Increasing Writing Opportunities
OWL Units 1-3
Unit 1 Week 1
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWk1 D1 / Transition-Lining up / Forming selected uppercase letters / · Show a child’s name card.
· Model writing the first letter of the child’s name.
· Describe each step of the letter’s formation.
· Children can use their finger to write the letter on the carpet along with the teacher. / · (Uppercase B) “Make a long straight line, go to the top, go around to the middle, go around to the bottom”
· Allow a child who can write the first letter of their name to write it on the board
Wk 1 D2 / LFOAI- Taking Care of Babies / Modeling letter and word formation / · After the lesson, let the class decide on a name for one of the baby dolls.
· Brainstorm a list of possible names and come to consensus on one “baby” name.
· Model writing the baby name on a card.
· Place name card and baby in Dramatic Play. / · Put extra cards into Dramatic Play so children can make name cards for the other baby dolls.
Wk 1 D3 / Morning Meeting / Modeling forming the letter B and writing words / · Discuss baby items from the Wk 1 D 2 LFOAI lesson.
(Store items in a large box or basket.)
· Model writing “Baby Box or Baby Basket” on a large piece of paper.
· Describe how the letter B/ b is formed. / · Emphasize the /b/ sound as the letter written.
Wk1 D4 / SWPL / Forming the First Letter in a Child’s Name / · Using the children’s name cards, show the first letter in each name. As each child raises their hand, write the first letter in their name on the board as described in the lining up transition. / · Children can use their finger to write the letter on the carpet or in the air.
Wk 1 D4 / Small Group / Drawing child’s family members / · Model drawing your family on a dry erase board.
· Have each child discuss/describe their family.
· Distribute paper and have children draw their family.
· Allow each child to share their picture at the end of small groups or the next day. / · You may need to model drawing a simple dog.
· Encourage students to draw a face for each person in their family.
Unit 1 Week 2
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWk 2 D1 / Morning Meeting / Labeling / · Make labels for the paint cans and brushes.
· Model writing the color word “pink” on a piece of sentence strip. Say name of each letter as you write it.
· Place label on paint can.
· Make another label for the paint brush.
· Add paint cans and large paint brushes to Dramatic Play. / · Put a circle of the color to match the word on each label.
· Repeat this activity for a “blue” can and paint brush.
· Children can repeat the letter names.
W2 D 2 / Transition / Identifying same and different / · Draw an arrow pointing up and discuss direction of arrow.
Repeat this activity with arrows pointing down, left and right.
· Make 2 arrows on dry erase board (sometimes pointing in the same directions, sometimes in different directions).
Ask child to tell if the arrows are the same or different. / · Child can use arms to point in direction of each arrow.
· To engage all children, have them use thumbs up if arrows are same and thumbs down if arrows are different.
Wk 2 D 3 / Writing Center / Writing letters / · Work individually with children to identify letters in their name.
· Use modeled writing to practice letters of child’s name.
· Invite the child to make letter(s) with the teacher. / · Child decides what he/she wants to do at the writing center.
· Children practice writing known letters in their name.
Wk 2 D 4 / SWPL / Writing numerals 1-5 / · Child places 5 frogs on flannel board (one at a time).
· Use modeled writing to demonstrate formation of numeral that matches number of frogs on board( 1 frog, write 1) / · Child can practice writing numerals in writing center.
Wk 2 D 5 / SWPL / Linking letter names and sounds / · See the last bullet on page 80 for Interesting-Sounding words.
· Use modeled writing to demonstrate /sh/ sound in shhhh and crash.
Unit 1 Week 3 and 4
Week/Day / OWL Component/Lesson / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWk 3 / Morning Meeting-Designing a Marble Box / Drawing circles / · Model drawing the classroom’s marble box. Name the types of lines (short vertical, long horizontal, curves etc…) used when the rectangles and circles are drawn
· Encourage students to “design” their own marble box at the art or writing center. / · Allow children to draw large circles at the art easel.
Wk 3 and 4 / Centers / Writing names / · Place prepared surveys on clipboards. (Can you whistle? Yes/No, Do you like to wear overalls? Yes/No, Do you like to draw with a crayon or chalk? Crayon/Chalk, Do you have a teddy bear or other stuffed animal? Yes/No)
· During centers encourage students to ask their friends to sign their name under their response.
