Kindergarten Narrative - The Blind (Richter)

I went hunting with my dad.














I went in my blind.  A blind is a kind of tent.

I stayed for awhile. We didn't see any deer.
















I went home.

Kindergarten Narrative - My Sister's Birthday (Richter)

It was my sister's birthday.

We had cake and we opened presents.
















My sister got a mermaid and Dora.

Kindergarten Narrative - Birthday Trip (Richter)

We are going to a hotel for my birthday!
















It was a long ride.  While I was waiting, I watched a movie.  I watched Toy Story 3!

We finally got to the hotel.  The hotel had a Christmas tree.















We put our pajamas on.   We went to bed.
















The next day we went shopping.  I found  (not finished)

Kindergarten Narrative - Jewelry Box (Richter)

 
 





The cousins passed the presents out. 
I was excited!















I opened up my presents.  My favorite present was jewelry box.  It was pink and it had flowers.  It had earrings and it had bracelets and it had necklaces.















Then we opened up more presents.  I got a Zhu Zhu Pet. I felt happy.

Mrs. Bormann's 2nd Grade - 1st Visit

Mrs. Bormann’s kids are about a week in to their unit on persuasive writing.  Today they continue working on individual letters, attempting  to persuade and explain.    The mini-lesson has focused on the importance of providing reasons for your argument followed by explaining the reasons.   She has highlighted the reasons in her example piece, and has asked them to do this same with their work today.   If they have successfully followed each reason with an explanation,  the highlighting will create a visible pattern of highlighted text followed by unhighlighted, etc.

I move around the room, taking in a range of personal topics from profoundly serious to silly;  “I wish I could have a pet rabbit.”   “I wish I could have a later bedtime.”  “I wish we could keep living here, rather than moving back to Mexico.”    The children are invested and engaged.  The topics are important to them.  The work is authentic.

One student was gone yesterday, so Mrs. Bormann needs to begin writing time by catching him up with a summary of the mini-lesson from yesterday.   I watch with a fresh appreciation for the investment that teachers must make in every absence that occurs.   

Soon Mrs. Bormann is off to the kidney table where she has asked Drake and Gunnar to join her.  This is the first time, since I started my tour of workshops, that I have seen this strategy, a small group lesson, during writing time. 

I am intrigued.  This small group conference allows the boys to examine and learn from each other’s work, to explain their own thinking, to see yet another example of the type of writing they are focused on, and to share their successes and their struggles with each other.                                                                  

Mrs. Bormann is a master of thoughtful questions and providing “wait time” with the patient look of anticipation on her face.  She doesn’t let her students off the hook by jumping in to ask a different or simpler question, instead, she gives her students time to process and ponder and think.  She expects they are capable of the thinking she has asked them to do.  

When she finishes conferring with the boys, Lily and Stella are waiting.  She sees that they are at very similar points in their writing.   

“Let’s sit down together and take a look at what you’ve done so far.”   I am struck by these simple words with such powerful meaning. . . We are in this together.  Your writing is important and I want to take the time to really look at it and think about it.  We can help each other with this.  Your writing is a work in progress. 

Mrs. Kostynick's Kindergarten - 1st Visit

 Mrs. Kostynick truly sees the best in every one of her students.   This is becomes very clear after just a few moments in her classroom.  Writing workshop is no exception.  During the mini-lesson today she tells them, “This is your time to shine!” 

Her students work busily at their tables.  When they finish one project, they move easily to the next.  They go to the table where they now have choices of paper type (paper with a few lines or paper with many lines), select the paper they believe to be best suited to their needs, and return to their writing spaces. 

When Mrs. K  goes to conference with Nathan, he talks on and on and on about a two day adventure including a park, a museum, and lots of other family fun.  She patiently attempts to help him narrow his focus.  He has a hard time settling on a consistent story line.  One time he talks about the museum, the next time he focuses on the park.  He needs her help.  He needs more than just a few quick words of encouragement. 

