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Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 3

Lesson 11

Topic: SeasonsRead Aloud Book: Every Season

Big Book: Jump into January

Companion Piece: Holidays All Year Long

Essential Question: How does the weather change in different months and seasons?Target Skills: Text and Graphic Features; Compare and Contrast

Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 11

Days 1 and 2: Writing in response to read aloud book, Every Season

Comprehension Skill: Text and Graphic Features

Report Card Skill (if applicable): dictates or writes using pictures or words/using details to describe familiar people, places, things, or events/acquires and uses increasingly difficult vocabulary.

Before Reading: A few weeks ago, we read a story titled, Listen, Listen about the sounds we might hear in the different seasons. Today, we’re going to read a story that will show us what we might see during the different seasons.

As I read about each season, I want you to use the text and the photographs to find out what happens or what you may see in each season. We’ll stop after each season and discuss. (this could be split over 2 days- you could read about 2 seasons each day)

Turn and tell your partner what you will be listening for as I read.

After Reading about Each Season:

What are some things we might see in the spring? Start your answer with “In the spring you could see…” You may want to model one for them. Prompt them to use the pictures and the words you read to help them remember what happens during that particular season. After they have shared with their partner, you can add the information to the chart (see samples below)

Repeat with summer, fall, and winter. Explain that we used the information from the text and the pictures to

identify the different sounds of each season.

Sample Chart:

Writing Activity:

The students could fold paper into 4 squares (or you could have 4 boxes preprinted) and label each square with a different season. They can illustrate at least 2 things

Spring Summer Autumn/Fall WinterFlowers bloomingBird nests with eggsAnimals Rain showersGardens and people planting

Sun shiningOcean wavesChildren splashing and swimmingYummy treats like ice cream and watermelonShorebirds Bare feet in the grass

Winds blowingLeaves changing colorsSeeds scatteringPumpkinsGeese heading southChipmunks preparing for winterJacketsLeaves falling

Icicles and snowflakesHot chocolateAnimals with thick coats to stay warmBirds searching for foodTracks in the snowHats, coats, mittens

that they might see during each season. Their illustrations should reflect the information that was in the text. They can refer to the chart as needed.

Extension:

As an extension, students could write about their favorite season. They could use information from this story as well as Listen, Listen (refer back to chart from that story) to tell/show why it is their favorite.

They could finish the following sentence:

My favorite season is __________________. Then underneath they can draw pictures that show why it is their favorite.

To differentiate: For those who are able, they can write a sentence that tells about their picture. Students can also dictate what is taking place in their pictures.


Day 3: Writing in response to the big book, Jump into January

Comprehension Skill: Text and Graphic Features; Compare and Contrast


Before Reading: We’ve read several stories recently about the different seasons. Today, we’re going to be reading a story about the months in the year. I have each month listed on the chart and we’re going to stop after I read a few pages and write down things we might see or what that you could do during the month.

As I read, I want you to pay close attention to the pictures and the words I read across the bottom to find out what you could do or what you might see each month. We’ll stop after I read about 3 months and discuss.



As I read, you were to be paying close attention to the illustrations and the words that represent each month. Let’s go ahead and start filling in some of the information about each month on our chart. Turn back to the beginning and ask: What might you see or do in January? Have students turn and share with partner, then after they have shared, record their responses on the chart. (make sure their responses represent information they saw in the pictures or that you read to them)

Sample Chart:

Months:January: snow, ice skates, frozen pond, scarfs, mittens, hats, coats, hockey, skatingFebruary: snow, snowman, skis, sleds, bare trees, rabbitMarch: wind blowing, kites, frisbees, playing outside, snow has meltedApril: rain, umbrellas, rain coats, boots, green grass, May: planting, watering cans, hoses, sprinklers, flowers. gardens, seedsJune: green grass, picnics, bicycles, skateboards, playing outside, shorts/short sleevesJuly: August:September:October:November:December:


Lesson 12

Topic: WeatherRead Aloud Book: Storm is Coming

Big Book: Snow

Companion Piece: How Water Changes

Essential Question: What do animals do when the weather changes?Target Skills: Conclusions; Understanding Characters


Day 1: Writing in response to read aloud book, Storm is Coming

Comprehension Skill: Conclusions; Understanding Characters


Before Reading: This week we are going to read several stories about weather and different parts of weather. In the story, Storm is Coming, we are going to read about how different animals respond to a storm that is coming their way.

