march and april unit 7 all-about writing workshop 7 all-about writing workshop ... k.1.7 listen to...

All About Unit Writing Workshop

DRAFT Revised August 2010

March and April

Unit 7

All-About

Writing Workshop

Overview of Unit: During this writing unit, kindergarten students will be “writing a few All-About books

on topics of their choice” (TC 2008-2009, p.30). Students will learn how to take what

they know about their topic and write a lot of information about it “in pre-made 5-page

stapled booklets” (p.30). Students will also learn how to add more to their book by using

the different paper choices that are available.

Paper choices for all-about books and planning include:

Used during the collecting process

Title Pages---“To help children choose topics that they are knowledgeable

about, you might have them create many title pages to possible

All-About books” (TC 2008-2009, p.30). Each title page could

then be stapled to a 5 information page booklet (with caption

boxes) that they are working on during writing time.

Optional Planning Resource: 5 box idea planning page

Optional Planning Resource: Circle idea planning page

Used during the drafting or revision section (teacher‟s choice)

Different kinds of…

How-to page

Diagram of a…

Fun Facts Page

Ask the Expert Page

Questions and Wonders Page

Glossary Page

Table of Contents

All About Author/Dedication page

Summary Page

Unit Goals:

Talk about the topic of each book

Talk about picking their own topic which needs to be something they know about

Make a list of things they know a lot about

They need to be able to name at least five things about their topic: Like a glove – not a

mitten

Talk about how published authors have put their All About books together

Table of contents – structure of the All About book

Choose and use paper choices appropriately

Pictures should match the section and words

Label pictures or diagrams

Heading for each section

Use sight words and word wall words

All About books are not stories---they are collections of „facts‟ put into categories

Writers can say more about a chapter by thinking what else they know and/or after saying



a fact then respond to it

Writers can begin an All About book with questions

AUTHORS TEXTS

Tomie dePaola

Clouds

The Quicksand Book

The Cat Book

The Popcorn Book

Gail Gibbons

ANYTHING BY HER

But notice her books are not written in

CHAPTERS!

Joy Cowley The Red-Eyed Tree Frog

H is For Hoosier (about states)

Ellen Christelow What do Authors Do?

Janet Stevens How a Book is Made

Capstone Press Community Helpers series

Debbie Slier All About Eggs

Aliki

Melvin Berger Germs Make Me Sick

Marjorie Priceman How to Make an Apple Pie and see the World

Authors who write science related

books:

Herbert Zim

Seymour Simon

Franklyn Branley

Emil Lengyel

HOW-TO BOOKS

AUTHORS

TEXTS

Tomie dePaola The Quicksand Book

Lois Ehlert Snowballs

by Laurie and Marc Brown

How to Be a Friend

(There are other non-fiction books by Marc

Brown about divorce, the environment, etc.)

Marjorie Priceman How to make a Apple Pie and See the World



Touchstone and Mentor Texts:

OTHER RESOURCES

Cookbooks

Game books or instructions

Magic books

Craft books-Check Hobby Lobby

Drawing books

MAGAZINES

Zoobooks

Ranger Rick

Highlights

Dig It

PROFESSIONAL BOOKS:

AUTHORS

TEXTS

Katie Wood Ray About the Authors

pp.192-204

Katie Wood Ray Study Driven

pp. 220-225

Ralph Fletcher Non-Fiction Craft Lessons

Alignment with Standards:

K.1.1 Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.

K.1.3 Understand that printed materials provide information.

K.1.6 Recognize and name all capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

K.1.7 Listen to two or three phonemes (sounds) when they are read aloud, and tell the number of

sounds heard, whether they are the same or different, and the order.

Example: Listen to the sounds /f /, /m/, /s/ or /l/, /n/, /v/. Tell how many sounds were heard and

whether any sounds were the same.

K.1.12 Listen to spoken sentences and recognize individual words in the sentence; listen to words

and recognize individual sounds in the words.

K.1.17 Read their own names.

K.1.21 Identify common signs and symbols.

Example: Identify the meanings of common signs and symbols, such as stop signs or store signs, from

the colors, shapes, logos, and letters on these signs or symbols.

K.2.1 Locate the title and the name of the author of a book.

K.2.4 Identify types of everyday print materials.

Example: Walk around the school and identify the signs in the school, such as EXIT, Principal‟s

Office, and Restrooms. Tell the difference between a storybook and a beginners‟ dictionary.

K.2.5 Identify the order (first, last) of information.

