Growing Young Writers
Kindergarten Writing Training November 2011
Creating a Writing Community
Topic choice Opportunities for students to read the kinds of books they want to write Provide demonstration, practice, teaching, and celebration during writers workshop Give a purpose and an audience for writing Teacher support Writing tools Time to think, talk, write, and share everyday Freedom to make mistakes
Creating a Writing Community
Creates Dependence
Teacher selects prompt Teacher keeps supplies Writing lasts as long as a writing period or a journal page Students resist making revisions Students brainstorm very few ideas on the topic
Fosters Independence
Students select a writing topic Materials are easily accessible Students write the sounds they hear Students may work on the same piece for days Students are excited to share
Reading About Writing
Table Talk
What kind of writing environment have you created in your classroom? Are students free to be creative and make mistakes? Are you fostering independence? What do you want to start doing in your classroom to create a positive writing environment?
Why is Drawing Important?
It is the way beginning writers represent and understand meaning. It is a way for children to be heard. It develops language. Allows children to go deeper into their stories. Teaches children about the craft of writing. If drawing is an early stage of writing, then we should want our students to draw well just as we want them to write well.
Why Do Writers Draw First?
Most children like to draw. Most children come to school already drawing. For young children, drawing is writing. It gives them opportunities to do what writers do.
Ways to Support Drawing
Model Think aloud about drawing Use familiar shapes Teach through minilessons Point out illustrations in books Writers must inform their readers. Whatever you are writing, show you are the authority through your words and picture.
Ways to Support Drawing
Create a drawing center filled with interesting materials. Have children bring in familiar objects to draw. Get to know something by doing it a lot do a lot of the same drawings in different ways (faces) Provide time for drawing. Assess students drawings to determine what children need to make them better. Provide opportunities for them to make their work better. Celebrate
Ways to Support Drawing
Draw about what they know Draw characters in a variety of ways (facing different directions) Include the tiniest details (a dog tag with the dogs name on it) Reveal feelings (through facial expressions) Reveal the setting through one little detail (a spigot for a sink) Use the illustrations and the words to tell the story (they may tell different parts of the story)
Talking, Drawing, and Writing
pics found on Pinterest
Books That Teach Drawing
Writers Workshop
2-5 times a week Begins with a minilesson Most of the time is spent in independent writing Ends with sharing out The mini-lesson - 5 to 10 minutes The independent writing and conferencing - 20 to 30 minutes Sharing - 5 to 10 minutes
Writing Mini-Lessons
Is the modeling and demonstration of a target skill Used to teach even the simplest skills - how to put away materials, etc. Used to target SEs Include WFTB minilessons
Phases of a Mini-Lesson
Connection Connect to previous learning, 12 minutes Teach Define, model, and demonstrate the new skill, 3-10 minutes Provide models such as pictures or examples Engagement students try what was taught (partner share or quick write), 1-5 minutes Link link the skill to previous instruction, 12 minutes For example: Today and everyday, remember to leave spaces between words.
Types of Mini-Lessons
Operational defines procedures such as transitioning to the carpet area, when to sharpen a pencil, how to give and receive feedback, etc. Print awareness print conventions Foundational assists with organization of a piece (choosing a topic, sequencing of thoughts, beginning, middle, and end, etc.) Craft move writing beyond the basics (word choice)
Independent Writing and Conferencing
The largest portion of writers workshop Start with 10 minutes and work up to 20 to 30. Build stamina just like in reading. Determine where students will write. Silent vs. quiet writing Provide resources for students to use such as alphabet strips, portable word walls, word source rings, read alouds, etc. Where will materials be stored and how will students access them?
Management Tips
Color-coded folders 1 person picks up folders and 1 person returns them Materials are stored in folders and bins Different types of paper, markers, boo boo tape Teachers role
Idea from Kim Adsit
Independent Writing and Conferencing
pic found on Pinterest
rubrics
Idea from Kim Adsit
Independent Writing and Conferencing
pics found on Pinterest
journals
Sharing
Authors Chair Feedback Notices help the author recognize weaknesses in the piece. Allow 3 students to give a notice. For example I like the way you left spaces between your words. Questions help the author consider details. Allow 3 students to ask a question. Reminders help students make a connection to their own life. Allow 1 or 2 students to give a reminder.
Table Talk
Even if you do not do writers workshop in your classroom, what is at least one element you can take away from what you just learned? How will you implement it in your classroom?
Tools For Writing
markers correction tape
spacers
sight words
Different Types of Spacers
Portable Word Walls
pics found on Pinterest
Kim Adsit
Word Walls
Create borders Capital letters in one color and lowercase letters in another color Add pictures for beginning sounds Make the words in black and white print
Anchor Charts
For those ideas you want to return to time and time again Needs a title Use color Not too wordy Use borders Has visuals
pic found on Pinterest
Anchor Charts
Idea by Kim Adsit
[Link]
Table Talk
What tools are you allowing your students to use during writing? Is there a specific tool you just saw that you want to add? What is something you just learned about anchor charts or word walls? Is there something you learned that you plan to implement in your classroom?
Using Mentor Texts to Write
conventions add details
pic found on Pinterest
organization
fill in white space
Using Mentor Texts to Write
Read the picture book on your table. Look over the vertical alignment documents. Use the book and the SEs to plan a traitfocused kindergarten writing lesson. Chart the SE(s) you plan to target, your objective, your product, and your activity. Be ready to share with the group.
Writing Throughout the Day
ABC Order
in language arts
Predictable charts
Writing Throughout the Day
Deanna Jump pics found on Pinterest
in language arts
Morning Message
Writing Throughout the Day
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
Class Books
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
journaling
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
using technology
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
pic found on Pinterest
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
in language arts
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Idea by Brooke Perry
Writing Throughout the Day
pic found on Pinterest
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Writing Throughout the Day
in math
Idea from Kim Adsit
with graphing
Writing Throughout the Day
in science
Writing Throughout the Day
pics found on Pinterest
in science
Writing Throughout the Day
abc order
in science
Writing Throughout the Day
Informational books
in science
in science
Writing Throughout the Day
Idea from Jonelle Bell
in science
Writing Throughout the Day
lists in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
Writing Throughout the Day
in social studies
More Writing Ideas
Handwriting King and Queen
pics found on Pinterest
Spotlight on Writing
More Writing Ideas
pics found on Pinterest
Adding More Detail
More Writing Ideas
editing
pics found on Pinterest
More Writing Ideas
pics found on Pinterest
Creating Mental Images
More Writing Ideas
pics found on Pinterest
Small Drawings
More Writing Ideas
pics found on Pinterest
Idea from First Grade Blue Skies
Holiday Writing
More Writing Ideas
Seasonal Writing
pics found on Pinterest
More Writing Ideas
pic found on Pinterest
Drawing
Idea by Jonelle Bell
More Writing Ideas
Drawing
pics found on Pinterest
More Writing Ideas
self portraits
pics found on Pinterest
art lines
art dice
copy an illustrator
More Writing Ideas
Idea from Kim Adsit
pics found on Pinterest
lists
More Writing Ideas
Labeling
Idea from Julie Lee
More Writing Ideas
pics found on Pinterest
First Grade Blue Skies
Labeling
Writing Throughout the Day
in science
Idea from Brooke Perry
response to literature
Writing Throughout the Day
Idea from Brooke Perry
Idea from Deanna Jump
response to literature
Writing Throughout the Day
response to literature
Writing Throughout the Day
response to literature
Table Talk
What ideas can you come up with for writing throughout the day? In other content areas?
Teaching Punctuation
[Link]
Website Resource - Writing Fix
[Link]
Writing Resources
