20 Writing with Patterns

Page
72
from
Write One Student Handbook

Start-Up Activity

Read and sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” on page 72 and the new song on page 73. Help students see the rhythm and rhyme patterns of these two songs. Then, as a class, create and sing another adaptation of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” using a current classroom topic or theme words:

Seasons and weather (pages 172–173)
Numbers and colors (pages 174–175)
Places (pages 176–177)
Parks (pages 178–179)
Plants (pages 180–181)
Food (pages 182–183)
Animals (pages 184–185)

Enrichment Activity: Have a variety of short patterned books available (including nursery rhymes). Place your students in pairs and have each pair read one of the books. Have the pairs write adaptations of their books. Make time for class presentations.

Think About It

“Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me! I’m the Gingerbread Man!”

—The Gingerbread Man

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.1.W.2.5

LAFS.1.W.2.6

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.3.b.11.C

110.3.b.11.E

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 72 from Write One Student Handbook

Lesson Plan

Introduce “Writing with Patterns.” Read and sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Then read and sing the song about the lobster on the next page. Help children discover the rhythm and rhyme patterns that relate these two songs.
Next, work with the children to write their own song, as a class, patterned after “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” (Take dictation on chart paper.) Help students choose a subject and start composing. Remember to keep the rhythm of the original song—as well as the rhyme pattern. Clap it out or sing it together to get the feel of the beat. Encourage children who want to write their own verses to do so.

Classroom Applications

Large Group

Read aloud a version of “The Gingerbread Man.” The patterns in the story include the repetition of the line “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me! I’m the Gingerbread Man!” and the accumulation of characters, one at a time. Call attention to the patterns, and the children will soon become aware of similar patterns in stories like “The Little Red Hen,” “The Napping House” by Audrey Wood, and “Mrs. Wishy Washy” by Joy Cowley.

Small Group

“The Gingerbread Man” is a perfect story to act out. Divide the children into small “troupes.” Some groups may have one reader while the rest act. Some may be more creative, changing the characters and action of the story—creating their own dramatic versions.

Individual

Assign "Writing with a Pattern" on pages 84-85 of the Write One SkillsBook to have students make their own patterned poems using "Hickory, Dickory, Dock."
Many pattern stories have tightly structured text and adapt well to fill-in-the-blank activities. Patterns and stories like “Mary Wore Her Red Dress” help children create texts with ease. (There are various story and song versions of “Mary Wore Her Red Dress,” including one by Merle Peek.) Use “Jenny’s Shirt” (adapted from “Mary Wore Her Red Dress”) to help students write their own verses for this song. When the pages are finished, make a class book.
Use "Word Patterns" as an extension activity, inspiring students to look for other patterns with words and to create poems based upon what they discover.

Downloads: