Let's Learn To Write A Story: Flexible Times

Student's will learn the writing process at a beginning level. I guide students through a simple interest based method to start getting them thinking about how pictures and words go together. They learn words help us tell our story. Students will practice drawing their story, writing their story, and sharing their story. Parents can use this process throughout the entire kindergarten year as an interest based writing method. 

Each week there will be 2-3 mini lesson videos. Video lessons will be sent out each week providing the students with a lesson. 

At the end of my lesson, I will ask the students to go off and try the new skill on their own. They will submit the assignment in the classroom by recording a video of themselves sharing their story. Please share their video with the class by Saturday night. 
Students will submit a video of themselves describing their story and showing their picture. I respond to each student highlighting one skill they did well and one area they can grow in.

I will show an example of how they can practice the next skill. (For example, I may teach them how to draw detailed people or add another person who was there with them). Responses are individualized. 

1 office hour is available at the end of the 4 weeks. Together we will meet to share our favorite story with the class. 


Week 1: Students will listen to teacher led mini lesson where I demonstrate what writers do. Students will learn the steps writers follow. Students will print and color their own chart I provide. They will be asked to draw their first story and share with the class. Students will be asked to comment something they liked about another student's story. They can do this by recording or the parent can type it for them. Please remember to comment to other students because it gives them confidence and adds to their excitement.  

Students will watch mini lessons of how to come up with a great story. Students will draw their story. Students will submit a video by Saturday evening of them sharing their story. I will reply with an individual video or comment to each student with praises on the skills they used and a teaching point to help them grow. I will give example of what do add as well. 


Week 2: Students will watch mini lessons. Students will revisit their story. Students will draw more detail which is learned in the mini lesson. Students will submit their story by video of them describing their picture. I will reply by an individual video or comment to each student with praises on the skill they used and a teaching point to help them grow then give examples of what they can do next. 


Week 3:
Students will listen to mini lessons. They will create a new story. They will learn to label the pictures phonetically. Students will submit a video of them describing their picture and showing their labels by Saturday. I will reply by video or comment to each student with praises on the skills they used and a teaching point to help them grow. 



Week 4: Students will listen to a mini lesson where I model all the writing steps. Students will create a new story. They will think of an idea, draw it, and label it!

Students will listen to a mini lesson to learn how to use phonetic spelling to add more to their story.

Students will come to office hour to share their final story! Office hour is usually Saturday morning but I can arrange for a meeting during the week if that is a better fit. There will only be one meeting so we will begin planning this meeting in the first two weeks so all can plan and attend. 




Note: Students will be taught to write phonetically. Students will be praised for writing sounds they hear when writing about their story. This encourages them not to worry about whether they are writing the word correctly but instead encourages them to begin writing to get all of their ideas on paper. Eventually, as students grow in their reading skills, they will learn other spelling patters and sight words to spell correctly. I will send students an alphabet chart and a sight word list to help them while they are working. It is discouraged for parents to tell them what to draw and write. This method is student driven. It is best for me to see what the student can reproduce independently for me to help guide them to the next step. 

In the beginning parents may see scribble pictures or one letter written for the label. This is very normal and I will guide them by individual video responses to draw more detail and write more letters they hear. It is part of the process. With practice you will begin to see more shapes and details added to their work. All students are at different levels of skill and I will meet them at their level. When submitting a video of the student describing their video, show the student pointing and talking about what they drew. It will be helpful so I can see their thinking process and I can provide more directed teaching point feedback. 

This class will have a level 2 where we use these skills to write a beginning, middle, and end. 

*This class is great for pre-k, kindergarten, homeschool, ESL, and various disabilities. This class will help get your child excited to write!