Writing

Writing in Kinderworld!
I love writing and I want my kinders to love writing too.

Ernie writes a story...or prepares to write.

Units of Study by Lucy Calkins

Whether you have taught in a writing workshop for years or are just learning the term, this book will offer you a plan for every moment of beginning the writing workshop. As in all of the books in this series, Lucy and Leah present both the precise language and pacing of their teaching and the reasoning behind it, so tha you can create the same powerful experiences with your own children.

Writer's Workshop

Phase 1: Generating a Seed Idea

*Key understandings: We all have lots of stories. A writer makes a movie in their mind out of this small moment in time, and then describe the event in sequential order)

Mobil Devise Methods: Apps to use: My Popplet, i-pod/i-pad: record story 

Traditional Methods: notebook, journal

Phase 2: Developing a Seed Idea

*Key Understanding: make your story come alive and expanding the tiny moment (Sense related: sounds, smells, feelings)

Traditional Methods: timelines, sketch, booklet planning, tell a story with a partner

Mobil Devise Methods: Students tell their story with Voice Memo

Phase 3: Drafting

*Key Understanding: Get thoughts down as quickly as you can!

Traditional Methods: paper and pencil, journals

Mobil Devise Method: Evernote, Documents Lite, Microsoft Word

Phase 4: Revising

*Key Understanding: Get to the heart of your story!

Teach qualities of good writing as you revise. This is not a 1 on 1 editing session with a student. This is about being a writer.

Examples: add details, add color words, add dialog, 

Traditional Method: paper and pencil, journal

Mobil Devise Method: Evernote, Documents Lite, Microsoft Word

Phase 4 and 5: Editing and Publishing

*Key understandings: take pride in your writing!

Traditional Method: paper and pencil, Microsoft Word, work displayed on classroom wall

Mobil Devise Method: Evernote, Podcast in Garage Band, Digital Story in Sonic Pics or Story Robe, Digital books in Scribble Press (yo can publish it for free in ibooks), Classroom Website

Phase 6: Celebrating

*Key Understanding: your writing is shared with a bigger audience!

Invite parents, families, principals, teachers, etc.

Have students write compliments on sticky notes.

Create thematic celebrations (i.e., The Camping Trip: bring in lanterns, sleeping bags, cricket music, etc.)

Writing Through The Year

You can find the unit on Deanna's store.

Writing Through the Year: Unit 1

Below is the "Big Ideas" for the rest of the units that will be planned as the year progresses. You will notice that the Common Core Standards surrounding writing are covered! This is the outline that Deanna Jump had with her unit.

These are journal covers and paper I am using this year.



I bought this pack from Journals-Through-the-Year from TPT

This is WENDY THE WRITER.
She helps us come up with TOPICS to write about if we can't think of anything.

Her bubbles have places, people, friends, family, food, careers, holidays, pets, movies, animals.

I let the kids choose everything they want on this chart.
It makes it more meaningful for them.

This is my Western Writing Strategies Chart

This wall is next to my writing center. It has our Word Wall (Lasso in New Words),

Writing Goals Chart, and Rate Your Work Chart.

Thank you zeekszoo for the free label downloads!!!!!

This is mine below!

You can find these labels at  Zeek's Zoo. 

This is my chart below:

                         

This is a GREAT way for kinders to see examples of different FORMS of writing.
The original idea is from The Clutter Free Classroom.
Go to her blog to find the FREE labels.

This is my writing center below. It is very bare right now.
I will be adding posters and ideas as I introduce them.

The kids love writing letters and putting them in our cool red mail box.

I love this blog What the Teacher Wants. There are so many FREEBIES!

I want to do this with my kinders this year!
My OUCH Story!
NOTE: My Ouch Story is NOT my idea! I got the idea and pictures from 
What the Teacher Wants Blog. Thank you for sharing!

Begin as a pre-write/first draft:

Move to the final draft 

(stick band-aides to the side of the paper for added drama)

Download her freebies from What the Teacher Wants.! :)