• * Narrative Writing - Revising a Story & Editing a Story

     Read the first sentence aloud. I saw a dog. Tell children that this sentence is a story idea. Explain that they can revise the sentence to make it better. Guide children to add or change words, then rewrite the full sentence.

    * Narrative Writing - Story Sentences - Drafting a Story

     First, ______. Next, ______. Last, ______. Have children think of three things they did after they woke up this morning, such as eating breakfast, getting dressed, and completing chores. Have children order the events with the prompts above.

    * Narrative Writing - Story Sentences - Organizing a Story

     Read the two sentences aloud: A bird was in the tree. Then the bird flew away. Tell children that these sentences are part of a story. Point out that a middle sentence is missing from the story. Ask children to write an appropriate middle sentence.

    * Narrative Writing - Story Sentences - Writing a Strong Ending
     Explain that stories also need strong endings too! Tell children that most stories have a problem and that the ending often tells how the characters solve the problem. Be sure that children’s endings provide a solution to the problem in their story.
     
    * Narrative Writing - Story Sentences - Writing a Great Beginning
     Write an interesting beginning to a story. Have the child write the first sentence or two of a story. Remind them that the story beginning should "grab" the reader, or make the reader want to keep reading to see what happens next.
     
    * Narrative Writing - Story Sentences - Reacting to Events
     Ask children to think about something interesting that happened to them in the last few days and to draw a picture of that event. Then have children write words or phrases to tell how the event made them feel. e.g. I feel scared/excited about that...
     
    * Narrative Writing - Draft Story Sentences
     Ask children to think of something fun they would like to do. Have them draw a picture of themselves engaged in this activity. Have them write a sentence about the picture, using an exact verb (e.g. jumping, running, climbing, kicked, threw, etc.)
     
    * Informative Writing - Choosing Descriptive Words & Revising a Description
     Ask children to draw a picture of an animal they like. Have them revise the sentence: My animal has legs. Their new sentence should use describing words.   For example, an elephant has thick legs and a short tail.
     
    * Informative Writing - Captions & Descriptions
     Have children draw a color picture that shows themselves with a favorite toy, book, or other object. Have them write a captioned sentence underneath their image that includes color and shape words. For example: This round coin is the color brown.
     
    * Informative Writing - Descriptive Sentences - Sensory Details
     Ask children to choose an object, draw it, and write its name. Have them write a description of the object in sentence format, using words that describe the way it looks and feels. Children can add how the object sounds or how it smells, if appropriate.
     
    * Narrative Writing - Captions & Story Sentences
     Have children draw a picture of themselves taking part in a favorite activity. Have the child talk about what is happening in the picture. Make sure the child is describing the action. Guide them to write a short sentence as a caption for the picture.
     
    * Narrative Writing - Names & Labels
    Have children draw a picture of themselves and two other people. Help children identify the first letter of first names. Guide them to remind you that the first letter must be a capital. Offer help with labeling and spelling as needed.