sample lesson

Teachers Manual | Volume 1

DSC Collaborative Literacy

Being a Writer SECOND EDITION

K
GRADE

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Explore the new digital resources!
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 Week 2 Overview

I Love School!
by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Shari Halpern
Kindergartners tell about an exciting day at school.*
*This book is also used in Unit 6, Week 2.

Beginning-of-year Considerations
As discussed in About Emergent Writing in Kindergarten (see page8), formal
writing instruction with letters, words, and, eventually, sentences begins in Unit 2 and
continues throughout the year. In Unit 1, however, the focus is simply on telling stories
through drawing and exploring the idea that marks on a pagecommunicate meaning.
The students build oral language as a foundation for writing by talking about their
ideas for stories and by reading or telling the stories they have drawn. Regardless
of the students current skill levels, these experiences lay the groundwork for the
writing instruction that follows. Meanwhile, you have the opportunity in Unit 1 to
observe the students, get to know them, and assess where they are in their language
development.

Online Resources
Visit the DSC Learning Hub ([Link]) to find your online resources for this week.
whiteboard Activities
WA3WA4

Assessment Form
Class Assessment Record sheet(CA2)

Professional Development Media

Turning and Looking at the Speaker(AV15)

20 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 TeAcher As wriTer
writing Focus
An experience isnt finished
Students hear and discuss good writing. until its written.
Students draw and write about what they like about kindergarten.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Students draw and write freely about things they are interested in.

In your writing notebook, start

social Development Focus a section titled Writing Ideas.
Jot down hobbies, interests,
Teacher and students build the writing community. and important people and
Students practice procedures for working together.
experiences you might want to
Students listen respectfully to the thinking of others and share write about. Consider:
their own. What do you do really well?
Students work in a responsible way. What are your fondest
memories?
Who are the most important
DO AheAD people in your life? Why are
they important?
As you are planning for this weeks lessons, see the Writing
Throughout the Week ideas on pages3031 and determine which
activities, if any, you will do this week.

Prior to Day 1, consider previewing this weeks read-aloud selection,

I Love School!, with your English Language Learners before you
read it to the whole class. You might read it aloud while showing
and discussing the illustrations, or have the students flip through
it on their own. (You might also review the book for any difficult
vocabulary; see Suggested Vocabulary on page22.)

Prior to Day 2, make a copy of the Class Assessment Record

sheet(CA2) on page7 of the Assessment Resource Book.

(Optional) Plan a time during the first month of school to obtain

a beginning-of-year writing sample from your students. For more
information on how to obtain this writing sample, see Beginning-
and End-of-year Writing Samples on pageix of the Assessment
Resource Book.

The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 21

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 Day 1 Getting ideas and writing stories

Materials in this lesson, the students:

I Love School! Gather in a responsible way
Writing/drawing chart(WA3) for Hear and discuss a story
modeling Generate and visualize ideas about kindergarten
Listen to one another
Draw and write about something they like to do in kindergarten

GeTTinG reADy TO wriTe

1 Gather and Get Ready to Listen
Briefly review the procedure for gathering for a read-aloud and your
expectations for the way the students will move. Then gather the class
with the students sitting, facing you. Review that last week the students
heard two poems, Just Watch and Somersaults, and then wrote and
drew stories about things they can do. Explain that this week they will
hear a story about kindergarten and write stories about kindergarten.
Ask and briefly discuss:
Q What will you do to show you are listening as we talk about the
story today?
If necessary, stimulate the students thinking by asking follow-up
questions such as:
Q How will you sit?
Q What will you do with your hands? Your eyes?

2 Read I Love School! Aloud

Show the cover of I Love School! and read the title and authors name
aloud. Read the story aloud slowly and clearly, showing the pictures as
you read. Clarify each suggested vocabulary word as you encounter it in
the text by reading the word, briefly defining it, rereading it in context,
and continuing (for example, Lets watch Harvey Rabbit munch
munch means eatLets watch Harvey Rabbit munch ).

suggested vocabulary
munch: eat (p. 16)
trade: give one thing for another (p. 18)
sailors: people who work on boats (p. 20)

