Writer's Workshop

….We are off to a wonderful start! The kindies are really loving writer's workshop and the chance to "talk on paper". Each kindie comes in every day with different stories to share and tell friends about. They are encouraged to think of something they want to share, and write about it! We have been discussing how authors "take their time", "add more than 5 colors", and "stretch their story across pages". Just like Donald Crews and his story, Freight Train, we too, can stretch out one small moment across multiple pages. We have referred to this book everyday during our workshop as our primary "mentor text".
Ask your kindie what they know about Donald Crews as an author…

Components of writer's workshop:

1. Mini-lesson

-Students are explicitly taught something new.

-Teacher explains the new writing concept and models to students

by sharing their own drawing or referring to the mentor text.

2. Turn and Talk

-This is an opportunity for students to talk to one another

about their ideas for today's writing.

3. Independent Write

-This is the exciting part where students are able to "think, draw, and write" their

small moment story on paper.

-Authors write independently as soft classical music plays in the background

-This is the time where I can conference with each kindie

4. Share

-We love to share our writing!

-Each day, 2 "share tickets" are given out. One ticket is for 1 friend in ABC order, and the second ticket is for a writer who really understood the mini-lesson and included it in their writing.

Mini-lessons so far…

1. Authors think of a "small moment" in their lives and draw a picture and write down words

2. We think, we draw, we write!

3. Authors make illustrations with at least 5 different colors.

4. Authors have more to their story so, we need to add more pages! (We told our story and touched each page to see how many pages we would need)

Parents, chat with your kindie about the Applecrest Field Trip. Refresh their brains so they are ready to write on Tuesday. Take a picture walk through all our wonderful photographs above. Our next workshop time will be geared toward writing a small moment story about our field trip to the apple farm. Ask your kindie what happened first, next, then, and last.