Kindergarten Writing Workshop Lessons (1-3)
Purpose: Labeling stories
Materials:
Chart of the Writing Workshop chant
Chart Paper
Markers
Stickers – rectangle shaped (file folder size for students, larger size for anchor chart)
Paper for student drawings or Writing Journals
Standards:
ELAKW1 The student begins to understand the principles of writing.
ELAKW2 The student begins to write in a variety of genres.
ELAKLSV1 The student uses oral and visual skills to communicate.
ELAKR6 The student gains meaning from orally presented text.
Intended Learning Statement:
Today we are learning a way to help us be better writers. We will be using letters and sounds to help us write labels for our drawings. Authors and illustrators use labels to tell their readers what something is.
Connecting to Background Knowledge/Previous Lesson:
Review the Writing Workshop chart and chant for students to recall what Writing Workshop looks like.
Following the first day, review the anchor chart drawing each day.
Book Selection to link the literature and build background knowledge:
Day 1 – Color Farm by Lois Ehlert
Day 2 – Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert – bring in fruits and vegetables to show students
Day 3 – Cassie’s Word Quilt by Faith Ringgold – bring in a quilt to show students what one looks like, feels like, etc.
Modeling/Active Involvement:
Read the selected book each day. The books listed above start simple and progress to more detailed. Point to and discuss objects labeled in the books. On Day 3, have students come up and identify a label on the two page drawings in Cassie’s Word Quilt. Use chart paper to draw a person and a few objects. Have students help sound out words to write on stickers. Model writing words on the labels and apply to anchor chart. Each day model adding details (draw more objects) to the anchor chart and continue to model labeling with stickers.
Each day have students turn and tell their neighbor one thing they will label in their story that day. When students go to write, remind them to add labels to their story using letters and sounds.
Work Period:
Send students to designated writing area. Students will draw and add details to their drawings. Students will use stickers to label drawings using letters and sounds to form words.
Share Time:
Students will share drawing/labels/writing with the class. Teachers could use a management tool to keep up with who has shared. Work can be displayed on bulletin boards.
Notes:
Other suggested books:
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
Of Colors and Things by Tana Hoban
Richard Scarry’s Best Word Book Every by Richard Scarry
Nonfiction suggested books:
Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert
The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons
Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons
Resources:
Amy Durrence, Literacy Coach at Chicopee Woods Elementary
Mrs. Meacham’s Classroom Snapshots, Jessica Meacham,
Talking, Drawing, Writing by Martha Horn and Mary Ellen Giacobbe
What’s Next for this Beginning Writer? By Janine Reid and Betty Schultze
Nonfiction Craft Lessons by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher
C. Strickland 09