· Tally responses at the beginning of the next whole group time. / · Encourage children who are unable to write their names to write the first letter of their name, make any mark, or use their name card for reference.
Wk 3 / Small Groups-Alphabet Bingo / Identifying Letter Names / · As letters are called, model writing that letter on a dry erase board. / · Allow students to write the letters on the dry erase board if they can do it independently.
Wk 4 D2 / SWPL-Time for Bed / Dictating / · After reading Time For Bed, have children orally answer the question “What do you do before you go to bed?”
· Model writing the question “What do you do before you go to bed?” on chart paper. Record the student’s responses.
· Read the chart to the students and point to the words. / · Place chart in the art center for students to illustrate with pictures from a magazine or with student drawings.
· Place blank journals in the writing center for them to draw what bedtime looks like at their house.
Wk 4 / SWPL / Drawing Recognizable Shapes / · After reading Time for Bed, discuss what their pets do at bedtime.
· Model drawing a cat using simple shapes.
See cat drawing on cover. / · Encourage students to draw and write about what cats do at bedtime.
Wk 4 / Small Groups / Drawing Recognizable Shapes / · Model drawing Corduroy’s overalls using simple shapes.
See drawing on the cover. Name the types of lines and shapes as you are drawing (long, vertical, slanted, etc.). / · Encourage students to draw and write about overalls in their journals.
Unit 2 Week 1
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWk 1 D 1 / Morning Meeting / Labeling
2-dimensional art work / · Introduce art project p.13.
· Use modeled writing to write the word “pizza” on a sentence strip.
· Encourage children to label their painting. / · During center time, teacher uses modeled writing to assist students who may need help labeling their painting.
Wk 1 D 2 / Story Time / Connecting writing to literature(Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza) / · Before 2nd read, use modeled writing to write the word “pizza”. Ask “Who remembers something about this word from yesterday?”
· Show book cover and point to word pizza.
· Encourage children to draw a picture of their favorite part of the story at the Writing Center. / · Encourage children to write about their picture.
· Provide word cards to support writing.
· Take dictation about their pictures.
· Make class book of children’s work.
Wk 1 D 3 / LFOAI / Writing for a purpose / · Discuss uses of stationery.
· Model writing a short letter. Use student suggestions as appropriate.
· Model addressing envelope (name only). / · Encourage children to practice letter writing in the Writing Center. Provide assistance as needed.
Wk 1 D 4 / SWPL / Writing letters and linking their letter names / · Use model writing to write first letter of each child’s name on a white board.
· Have children stand when you write the first letter of their name. / · If you have a child who can write letters, allow them to write the first letter of their name on the white board.
W 1 D 5 / Transition after Story Time / Identifying and writing the first letter of a word / · Ask children to recall words from Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by giving clues and writing the first letter of the word. Children transition to next activity as they identify the word. / · Identify these suggested words:
Easy words: pizza, hen, duck, cat, tea, flour, pan, apron, bowl, dog
Harder Words: delicatessen, dishes, dough, mozzarella, hardware store, pepperoni, mushrooms, tomato sauce
Unit 2 Week 2
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWk 2 D 1 / LFOAI / Writing for a purpose / · Discuss the use of lists.
· Using modeled writing, generate a class list of items the Little Red Hen needed to make a pizza.
· Encourage children to make lists in Dramatic Play. / · Provide different kinds of pads, paper, and pencils.
· Provide pictures (newspaper or magazine) in Art Center for children to paste onto list to illustrate items.
Wk 2 D 2 / Morning Meeting / Journal writing / · Discuss with children how and when journals are used.
· Model how to make a journal entry of things they have done or learned (pictures and/or words).
· Provide suggestions for journal entries to help students get started. / · Offer to take and record dictation in children’s journals.
Wk 2 D 3 / SWPL / Identifying individual letters / · Using modeled writing, write each letter of the BINGO game on individual paper or cardstock. Sing BINGO song holding up each letter as it is sung. / · Later in year, use lower case letters.
Wk 2 D 4 / Story Time / Writing for a purpose / · Before reading A Letter to Amy, discuss the purpose of Peter’s party. Read the story.
· Discuss purpose and necessary parts of an invitation.