As I read this story, I want you find out how the different animals act when they hear that the storm is coming.



As I read this story, I asked you to listen to find out how the different animals acted when they found out that a storm was coming. Let’s start by first identifying the different characters (animals) that we read about in the story.

Turn and tell your partner one animal that was in the story. “One animal we read about was…” Continue until both partners have had an opportunity to share. After partners have discussed, select students to share out as you create a chart like the sample below, listing only the animals.

After students have identified the animals, have them discuss how each one responded to the news that the storm was coming. They can discuss in partners, then you can have them share out. If needed, you can go back and use the pictures and the actual text to help them. (reread that particular section to provide more details) Fill in the information on the chart.

CharacterAnimal in the Story

How That Animal Responded to the Storm

Dog Helped the farmer round up the animals and led them to barn

Sheep Frightened; ran towards the barn

Ducks Flapped wings and flew to barn

Cows Herded together and joined the stampede to the barn

Cat Meowed and yawned

How can we tell that dog is helpful to the farmer? (rounded up the other animals, led them all to the farm)

How can we tell, from the pictures and the text, that most of the animals were frightened or scared of the storm? Turn and talk. (should be able to tell because they all ran/flew to the barn and when you go in a hurry, you are probably scared)

How is cat different from the other animals? Turn and talk

Writing Activity:

Select 2 animals from the story and illustrate how they responded to the storm. The pictures should include evidence that the storm is coming (dark clouds, etc) and how the animal acted.

After they have drawn their pictures, they can then write to describe what the animals are doing. If students aren’t able to write a sentence, they can label the picture with the name of the animal and maybe a word that describes the animal such as frightened or scared.


Days 2 and 3: Writing in response to the big book, Snow

Comprehension Skill:


Before Reading: Today we are going to read a story about animals that are waiting for the first snow of the season. The animals in the forest respond to the snow in different ways.

As I read this story, I want you listen to find out what the animals do when the weather changes.



As I read this story, I asked you to listen to find out what the animals did when the weather changed? We’re going to focus specifically on the bunnies, the bear, and the geese. What did they do when the snow started to fall? Turn and tell your partner. Students can take turns sharing. After they have finished sharing, you can record the information they shared on a chart like the sample.

Animal When the snow fell, they…Bunnies Fur turned white

Bear Went to sleep for the winterGeese Flew south for the winter

Writing Activity:

Students will illustrate what the animals did when the weather changed. You can help students come up with a topic sentence, such as, “The animals did several things when the snow started to fall.” (feel free to change it- you can also have something preprinted at the top of their paper)

Have 3 columns for them to illustrate what the bunnies, the bear, and the geese do when the weather changes.

For those who are able, they can write a sentence describing what they do such as, “The bear goes to sleep.”

Example:

The animals respond in different ways when the snow starts to fall.

(picture of what bunnies do)

(picture of what bear does)

(picture of what geese do)


Day 4: Writing in response to the companion piece, How Water Changes

Comprehension Skill: Using Details from the Text


Before Reading: Today we are going to read an informational story about water and how it changes. Water can take on different forms depending on the weather.

As I read this story, I want you listen to find out the 3 different forms of water.



As I read this story, I asked you to listen to find out the three different forms of water. Turn and tell your partner one form of water. If needed, you can prompt them by asking what happens to water when it gets really cold.

Continue sharing until they have identified the 3 forms of water. Prompting each time as needed.

