Mrs. McGowan Spring Lake, NJ ~
How To: Write A Story ~ |
||
June 2003: My firstgraders wanted to write their own books. Here's how we did it: Step I:
Sharing Ideas We started with a whole class minilesson/discussion on planning for their fictional stories. We made a plan on paper using a simple 4 square graphic organizer (GO). It's just a piece of paper folded into 4 parts to show their setting, character(s), problem, solution. We agreed that the stories would be about 6-8 pages long . That translates into 1-3 sentences per page. Each page was to be illustrated after the writing was completed. That was the first lesson. The next day the students identified the key elements of their stories, writing a few words in each section of the GO. Titles were not written yet. I conference with each child about their GO to make sure they have something solid to use for writing. They follow that with informal sharing among their tables. Step II: Sloppy Copy (first draft) Initial writing is done on half pieces of sentence strips, marked with page numbers. I like using this method because it's easy for the children to move the pieces around when they later reread and try to revise.
Another conference is held after strips/pages are written (or at least when half of the strips/pages are done). Some students can do the whole story by themselves and need help just with editing/and some revision. Some students need help getting their ideas in sentence form. I do this by asking questions about their story. They are able to see how they can ask themselves similar questions. The words they want to write come easier as the story goes on. We refer back to their GO often during this time to make sure they stay on the right story track. Step III and
IV: Let's Make It Better! At our beginning stages of writing, I combine the revising/editing process steps. Since this work is being published (displayed in corridor, made into a book, or posted on our website), conventional spelling is called for. Students are expected to check for word wall words and use capitals and punctuation correctly. If they miss these words on the second try, I underline in pencil. Sticky notes are used for correct spelling of other words. Revision is done with the teacher by student rereading their story to make sure it makes sense and follows their GO plan. All this conferencing takes time but the students work at their own pace so all are not ready for the same kind of conference. They also have other writing to work on until I can reach everyone. Their work is kept in a writing folder and folders are kept in hanging files by table group.
The next step works for me but others might not agree. Some students have a real problem copying from their sloppy copies - that's why I rewrite (copy) the story for them while they dictate/watch. Final conventional spelling is added at this time if needed. They can see how the spacing on each page is done. I use a flair pen so the print shows up good. Then they copy from this clean page on to their good paper. Illustrations come next. Finally, their title, book cover, and an author's page are decided on and created. The author's page has a small self-portrait and a few facts about themselves.
|