Mrs. K comes through for him.  She stays with him.  She gives him the time he needs, which today is many minutes.  But, because her writing workshop has been designed to encourage both independence and stamina, the happy hum of work continues while she digs deeper with Nathan.  Eventually, she and Nathan sort out together just what it is he wants his readers to know about his trip.   She can leave him now for awhile.  He is back on track. . .

Then she is off to work with another student, her words gentle and encouraging.  This is their time to shine, but it seems that as they see it reflected back in Mrs. K's eyes and words it is that much brighter.

This is a teaching practice clearly built on love! 

Mrs. Barthel's 3rd Grade - 2nd Visit

Mrs. Barthel is giving her students an overview of the research project they are about to embark on. 

Mrs. Barthel’s instruction is clean and purposeful.  She uses anchor charts to map out the process for her students.  She helps her students to identify similarities and differences between what they are about to begin (non-fiction research paper), and what they have just completed (personal narrative).

She tells the students clearly the ONE part of the process they will complete today.  Today they will (identify a specific animal to be the focus of your research), the one part they will do tomorrow (begin to organize facts using a web), and the one thing they should let their brains work on tonight (how they will organize their webs).

Mrs. Barthel understands the importance of giving students choice and time, but also indicating a clear end point goal for the day. Browse the resources to get ideas.  Do some online searching, especially to narrow your topic.  But make a choice by the end of the period, today.  Get your choice recorded on the board for all to see.  Tomorrow, we have new tasks we must attend to.

When it is time to access the resources and begin to identify their topics, the room is suddenly an efficient and excited bustle.  Students dig in.  They help each other out.  They share their ideas.  They laugh and wonder together at the things they see in the resource books and online. 

Benny knows immediately, he wants to write about a chicken.  His job, then, is to identify a specific type or breed of chicken for the project.  Tommy wants to write about a monkey.  Specifically what kind of monkey is the challenge for the day.  Carter wants to write about a tiger, he chooses the Bengal.

Mrs. Barthel has a keen eye for spotting any sign of off task behavior amidst the movement and chatter.  She quickly prompts kids back to task if she senses they are getting distracted.  And then, one by one, they start to find their way to the board to record their chosen animal.  This is a fascinating process to watch.   Because no two students can choose the same breed of animal, this is TRULY their own topic.  Kids approach this activity with pride and commitment.    The ownership is immediate.  This is their topic!  This is their research paper.  They are ready to go!

Mrs. Hart's 1st Grade - 1st Visit

Mrs. Hart’s kids are so excited today!  They have an important letter to write.  It is an invitation to Mrs. Barthel’s third grade students for a "Publishing Party” on Friday. 

It will be a big week.  Today, they write the invitation.  Tuesday through Thursday, they will “fix up” and “fancy up” the special piece of writing they’ve selected to take through the “publishing process”.  On Friday, their guests will come and the first graders will share their personal narratives with the older kids.

 The students gather in the front of the room, eager to begin.  The invitation is composed using INTERACTIVE WRITING.  This means that Mrs. Hart facilitates the group while they collaboratively construct the text.  Mrs. Hart makes sure that everyone has a white board during the interactive writing, since only one writer at a time can be chosen to write on the actual chart.  This way, everyone is engaged, every step of the way.

There is an art to interactive writing, a constant decision making process about the balance between what the students will attempt to write and what parts the teacher will provide in the name of efficiency and keeping the learning manageable.  The engagement level of her students is a clear indicator that Mrs. Hart has struck the right balance.

Interactive writing is meant to provide an opportunity for students to observe writing and reading as a reciprocal process.  It allows the teacher to slow the writing process down and let children “inside the thinking” that must go on inside a writer’s head. 