22 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 3 Discuss the Book and Generate Writing Ideas
Facilitate a class discussion using the questions that follow. Be ready
to show and reread pagesto help the students remember what they
heard. Encourage the students to listen responsibly to the discussion by
turning to look at the person who is speaking (for example, you might
say, [Shawn] is going to speak now. Lets all turn and look at him). Facilitation Tip
Q What do these children like to do at school? During this unit, help the students learn
that they are talking to one another (not
Q Do you like to do any of the same things that these children do? just to you) during class discussions
Which things? by directing them to turn and look
Explain that today the students will write stories about something they at the person who is about to speak.
Ask speakers to wait until they have
like to do in kindergarten.
the classs attention before starting to
speak, and model doing this yourself. If
4 Model Drawing and Writing a Story About students are unable to hear the speaker,
encourage them to take responsibility
Kindergarten by asking the speaker to speak up.
Display the writing/drawing chart ( WA3). Ask the students to watch Repeating these techniques over the
as you model writing and drawing a story about something you enjoy next couple of weeks will help the
about kindergarten. Think aloud and model drawing a picture that tells students learn to participate responsibly
your story, and then model some ways to use letters and words to help in class discussions.
tell the story. To see this Facilitation
Tip in action, view
you might say: Turning and Looking
One thing I like about kindergarten is reading stories with you and at the Speaker(AV15).
talking about them. Ill draw a picture of me sitting in my chair holding
a book. Ill write the letter b for book on my picture and write the word
read under my picture.

WA3

read

Teacher note
Save the model story on the writing/
5 Visualize Ideas About Kindergarten drawing chart(WA3) to use on Day 3.
Ask the students to close their eyes and quietly picture in their minds
what they like to do in kindergarten. Then ask the questions that follow.
Pause after each question (without discussing it) to give the students
time to visualize.

The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 1 23

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 Q What are you doing thats fun?
Q Where are you doing it? At your table? On the playground?
Q Who are you with?
Have the students open their eyes. Ask one or two volunteers to share
Teacher note what they imagined.
Initially, some students may have Explain that each student will pick one thing she likes about
difficulty visualizing. Having a few kindergarten and draw and write a story about it. Distribute sheets of
students share their mental pictures
writing/drawing paper; then have the students return to their seats and
gives others concrete examples of
start writing.
visualizations.

wriTinG TiMe
6 Draw and Write Stories About Kindergarten
Remind the students that they should work quietly, use soft indoor
voices, and stay in their seats. Tell them that you will let them know when
Writing Time is over. Provide additional paper and encourage students
who finish early to add to their pictures, draw and write stories about
something else they like to do in kindergarten, or draw and write about
anything they choose.
As the students write, walk around the room and observe them,
assisting as needed. Support students who have difficulty starting to
write by asking them questions to elicit their ideas, such as:
Q What do we do in kindergarten that is fun?
Q What do you like to do with your friends at school?
Q What do you like to do in the morning? At recess? In the afternoon?
Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over. Ask the
students to quietly read aloud (or tell) their stories to themselves.
Explain that reading their stories aloud will help them remember their
stories when they write more about what they like to do in kindergarten
tomorrow. Have the students put their stories in their writing folders.

reFlecTinG
7 Reflect on Listening to One Another
Without mentioning any of the students names, briefly comment on
good listening behavior you noticed today.
you might say:
When we talked about the story today, I noticed that many of you
looked at the person who was talking. That shows that you were
being a good listener. I also noticed that many people sat up straight
and kept their hands in their laps. Sitting like that helps you be a good
listener.

24 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 writing stories Day 2
in this lesson, the students: Materials
Visualize to get ideas about kindergarten I Love School! from Day 1
Draw and write about something they like to do in kindergarten Writing/drawing chart(WA4) for
Use Writing Time responsibly modeling
Class Assessment Record
sheet(CA2)
GeTTinG reADy TO wriTe
1 Briefly Review I Love School!
Gather the class with the students sitting, facing you. Show the cover of
I Love School! and remind the students that they heard this story earlier.
Review that the children in the story tell about the things they like to do
at school. Pagethrough the book, showing the illustrations, and ask:
Q What do you remember about what the children like to do at school?
Remind the students that yesterday they wrote their own stories
about what they like to do in kindergarten. Explain that today they
can write more about what they like to do in kindergarten, or write
about anything else they choose. Later they will share their stories
with the class.

2 Model Drawing and Writing a Story About

Kindergarten Teacher note
If you feel the students are ready to
Display the writing/drawing chart ( WA4). Ask the students to watch
begin writing, skip the modeling and
as you model drawing and writing another story about something you
go on to Step 3.
enjoy about kindergarten. Think aloud and model drawing a picture
that tells your story, and then model using letters and words to help
tell the story.
you might say:
One thing I like about kindergarten is painting with you. Ill draw a
picture of me holding a paintbrush and standing next to a painting of
a boat. Ill write the letter b for boat on my picture and write the word
paint under my picture.

