sample lesson Teacher s Manual Volume 1 DSC Collaborative Literacy Being a Writer SECOND EDITION GRADE K Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Explore the new digital resources! Developmental Studies Center Open a trial account at teach.devstu.org.
Week 2 Overview I Love School! by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern Kindergartners tell about an exciting day at school.* *This book is also used in Unit 6, Week 2. Beginning-of-year Considerations As discussed in About Emergent Writing in Kindergarten (see page 8), formal writing instruction with letters, words, and, eventually, sentences begins in Unit 2 and continues throughout the year. In Unit 1, however, the focus is simply on telling stories through drawing and exploring the idea that marks on a page communicate meaning. The students build oral language as a foundation for writing by talking about their ideas for stories and by reading or telling the stories they have drawn. Regardless of the students current skill levels, these experiences lay the groundwork for the writing instruction that follows. Meanwhile, you have the opportunity in Unit 1 to observe the students, get to know them, and assess where they are in their language development. Online Resources Visit the DSC Learning Hub (teach.devstu.org) to find your online resources for this week. whiteboard Activities WA3 WA4 Assessment Form Class Assessment Record sheet (CA2) Professional Development Media Turning and Looking at the Speaker (AV15) 20 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
writing Focus Students hear and discuss good writing. Students draw and write about what they like about kindergarten. Students draw and write freely about things they are interested in. social Development Focus Teacher and students build the writing community. Students practice procedures for working together. Students listen respectfully to the thinking of others and share their own. Students work in a responsible way. DO AheAD As you are planning for this week s lessons, see the Writing Throughout the Week ideas on pages 30 31 and determine which activities, if any, you will do this week. TeAcher As writer An experience isn t finished until it s written. Anne Morrow Lindbergh In your writing notebook, start a section titled Writing Ideas. Jot down hobbies, interests, and important people and experiences you might want to write about. Consider: What do you do really well? What are your fondest memories? Who are the most important people in your life? Why are they important? Prior to Day 1, consider previewing this week s read-aloud selection, I Love School!, with your English Language Learners before you read it to the whole class. You might read it aloud while showing and discussing the illustrations, or have the students flip through it on their own. (You might also review the book for any difficult vocabulary; see Suggested Vocabulary on page 22.) Prior to Day 2, make a copy of the Class Assessment Record sheet (CA2) on page 7 of the Assessment Resource Book. (Optional) Plan a time during the first month of school to obtain a beginning-of-year writing sample from your students. For more information on how to obtain this writing sample, see Beginningand End-of-year Writing Samples on page ix of the Assessment Resource Book. The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 21
Day 1 Getting ideas and writing stories Materials I Love School! Writing/drawing chart (WA3) for modeling in this lesson, the students: Gather in a responsible way Hear and discuss a story Generate and visualize ideas about kindergarten Listen to one another Draw and write about something they like to do in kindergarten GeTTinG ready TO write 1 Gather and Get Ready to Listen Briefly review the procedure for gathering for a read-aloud and your expectations for the way the students will move. Then gather the class with the students sitting, facing you. Review that last week the students heard two poems, Just Watch and Somersaults, and then wrote and drew stories about things they can do. Explain that this week they will hear a story about kindergarten and write stories about kindergarten. Ask and briefly discuss: Q What will you do to show you are listening as we talk about the story today? If necessary, stimulate the students thinking by asking follow-up questions such as: Q How will you sit? Q What will you do with your hands? Your eyes? 2 Read I Love School! Aloud Show the cover of I Love School! and read the title and author s name aloud. Read the story aloud slowly and clearly, showing the pictures as you read. Clarify each suggested vocabulary word as you encounter it in the text by reading the word, briefly defining it, rereading it in context, and continuing (for example, Let s watch Harvey Rabbit munch munch means eat Let s watch Harvey Rabbit munch ). suggested vocabulary munch: eat (p. 16) trade: give one thing for another (p. 18) sailors: people who work on boats (p. 20) 22 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