As I listen to the language Mrs. Hart uses in her lesson, I hear her weave essential messages into the conversation again and again.  “Writers have to make decisions about the message.”  “Writers need to think about what the reader knows and doesn’t know.”  “Writers use ‘tools in the room’ to help them with their writing.”  “Writer can change their minds.”   As students hear themselves referred to as writers again and again, they undoubtedly begin to internalize this message.   I AM A WRITER!  I AM DOING THE WORK OF A WRITER!   

This will be an exciting week in Mrs. Hart’s class.  I hope I am able to join these writers, along with their friends from Mrs. Barthel’s class for their publishing party on Friday.    

Mrs. Richter’s mini-lesson today is about adding details to help the reader create a picture in their mind.   She moves around the room, quietly conferencing with students.   She listens with seriousness to each of them, as they share the narratives they’ve been laboring over.  She responds with an easy and genuine smile when she spots progress and success . . .

The students visit softly with each other about their writing from time to time, but for the most part the room is very quiet.  There is lots of uninterrupted “space” for individual thinking and the hard work of getting their thoughts down.

As I move around the room, I marvel at the quality of the work kindergarten students are producing in the second week of January.  When I was in kindergarten myself, we drew the pictures and the teacher came around and wrote the words for us.  But here, the students do the work.  They are independent and deep thinking. 

About 10 minutes in to writing time, something really important happens.   .  .  Mrs. Richter interrupts the students momentarily for what Lucy Calkins refers to as a “mid-lesson teaching point”.   Mrs. Richter has spotted a strong example of the point she emphasized in her mini-lesson.  She wants to draw attention to it and use it to remind students of their focus.   She shares the description of a pink jewelry box, with flowers on top, and bracelets and necklaces on the inside. Then she publicly celebrates the success of this young writer.  

I’m excited.   Not only does a clearly targeted mini-lesson help students to focus their efforts, but it helps the adults to narrow feedback  from an infinite number of possibilities, to just one important nugget.  “Add details.  Help the reader make a picture in their mind.”

When writing time ends, she asks them to put their supplies away and stack their writing folders in a pile.  “I’m going to take your writing folders home with me again, tonight.  When I read each of them, I’ll be making a movie in my mind about your story.”  Her students are visibly pleased to hear this.  One of her students says to me excitedly, as if I need convincing, “She really takes them to her real house!”

Then, as if she is putting a bookend on the experience, she ends the workshop just as she had begun it, by gathering the group on the risers.   She tells the children she has selected Lily to share her narrative.   Why Lily?  Lily has successfully added the kinds of details to her story that allow the reader to picture it in their mind, of course.  Again, Mrs. Richter sticks cleanly to the teaching point of the day.

One focused teaching point throughout the workshop. Clear, clean, and connected.   A thing of beauty.

Mrs. Hein's 2nd Grade - 1st Visit

It is late Thursday afternoon. Mrs. Hein’s kids are gathered on the brightly colored carpet in the front of her room.  They are reviewing a letter they wrote together the day before.  The letter is addressed to Mr. Poppleton, a fictional character who has a problem in common with our school.  Mr. Poppleton has large, shiny icicles hanging from his roof.  The letter is meant to persuade him to take them down, because they have become dangerous.

I quickly recognize this lesson as a continuation of the one I saw in Mrs. Dahlin’s classroom yesterday.  These second graders are learning the next step in how to use the written word to persuade an audience to take action of some sort.   

On the SMART Board is a graphic organizer, intended to help students identify their topic (what do they want to change), and supporting reasons (why is the change important).  Mrs. Hein deconstructs the letter from yesterday, demonstrating how to use the organizer.  

When the students move to their writing spots to tackle their own organizers, many of them take out the lists they've made of things to potentially try to change in the world.   Some of them go immediately to work, completing the organizer with relative ease.  Others struggle to narrow the list to a single topic  . . . “You have to choose something you really care about or you won’t be able to persuade others.” Mrs. Hein reminds them, “ You have feel passionate about it to make it work!”

