Checklist

Today I taught a mini lesson about Checklists.  I came up with a mini checklist for my first graders based on the example Melissa showed us.  Last week I copied it on the bottom of their writing paper without telling them what it was for.  Today, I (finally!) told them what those smiley faces were all about.

Boy oh Boy!  If I have learned anything about teaching Mini Lessons from this Institute it would be:

"Only drop one magic capsule at a time in the water!"

As I was teaching the lesson, my mind was going a million different directions thinking about how to teach them to reread their story, color the correct face, check their writing before coloring the face, and how to go back and fix their mistakes if they forgot a period, capital letter, beginning middle or end etc. (does this even make sense?  To sum it up:  I was overwhelmed with all the things I thought I needed to teach them that day).  Then I remembered to ask myself "What one thing do you want your students to take away from your lesson?"  I was able to just let go of the fact that they wouldn't be able to do it all right away.   I only gave them just one thing to put in their pocket to take with them!

What one thing are you working on teaching your students?

Ideas

Happy New Year! 

I'm sure some of you are well on your way back into the groove of school.  We go back on Thursday, and my team teacher and I have been planning up a storm!  We are focusing on beginning, middle, and end sentences this next week.  We will model this and provide students with pictures of bme where they will create complete sentences in order to revisit this concept.  We will also be re-building their stamina for writing time as we review this.  

What are your plans in writing in the upcoming weeks?  

I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

As of the last two days of writing, some of my students have been choosing to draw in their writer's notebooks.  Some of my students are actually putting ideas in there via drawings, while others are actually wasting a lot of time when they could be writing!  Where do I go from here?  Reteach what a writer does?  Or reteach how to use the writer's notebook?  Ideas please!

On another note, I also taught my students how to reread and gave them 2 sentence starters for the share chair!  It was so neat to watch some of them practice what I taught in the mini lesson! I love watching my students grow as writers!

In other news..

A teacher who has started Writer's Workshop asked me this question today.  I have no clue what to tell her, so I thought I'd put it out here.

After 2 “Publishing Week”s, I have students publishing about all sorts of things!  And now—I don’t know what to do with their completed work.   I had them all write on one prompt last week, so those are going in a “short-stories” compilation book--- but what do I do with their different stories about different topics?  (especially those that are only 1 page front and back….)

Please and thank you!

It seems I am the only one alive on this blog!  Anyone out there?

EKK!

Melissa!  I am SO glad you are back in action! 

Here's an update on what's going on in 1st grade.

Today I introduced the "special paper" 1st grade writers use.  I modeled writing a story on it (as far as teaching goes it went well, but as far as mini skirts go, it was definitely on the retro broomstick skirt side-if you know what I mean!)  Then I let them try their own special paper.  I started their engines by letting them brainstorm what they would draw/write at the beginning/middle/end with a partner.  I took notes while they were writing. And I added FOUR names to the brag board :) 

I am a little weary about what to teach next.  Here's what I saw:

Some students only drew pictures and put their hands on their head (a signal we do a lot in other subjects in 1st grade to show that they are done and ready for me to check their work). 

So many raised hands!  I tried not to answer their questions- to get them into the routine of actual workshop, but it was hard!  They just sit there forever thinking I'll come :)

When students finished (or thought they were finished when they only drew the pictures :0) they started talking to each other and distracting others around them.

Some students didn't even get to the writing and spent their time drawing/adding color- even after I modeled quick pictures in my lesson.

Some of my students are having a hard time writing Beginning Middle End (this showed up when we told oral stories as well).

Where should I start tomorrow? 

I'm thinking maybe "Yesterday, while we were writing I saw a lot of people show me they were finished, but they didn't know what to do when they finished."  and explain they should get their bookbag.  I feel like I need to be modeling BME but I must learn to keep my lessons short!  Should I talk about crayons last also?  Or wait on that?  Am I headed in the right direction?  There is so much to teach and so little time!  What's the most important thing to teach next?  EKK!

What are your thoughts, writers?

So Sorry

To those of you who have posted on here... let me say I'm sorry for not reading and checking this every night. I need to change the settings to notify me when there are new posts! I'm here now.. and I'm working to comment on your posts/questions! KEEP THE BLOG ROLLING! This can become whatever you all need it or want it to be! :)

Melissa

Thanks Melissa!

Our Dean of Students attended the 1 day Writer's Workshop training last Thursday.  I got to talk with her about what she thought, and she was so impressed!  Thanks Melissa for spreading your excitement!  Now there are two teachers who will catch on fire at our school! :) I am very, very excited!