2015
CANNONVALE STATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Daily Writing Warm Up Guidelines
LESSON 1
1. Introduce the writing theme and the challenge words. Read definitions
and examples of the use of these words. Challenge words are added to
the word bank (which is on display for students’ quick access)
(This section should be fast-paced. Don’t get bogged down in lengthy
definitions and discussions.) About 5 minutes
2. Writing
• The teacher writes the entry level sentence on the board.
• Students read this sentence in unison
• The teacher points out the important parts of the sentence,
concentrating on the focus for this week. This will include a piece of
vocabulary and a sentence construction feature.
• The teacher asks quick fire questions about the vocab and sentence
construction of the new sentence. Start with unison answers,
progress to individual answers (balance of accountability)
• The students reread this sentence with fluency and expression.
• The students copy this sentence with a focus on handwriting.
• The teacher models how to improve the sentence by adding better
vocabulary from the challenge word list and by using the Seven Steps
to Writing Success current focus.
• The students read this new sentence in unison.
• Students individually write to improve the entry level sentence.
- Support students may recopy the sentence.
- Benchmark students use challenge words.
- Extension students use challenge words, own vocab or meet individual
challenge given by teacher. Eg. Write 2 sentences which have only 1
word different but which have different meanings. )
• Students share their sentences – individually for whole class and then
with a partner (so everyone gets to read their sentence)
About 10 minutes
LESSONS 2 -4
• Revise challenge words / word bank words – quick fire reading /
quizzes/games etc.
• Repeat writing steps
2015
CANNONVALE STATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
HOW TO PLAN YOUR DAILY WRITING WARM UP
1. Use overviews to get theme, challenge words and writing focus. You can
develop your own challenge words if you choose, making sure that they
are at an aspirational level for your students.
2. Prepare word bank words on flashcards.
3. Construct and prewrite sentence.
4. Prepare PowerPoint Slideshow (or other presentation technique)
5. Think through how you will improve the sentence using the focus for the
week.
6. Give consideration to what you might expect students at each level to
write – thinking about specific students who may need support /
encouragement / extension.
TIPS




Be organized – good warm ups don’t happen accidentally! 
Keep moving at a fast pace
Provide feedback and generous praise at a class and individual level
Don’t try to cover everything about the vocab or sentence construction
in 1 warm up.
 Consider having some students write their sentence out at another time
to be placed on the exemplary work display.
 If something is not working, change it! Be prepared to make adjustments
to this process to cater for the needs and learning styles of your
students.
 MAKE IT FUN, ENGAGING AND CHALLENGING 
A WRITING HIERARCHY
Progress through these stages as your students are ready. Remember to be
aspirational in your approach and to keep within reasonable time limits.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Simple sentences
Compound sentences
Complex sentences
Multiple sentences
Paragraph
Multiple paragraphs
Genre
2015
CANNONVALE STATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
DAILY WRITING WARM UP SCOPE & SEQUENCE
TERM 1 – WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I?
Writing Warm up Sequence – Prep
Week
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Topic /Resource
About Me
About Me
About Me
I Like
Today is
My Family
Friends
Where do I live?
School
Challenge words
Independent writing of name, birthday and age.
Independent writing of name, birthday and age.
Independent writing of name, birthday and age.
Personal interest and colour words.
Days of the week.
