12 How-To Writing

Page
048
from
Write One Student Handbook

Start-Up Activity

Rearrange the steps of “Making Chocolate Milk” (page 48), removing the time words, and display the result for your class. Ask students to put the steps in the right order. Then read pages 48-49 in the handbook. Have students think of other directions that they follow at home or in school. List the how-to steps for one or two of their ideas. Then have students develop their own how-to writing.

Enrichment Activity: Have students write recipes for their favorite foods. Compile the recipes into a class cookbook. Or think of another theme for additional how-to writing—rules for different games, directions to various locations in the school, steps to make a craft, and so on.

Think About It

“You can learn something new every day.”

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2

48-49

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5

48-49

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.1.W.1.2

48-49

LAFS.1.W.2.5

48-49

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 48-49 from Write One Student Handbook

Lesson Plan

Introduce “How-To Writing” by looking at the handbook pages together. Ask the children to share other things they like to do or make. (Make a list of these ideas on the board or chart paper for later use.) Choose one of these skills or projects and make a quick listing of the steps involved, getting input from the class.
Next, present a silly set of mixed-up steps for the chosen topic. Ask, “What would happen if we followed these directions?” Guide the discussion and establish the importance of proper sequence. Finally, have the children put the mixed-up steps in proper order.

Classroom Applications

Large Group

Model how-to writing for the class. Create a large rendition of SkillsBook page 74 for this activity. Possible topics are the morning routine, library time, making a snack (an activity you could model, along with the writing), and so on. Part of your modeling should include checking to see if all the necessary steps are included in your directions, and if they are in the best order.
Now assign a topic or let students choose their own topic for how-to writing. Tell them they are going to make a set of instructions that will help someone else do the same thing. Assign "How-To Writing" on page 74 of the Write One SkillsBook for students to use while brainstorming.

Pairs

After the students have worked for a while on their instructions, pair them up to share their work. The children can help each other decide if all the important steps have been included. After they have read each other’s how-to writing, they can ask questions like “Do you think I’m missing any steps?” Then they can change their writing as necessary. (This would be a good time to encourage crossing out words or groups of words rather than erasing whole sentences.)
Afterward, have students write the rearranged steps using page 75 in their Write One SkillsBooks.

Individual

Certain students may need to draw larger pictures than the SkillsBook page allows. Others may benefit from manipulating material in order to be clear about proper sequence. Some children may still be most comfortable dictating their steps for another scribe to write down. Applaud all of these efforts at how-to writing.

State Standard Reference:

LAFS Standard:

LAFS.1.W.1.2

TEKS Standard:

110.3.b.11, 110.3.b.12.B

NE ELA Standard:

LA 1.2.2, LA 1.2.2.a, LA 1.2.2.b