Example: Listen to and look at the information in a book such as Going on a Whale Watch by Bruce

McMillan. Then draw pictures representing the main events of a whale watching trip in the order in

which they occurred.

K.3.1 Distinguish fantasy from reality.

Example: Listen to The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash, Trinka Hakes Noble‟s story about a class

field trip to a farm, and Farming, Gail Gibbons‟ nonfiction book about farming. Tell how these two

books are different.

(Possibly a second grade Social Studies Big

Book)

Marla Frazee Walk On! A Guide for babies of all ages



K.3.2 Retell (beginning, middle, end) familiar stories.

Example: Retell the story of a folktale, such as the version of The Three Little Pigs by Steven

Kellogg.

K.3.3 Identify characters, settings, and important events in a story.

Example: Identify the main characters in a story, such as Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells. Describe

the setting in a familiar story, such as Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. Retell the important

events in a story, such as the folktale Jack and the Beanstalk.

K.3.4 Identify favorite books and stories.

K.3.5 Understand what is heard or seen by responding to questions (who, what, where).

K.4.1 Discuss ideas to include in a story.

K.4.2 Tell a story that the teacher or some other person will write.

K.4.3 Write using pictures, letters, and words.

K.4.4 Write phonetically spelled words (words that are written as they sound) and consonant-

vowel-consonant words (demonstrating the alphabetic principle).

Example: Write correctly simple words, such as man, cat, and run, and spell other words as they

sound, such as whale as wal, jumps as jmps, and bigger as bigr, showing an understanding of what

letters represent certain sounds.

K.4.5 Write by moving from left to right and from top to bottom.

K.4.6 Ask how and why questions about a topic of interest.

K.4.7 Identify pictures and charts as sources of information and begin gathering information from a

variety of sources (books, technology).

K.5.1 Draw pictures and write words for a specific reason.

Example: Draw a picture or write to a friend or a family member to tell about something new at

school.

K.5.2 Draw pictures and write for specific people or persons.

Example: Write or dictate an invitation to a parent to attend a classroom event.

K.6.1 Write capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet, correctly shaping and spacing the letters.

K.6.2 Spell independently using an understanding of the sounds of the alphabet and knowledge of

letter names.

Example: Spell correctly common words, such as cat, or spell by how the word sounds, such as kat.

K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions.

K.7.2 Share information and ideas, speaking in complete, coherent sentences.

K.7.3 Describe people, places, things (including their size, color, and shape), locations, and actions.

K.7.5 Tell an experience or creative story in a logical sequence (chronological order, first, second,

last).



Immersion

Read Aloud All-About books and explore books (Use some big books)

Intro:

Tell the students that they will be writing All About books, like the ones they’ve been reading in

Reading Workshop (Non-fiction Unit) or like the ones they have been hearing read aloud.

What (skill): Writers notice that All About books are different from story books

How (strategy): By reading and investigating All About books and noticing the different types of pages and

features

By noticing and identifying how 1 all about book is teaching about a specific topic

By noticing how all-about books have a different kinds page that tells about the different

kinds of things about the 1 topic

By noticing how all-about books have a table of contents page that tells what pages to

look for when researching the topic

By noticing how all-about books have a diagram page that labels the different parts of

something that relates to the topic

By noticing how all-about books have information pages that tell lots of information on

the book topic

By noticing how all-about books have a how-to page that tells how to do something that

relates to the book topic

What (skill): Writers become more aware of available topics

How (strategy):

By taking a nature walk to collect interesting items

By having conversations about items collected

By exploring children‟s encyclopedias, magazines, and dictionaries

By making a classroom chart of the places they go, the things they care about and the

things they do

What (skill): Writers learn to read like a writer

How (strategy):

By noticing something that the author did to make the All About Book

By having time to read like writers in small groups, using Post-its when they notice

something in all about books.



Chart Information:

This is a chart that was created during the immersion phase (beginning) of the writing process.

Students looked at All-About books to see what they noticed about this type of writing.

(Chart Idea) Things We Notice About All-About Books

1. Headings

2. Bold important words

3. Different pages

4. About 1 topic

5. Real life pictures



Chart Information:

Each of the items on a chart was either a teaching point in a mini-lesson, mid-workshop

interruption, or a teaching share. Each one was modeled on a class or teacher All About. So,

hopefully, these charts will give you a lot of different ideas for teaching points.



