Chicopee Public Schools

Writing Process Handbook

 

 

Kindergarten Instructional Guidelines

 

Writing skills of children entering Kindergarten vary significantly. Some students will simply be able to sing the ABC’s Song while others will write their name, recognize some letters of the alphabet, and understand the concept of writing directionality, that writing goes from left to right.  Some students will be able to represent an idea through a simple image, while others will draw a detailed picture with labels.  By the end of the year all Kindergarten students are expected to draw a detailed picture with three complete simple sentences describing their work.

 

Writing instruction models vary from building to building and teacher to teacher.  Some teachers may prefer to teach writing daily within the ELA block, while others may wish to follow the model provided in the basal reader.  In Kindergarten, the writing process begins with students representing an idea or story through drawings or pictures.  As children learn to represent ideas through drawing and labeling, they are taught letter/sound recognition, simple high frequency words, and CVC word; such as cat, dog, hen. Introduction of words, capital letters, appropriate spacing, and punctuation are modeled daily using with the morning message.  In addition, the teacher uses prompts or stories familiar to students to guide them through the writing process.  Teacher’s creativity and enthusiasm about writing is an important tool to develop students’ skills as authentic lifelong writers.  Teachers use different methods and materials to teach the writing process.

 

Instructional challenges:

·         Writing Challenges:

o   Adding details to pictures

o   Understanding the concept of print (letters are used to form words)

o   Understanding letter/ sound  correspondence

o   Using left to write directionality

o   Making the transition from words to sentences

·         Differentiated instruction based on students’ different ability levels

·         Students different levels of prior knowledge, specifically in the content areas

·         Limited vocabulary

·         Limited English proficiency

·         Limited fine motor skills/difficulty forming letters

 

Suggested resources:

·         Building level support staff

·         On-site staff trained in the Chicopee Public Schools Writing Process

·         Chicopee Public School Writing Handbook

·         Writing Process Resource Book

·         Write Source Teacher Resources

·         Online Resources

 

 

Chicopee Public Schools                        Kindergarten Writing Scope & Sequence                                   Full Year

 

Grade

Standard

Text Structure

Prewriting Strategies

Revising Skills

Revising

Tools

Editing Skills

Editing Tools

Publishing

 

Full Year

 

Respond to a Prompt

 

Draw a Detailed Picture

 

Letter Dictation

 

Story Web

 

3 Complete Sentences

 

Descriptive Sentences

 

Journal Entry

 

Personal Narrative

 

Narrative Story

 

Letter Writing

 

Report Writing

 

News Story

 

Book Report

 

Weather Report

 

Poetry

 

 

Visuals

 

Manipulatives

 

Read-Alouds

 

Story Starters

 

Webs

 

Scaffolds

 

Choosing a Title

 

Discussion

 

Writing a List

 

Rhyming Words

 

Detailed Picture

 

Sentence Dictation

 

Revising a Class Story

 

Use Specific Nouns

 

Use Order Words

 

Retell a Story

 

Teacher Modeling

 

Teacher Conference

 

Graphic Organizer

 

Read Aloud to Self

 

Read Aloud to Teacher

 

Read Aloud to Peer

 

Correct Spacing

 

Capital Letters

 

Periods

 

Single/Plural (S) Words

 

Correct Word Order

 

Correct Spelling

(from Word Wall)

 

Modeling

 

Pencil Grips

 

Spacing Tool

 

Editing Checklist

 

Word Wall

 

Wide-Lined Paper

 

Teacher Modeled Writing

 

Detailed Picture with 3 or more Sentences

 

Mural

 

Poster

 

Picture Book

 

Classroom Newsletter

 

Classroom Anthology

 

 

Chicopee Public Schools   Kindergarten Writing Scope & Sequence   By Terms  
                 
Grade Standard Text Structures Prewriting Strategies Revising Skills Revising Tools Editing Skills Editing Tools Publishing
First Respond to a  Journal Entry Visuals Detailed Picture Teacher Modeling Correct Spacing Teacher Modeling Teacher Modeled
Term       Prompt Descriptive Sentence Manipulatives Sentence Dictation Teacher Conference             Writing
  Draw a Detailed Personal Narrative Read-Alouds Revising a Class Story Graphic Organizer      
        Picture Narrative Story Story Starters Use Specific Nouns       Detailed Picture
  Letter Dictation   Webs Use Order Words       Mural
  Story Web   Scaffolds Retell a Story       Poster
  Complete  Sent.   Choosing a  Title          
      Discussion          
      Writing a List          
                 
