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09 Writers share to explain and entertain.

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9
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The Writing Spot Big Book

Writers share to explain and entertain.

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Young writers are often surprised and pleased when they write something that others can read and enjoy. It is very important to recognize and encourage their beginning efforts in this area. Try to provide many opportunities for children to share their writing. They can read it to their classmates, place it on a bulletin board, bind it in a book, take it home, and so on.

About the Picture The picture shows Kayla sharing a story she’s written about herself. It includes accolades from a unique audience of Kayla’s friends, family, animals, and Spot, too!

Major Concepts

  • Sharing writing is an affirming experience for children.
  • There are many different ways to share writing.

Select your writing standard type:

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.5

Page 09a from The Writing Spot Big Book

Daily Lesson Planning

Day 1

  1. Look at "Writers share to explain and entertain." Read the title and point out the author’s name on Kayla’s book. Discuss what may be in the book, who Kayla is sharing with, how her audience is reacting, or what the bird is saying.
  2. Implement “Writers share to explain and entertain” (BB 12). If you wish, invite children to draw picture boxes to match the parts of this story.
  3. Do an interactive writing of a possible story for Kayla’s book. Return to the piece after a few days and ask children to add ideas to improve the story.

Note: Use this revisiting strategy to model an early form of revising.

Days 2-6

Choose from the following:

  • Implement “Writers share made-up stories” (BB 13) and “Writers share weather stories” (BB 14).
  • Have children decorate blank folders and put their names on them. Explain that they will keep their daily, ongoing writing activities in these folders. (Show children where to store their folders.)
  • Encourage small groups of children to share their work with each other as they go through the writing process. Try "A Place I Would Like to See" for this activity. Before they begin writing, they can help each other decide on a topic; during writing, they can help each other explore words and ideas; and after writing, they can share their finished work with each other.
  • Create a sign-up sheet for children who wish to share their writing with the class. At different times of the day, stop and ask these volunteers to share their writing. (Keep these sharing sessions informal.)
  • Have children decorate or add words to notes that you send home.
  • After modeling a memo, ask children to write memos to you, themselves, or someone at home. Have copies of “Memo 1” and “Memo 2” available for the children to use throughout the year.

Concluding Days

  1. Make class books to include the work of several individuals, the whole group, or one individual (to be shared with the whole group). Begin with a simple form by stapling pages between two pieces of colored paper.
  2. Choose other book binding ideas from the suggestions below.
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Page 09b from The Writing Spot Big Book

Background Information
on Sharing and Writing

Sharing Spaces/Message Boards

Every classroom should have places where children can display their work and you can post daily messages (even the daily schedule). You can set up a message board on a bulletin board, on an inner door, or on the back of a class divider. Children love to see their work (and messages) displayed in a public place.

Classroom Sharing

Each day, or as often as possible, allow time for a few children to share their finished work. Sharing can be done while sitting on a special chair; in a designated, decorated sharing area; or with the writer wearing a special hat or crown. Most importantly, children need this time to share their writing and receive responses from interested listeners. (If some children are not comfortable with this public sharing, they may ask a friend, or you, to be a sharing partner. It may also be enough for them to post their work on the message board and notice peer responses from the sideline.)

Take-Home Work

Parents need to be prepared to respond to the written work of their emergent writers. Then, when the children take home their written work, parents can better assess how their children are doing. Encourage parents to focus on what the children are learning rather than what they still must learn. Parents should understand that children’s writing takes many different forms (copying, spelling phonetically, dictating to a scribe, and so on). Teachers may also want to provide notes about the purpose of particular or individual writing samples. For example, note whether the child worked alone, with others, or with the teacher. (See the Appendix for “Parent Connections.”)

Writing Folders/Portfolios

At various times during the school year (weekly, monthly, quarterly), file samples of children’s written work. Be sure to date and annotate the work regarding its setting and purpose. These papers will give you, the parents, the child, and the child’s next teacher a good picture of the child’s progress. (See also "Student Conferences and Writing Portfolios.")

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Page 09c from The Writing Spot Big Book

Class Books

You have many options for sharing writing in class books.

Class Books

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