Chart Information:

This was one of the How-to’s in the How-to Museum in this classroom. They did several and

actually made the thing the How-to was about.



Chart Information:

Outside of Writing Workshop, during Interactive Writing, this class made a How-To about How-to

do Writing Workshop!



Collecting

(Begin to use planning paper in this section of the writing process.)

Title pages to draw and write topics of choice

or

Optional: 5 box topic idea planning page

Optional: Circle idea about 1 topic planning page

Teacher Note: Teach them that All About book writers get ideas for their books by thinking of things they know a

lot about. You can have them make lists or fill out title pages of all the things they know about.

(Day 2 possibility: Teacher models how to add to their topic list.)

Planning Paper Choices:

If using planning paper for this unit, it is helpful and easier to manage if you copy your planning

paper choices onto colored paper. This will help your kindergarteners understand which paper is

for planning and which paper choices are papers for their all-about book.

Planning paper choices include:

Title pages to draw and write topics they know a lot about (This will be stapled to the front

of their booklet once they begin to work on the suggested topic on the title page.)

OR

5 List/Box Topic Planning Page

Circle Idea Page (This will be used when you are listing the 5 things you know about your

topic.)

What (skill): Writers make a list of topics for their All-About books

How (strategy): By thinking about the things they know all about and then writing and drawing their

different topics on title pages so they can remember the topics they would like to write

about

By thinking about the things they know all about and listing them on the 5 box topic

planning paper

Saying at Least 5 Things about their Different Topics

Teacher Note: Hand or Circle Idea Page or List Paper with a heading

Have them choose 1 topic at a time from their title pages/topic list and put it in the middle of the

page (or at the top). Then, have students list out everything or 5 things they can think of that goes

with that 1 topic. (Model how some topics won’t work because you are not able to list 5 things).

Hopefully, this will keep them focused when they go to write an All About book.

What (skill): Writers make a plan and choose the topics they know the most about for their

All About books

How (strategy): By choosing a topic from their title pages/list and saying at least 5 things about it across

their 1 hand.

By choosing the topic they know 5 things about and sketching the 5 things on their



planning paper

What (skill): Writers can gather new information about different topics

How (strategy):

By finding and reading more from other all-about books already created so they can gather

new information about the topics of their choice.



Choosing and Drafting

Moving from Title pages or Planning Paper to 5 information page stapled booklets

(If you would like to teach how to add special pages to all-about books in this section, please look

in the revision section for mini-lessons.)

Adding a Heading to Information Pages (Drafting or Revision Section)

What (skill): Writers add a heading to their information pages

How (Strategy):

By thinking about what detail they want to focus on from the topic they decided to write

about and then writing it on the heading line at the top of their information page so readers

will know what they will be reading about.

By thinking about what others might want to know about their topic and then writing a

question about their topic on the heading line so they can answer possible questions people

might have about their all-about topic.

5 Information Page Stapled Booklets

Adding Information to Match Headings

What (skill): Writers write information on each page of their all about booklet that answers

their heading questions/that gives information that goes along with their heading

How (strategy):

By reading the heading and thinking about all the information they can add to each page so

they can add information that will teach others about their topic.

What (skill): Writers write important details about their topic

How (strategy):

By thinking and writing what they know about their topic on the information pages in their

all-about booklet so others can read and learn more about their topic

What (skill): Writers help their readers know what their words are

How (strategy):

By getting as many letters down as they can. They do this by touching a word they already

wrote, saying the word slowly (like a rubber band/like a turtle) ….stretching the word,

listening for all the sounds, and adding any new sounds that they hear.

What (skill): Writers make sure that the words they already know how to spell are spelled

correctly

How (strategy): By looking at the words on the Word Wall, reading and finding the word they want to spell

correctly and then writing it on their paper spelled correctly so they can make their writing

easier for others to read



Adding Captions to Information pages

What (skill): Writers add captions in the caption box located next to their pictures

How (Strategy):

By thinking about what the picture is about (or doing) and then explaining it in the caption

box so others will learn more about the picture provided on the information page

Drawing Representational Pictures to Match Words

What (skill): Writers add pictures in the picture box on the information pages

How (Strategy):

By reading the information they wrote and then thinking about what picture would match

the information written so their pictures match their words

Conventions

What (skill): Writers use spaces between their words

How(strategy): By writing a word and then placing their spaceman/finger down before they right their

next word

What (skill): Writers write sentences that end with a punctuation

How (strategy): By using a red crayon to make it so they can show their reader where to stop and take a

breath before continuing on with reading.

