Summer Linky Party- Writing

This summer Freebie-lious is creating a ton of pinky parties all about topics we love, you wanta to know about, and great ideas we HAVE to share.

This week we are talking all about WRITING…

Writing in K is unique. And it can be challenging… and it is so rewarding when everything clicks to the student and they discover they CAN be a great writer.

How do you take a child on this journey?  You work with them on writing every.single.day and teach reading and writing together, since they are so connected.

Here are my Work on Writing Tips:

1. Teach them to use phonics and sight words to write.

You have to use both of these when writing. If some students or even a whole class can’t spell a sight word (because, eat, were, of, saw… these words come to mind for me!) take the opportunity to TEACH them a sight word right then OR soon. I stop class often to teach them a new connecting sight word they may need to know or are asking me about. Then, I follow up with that word the following week at the calendar and during Daily 5. I also throw that word into an activity they will be doing during centers as well. This is one reason I can’t plan ahead for my sight words. My students are the ones who dictate what I teach and when.

2. Teach them to use resources to write. Resources like word walls, sight word lists, books with picture clues, and so on reinforce great writing and expand writing beyond just simple sentences like… “I see a cat. I like mommy.”

Here is a FREEBIE example from Christmas you can use. I use simple word walls to allow my students to be successful with writing independently.  I like to use a word wall with independent work.

I know what you are thinking… using this writing sheet, they are still making simple sentences… hold on to that thought.

3. Teach them to write about a topic using more than one sentence.

Here is the link to this unit.

I love to use the format I can “Write Me Three” format. My students fill in nouns and adjectives using these sheets. THEN… they learn to rewrite their sentences in their journals.  I slowly teach my students to substitute words with pronouns, use commas to connect words in a series and make their writing stronger. This format is just the initial step in the process.

On the left is an example of how my students rewrite their three sentences in their journals using this process. (Also notice that they writing about our science topic and using nonfiction text here.

4. Add describing words to sentences to make them shine.
Start with color words and number words, but use their writing as an opportunity to expand their vocabulary in written form as well as verbal form.

5. Connect their writing to something they are learning about or enjoy.

Huh?  I mean… use a science or social studies topic to cover informational text. Use fairy tales or nursery rhymes to cover opinion text. Use literacy books to expand writing topics. This allows writing to be meaningful to time-saving for you and your students. I also believe students will write MORE and BETTER about a topic they are interested in.

(Again, the example of my student’s penguin writing.)

6. Teach them great handwriting so you know and they know what they are actually writing about. Students should be able to read to you what they wrote. If they can’t… I don’t count it.
Since we start Daily 5 at the beginning of the year, but we don’t know how to write much then… I use my writing station to work on handwriting as needed.

Grab this HUGE unit here!

Here is a great pack I created to cover writing topics for the whole school year! It is called Write Me Three Months! It has over 60 writing sheets and connected word walls to make your class successful writers without a lot of prep and fuss for you! Since this pack has repetitive formats with FUN and colorful word walls, your students can show you so much writing success.

I can’t wait to see all the posts in this linky and gets some GREAT tips for writing.
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