRITERS”
WRITING INSTITUTE READING INSTITUTE
Institute Dates: Institute Dates:
June 18 - July 06, 2012 July 9 —July 19, 2012
(No class July 4)
Times: 8:45 a.m. –3:15 p.m.
Times: 8:45am - 3:45pm
Orientation: May TBA, 2011
Orientation: May TBA, 2011
Credits: 3 graduate credits
Credits: 6 graduate credits or
or 5 PLUs /CEUs
10 PLUs/CEUs
Cost: $1079* for 3 hours of
Cost: $1619* for 6 hours of
graduate credit
graduate credit
$500 for 5 PLUs.
$800 for 10 PLUs
* Scholarships may be available to cover
* Scholarships may be available to
a portion of tuition.
cover a portion of tuition.
Priority Deadline: January 20, 2012
Final Deadline: April 13, 2012
3

4. THE LOREM IPSUMS
Coastal Savannah Writing Project @ Armstrong Atlantic State University FALL 2012
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Coastal Savannah Writing Project‘s professional development
programs are tailored to suit the needs and interests of individual
schools and districts.
CSWP can provide interactive in-services during the school day or
summer months, on-site coaching, assistance with curriculum and
planning, and Saturday workshops on the Armstrong campus.
The Coastal Savannah Writing Project workshops, in-services,
conferences, and institutes provide opportunities for teachers to read,
write, learn, question, research, share, teach, and support each other
to improve student achievement by improving the teaching of
reading and writing.
Teaching, Not Assigning, Writing
Narrative Writing Strategies
Informational Writing Strategies
Persuasive Writing Strategies
Designing Writing Units Through the Year
Establishing and Managing a Writing/Reading Workshop For Professional Development, contact
CSWP Director Lesley Roessing
Inquiry & Research Writing
writingproject@armstrong.edu
Writing and Reading for Content Area Teachers 912.344.2702
Writing to Learn: Response Journals to Increase Comprehension
Teaching & Assessing Writing through the Four Domains
Writing with Style and Voice
Building a Revision Toolbox Super Strategy Saturday Workshops
Strategies, Procedures, & Content through Daily Mini-Lessons will be held from 9:00-Noon on
Multi-Genre Writing
November 12: Technology and
Starting with Sentences to Putting Together Paragraphs Writing: Using Scratch to Create and
Editing: Teaching Punctuation & Grammar Share Interactive Stories
Using Mentor & Touchstone Texts to Teach Writing/Reading
December 3: Strong Sentences for
Reading & Writing Poetry Style
Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary
January 28: Technology and Writing:
Technology & Writing: Digital Storytelling
[Topic TBA]
Technology & Writing: Podcasting
Digital Writing Strategies February 25: Teaching K-12 Readers
through Reading Workshop
Writing College Application Essays (for students)
Fiction & Nonfiction Reading Strategies March 24: Spring Super Strategies
Conference
Establishing and Managing a Reading Workshop
4