Create a chart that contains the 3 forms of water and how it relates to the weather- see example

Form of Water Weather would be…solid (ice) really coldliquid warmGas hot

Ask guiding questions to apply understanding- what would happen to a snowman if the weather warmed up and the sun was out?

What would happen to the water on the ground as the weather gets even warmer?

Writing Activity:

To relate to our theme of weather, you could have students write/illustrate to the following: Water changes with the weather. (feel free to change)

The students could pick one change to illustrate.

They would illustrate what would happen to water in that weather. Example: They would draw ice cubes and label “solid”

To extend, they could then write about what happens to water when it is cold, warm, and hot. Example: When it is cold water turns to ice (or is a solid)


Lesson 13

Topic: Animal BodiesRead Aloud Book: Zebra’s World

Big Book: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Companion Piece: Poems About Animals

Essential Question: How do animals use their different body parts?Target Skills: Author’s Purpose; Text and Graphic Features


Day 1: Writing in response to A Zebra’s World

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: sequencing

Report Card Skill Addressed: Using details, describes familiar people, places, things, or events

Before Reading: We will be reading about zebras today.

I want you to listen for how a baby zebra grows and changes in our story. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If

they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them share the purpose for listening with their partners)

After Reading: In this story, we read about the life of a zebra. We are going to create a list of how a zebra grows and changes in its life.

Model: Have the book A Zebra’s Life handy so that you can refer to it during this activity. This models to the students how to get evidence from the text.

Say: Let’s think back the beginning of the story. What happened first? Yes, the zebra was born. Now boys and girls, what was the next thing the baby zebra learned to do? Turn and tell your partner the next thing the zebra learned to do. As the students provide the sequence of the events, record them on a chart. Here is an example.

1. The baby zebra was born.2. The baby zebra drinks milk.3. She stays close to her mother.4. She eats grass and drinks water.5. The baby zebra plays with other zebras.6. When she is one year old, she can take care of herself.

After you complete this with the class, you could have the students write one of the sentences and illustrate it.

Another option would be to make a class book about zebras. Put the students in small groups. Give each group a sentence to write and illustrate. After they complete the pages, you can compile the pages into a class book about zebras.

Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 13Day 2: Writing in Response to Graphic Features “Headings” in A Zebra’s World

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Text and graphic features and details in the text

Before Reading: We will be reading fun facts about zebras using the headings from the last page.

As I read the last page, I want you to listen for some facts about zebras.

Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them share the purpose for listening with their partners)

After Reading: On the last page of this story, we read fun facts about zebras. We are going to create a chart of using the heading to tell some zebra facts. Read the heading and then allow students to state, in their own words, what “fun fact” that heading told them. See example below:

Chart:

Heading:

Fast Runners A zebra can gallop more than 40 miles an hour.

Writing Activity:

Students can illustrate one of the facts from the chart. They can label it with the heading and/or the fact sentence.


Day 3: Writing in response to What Do You Do with a Tail like This?

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Ask and answer questions about key details in the text

Report Card Skill Addressed: Identifies the main topic and details from the text

Before Reading: We will be reading about animals and finding out how they use their body parts in different ways.

As I read this story, I want you to listen for how animals use their body parts. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If

they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them share the purpose for listening with their partners)

After Reading: In this story, we read about all different kinds of animals and how they use their body parts. We are going to create a chart of animals, their body parts and how they use their body part.

Here is an example.

Animal Body part How they use it…Hyena Nose To find foodMole Nose To find their way

Jackrabbit Ears To keep cool monkey Tail To hang from a treeScorpion Tail To give a nasty sting

Mosquitoes Mouth To suck blood

Writing Activity:You can provide a sentence frame for your students. They can plug in information from the chart to complete the sentence or sentences. The students can illustrate their sentences. Depending on the students’ ability, they could complete one or multiple sentences. Some students may not need the sentence frame. A _____________ uses its ____________________ to _____________________.


Lesson 14

Topic: Animal HomesRead Aloud Book: Home for a Tiger, Home for a Bear

Big Book: Turtle Splash!