The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 2 25

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 WA4

paint

3 Visualize Ideas About Kindergarten

Ask the students to close their eyes and quietly picture in their minds
other things they like to do in kindergarten. Then ask the questions
that follow. Pause after each question (without discussing it) to give the
students time to visualize.
Q What are you doing thats fun?
Q Where are you doing it? At your table? On the rug? On the playground?
Q Who are you with?
Have the students open their eyes. Ask one or two volunteers to share
what they imagined.
Explain that today the students can draw and write stories about
something else they like to do in kindergarten, or they can draw and
write stories about anything they choose. Ask:
Q What will you draw and write today?
Have a few volunteers share with the class. Distribute sheets of
writing/drawing paper; then have the students return to their seats
and start writing.

wriTinG TiMe
4 Write More About Kindergarten
Remind the students that they should work quietly, use soft indoor
voices, and stay in their seats. Tell them that you will let them know
when Writing Time is over. Provide additional paper and encourage
students who finish early to add to their pictures, draw and write about
something else they like about kindergarten, or draw and write about
anything they choose.
As the students work, walk around the room and observe them, assisting
as needed.

26 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 c lA ss A ssessM enT n OTe
Observe the students and ask yourself:
Are the students approaching writing with confidence and enthusiasm?

Can they choose an idea and begin?

Do their drawings tell stories?

Are they writing letters (or words)? Letter-like symbols that stand for

writing?

Support any student who has difficulty starting to write by asking him
questions to elicit his ideas, such as:

Q What do we do in kindergarten that is fun?

Q What do you like to do with your friends at school?
Q What do you like to do in the morning? At recess? In the afternoon?
Record your observations on the Class Assessment Record sheet(CA2);
see page7 of the Assessment Resource Book.

Signal to let the students know when Writing Time is over. Ask the
students to quietly read aloud (or tell) their stories to themselves.
Explain that reading their stories aloud will help them remember
their stories when they share them with the class tomorrow. Have the
students put their stories in their folders. Teacher note
Alternatively, you might collect the
students stories about kindergarten
reFlecTinG for sharing on Day 3.

5 Discuss Working Responsibly

Remind the students that when they are working responsibly, they act in
ways that help them learn and work well with their classmates. Without
mentioning any of the students names, describe some responsible
behaviors you noticed during Writing Time. Teacher note
We recommend that you describe
you might say:
behavior generally, rather than singling
I noticed some responsible behaviors during Writing Time. Some out students by name. By focusing on
people raised their hands quietly when they had a question for describing appropriate behavior, all
me today. Thats important because when youre quiet, you dont students learn what it means to be
interrupt the other writers at the table. I also noticed that many of you responsible and develop the intrinsic
stayed in your seats and talked to each other in quiet voices. motivation to act accordingly.
Ask and briefly discuss:
Q What was it like staying in your seat during Writing Time?

students might say:

I worked quietly and didnt talk to my neighbor.
When I finished my story, I started writing another story.

If there was a problem, discuss it and possible solutions.

The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Day 2 27

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 you might say:
I noticed that some people finished writing before others were
done, and they didnt know what to do. A writer who finishes early
can add to his or her drawing or get another piece of paper and
begin a new story.

Day 3 sharing as a community

Materials in this lesson, the students:

Model story on the writing/ Get to know one another
drawing chart(WA3) from Day 1 Speak clearly
Listen to one another
Draw and write freely

GeTTinG reADy TO shAre

Teacher note 1 Select a Story to Share
If you collected the students stories at Explain that today the students will share their stories with their
the end of Day 2, begin the lesson with
classmates. Distribute the students folders and tell the students that
Step 2.
they will quietly read the stories they wrote this week, and then choose
one to share with the class. Give the students a few moments to read
their stories to themselves and select one to share. When most students
have made their selection, call for the students attention and collect
their chosen stories.

2 Review the Procedures for Sharing

Gather the class with the students sitting, facing you. Review that
this week the students wrote stories about what they like to do in
kindergarten. Explain that today some of them will share their stories
Teacher note with the class. Remind them that sharing their stories helps them get to
You may want to have some students know one another better and build their writing community.
share their stories at another time during Remind the students that when they share, you want them to show
the day or on another day.
their pictures and tell their stories in loud, clear voices. If necessary, use
the model story on the writing/drawing chart ( WA3) from Day 1 to
model how to share.
Remind the students that it is important to be good listeners during
sharing time.

