Kindergarten Writing Lesson
Lesson Theme: Getting Started With Writing(Week 1: August 25 – 29, 2014)
Writing Objectives: Students will learn about the journals, writing tools, routines and writers grip and posture.Standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills):
K.13A plan a first draft by generating ideas for writing through class discussion
K.13B develop drafts by sequencing the action or details in the story
K.13C revise drafts by adding details or sentences
K.13D edit drafts by leaving spaces between letters and words
K.13E share writing with others
K.14A dictate or write sentences to tell a story and put the sentences in chronological sequence
K.14B write short poems
K.15 Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Students are expected to dictate or write information for lists, captions, or invitations.
K.16A understand and use the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking (with adult assistance):
(i) past and future tenses when speaking
(ii) nouns (singular/plural)
(iii) descriptive words
(iv) prepositions and simple prepositional phrases appropriately when speaking or writing (e.g., in, on, under, over)
(v) pronouns (e.g., I, me)
K.16B speak in complete sentences to communicate
K.16C use complete simple sentences
K.17A form upper- and lower-case letters legibly using the basic conventions of print (left-to-right and top-to-bottom progression)
K.17B capitalize the first letter in a sentence
K.17C use punctuation at the end of a sentence
K.18A use phonological knowledge to match sounds to letters
K.18B use letter-sound correspondences to spell consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words (e.g., "cut")
K.18C write one's own name
K.19A ask questions about topics of class-wide interest
K.19B decide what sources or people in the classroom, school, library, or home can answer these questions
K.20A gather evidence from provided text sources
K.20B use pictures in conjunction with writing when documenting research
Enduring Understanding:
- Students will build routines for their writing.
- Students will understand how to properly hold their writing utensil.
- Students will know how use a variety of writing utensils.
- Students will understand the purpose and value of writing.
- Why are routines important?
- Why does pencil grip and posture matter when writing?
- Why do I need to do my best work?
- Why is sharing my story with others important?
Vocabulary
writer, pencil, marker, crayon, journal, posture, pencil grip, writing tools, routines
Introduction to Writing Routines
*Shared and interactive writing should be incorporated throughout the day in addition to the independent Writer’s Workshop.
Materials and Resources
Books:
This is the Place for Me by Joanna Cole, Owl At Home by Arnold Lobel, A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle, A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman
Materials:
Three to five page booklet for each student
Writing utensils that will be available to the students
Practice Pages for pencil grip (see below)
Anchor Charts – Created with Students
Writer’s Lessons
When modeling writing, remind children about conventions of writing: capital letters at the beginning of a sentence, spaces between words, period at the end of the sentence. You may refer to Jessica Meacham for specific lessons or Lucy Calkinsbooks.
Lesson 1: Introduce writers tools and location of tools and pencil grip is observed by teacher
- Book: Choose a book from the Materials and Resources section above or from your own library.
- Mini lesson: Introduce the various writing tools that will be available in your classroom. Go over expectations of each tool,such as, where to write, how to close the markers (listen for the click), what to do if a mark gets on the table, where to get a new pencil, where to get extra supplies, etc.
- Model your thinking: “I am going to choose a utensil to write with. I will first choose a….” Teacher will show students how to use each utensil.
- Student will have the opportunity to practice writing or drawing with each utensil in a short first week booklet or on a sheet of paper.
- Visit for ways to teach and use proper pencil grip before starting your lesson.
- Mini Lesson: Good writers use a proper pencil grip to write comfortably. When we write we use three fingers to help support the pencil or writing utensil.
- Model Your Thinking: “When I hold my pencil, I pinch the base of the pencil with my thumb on one side and my pointer and middle finger on the other side. Let’s all practice holding our pencil now.”
- Teacher will walk around and assist students who may need additional support in holding their pencil.
- Print Using their proper pencil grip students will practice controling their pencils while making various marks to complete the picture.
- Book: Choose a book from the Materials and Resources section above or from your own library.
- Mini Lesson: Review what you have learned from the last two lessons about writer’s tools. Before giving the booklets to the students, discuss the importance of their own book and that this is their very first book in Kindergarten. Demonstrate writing in your own book.
- Model Your Thinking: “In the previous lesson we learned how to hold a pencil and how to use other writing tools. Today we will begin writing our first book using these tools. We will practice using proper pencil grip while drawing and writing in your book.” Student will choose what they would like to write about. Teachers can encourage students to label their drawings.
- Sharing: select 2-3 students to share their writing in front of the class. The audience’s job is to listen quietly. Teacher models questioning during this time.
** Attached: Writing Stages Chart **
Stages of Writing
Your child went through several necessary stages in the development of oral language:cooing, babbling, and playing with sounds. Similarly, written language development follows predictable stages. These are the stages your child will probably go through as he or she becomes a competent writer./ Level 1: Emerging/Scribble
This is the beginning level at which your child scribbles. You may not be able to tell what the picture is about, but it's important to praise your child's beginning drawing.
/ Level 2: Pictorial
At this level, your child begins to draw a somewhat recognizable picture and may tell about it. He or she may also imitate writing.
/ Level 3: Pre-Communicative
Your child may now be printing his or her own name or an occasional known word and may be writing strings of letter like forms or a series of random letters. Sometimes he or she may attempt to read the message back, but you probably can't read it.
/ Level 4: Semi-phonetic
At this level, your child begins to use some letters to match sounds, often using one beginning letter to write a word. He or she usually writes from left to right but may reverse some letters.
/ Level 5: Phonetic
Now your child writes most words using beginning and ending consonant sounds and spells some frequently used words correctly. He or she may begin to add vowel sounds, but they are often not the correct ones. At this level, your child may begin to leave spaces between words. It's getting easier to read your child's writing.
/ Level 6: Transitional
At this level, your child is writing words the way they sound, representing most syllables in words. He or she may sometimes be adding an extra silent e at the end of a word or doubling letters when they're not needed while trying visually to remember how spelling works. Now your child usually leaves spaces between words and is spelling many words correctly as he or she writes more than one sentence.
/ Level 7: Conventional
At this level, your child spells most words correctly, although he or she may use phonics-based spelling for advanced words. Remember, we can only expect children to correctly spell words they have already learned! Now your child is usually using capital and lowercase letters and periods and question marks correctly.
/ Level 8: Traditional
Advanced writers use a rich, varied body of written vocabulary. They may still use phonics-based spelling for advanced words, but have mastered the spelling of commonly used words. At this level, your child uses quotation marks, commas, and apostrophes correctly and usually organizes writing into appropriate paragraphs.
Resource:
Austin ISD K Department, 2014/ 2015 Page 1