3 Discuss the Book and Generate Writing Ideas Facilitate a class discussion using the questions that follow. Be ready to show and reread pages to help the students remember what they heard. Encourage the students to listen responsibly to the discussion by turning to look at the person who is speaking (for example, you might say, [Shawn] is going to speak now. Let s all turn and look at him ). Q What do these children like to do at school? Q Do you like to do any of the same things that these children do? Which things? Explain that today the students will write stories about something they like to do in kindergarten. 4 Model Drawing and Writing a Story About Kindergarten Display the writing/drawing chart ( WA3). Ask the students to watch as you model writing and drawing a story about something you enjoy about kindergarten. Think aloud and model drawing a picture that tells your story, and then model some ways to use letters and words to help tell the story. you might say: One thing I like about kindergarten is reading stories with you and talking about them. I ll draw a picture of me sitting in my chair holding a book. I ll write the letter b for book on my picture and write the word read under my picture. Facilitation Tip During this unit, help the students learn that they are talking to one another (not just to you) during class discussions by directing them to turn and look at the person who is about to speak. Ask speakers to wait until they have the class s attention before starting to speak, and model doing this yourself. If students are unable to hear the speaker, encourage them to take responsibility by asking the speaker to speak up. Repeating these techniques over the next couple of weeks will help the students learn to participate responsibly in class discussions. To see this Facilitation Tip in action, view Turning and Looking at the Speaker (AV15). WA3 b read 5 Visualize Ideas About Kindergarten Ask the students to close their eyes and quietly picture in their minds what they like to do in kindergarten. Then ask the questions that follow. Pause after each question (without discussing it) to give the students time to visualize. Save the model story on the writing/ drawing chart (WA3) to use on Day 3. The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 1 23
Q What are you doing that s fun? Q Where are you doing it? At your table? On the playground? Q Who are you with? Initially, some students may have difficulty visualizing. Having a few students share their mental pictures gives others concrete examples of visualizations. Have the students open their eyes. Ask one or two volunteers to share what they imagined. Explain that each student will pick one thing she likes about kindergarten and draw and write a story about it. Distribute sheets of writing/drawing paper; then have the students return to their seats and start writing. writing TiMe 6 Draw and Write Stories About Kindergarten Remind the students that they should work quietly, use soft indoor voices, and stay in their seats. Tell them that you will let them know when Writing Time is over. Provide additional paper and encourage students who finish early to add to their pictures, draw and write stories about something else they like to do in kindergarten, or draw and write about anything they choose. As the students write, walk around the room and observe them, assisting as needed. Support students who have difficulty starting to write by asking them questions to elicit their ideas, such as: Q What do we do in kindergarten that is fun? Q What do you like to do with your friends at school? Q What do you like to do in the morning? At recess? In the afternoon? Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over. Ask the students to quietly read aloud (or tell) their stories to themselves. Explain that reading their stories aloud will help them remember their stories when they write more about what they like to do in kindergarten tomorrow. Have the students put their stories in their writing folders. reflecting 7 Reflect on Listening to One Another Without mentioning any of the students names, briefly comment on good listening behavior you noticed today. you might say: When we talked about the story today, I noticed that many of you looked at the person who was talking. That shows that you were being a good listener. I also noticed that many people sat up straight and kept their hands in their laps. Sitting like that helps you be a good listener. 24 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
writing stories Day 2 in this lesson, the students: Visualize to get ideas about kindergarten Draw and write about something they like to do in kindergarten Use Writing Time responsibly GeTTinG ready TO write 1 Briefly Review I Love School! Gather the class with the students sitting, facing you. Show the cover of I Love School! and remind the students that they heard this story earlier. Review that the children in the story tell about the things they like to do at school. Page through the book, showing the illustrations, and ask: Materials I Love School! from Day 1 Writing/drawing chart (WA4) for modeling Class Assessment Record sheet (CA2) Q What do you remember about what the children like to do at school? Remind the students that yesterday they wrote their own stories about what they like to do in kindergarten. Explain that today they can write more about what they like to do in kindergarten, or write about anything else they choose. Later they will share their stories with the class. 2 Model Drawing and Writing a Story About Kindergarten Display the writing/drawing chart ( WA4). Ask the students to watch as you model drawing and writing another story about something you enjoy about kindergarten. Think aloud and model drawing a picture that tells your story, and then model using letters and words to help tell the story. If you feel the students are ready to begin writing, skip the modeling and go on to Step 3. you might say: One thing I like about kindergarten is painting with you. I ll draw a picture of me holding a paintbrush and standing next to a painting of a boat. I ll write the letter b for boat on my picture and write the word paint under my picture. The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 2 25
