Kindergarten Writing Lesson #1 / Narrative Prompt

Summary

Students will write to describe a summer activity.

Materials

Teacher Materials:

• Picture book about the seasons
• Bag with summer objects (swimsuit, sunglasses, sprinkler head, sunblock, toy car, etc.)

Student Materials:

• Writing paper
• Pencil

Instructional Procedures

Session 1

1. Read a book about the seasons (for example: Caps, Hats, Socks; Mittens; Changing Seasons; or The Apple Pie Tree).
2. Discuss what summer is like and how it is different from other seasons.

Session 2

1. Have a bag with summer-related items inside (sunglasses, a swimming suit, a sprinkler head, etc.). Have students take turns taking out one item at a time. Discuss how each item might be used in the summer.
2. Read the prompt. Allow students sufficient time to write.

Writing Prompt: Write to tell about one of your favorite things to do in the summer.

EXEMPLARY

Exemplary Example (pdf)

IDEAS AND CONTENT:

• The writing contains sentences that embellish and expand.
• Student includes a topic and several details.
• The writing shows clarity and focus.

ORGANIZATION:

• The writing is balanced on the page.
• Ideas are grouped together.

VOICE:

• The writing shows personality through the choice of activities the student chooses to write about.

WORD CHOICE:

• The writer "stretches" to use new and precise words: train, roller coaster, sky ride, airplanes, grandma, grandpa, Lagoon.

SENTENCE FLUENCY:

• The writer experiments with longer sentences by stringing words together.

CONVENTIONS:

• All high frequency words are spelled correctly.
• Student correctly capitalizes names and the beginning word in a sentence.
• Some words are spelled phonetically but are easily read.

WHAT TO DO NEXT WITH THIS STUDENT:

• Model punctuation and capitalization through interactive writing.
• Encourage student to expand ideas to make the story more interesting.
• Encourage the use of a story title.

AVERAGE

Average Example (pdf)

IDEAS AND CONTENT:

• The paper includes two sentences that expand on the topic.
• The writing shows clarity and focus on the topic.

ORGANIZATION:

• The writing is balanced on the page.
• There is evidence of revision. The student erased "go" and wrote "put" and changed "city" to "water."

VOICE:

• Shows emerging personality in writing.

WORD CHOICE:

• The student "stretches" to use new/precise words, such as sun screen, park, swimming, and water.

SENTENCE FLUENCY:

• The student uses more complex sentence structures, rather than just repeating, "I like."

CONVENTIONS:

• High frequency words are spelled correctly.
• The punctuation is correct.
• The student capitalizes "I."
• Some words are spelled phonetically but are readable (pork for park, wont for won't).
• The paper shows directionality, and the writer spaces between words.

WHAT TO DO NEXT WITH THIS STUDENT:

• Model capitalization and the proper use of lines through interactive writing.
• Encourage the child to reread the final piece for clarity.