By placing a . ! ? in the place that you have finished one complete thought so they can

show their reader where to stop and take a breath before continuing on with reading.

By placing a . ! ? in the place that you have finished telling/asking something so they

can show their reader where to stop and take a breath before continuing on with reading.

What (Skill): Writers make sure they use an uppercase letter at the beginning of a sentence

How (Strategy): By using a green crayon/marker for that letter so the reader can see where the new sentence

begins.

By making the letter uppercase and the other letters in the word lowercase so the reader

can see where the new sentence begins.

What (Skill): Writers make sure they use lowercase letters in their writing

How (Strategy): By making sure to write only in lowercase unless they are starting a sentence or writing a

name so their writing is easier to read.



Elaborating and Adding More Detail to Words

What (skill): Writers add their voice to their writing

How (Strategy):

By writing a fact and then saying something about what they know about it so they can

share information with others

What (skill): Writers give more information in their books

How (Strategy):

By adding comparisons between your topic and someone else‟s topic

By thinking of something your fact reminds you of

By adding a warning if their topic is dangerous

What (skill): Writers add more details to their sentence to elaborate on the statement

How (Strategy): By closing their eyes and thinking, “Hmm…what else can I say about that” (ex. “Dogs

have two ears.” “What more can I say about the dogs ears? They can be pointy or

floppy…”)(From TC Guide)

What (skill): Writers can gather new information about their all-about topics

How (strategy):

By reading more about their topics from other all-about books so they can learn more

information and what else they could add to make their book better

Elaborating and Adding More Detail to Pictures

What (skill): Writers can add more detail to their pictures

How (Strategy):

By observing their pictures already created and thinking about what is missing or what

would make the pictures better

Diagram Page (Teach now or during revision section)

What (skill): Writers can tell about their topic with a diagram page

How (Strategy):

By drawing a detailed picture and adding labels to show the different parts so the readers

will learn more about the topic they are reading about

Working with Partners

What (skill): Writers share what they have been writing for their all-about book

How (Strategy):

By reading their completed pieces with a partner and then asking them what they think so

they can see if it makes sense and what else they could add



Revision

(Fixing Time)

Adding more detail to words and pictures

(Most of these skill and strategies are repeated from the drafting section.)

Different Kinds Page

What (skill): Writers can tell more about their topic with a different kinds page

How (Strategy):

By thinking of all the different kinds of ______________ that go along with their topic so

the readers will learn more about the topic they are reading about

How-to Page

What (skill): Writers can tell more about their topic with a how-to page

How (Strategy):

By thinking about something specific about their topic that they can teach how to do and

then listing the steps you do so others can learn how to do it, too.

Ask the Expert Page

What (skill): Writers add more information to their all-about book

How (Strategy):

By adding an “ask the expert” section and finding someone else who knows a lot about the

topic and doing an interview.

Question Page

What (skill): Writers add questions that they think their reader might be asking themselves

about the topic

How (Strategy):

By thinking about the important things about their topic that their readers might be asking

themselves and wondering more about so they can list the possible questions and the

answers to the questions for their readers to read and learn more about the topic



I Wonder…Page

What (skill): Writers add an I wonder page that list items that their reader might be

wondering about

How (Strategy):

By thinking about the important things about their topic that their readers might be

wondering more about so they can list the possible wonders and the answers to the

wonders for their readers to read and learn more about the topic

Glossary

What (skill): Writers help their readers learn important words about their all about topic

How (Strategy):

By adding a glossary to the book and giving definitions of words they have used in their

book.

Fun Fact Page

What (skill): Writers add more interesting information about their topic

How (Strategy):

By adding a “fun fact” section and thinking of interesting or funny things about their topic

that they have not shared yet

Table of Contents

What (skill): Writers organize their all about book pages

How (strategy):

By making a table of contents and listing the different types of pages and the page number

for each page so readers will know what is included in the all-about book

Adding More to Your Pictures

What (skill): Writers show important parts of their pictures

How (strategy): By highlighting or labeling what they want their reader to see.

By adding important details to their pictures to make them look life like

By showing action in their pictures or words so they keep their readers interested in their

all about book.

Adding More to Your Words

What (skill): Writers elaborate on their facts to help the reader better understand

How (strategy): By rereading their writing and picturing in their mind what may confuse readers

By meeting with your partner and reading each others writing and responding to partner

questions

By reading one sentence at a time and thinking, “Does this go here?” and if it doesn‟t, take

it out.



