Minilesson Materials: Three types of writing chart (with interests section covered up), types of experiences chart, my own books about spring and breakfast

Connection:

• Talk about the true, one-time stories the kids have been writing all year and how they’ve come so far as writers this year.
• Inform kids that writers don’t just write stories. They also write about experiences they’ve had. Reference the “We can write…” chart.
•  Today I want to teach you how to write about something you know a lot about so you can teach other people about an experience you’ve had.

Teaching:

•  Reference the experiences chart. Talk about what an experience is and how we all have experiences -- big and small -- that we can teach other people about. Mention that experiences are things you have done many times that have a predictable pattern. They’re things you’ve done often and know well enough to tell other people about.

 Watch me as I show you how I wrote about two experiences I’ve had.

• Share “In Spring” book.

• Debrief. Highlight the repetition of the phrase, “In spring, I can…” on each page.

• Share “Breakfast” book.

• Debrief. Discuss how there were three pages that tell the steps someone would need to do to get breakfast on the table.

Did you notice how I wrote about my experiences? One book was about things I do in the springtime that other people can do, while the other one was about a meal I prepare everyday? This is something you can do too. Writers write about something they know a lot about so they can teach other people about experiences they’ve had.

Active Involvement:

 Now it is your turn to try it. Have kids go knee-to-knee and eye-to-eye with a partner to talk about an experience they can teach other people about.

Provide three minutes, then debrief with three kids.

Link:

 Today and every day, I want you to remember that you can write stories when you come to the writing center. However, you can also write about something you know a lot about so you can teach other people about an experience you’ve had.

Materials Needed for the Writing Center:

• Writing folders
• White paper
• Stapler
• Sticky notes
• Magic markers
• Thin, black Sharpie
• Scissors

This minilesson is based on the work of Matt Glover in Engaging Young Writers: Preschool - Grade 1 (Heinemann, 2009).