WA4 b paint 3 Visualize Ideas About Kindergarten Ask the students to close their eyes and quietly picture in their minds other things they like to do in kindergarten. Then ask the questions that follow. Pause after each question (without discussing it) to give the students time to visualize. Q What are you doing that s fun? Q Where are you doing it? At your table? On the rug? On the playground? Q Who are you with? Have the students open their eyes. Ask one or two volunteers to share what they imagined. Explain that today the students can draw and write stories about something else they like to do in kindergarten, or they can draw and write stories about anything they choose. Ask: Q What will you draw and write today? Have a few volunteers share with the class. Distribute sheets of writing/drawing paper; then have the students return to their seats and start writing. writing TiMe 4 Write More About Kindergarten Remind the students that they should work quietly, use soft indoor voices, and stay in their seats. Tell them that you will let them know when Writing Time is over. Provide additional paper and encourage students who finish early to add to their pictures, draw and write about something else they like about kindergarten, or draw and write about anything they choose. As the students work, walk around the room and observe them, assisting as needed. 26 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
class AssessMenT note Observe the students and ask yourself: Are the students approaching writing with confidence and enthusiasm? Can they choose an idea and begin? Do their drawings tell stories? Are they writing letters (or words)? Letter-like symbols that stand for writing? Support any student who has difficulty starting to write by asking him questions to elicit his ideas, such as: Q What do we do in kindergarten that is fun? Q What do you like to do with your friends at school? Q What do you like to do in the morning? At recess? In the afternoon? Record your observations on the Class Assessment Record sheet (CA2); see page 7 of the Assessment Resource Book. Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over. Ask the students to quietly read aloud (or tell) their stories to themselves. Explain that reading their stories aloud will help them remember their stories when they share them with the class tomorrow. Have the students put their stories in their folders. reflecting 5 Discuss Working Responsibly Remind the students that when they are working responsibly, they act in ways that help them learn and work well with their classmates. Without mentioning any of the students names, describe some responsible behaviors you noticed during Writing Time. you might say: I noticed some responsible behaviors during Writing Time. Some people raised their hands quietly when they had a question for me today. That s important because when you re quiet, you don t interrupt the other writers at the table. I also noticed that many of you stayed in your seats and talked to each other in quiet voices. Ask and briefly discuss: Q What was it like staying in your seat during Writing Time? Alternatively, you might collect the students stories about kindergarten for sharing on Day 3. We recommend that you describe behavior generally, rather than singling out students by name. By focusing on describing appropriate behavior, all students learn what it means to be responsible and develop the intrinsic motivation to act accordingly. students might say: I worked quietly and didn t talk to my neighbor. When I finished my story, I started writing another story. If there was a problem, discuss it and possible solutions. The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 2 27
you might say: I noticed that some people finished writing before others were done, and they didn t know what to do. A writer who finishes early can add to his or her drawing or get another piece of paper and begin a new story. Day 3 sharing as a community Materials Model story on the writing/ drawing chart (WA3) from Day 1 in this lesson, the students: Get to know one another Speak clearly Listen to one another Draw and write freely If you collected the students stories at the end of Day 2, begin the lesson with Step 2. You may want to have some students share their stories at another time during the day or on another day. GeTTinG ready TO share 1 Select a Story to Share Explain that today the students will share their stories with their classmates. Distribute the students folders and tell the students that they will quietly read the stories they wrote this week, and then choose one to share with the class. Give the students a few moments to read their stories to themselves and select one to share. When most students have made their selection, call for the students attention and collect their chosen stories. 2 Review the Procedures for Sharing Gather the class with the students sitting, facing you. Review that this week the students wrote stories about what they like to do in kindergarten. Explain that today some of them will share their stories with the class. Remind them that sharing their stories helps them get to know one another better and build their writing community. Remind the students that when they share, you want them to show their pictures and tell their stories in loud, clear voices. If necessary, use the model story on the writing/drawing chart ( WA3) from Day 1 to model how to share. Remind the students that it is important to be good listeners during sharing time. 28 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
