Virginia SOL 4.W.3.B
The Standard
Self-and peer-edit the writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English (See Language Usage for grade level expectations).
Virginia Standards of Learning for English · Usage and Mechanics
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students reread their own drafts and a classmate’s draft using an editing checklist. They mark errors, suggest clear corrections, and revise without changing the writer’s main ideas.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students use a checklist to find and correct errors in their own writing and a classmate’s draft. They explain each suggested change and keep the writer’s meaning intact.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat editing as rewriting a partner’s ideas instead of correcting errors. They may check only spelling and miss fragments, run-ons, paragraph breaks, or subject-verb agreement.
How to Assess It
- Have students exchange a six-sentence draft and mark one correction each for punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and grammar. Ask writers to review the marks and revise their drafts.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Cut apart a flawed paragraph, then have pairs correct the sentence strips and arrange them into clear paragraphs.
Give partners this prompt: Which correction makes the writing easier to understand, and why?
Play Editing Relay, where teams rotate through stations for capitals, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and grammar.
Edit a mock school announcement before posting it, checking names, dates, complete sentences, paragraph breaks, and subject-verb agreement.
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