mother, father, sister, brother, baby
friend, kind, respect, buddy, helpful
house, Queensland, caravan, beach, Australia
reading, teacher, student, learner, uniform
Writing Warm up Sequence – Year 1
Week
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Topic /Resource
Australia
About Me
About Me – past &
present
Growth
Describing people
Describing characters
Sound & music
The olden days
Friends
Challenge words
native, landscape, unique, wildlife, breathtaking
personality, birthday, colour words,
previous, siblings, grandparents, birth, generation
height, development, adult, nurture, changing
features, friendly, enthusiastic, creative, athletic
hero, heroine, villain, humorous, humble
instrument, pitch, volume, melodious, resonate
ancient, artefact, development, ancestors, historical
honest, sincere, trustworthy, friendly, loyal
Writing Warm up Sequence – Year 2
Week
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Topic /Resource
Australia
Emotions
The world / maps
Life cycles
Story characters
Story settings
Story climax
9
10
Friends
Friends
Challenge words
flora, fauna, Uluru, indigenous, culture
envious, self-conscious, confident, optimistic, disappointed
location, northern, southern, hemisphere, eastern, western
chrysalis, juvenile, development, maturity, metamorphosis
villain, hero, significant, curiosity, favourite
fascinating, unique, mesmerising, disappointing, magical
enthralling, spine-tingling, unexpected, nail-biting,
unforgettable
grateful, reliable, responsible, trustworthy, honest
honesty, responsible, sincere, trustworthy, friendship
2015
CANNONVALE STATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Writing Warm up Sequence – Years 3
Week
7
Topic /Resource
Australia
Emotions
The world / maps
Describing story
characters
Describing story settings
(Description of a place)
Story climax
8
9
10
The Earth
The solar system
Friends
2
3
4
5
6
Challenge words
Unique, landscape, flora, fauna, isolated
terrified , frightened, ecstatic, horrified, embarrassed
Location, northern, southern, eastern, western, tropical
Intriguing, sinister, heroic, destructive, protector/ive
mesmerizing, magical, enchanted, mystical, interesting
Exhilarating, captivating, sensational, enthralling, spinetingling
Planetary, diameter, revolves, continents, tectonic plate
Planet names, orbit, asteroid,
Sincere, honesty, responsible, sociable, selfless
Writing Warm up Sequence – Year 4
Week
2
3
4
Topic /Resource
Australia
Emotions
Animals
5
6
7
8
9
10
The reef
Rainforests
Deserts
Living & non-living
Lifecycles
Friends
Challenge words
celebration, unity, cultural, tourism, landscape
apathy, exuberance, delight, ecstasy, adoration
ferocious, gnashing, gnarling, nocturnal, herbivore,
carnivore, omnivore
wondrous, unique, seven wonders, symbiotic, microcosm
canopy, detritus, biodiversity, humidity, propogation
desolate, wind-swept, barren, arid, parched
respiration, materials, features, composition, determine
metamorphosis, cyclic, dependent, maturity, juvenile
confidential, mutual, protective, sincere, spontaneous
Writing Warm up Sequence – Year 5
Week
2
3
Topic /Resource
Australia
Emotions
4
5
6
Describing Me
Describing people
The solar system
7
8
9
10
Climates
The Goldfields
Adventure
Friendship
Challenge words
cultural, iconic, patriotic, norms, celebration
pessimistic, optimistic, tenacity, contemptuous,
apprehensive
tenacious, versatile, tolerant, strong-willed, thoughtful
muscular, athletic, energetic, sinister, captivating,
meteorite, constellation, intergalactic, supernova,
gravitational
temperate, seasonal, troposphere, cyclonic , barometric
migration, exploration, multi-cultural, economic, pioneer
adventurous, fearless, adrenalin, courageous, thrilling
responsive, trustworthy, spontaneous, zany, sincere
2015
CANNONVALE STATE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Writing Warm up Sequence – Year 6
Week
2
3
4
Topic /Resource
Australia
The world / maps
Experiments
5
6
7
Emotions
Point of View
Comparison
8
9
10
Dialogue - said
The effects of time
Friendship
Challenge words
iconic, patriotic, colloquialism, prowess, diversity
Land-bound, continental, global, topography, cartographic
Preliminary, conclusive, objective, hypothetical,
microbiology
Resilience, internalise, self-acceptance, verbalise, assertive
Pivotal, un/justifiable, substantiate, undeniable, convincing
Contrary, comparative, contrasting, accordingly,
nevertheless
confided, conceded , babbled, bellowed, chortled
biodegradability, ravaged, decline, infestation,
Integrity, courtesy, humility, rivalry, confidante