Smekens Education Access logo

Super Saturday
Writing Conference

SECRET SITE

Return to all Sessions

PLAN & ORGANIZE

SESSION 2  |  Grades K-2 / ELL Levels 1-2

[HANDOUT]

Teach developmentally appropriate writing all year

Recognize the developmental stages within the modes of writing

Incorporate persuasive, informative, & narrative writing in PK-1.

Connect modes of writing to author’s purpose.

Genre-Specific Mentor text

Mentor text organized by developmental stages

Launching the Writer's Workshop: Grades K-2

K-2 lessons organized by developmental stage

Develop pictorial writing skills

Picture writing provides opportunities for students to learn about communicating with details. Kids who draw with details will become kids who write with details.

Deliver 10 pictorial writing lessons with sentence-building benefits.

Trace the Shape Book

Art for Kids is a YouTube channel where a dad draws side-by-side with one of his children,
showing how to draw simple (sometimes seasonal) objects line by line.

Indicate voice with facial expressions & speech bubbles

Oral directions

Sample

Template

Add character details with speech bubbles.

Narrative Speech Bubbles BLMs 1 and 4 on a page

Single-framed
4-framed template

Include beginning, middle, end details

Transition to list writing

Category lists with pictures

Category lists based on visual

Sensory Lists

How-To Lists

Target list-making as a writing genre

Before early writers create sentences, they write words. Instead of turning those few words into a simple sentence, encourage students to write with more details and more words. Make the unit about creating lists of information that include specific details, with precise word choice, all on one topic.