By rereading a page and thinking about what else they know about their topic that could be

added to that specific page. (Adding more text to the actual sentences).

What (skill): Writers add more details to their sentence to elaborate on the statement

How (Strategy): By closing their eyes and thinking, “Hmm…what else can I say about that” (ex. “Dogs

have two ears.” “What more can I say about the dogs ears? They can be pointy or

floppy…”)(From TC Guide)

By thinking of the details that describe their topic and adding the describing words to their

sentences

What (skill): Writers add more to their words and draw attention to important words

How (Strategy): By writing the important words in bold print so they stick out when readers are reading

their all about book



Editing

(Fixing Time)

Working on conventions, punctuations, spelling (word wall words), spaces, etc.

Conventions

What (skill): Writers use spaces between their words

How(strategy):

By rereading each word they‟ve written and after each word checking to see if one of

their fingers will fit between that word and the next word. If the finger covers any of

the next word, they draw a line between the two words (or you can have them circle the

words that are too close). The line will help them remember that they need a space

there and it will help their readers know that those are two different words.

What (skill): Writers write sentences that end with a punctuation

How (strategy): By using a red crayon to make it so they can show their reader where to stop and take a

breath before continuing on with reading.

By placing a . ! ? in the place that you have finished one complete thought so they can

show their reader where to stop and take a breath before continuing on with reading.

By placing a . ! ? in the place that you have finished telling/asking something so they

can show their reader where to stop and take a breath before continuing on with reading.

What (Skill): Writers make sure they use an uppercase letter at the beginning of a sentence

How (Strategy): By using a green crayon/marker for that letter so the reader can see where the new sentence

begins.

By making the letter uppercase and the other letters in the word lowercase so the reader

can see where the new sentence begins.

What (Skill): Writers make sure they use lowercase letters in their writing

How (Strategy): By making sure to write only in lowercase unless they are starting a sentence or writing a

name so their writing is easier to read.

What (skill): Writers make sure that the words they already know how to spell are spelled

correctly (Word Wall words / star words…whatever you call them).

How (strategy):

By looking at the words on the Word Wall, reading each one, looking back at their writing,

and asking, “Did I use this word in my writing? If I did, did I spell it correctly?” Writers

fix up any words from the Word Wall that they used in their writing.

What (skill): Writers help their readers know what their words are

How (strategy):

By getting as many letters down as they can. They do this by touching a word they already

wrote, saying the word slowly (like a rubber band/like a turtle) ….stretching the word,



listening for all the sounds, and adding any new sounds that they hear.

What (skill): Writers check all of their “words” and pictures to make sure that people can

“read” everything

How (strategy):

By rereading everything they‟ve written, making sure everything looks clear and correct.

They do this by putting their finger on each word and picture one at a time, saying the

word or picture, and asking, “Can I read this? Will other people be able to read this? Does

it look clear and correct?” If not, they fix it up.



Publishing

(Fancy time)

Add front and back covers, dedication page, about the author blurbs, and bind books

Adding Color

What (skill): Writers add color to their sketches

How (strategy): By closing their eyes and thinking about what colors to use to make their picture look real

so they can add the correct colors to their sketches

By making the pictures look real with detail and how people are feeling so others know

what the pictures is when they see it

By coloring their very best and making their pictures the correct colors across the pages so

others know what the picture is when they see it

What (skill): Writers use fancying writing tools carefully

How (strategy): By adding color with them and putting the tools back in the correct spots so others can find

the tools when they want to use them.

By doing their best to stay in the lines of their sketches so their pictures look life like.

By thinking what tool might be best for each item in their picture and asking themselves,

“Should I use a crayon, colored pencil, or etc. for this picture?” so they can make their

picture look life like.

Adding About the Author Page

What (skill): Writers add an About the Author page

How (strategy):

By writing information about themselves and the all-about book they created so the readers

can learn more about the fabulous author that created the book

Adding a Dedication Page

What (skill): Writers add a dedication page to their all-about book

How (strategy):

By thinking about the person they wrote the book for so readers will know the individual

that inspires the author

By thinking about an individual that likes the all-about topic they wrote about and making

their book dedication to that individual



Other Ways to Glam up Writing

*Add real pictures

*using special paper

*glue on to big paper so it stands out more

*add, created by:

*make an album cover

march and april unit 7 all-about writing workshop 7 all-about writing workshop ... k.1.7 listen to...

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