I have been very happy so far with my class' attempts at "make writing".  As stated below, I attended a camp with Angela Stockman, who has been promoting the concept.

Students working with blocks

       While we use the Teachers College curriculum, make writing can fit within most any framework.  Largely, I have been experimenting with two components: challenges and graphic organizers.  Challenges are brief (5-7 minutes) attempts by the students to build certain aspects of their writing.  For example, I might ask the students to build their setting, the main event of their small moment, or the thesis of their persuasive speech.

A student's "build"

        I feel the value of these challenges lies in the opportunity for the students to play with the materials while they are playing with the ideas.  Usually this play would take place with a pencil and paper, but many students are not prepared to play with words in this way.  It allows for the students to create and rehearse their thinking in a physical way.

        I have collected a number of different materials to keep these challenges fresh and varied.  So far my students have utilized modeling clay, wooden blocks, paper and pencil sketches, Lego, and "build bags". The example above right was created from a "build bag": a collection of objects such as Popsicle sticks, twist ties, straws, index cards, clothes pins, erasers, tiny Playdoh, and clips.  We have tried these challenges on a daily basis, and the students have grown in their ability to use these materials to work with their ideas, even as the challenge questions become more abstract.

A Small Moment arc made with Post-it notes

       After the challenge, the students gather for the mini-lesson.  The workshop proceeds in a similar fashion from there, with one major difference.  Students now create their writing with Post-it notes.  Our first unit focused on personal narratives, or small moments.  Students made a rainbow arc in their notebooks and placed small Post-it notes along it:

• Setting
• Event #1
• Event #2 (the "star" event)
• Event #3
• Closing

They then were able to add different colored Post-it notes to each event to denote dialogue, thinking, and/or feelings.  I liked this format as it made it easier for students to add to the middle of their narrative.  Stretching out their moments is one of the main goals of the unit.  Past efforts at revising usually caused my students to extend their narrative from the beginning or the end. 

Using Post-it notes for persuasive speeches

      In our second unit, my class continued using Post-it notes to structure our persuasive speeches (see left).  We used a larger light blue note for the thesis (what the speech is trying to convince someone) and light yellow Post-it notes for the reasons (why someone should be convinced).
       We also used salmon colored notes for the evidence and examples to support each reason.  In addition, we used green Post-it notes for the beginning and ending, and dark blue for the audience.
        This process of using Post-it notes as organizers has several benefits.  It allows each part of the persuasive speech (or small moment) to be moved or revised.  Students begin to see writing as something with an understandable structure that can be built or made.  Several parts of the writing process become more concrete.  Revision can be as easy as adding, removing, or replacing a Post-it note.  Organization is visual and physical - each reason row (or each event) can become a paragraph.  Students who have difficulty with sentences can be taught that each note is its own sentence.
      Just a couple months into the year and I am sold about the educational value of make writing.  I would suggest to any teacher (or writer) to give it a try.  My students and I jumped in this year, and it has already changed how we all look at writing.