28 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 shArinG TiMe Facilitation Tip
During Sharing Time, continue to prompt
3 Share Writing the students to turn and look at the
Take a story from the pile of stories you collected earlier, and invite the person who is about to speak (for
author to stand next to you to share the story. Facilitate a discussion example, [Andy] is going to speak now.
after the student shares by asking: Lets all turn and look at him). Scan the
class to ensure that the students are
Q What did you hear [Andy] say that he likes about kindergarten? looking at the person who is speaking.
Follow this procedure to have a few more students share their writing. If necessary, interrupt the discussion to
remind them of your expectations.

reFlecTinG
4 Reflect on Sharing
Help the students reflect on how they did during Sharing Time
by asking:
Q Could you hear people today when they shared their stories? If not, what
can we do next time so people can hear us when we share?
Q What did you do to be a good listener today?
Tell the students that they will have many opportunities to share their
writing with one another this year. Explain that students who did not
share today will have a chance to share at another time.

Free wriTinG TiMe

5 Draw and Write Freely
Tell the students that they can now draw and write freely. Explain
that they may write stories about something else they like to do in
kindergarten, or they may write about anything they choose.
Briefly think aloud about some stories you could write today.
you might say:
I could write a story about Sergeant Kelsos visit to our class to talk
about being a police officer. That was exciting. I could also write a
story about what we did today in class or what I did last night
Teacher note
at home.
For each unit, you might collect 34 pieces
Ask and briefly discuss: of writing from each student to include in
an individual writing assessment folder.
Q What do you want to write about today? Be sure to collect one piece from the
Have a few volunteers share their ideas. Distribute sheets of beginning and one from the end of the
writing/drawing paper, and then have the students return to their unit. You can refer to the writing in the
seats and start writing. folder when analyzing your students
writing development at the end of each
As the students work, walk around the room and observe them, assisting unit. For more information, see Individual
as needed. Signal to let the students know when Free Writing Time is Writing Assessment on pagevii of the
over. Have the students put their stories in their folders. Assessment Resource Book.

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Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 exTensiOn
Make a We Like Kindergarten Class Book
Compile the students stories into a class book called We Like
Kindergarten. Read the book aloud to the class, and then place it in
the classroom library. Alternatively, you can save each students stories
from this unit and staple them into a book for her to take home at the
end of the unit.

Open Days writing Throughout the week

Write About What the Students Like to Do

After School
Give the students the opportunity to think and write about things they
like to do after school (or at home). If it is helpful, model drawing and
writing a story about something you like to do after school or at home,
using the same procedure you used in Day 1 (see Step 4 on page23).
Facilitate a brief discussion by asking questions such as:
Q What is something you like to do after school?
Q Where are you doing it? At home? At the park?
Q What is something you like to do at home?
Q Who do you [play games] with?

Write About Things the Students Love

Show the cover of I Love School! and remind the students that the
children in the book love school. Ask the students to think about things
they love, and have a few students share their thinking with the class.
Teacher note
Pick one idea to develop into a sentence that you will write together.
Support the students as they write by
asking them to consider the sounds they you might say:
hear in the words, capitalization, letter I heard [Eric] say that he loves his family. What can we write
formation, spacing between words, and about that?
ending punctuation. If a student makes
a mistake with a previously taught Help the students construct a sentence (for example, Eric loves his
concept, simply erase the mistake family.), and then invite a few students to take the pen and help you
(or cover it with correction tape or a write the individual letters (or words) in the sentence. Reread your
self-stick note) and help her make the sentence as a class, revising as necessary.
correction.

30 Being a Writer Teachers Manual, Grade K

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]

 Have the students write and illustrate their own sentencesabout things
they love, and then compile them into a class book titled Things We Love. Teacher note
At this point in the year students may
not be able to write a sentence on
Share Writing and Write Freely their own, and that is to be expected.
Repeat the procedures in Day 3 to allow time for more students to Support struggling students by writing
share their writing with the class and to provide an opportunity for the the sentence starter I love
students to write freely about anything they wish. on a self-stick note, and then have the
student copy the words onto his paper.
Follow up by asking questions like those
that follow, encouraging students to
write letters and words as they are able.
Q What are some things you love?
Q Who do you love?
Q Why do you love [your stuffed
bear]?

The Writing Community Unit 1 week 2 Open Days 31

Being a Writer Sample Lesson, Grade K Developmental Studies Center [Link]