This is challenging work.  Everyone is at the beginning.  Everyone is doing this for the first time.  And everyone seems to need some level of help with getting going.  This is a whole different type of project than these writers have tackled before.   But their teacher is beside them, mentoring them and supporting them the entire time.  

Her words keep echoing in my ears. . . “You have to feel passionate about it to make it work!”  

She is clearly passionate about this work.  They are destined to succeed!

Mrs. Dahlin's 2nd Grade - 1st Visit

Mrs. Dahlin’s students are gathered on the carpet, backs to the door.  She is in front of them, setting the stage for today’s “field trip” around the school.  They have been thinking about the reasons author’s write.  They have read a story about someone who does a lot of complaining.  They have heard their teacher say that writing can help to change the world!

“Today,” she tells them, “we will be starting to think about the kind of things that we might like to change about our school, if we could.  We’re going to make a list of these things.  Then in the days ahead, we’re going to do some writing to see if we can convince or persuade others to help to make these changes.”

 “We’re going to take a walk around and stop in some of  the familiar places in our school.  And when we do, I want you think about if there is anything about that place, or what happens there, that you’d like to change.  If there is, write it on a list on your clipboard.”   She arms them with clipboards and pencils, and off they go!

Now, I can tell you what they next; how they walked to the lockers, the gym, the cafeteria, the music room, the “big kids” hallway, the playground entrance, and so on.  I can describe to you how quiet and orderly they were. 

But, I cannot do justice to telling you how serious they took this work.  I cannot adequately explain the solemn looks on their faces as they toured our school, contemplating each place, recalling their experiences there and writing their notes about what they might wish to change in each of those places. 

Physically going to these places, standing there, taking a moment in the silence to conjure up memories of past experiences with these children was amazingly powerful and moving.  Nobody talked, except Mrs. Dahlin, who gave clean, simple, and quiet prompts at each stop.  Nobody acted out or acted silly.  These kids had clearly gotten the message, “This is the first step, to figuring how to change the things you don’t like around here.”  

Back in the classroom, Mrs. Dahlin compiles a class list, from examples shared by the students.  She listens carefully, and records their ideas with continued respect and honor for their thinking about “what needs to change around here”.  Then she wraps up by having them close their eyes to vote on the one they would most like to start with tomorrow, when they begin by writing a class letter as an example.  They choose to write about MORE SLEDS for the playground.  The stage is set.

I have been mesmerized by watching this process.  This young teacher has skillfully planted the seeds.  These young children are about to experience how to harness the power of writing to make the world a better place!  

1st Grade Narrative - Bouncy Ball (Kosytnick)

I made a bouncy ball at school.  We had fun.
I made a bouncy ball on Wednesday.
We were learning about liquids and solids and gases.









We had to go to Mrs. Kostynick's to put the salt in the water. 
Then we had break it open and I had purple.
















We got to go play with our bouncy ball.
It was squishy and slimey.

1st Grade Narrative - Locked Out of the Fish House (Kostynick)

Last week me, Chase, Mallory and Dad went fishing with Mr. Hendrickson and we go locked out at the fish house.

 






We had to take the door off the fish house because the lock was frozen.  I was tossing a lot of pretzels to Gage. And Mr. Hendrickson told me to go and break a hole in the ice and I did.















At the fish house we got a bite.  Then the bell went on and then my dad missed it.

1st Grade Narrative - Paul Bunyan Statue (Kostynick)

Last summer my family went on a trip.
 And I was excited to do all of the fun things. 
I kept saying to my mom, "Are we there yet?"









Then we got to a statue of Paul Bunyan.
I said, "Wow!" He was huge.
Then we stopped the car 'cause my mom and dad wante to take a picture.  I felt tiny.








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The sun was so bright that me and my sister wanted to wear sun glasses in the picture.

I smiled really big because I was happy.  I hope I can go to the statue of Paul Bunyan again.