Hello All,


We are working on revising our writing about Birds in first grade.  I am teaching my first graders that writing is a process. We started our writing before vacation.

1.  First, we write down our ideas. 
2.  Then we reread, add details, revise and make corrections. 

It is important to teach each writing element and at the same time show the process of writing.
Today we used our spacemen to check for spacing.  I found these adorable spacemen over at www.lovehugsandladybugs.blogspot.com .  The children loved the 'spacemen' and 'spacewomen' to check for spacing.
This is the practice page we did for correct spacing between words.

I did a quick mini lesson on capitals in titles.  All the important words should be capitalized.  We looked at several titles on real books and the concept was easily learned.  
Next, I handed out a writing checklist.  We read and discussed the checklist.  You may find the checklist HERE. 

        and Writing!

Birds by Kevin Henkes

  Reading 

Birds by Kevin Henkes

 I love this book and the children do also.  After reading this story, we talked about our favorite page.  There were many favorites and we almost mentioned every page in our revisit to the book.  It was fun and we are all welcoming Spring in First Grade.  After reading the book, we wrote about birds.  See below a writing activity to use with this book.   We used our mini offices to practice our quiet writing behaviors.

If birds made marks with their tail feathers when they flew, think what the sky would look like.

Each page you turn is a wonderful surprise!  It is a quick read and a wonderful springboard for writing.

I made a mini book for children to write about birds. It is a short 4-sequence picture book with space below for writing. Encourage the children to do a picture walk and then write to tell the story. The pictures are from scholastic.com teacher resources.   Two pages to copy : one -one-side page and one two-sides page.  Copy and assemble.

You may grab this writing activity HERE.

Word Study

Inside the mini office a bird word bank was posted. (see mini office post in archives)  These words were also displayed on the pocket chart.   We talked about ways to write plurals ...i.e. bird, birds, baby, babies, egg, eggs, branch, branches, fly, flies, and flying, sing, sings, singing.

You can grab the vocabulary words here.

Thanks for visiting.  Hope you have a great school day!

Writing Anchor Chart

A Writing Anchor Chart

This is a writing anchor chart that I use for Grades 1-5. 

I find anchor charts are motivating and very helpful.  Anchor charts can keep you on track when explaining a new skill or strategy. This anchor chart depicts the many traits you expect the children to include in their writing.  When posted somewhere in the room, your students can refer back to it and you as well, when you want to review and reinforce a particular trait of writing.  I made this anchor chart using a model from 6 Traits +1 Writing Program.  I had fun making this anchor chart lively and especially the girl's hair with WILD and MANY ideas to write about.  The kids love the girl and her crazy hair.   I let them know that VOICE is what we love about reading the most.  Can you hear my voice in my anchor chart?

 I studied writing with Dr. Donald Graves at the University of New Hampshire.  He taught the writing process. He believed the process of writing and revision are both VERY important.  When writing, children need to know that all writers revise and rewrite.  The process of rewriting and revising often times makes the best writing. Teach your students to reread, rewrite and add more details.  Rough drafts are essential.  Writing time and writing folders give the children the writing environment that is necessary to produce the best writing. And when you hear, "I'm all done" encourage them to recheck, look back, and make it better. Remind them that writing is not a race, or the first one done, rather it is your personal best.

Model good writing and the many writing styles by reading Children's Literature.  Trust the books to model and teach good writing.  Write with the children and share your writing with them.  Presentation and publishing can be an author's chair, a quick share or a more formal published book.  We all need an audience for our writing.  I find authentic writing experiences are best.

Thanks for visiting.

Chris Q.



Handwriting for First Graders

when reading the book:
Is the blue whale the biggest thing there is?


I decided to add a handwriting practice sheet during our reading-writing time. The children practice writing ...big...bigger ....biggest! And, of course, you might teach comparisons as it would fit in nicely.
This is an easy practice sheet for handwriting...
particularly awareness when writing, good posture and pencil grip.  I use a little saying that helps.

P ut your feet flat on the floor.

A lways sit straight in your chair.

G ently hold your pencil.

E ither slant your paper to the left or the right.

After teaching your students the saying.  You can simply say PAGE when they are writing and it will alert them to good posture when writing.  Teaching handwriting might becoming obsolete as we are all keyboarders now, but children are still writing in school and a little time devoted to writing and presentation is important.  I find some children write too fast and do not close up their letters, haphazardly form their letters, or spacing is in need of improvement.

I also added a text box to this handwriting paper showing the small letters, tall letters and the ones that fall.

You can find this handwriting practice paper HERE.  Happy Teaching!

See below for the initial post about this book.