Writing Across Five Fingers

Hello Everyone!
Thank you so much for stopping by for a peek into our wonderful world.  First grade is such an amazing year of learning, growth, independence, stamina building, and soooooo much more.  Our writer's workshop is coming along so nicely.  My kids are loving storyboarding. We have published so many books already, and the kids are so engaged! First graders need as many tools as they can get to help them organize their thinking before writing.  Next week I will introduce a writing organizer developed by Lucy Calkins.  Lucy Calkins talks to young writers about making sure they have a beginning, middle, and end to their  small moment stories. She discusses how to use their own five fingers  as a graphic organizer to plan a story before they begin to write things down. I think there are many different ways to use this idea and tell a story across your fingers. You can use the who, what, where, when, and how template. Or you could use the who, what, when, what happened, and how you felt template.  Another way to think about the five fingers is introduction, beginning, middle , end, and how you felt template.  Remember that each of these five parts will need details added.  I have included several different mini posters and planning sheets in a little unit. You can use the one you want to emphasize or support your writer’s workshop.  Whichever template you use, kids need a lot of practice making sure they can tell their stories across their fingers.
Here are some pics of a little unit inspired by Lucy!

I like to use the template that emphasizes  the intro, beginning, middle, end, and how did you feel  components.  I illustrate that with stickers on my hand in the colors of a stoplight.

We have been working hard on the partnerships we are building as writers.  Our partners help us make our writing even better by asking questions.

I am so looking forward to giving my kids a new tool for their writing toolbox. 

You can get the 40 page unit if you simple click HERE!!

I hope this will help you and your kids work on your passion for writing! Let me know if you can use this or if you would like to see something a little different. (And as always, let me know if there are any typos!!) 

I am always up for learning something new that will help my little authors.

Have a great rest of the weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Joyfully!

Nancy