· Using modeled writing, write “Happy Birthday” on a sentence strip. / · Put “Happy Birthday” strip in Writing Center for children to use to make birthday cards or invitations.
· Encourage children to make birthday crowns from sentence strips with drawings and/or words.
Wk 2 D 5 / LFOAI / Labeling / · Read Road Builders.
· Draw picture of one of vehicles in the book and label the picture. / · Invite children to draw and label their own vehicle pictures.
· Offer to write about their drawings.
Unit 2 Week 3
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWK 3 D 1 / Morning Meeting / Drawing and modeled writing / · Review drawing pictures from W 2 D 5.
· Model drawing picture on a large size sticky pad/note.
· Suggest children draw a picture of their favorite characters from Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza in Art Center or Writing Center. (use a large size sticky pad/note) / · Assist children with writing their name on the back of a sticky note.
· Using a pre-labeled graph, attach children’s pictures in the appropriate column.
· Invite children to share why they selected their character.
WK 3 D 2 / Transition / Forming letters / · Write capital letter on dry erase board. Child names attribute of the letter (straight line, curve, slanted line) as they transition to the next activity. / · Begin with single attribute. (ex. L, O, W)
· When appropriate use multiple attributes. (ex. R, P ,B)
WK 3 D 3 / Writing Center / Writing for a purpose / · Invite children to the Writing Center to create an invitation. Differentiate as needed. / · Invite child to decorate perimeter of the paper using own drawings/stencils – with child’s permission, teacher will use modeled writing to create invitation. Provide class name cards for the child to copy friend’s name on the invitation.
· Teacher sits with child and gives simple directions for completing the invitation.
· Children create own version of invitation based on teacher’s introduction of invitations from Morning Meeting or LFOAI.
WK 3 D 4 / SWPL / Forming letters / · Choose 5 children’s names that begin with different letters to use in identifying letter attributes. For example use the following clue “I’m thinking of a letter that has straight lines only and it is the first letter in Thomas’s name.”
WK 3 D 5 / SWPL / Writing for a purpose / · Read Hush! Choose rhyming sets to illustrate. (ex. hat, bat and sleep, weep)
· Label rhyming sets. / · Place rhyming sets and labels in Writing Center for children to match.
· Invite children to create their own rhyming sets to label.
Unit 2 Week 4
Week/Day / OWL Component / Writing Focus / Activity / DifferentiationWK 4 D 1 / Morning Meeting / Dictating a story / · Open the book Dandelion to the part that shows him in the barbershop. Invite children to tell about a time they went to a barbershop or beauty salon.
· Draw illustrations and use modeled writing on a dry erase board to create a story about your haircut experience. / · Using sentence strips, write the following phrases: My hair is….; The chair…; When I get my hair cut…. Invite child to finish the phrase as you use modeled writing to write the words.
· Invite children to draw and write about a time they got a haircut - assist children as needed.
WK 4 D 2 / Transition / Identifying different types of lines / · As students transition out of whole group activity, draw one shape on dry erase board. Verbalize the different types of lines as they are drawn. (i.e. slanted, curved, straight)
· As children leave the group area ask them to identify a shape and one type of line in the shape drawn.
· Say “Point to a slanted line”, “Point to a curved line”, “Point to a straight line”. / · Have student practice drawing different shapes in different sizes in the math center.
WK 4 D 3 / Writing Center / Writing for a purpose / · Discuss uses of postcards - include inviting friends to a party.
· Use modeled writing to create a postcard message. (include name, address, city, state, and zip code) / · Invite students to paste magazine pictures on blank side of post card.
· Encourage students to draw pictures or write words to invite friends to their party.
WK 4 D 4 / LFOAI / Creating rules / · Discuss the purpose of party rules. Invite children to give suggestions for piñata party rules.
· Record rules on chart paper or butcher paper.
· Display the chart in the classroom.
WK 4 D 5 / Writing center / Creating a class book / · Take photographs of each child in different centers and paste each picture on an individual sheet of paper.
· Write captions for different pictures (ex. “_____ likes to play in ______center.”)
· Invite children to use name cards and small center signs to fill in blanks on their page.
· Assemble pages to make class book. / · Assist children as needed.
Unit 3 Week 1