Launching Writer’s Workshop in Kinder and First Grade- Narrative Mini-lesson

Summary

A teacher engages first-grade students in a creative writing activity, encouraging them to become 'writers.' She introduces the concept of being both an author and illustrator, using examples like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and 'Llama Llama Red Pajama.' The teacher demonstrates storytelling by sharing a personal story about visiting a park, teaching students to think, tell, draw, and write their stories. The class is then encouraged to brainstorm their own story ideas, share them with partners, and prepare to write. The activity fosters imagination and excitement for creative expression.

Takeaways

• 😀 The teacher introduces herself and praises the first graders for their enthusiasm for reading, writing, and math.
• 📚 The teacher shows excitement about engaging the students in a special new activity centered around books and stories.
• 🎨 She presents three books: 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle, 'No, David!' by David Shannon, and 'Llama Llama Red Pajama' by Anna Dewdney, highlighting that these authors are also illustrators.
• 📝 The students are now called 'writers' and will create their own stories like the authors they've discussed.
• 🌍 The teacher encourages the students to write stories about their lives and share them with the world, including their families, friends, and teachers.
• 🖼️ She explains the writing process, starting with thinking of a story, telling it, drawing, and then writing it.
• 🏞️ The teacher shares examples of places she loves, such as the playground, beach, and zoo, to inspire the students' story ideas.
• 😄 She demonstrates how to think of a story (her visit to the playground), tell it using her fingers, and then draw and write it.
• 🤔 The students are prompted to close their eyes, think of a place they love, and tell their story to a partner using the steps taught.
• ✍️ The teacher emphasizes the process of catching an idea, telling it across their fingers, drawing, and writing, and encourages the students to start their own writing journey.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the teacher's visit to the classroom?

The teacher visits the classroom to introduce a fun and engaging activity where first graders will become 'writers' and create their own stories, just like famous authors and illustrators.

Why does the teacher refer to the students as 'writers'?

The teacher refers to the students as 'writers' to inspire them and make them feel empowered to create their own stories, just like real authors and illustrators.

What are the three books mentioned by the teacher, and who are their authors?

The three books mentioned are 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle, 'No, David!' by David Shannon, and 'Llama Llama Red Pajama' by Anna Dewdney.

What does the teacher suggest the students will write about in their stories?

The teacher suggests that students will write stories about themselves, including places they love, people they care about, and activities they enjoy.

How does the teacher model the story-writing process for the students?

The teacher models the process by thinking of a story, telling it using her fingers to organize the events, and then drawing and writing parts of the story, starting with a visit to the playground.

What technique does the teacher introduce for helping students organize their stories?

The teacher introduces a technique where students think about their story, tell it across their fingers (each finger representing a part of the story), and then draw and write it.

What example does the teacher use when telling her own story?

The teacher uses an example of going to the park with her family, being afraid to go down a big slide, and then bravely deciding to try it, which turned out to be fun.

What visuals does the teacher use to help students generate story ideas?

The teacher uses pictures of places she loves, such as the playground, the beach, and the zoo, to help the students think of places they love and generate ideas for their stories.

How are the students encouraged to begin their own story-writing process?

The students are encouraged to close their eyes, think of a place they love, 'catch' their story idea, and then tell it to a partner before drawing and writing it.

How does the teacher incorporate collaboration into the activity?

The teacher asks students to turn to a partner and take turns sharing their stories aloud, encouraging collaboration and the exchange of ideas.