[Writing Adventures] Research_or_Informational Writing

I have to admit, I'm getting a little excited about this whole writing aspect again.

I used to LOVE to teach writing in first grade.

Not sure what happened, but then I just didn't anymore.  :(

But. . .with this as my teaching goal this year, I'm finding ways to do what we are required to do in a way that works well and I LOVE.

Isn't it amazing what you can do when you decide to stop whining and just get to work?!  ;)

One of our required writing pieces is a research or informational piece.

Uuuggghh.

LOL.

I've seen about a bazillion and one of these little tree map guys floating around blog world.

I seriously love the idea of using a tree map to organize writing with kids.

It.just.makes.sense.

But. . .(there's always a but with me, you know that by now, right?!). . .

what I've seen just.didn't.quite.fit.what.I.wanted.

You know what that means.

I made my own.

Now there are a bazillion and two of these little tree map guys floating around blog world.

What's different about my tree map?

Maybe nothing.

A few things compared to the ones I've seen. . .

* Handwriting lines (critical in first grade - especially the first half of first grade!)

* Topic sentence (remember how first graders get distracted?!  They're all. . ."A car is a vehicle. . .squirrel!" and while that's awesome in conversation, it's kind of less than awesome in writing - having a topic sentence written will {hopefully} help actually keep them ON TOPIC!!)

* Concluding sentence (again with the squirrel. . .)

I plan to introduce this as soon as we finish our narrative story about the first day of school (one page a day, there will be 8 pages plus the introduction and conclusion - we've currently written through day 2).  We're going to write a biography.

So. . .if you can use this bazillion and second little tree map guy, enjoy.

If not, well, that's okay, too.

Just have to say that I'm LOVING my littles this year.

(I know - I say that every year, but I always mean it!!) 

Yesterday was an awesome day!

Everyone stayed on ready or was able to move up on the behavior chart.

Everyone.

The whole day was full of hand raising, commenting, questioning, working together, listening, direction following.

Our balloon popper activity was FREE TIME.

And they rocked the heck out of it.

No arguments.

Played nicely.

Cleaned up perfectly.

Were really quiet.

It.was.awesome.

It's Thursday.

One more sleep till we get to go see our boys.

:)

Have a great rest of the week!