First Grade Writing Lesson #1/ Narrative Prompt

Summary

Students will write a descriptive paragraph about a friend.

Materials

Teacher Materials:

• Selected books about friends
• Chart paper
• Water-based marker

Student Materials:

• Writing Paper
• Pencil

Instructional Procedures

Session 1

1. Guide students through a think-aloud about a best friend. Describe the friend, tell experiences with the friend, and why the friend is important.
2. Read students a book about friends (for example: Best Friends by Steven Kellogg or Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox).
3. Identify one of the characters from the book, and lead a discussion where the character is described. Use questioning to elicit specific qualities about the character.

Session 2

1. Review the activity from the previous session.
2. With help from the students, model writing a descriptive paragraph about the character from the book. Use chart paper and write in large print. Model the kinds of thinking that go into decisions about what to write, how to spell, and how to punctuate and capitalize.
3. Read the completed text to the students.
4. Ask student to think of a friend they would like to write about. Ask a few students to describe their friend. Then ask all students to describe their friend to a partner. Have the students write the name of the friend on a piece of writing paper. Collect papers for the next day.

Session 3

1. Review the previous day's discussion. Distribute papers with the friends' names. Have the students read the name and recall details about the friend they will write about.
2. Model for the students again, by describing your friend. Tell three details about the friend (for example: "Sandy has green eyes, she has a dog named Sam, and she is good at singing").
3. Read the prompt to students.
4. Give students time to write. Circulate and conference.

Writing Prompt:

Think about a special friend you have. Write to tell me at least three things about this friend.

EXEMPLARY

Exemplary Example (pdf)

IDEAS AND CONTENT:

• The sentences embellish and expand on the topic.
• The topic includes several details.
• Writing has clarity and focus.

ORGANIZATION:

• The writing is tailored to the audience.
• One idea leads to the next.
• The ideas are organized, with elaboration.

VOICE:

• The writing shows the writer's relationship with his friend.

WORD CHOICE:

• The writer uses nouns and verbs correctly.
• The paper includes striking words and phrases: "Antonio has great ideas and he shares ideas with me."

SENTENCE FLUENCY:

• Rhythm and cadence in the writing is evident.
• One sentence leads to the next.
• Writer uses multiple sentence lengths with varied beginnings.

CONVENTIONS:

• Most high frequency words are spelled correctly.
• Capitalization and punctuation are generally correct.
• Some words are phonetically correct with readable spelling: grat, tells.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

• Work on beginning capitalization.
• Encourage revision to add details.
• Work on legibility and spacing between words.

AVERAGE

Average Example (pdf)

IDEAS AND CONTENT:

• The paper includes five ideas and elaborates on only one.
• The writing shows clarity and focus.

ORGANIZATION:

• The writing includes one main topic.
• The writer uses connecting words.

VOICE:

• The writing shows beginning use of voice.

WORD CHOICE:

• The words are appropriate for the writing.

SENTENCE FLUENCY:

• The subject-and-verb pattern in sentences is well established.

CONVENTIONS:

• All high frequency words are spelled correctly.
• Some periods are used in appropriate places.

WHAT TO DO NEXT WITH THIS STUDENT:

• Work on beginning capitalization.
• Encourage risk taking with sentence variety and word choice.
• Encourage revision by adding more details.
• Use read-alouds to identify the use of voice, and connect use of voice to student writing.
• Encourage the child to reread the final piece for clarity.