This "weekend news" writing activity gives students the opportunity to recall personal events and write about them. The writing is done in a nonthreatening environment, which helps students develop writing fluency and apply what they already know about spelling and other language conventions. Students create a set of criteria with which to self-assess their writing. During a weekly session, students will: apply their knowledge of writing in a nonthreatening environment; apply their knowledge of spelling to their writing; apply their knowledge of sentence structure and punctuation; self-assess and edit their own writing; and share their writing with their peers. The instructional plan, lists of resources, student assessment/reflection activities, and a list of National Council of Teachers of English/International Reading Association (NCTE/IRA) Standards addressed in the lesson are included. A sample chart is attached. (PM)