Companion Piece: Where Animals Live

Essential Question: Where do different animals make their homes?Target Skills: Cause and Effect; Author’s Purpose; Infer and Predict


Day 1: Writing in response to Turtle Splash!

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Cause and effect

Report Card Skill Addressed: (if applicable): dictates or writes using pictures or words/using details to describe familiar people, places, things, or events/acquires and uses increasingly difficult vocabulary.

Before Reading: This story tells about ten turtles that live in pond. As I read this book, I want you to think about what causes the turtles swim away. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them share the purpose for listening with their partners)

After Reading: In this story, we read about ten little turtle and what caused them get off the log. We are going to create a chart about some of the turtles and what caused them to get off the log. There were 10 little turtles on the log why did the first turtle get off the log? Yes, he was startled by a bull frog. Continue filling out the chart with the students by referencing the book.

Sample:

Turtle What happened? Then?

Number (Cause) (Outcome or Effect)10 Startled by a bull frog gets off the log

4 Butterfly flutters by gets off the log

3 Chickadee chirps in a tree gets off the log

1 Fading in the light Splash! They sleep tight.

Writing Activity:

The students could illustrate one of the cause and effect sentences from the chart. If they are able they may label the drawing or copy the sentence from the chart that matches their picture. Example: The turtle was startled by a bull frog so he got off the log. OR use the stem, The turtle gets off the log because ______________.


Day 2: Writing in response to Turtle Splash!

Comprehension Skill Address in Writing: Retelling

Report Card Skill Addressed:

Before reading: Yesterday we read the story Turtle Splash! Today we are going to reread the story.

As we read I want you to listen for what happens to the turtles at the beginning of the story, the middle, and the end of the story.


After Reading:

As we read the story, you were to listen to find out what happened to the turtles in the beginning, the middle, and the end. We can use words like first, next, then, and last. Think about what happened at the beginning of the story. Turn and tell your partner what happened in the beginning of the story. When they share summarize what they say and record it on the chart. Repeat this activity for the middle and end of the story.

Sample Chart: (this is just a sample, you can use a different story structure chart if you’d like)

Beginning Middle End

The turtles were lounging on the log.

The turtles got off the log. The turtles went to sleep.

Writing Activity:

Students can illustrate and write about the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Their illustrations should reflect what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story. They can dictate what is taking place in each picture or they can attempt to write about it.

*You could also have preprinted a story chart similar to the one used for charting in whole group for them to use.

*As a challenge activity the student could draw and write on their own retelling- what happened First, Next, Then and Last.


Day 3: Writing in response to Where Animals Live

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Text and graphic features and details in the text

Report Card Skill Addressed: Using details, describes familiar people, places, things, or events

Before Reading: This story is about many kinds of animals. As I read this book, I want you to think about the animals, where they live and why it’s a good place for them to live. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them share the purpose for listening with their partners)

*You could also split this into 2 days and have them listen for the animals and the places they live on the first day and then why it makes it a good place to live on the next.

After Reading: In this story, we read about many kinds of animals, the places they live, and why it’s a good place for them to live. We are going the record the places, the animals and why it’s a good place for them to live in a chart. *Note: You do not have to complete the chart for all seven animals. You could just choose 3 or 4 animals to shorten the lesson.

Places Animals Why it makes a good home…Ponds Beavers lots of branches and mud to make their homes

Rain Forest Monkeys lots of trees to find food and a place to liveDesert Bighorn Sheep rocks to climb

plants and grass to eatGrasslands Giraffes look for trees, giraffes can eat the leaves

Rocky Sea Lions lots of rocks for them to live on and the ocean to

Coast find fishForrest Deer can hide to keep safe

eats grass, twigs, and barkOceans Whales lots of water to swim in

eat krill

Writing Activity:

Today we are going to write a few sentences about one of the animals in the book, Where Animals Live.

