We are learning so much already in First Grade, including how to write more! After having several students copy exactly what I had on the board during writing time, it dawned on me that some of them don't realize that they can make up stories! They can think of things that happened to them and write them down! In a class where getting all 25 to pay attention to me at once can be difficult, hearing this golden nugget of information was captivating to them! They were so excited to hear that all of the information they have in their minds could be put on paper and shared with others! Today we talked about a way to get those ideas out on paper in a writing strategy called "Sketch-to-Write." The idea is to make small sketches (beginning-middle-end) of their writing idea and then to write a sentence (or ten!) next to the sketch to explain what is going on. For some students this idea was the next best thing since sliced bread....or has it always come sliced for them?
We are learning so much already in First Grade, including how to write more! After having several students copy exactly what I had on the board during writing time, it dawned on me that some of them don't realize that they can make up stories! They can think of things that happened to them and write them down! In a class where getting all 25 to pay attention to me at once can be difficult, hearing this golden nugget of information was captivating to them! They were so excited to hear that all of the information they have in their minds could be put on paper and shared with others! Today we talked about a way to get those ideas out on paper in a writing strategy called "Sketch-to-Write." The idea is to make small sketches (beginning-middle-end) of their writing idea and then to write a sentence (or ten!) next to the sketch to explain what is going on. For some students this idea was the next best thing since sliced bread....or has it always come sliced for them? 
...but sometimes we want those thoughts to stay IN their heads ("out of the mouths of babes")! LOL...things could get VERY interesting! only kidding. keep up the great work, teach! :)
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