Second Respond to a  Journal Entry Visuals Detailed Picture Teacher Modeling Correct Spacing Modeling Teacher Modeled
Term       Prompt Descriptive Sentence Manipulatives Revising a Class Story Teacher Conference Capital Letters Pencil Grips         Writing
    Narrative Story Read-Alouds Use Specific Nouns Graphic Organizer Periods Spacing Tool  
  Draw a Detailed Letter Writing Story Starters Retell a Story Read Aloud to Self Single /Plural (S) Words Editing Checklist Detailed Picture with
         Picture Report Writing Webs   Read Aloud to Teacher Correct Word Order Word Wall      1-2 Sentences
  1 - 2 Sentences News Story Scaffolds     Correct Spelling  Wide-lined Paper Mural
  Story Web Poetry Rhyming Words               (from Word Wall)   Poster
  Complete  Sent.   Choosing a  Title         Picture Book
      Discussion         Classroom Newsletter
      Writing a List          
                 
                 
                 
Third Respond to a  Journal Entry Visuals Detailed Picture Modeling Correct Spacing Modeling Teacher Modeled
Term       Prompt Narrative Story Manipulatives Revising a Class Story Teacher Conference Capital Letters Pencil Grips         Writing
    Letter Writing Read-Alouds Use Specific Nouns Graphic Organizer Periods Spacing Tool  
  Draw a Detailed Report Writing Story Starters Retell a Story Read Aloud to Self Single /Plural (S) Words Editing Checklist Detailed Picture with
         Picture News Story Webs   Read Aloud to Self Correct Word Order Word Wall      3 or more Sentences
  3 or more Sentences Book Report Scaffolds   Read Aloud to Teacher Correct Spelling  Wide-lined Paper Mural
  Story Web Poetry Rhyming Words   Read Aloud to Peer           (from Word Wall)   Poster
  Complete  Sent.   Choosing a  Title         Picture Book
      Discussion         Classroom Newsletter
                Classroom Anthology
                 

 

 

Elements of Writing

Topic Development

Organization

Sentence Structure

Vocabulary

Conventions

Grammar/Mechanics

 

* Exemplary

 

4

 

□  Topic sentence is evident

□  Draws a detailed picture with more than 3 sentences on topic

 

□  Sentence are arranged in logical sequence

 

 

□  Attempts sentence variety

 

□    Uses sensory and exact words

 

□   Uses capital letters for some proper nouns.

□   Uses all end punctuation marks appropriately

 

 * Exemplary writing must represent independent writing.  All standards for proficient writing must be met in addition to the exemplary standards.                                                           

 

Proficient

 

3

 

□  Topic is clear

□  Draws a detailed picture with 3 sentences on topic

 

□  Uses appropriate spacing

□  Consistently uses left to right progression

□  Uses complete sentences

□  Consistently uses correct word order

 

□    Correct use of high frequency words to build sentences

□   Consistently uses capital letters at the beginning of a sentence and periods at the end of sentences

□   Correct spelling of high frequency words

 

Developing

 

2

 

□  Attempts to address topic

□  Draws a detailed picture with fewer than 3 sentences

 

□  Uses some appropriate spacing

□  Uses left to right progression most of the time

□  Some incomplete sentences

□  Some use of correct word order

□    Use of limited high frequency words such as I, my, see and the to develop simple repetitive sentences

□   Some use of capital letters and periods

□   Spelling shows evidence of beginning phonemes

 

Beginning

 

1

 

□  Draws picture and explains with words or phrases

□  No use of appropriate spacing

□  No use of left to right to progression

□  Does not use sentences

□  Uses words or phrases

□    Attempts to use words to label pictures

□   No evidence of capital letters and periods

0

□  Writing Sample Not Scored -  Off Topic, Illegible or Blank:      Please explain in comment section

Score

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments:

 

 

Final Score:       _____

                              20       

 

 

 

 

 

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