Model: Let’s write about the bighorn sheep. Our first sentence needs to tell where the sheep live. Where do they live? (they live in the desert.) Our next sentence needs to tell us why the desert is a good place for the bighorn sheep to live. Let’s look back at our chart and see. Ask: What makes the desert a good place for the bighorn sheep to live? (they climb on rocks and eat plants and grass.)

Sample: The bighorn sheep lives in the desert. They climb on rocks

After you have modeled your sentences, have the student pick an animal from the chart and illustrate where it lives and one reason that it is a good place for them to live. You might want to provide a chart like the one below to give them. The picture should include the animal and its habitat on the left side and an illustration of why that place is appropriate for the animal on the right. The student can label the drawing or add some information from the chart. If they are unable to do that they may dictate a sentence for their picture.

*Challenge: If the students are ready, they can add more facts about why it is a good place for the animal to live and/or add concluding sentence.

Animal and Place Why it makes a good home


Lesson 15

Topic: Up in the SkyRead Aloud Book: How Many Stars in the Sky?

Big Book: What a Beautiful Sky

Companion Piece: What Will the Weather be Like?

Essential Question: What can we see in the sky?Target Skills: Sequence of Events; Author’s Word Choice


Day 2: Writing in response to the read aloud, How Many Stars in the Sky?

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Sequence of Events

Before Reading: We are going to read a story about a little boy who wants to count the number of stars in the sky. As I read aloud, I want you to think about the different ways he tries to find out how many stars are in the sky. We will discuss all the ways after I finish reading the story. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read. (If they have difficulty with this, explain again and then have them tell their partners)

After Reading: Guide students to identify the different ways the boy tried to count the stars as they occurred in the story. You could prompt them by asking, “What was the first thing he did to try and count the stars?” Continue asking questions until the students have identified the events in the order they occurred in the story.

Record the events on chart paper. (see sample below)

Sample:

The boy looked out his window to count the stars. Then, he went to his tree house to count the stars. Next, the boy and his dad drove to the city to try and

count the stars. Finally, they drove to the county and counted the

stars.

*Point out the transition words that you used and model retelling the story.


Day 3: Writing in response to the big book, What a beautiful sky!

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Author’s Word Choice

Before Reading: Sometimes authors can be very descriptive when they write. They choose their word carefully to make sure they are describing the objects or characters in the best way. We call this the author’s word choice. As I read this story aloud, I want you to listen to find out how the author describes the sun, the clouds, and the moon. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read.

After Reading: During the story, I asked you to listen for how the author described the sun, the clouds, and the moon. I’m going to go back and reread the page about the sun. Pay attention to the words the author used to describe it. After reading that page, “Turn and tell your partner one way the author describes or tells about the sun” Start your answer with, “The author says the sun is _______.” After they share, record their responses on the chart. (Repeat this same procedure for the clouds and the moon) – See sample below

Sample:

Sun

big and brightfireball in the sky

Clouds

fluffy and whitecotton in the sky

Moon

thin and darkround and light

Provide a trifold or a paper with 3 sections. Have the students draw a picture of the sun in the first section, clouds in the middle section, and the moon in the last section. Under each picture they will list a word or words to describe the picture.


Day 3: Writing in response to the big book, What a beautiful sky!

Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text

Report Card Skill Addressed: Composes a written piece, using a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing using informational text; Students orally contribute a sentence to a topic

Before Reading: As I reread this story from yesterday, I want you to listen to find out what types of things we can see in the sky during the daytime and what types of things we see in the sky at night. Turn and tell your partner what you are listening for as I read.

After Reading: Create a chart listing things you can see in the daytime and at night. Model a sentence with one of the things you have listed under each column. Then have the students share with a partner one thing that they see in the daytime, and one thing they see at night.

Have the students write a sentence or 2 about what they can see during the day or night or they could write one of each. They can illustrate their sentences.

To scaffold, you could provide the sentence stem:

“In the day, I can see _____ in the sky.”

“At night, I can see ______ in the sky.”

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