I presented the Introduction and first section of Nancy Atwell's book Lessons that Change Writers. We were very impressed with the clarity with which she laid our every step, beginning with expectations, layout of the writing journal, and then a series of lessons that primarily focus on brainstorming for ideas to write using the various genres. At this point, she is more concerned with content than form, as there is no editing per say in the peer and teacher conferences. The lessons show a teacher and the student how and where to get writing ideas, and to generate enough ideas that one can never again say "I don't know what to write!"
Although this book is geared toward intermediate and middle school children, I can see how the ideas can be used from first grade on up.