sharing TiMe 3 Share Writing Take a story from the pile of stories you collected earlier, and invite the author to stand next to you to share the story. Facilitate a discussion after the student shares by asking: Q What did you hear [Andy] say that he likes about kindergarten? Follow this procedure to have a few more students share their writing. Facilitation Tip During Sharing Time, continue to prompt the students to turn and look at the person who is about to speak (for example, [Andy] is going to speak now. Let s all turn and look at him ). Scan the class to ensure that the students are looking at the person who is speaking. If necessary, interrupt the discussion to remind them of your expectations. reflecting 4 Reflect on Sharing Help the students reflect on how they did during Sharing Time by asking: Q Could you hear people today when they shared their stories? If not, what can we do next time so people can hear us when we share? Q What did you do to be a good listener today? Tell the students that they will have many opportunities to share their writing with one another this year. Explain that students who did not share today will have a chance to share at another time. Free writing TiMe 5 Draw and Write Freely Tell the students that they can now draw and write freely. Explain that they may write stories about something else they like to do in kindergarten, or they may write about anything they choose. Briefly think aloud about some stories you could write today. you might say: I could write a story about Sergeant Kelso s visit to our class to talk about being a police officer. That was exciting. I could also write a story about what we did today in class or what I did last night at home. Ask and briefly discuss: Q What do you want to write about today? Have a few volunteers share their ideas. Distribute sheets of writing/drawing paper, and then have the students return to their seats and start writing. As the students work, walk around the room and observe them, assisting as needed. Signal to let the students know when Free Writing Time is over. Have the students put their stories in their folders. For each unit, you might collect 3 4 pieces of writing from each student to include in an individual writing assessment folder. Be sure to collect one piece from the beginning and one from the end of the unit. You can refer to the writing in the folder when analyzing your students writing development at the end of each unit. For more information, see Individual Writing Assessment on page vii of the Assessment Resource Book. The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 3 29
extension Make a We Like Kindergarten Class Book Compile the students stories into a class book called We Like Kindergarten. Read the book aloud to the class, and then place it in the classroom library. Alternatively, you can save each student s stories from this unit and staple them into a book for her to take home at the end of the unit. Open Days writing Throughout the week Write About What the Students Like to Do After School Give the students the opportunity to think and write about things they like to do after school (or at home). If it is helpful, model drawing and writing a story about something you like to do after school or at home, using the same procedure you used in Day 1 (see Step 4 on page 23). Facilitate a brief discussion by asking questions such as: Q What is something you like to do after school? Q Where are you doing it? At home? At the park? Q What is something you like to do at home? Q Who do you [play games] with? Write About Things the Students Love Support the students as they write by asking them to consider the sounds they hear in the words, capitalization, letter formation, spacing between words, and ending punctuation. If a student makes a mistake with a previously taught concept, simply erase the mistake (or cover it with correction tape or a self-stick note) and help her make the correction. Show the cover of I Love School! and remind the students that the children in the book love school. Ask the students to think about things they love, and have a few students share their thinking with the class. Pick one idea to develop into a sentence that you will write together. you might say: I heard [Eric] say that he loves his family. What can we write about that? Help the students construct a sentence (for example, Eric loves his family.), and then invite a few students to take the pen and help you write the individual letters (or words) in the sentence. Reread your sentence as a class, revising as necessary. 30 Being a Writer Teacher s Manual, Grade K
Have the students write and illustrate their own sentences about things they love, and then compile them into a class book titled Things We Love. Share Writing and Write Freely Repeat the procedures in Day 3 to allow time for more students to share their writing with the class and to provide an opportunity for the students to write freely about anything they wish. At this point in the year students may not be able to write a sentence on their own, and that is to be expected. Support struggling students by writing the sentence starter I love on a self-stick note, and then have the student copy the words onto his paper. Follow up by asking questions like those that follow, encouraging students to write letters and words as they are able. Q What are some things you love? Q Who do you love? Q Why do you love [your stuffed bear]? The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Open Days 31