Snippets from our Writer’s Notebooks
Many thanks to those parents who were able to attend our Curriculum Night on Literacy. Listening to everyone's comments and questions, I was inspired to communicate to you mid-week some snippets from our first weeks of Writer's Notebooks. These notebooks are part of a new curriculum structure for this group, called Literacy Studio. We've used these first weeks to get into the groove of how it feels to be writing every day. We've tried out several different strategies to get our juices going, including making a list, thinking about names, "writing small" (going for detail), and taking our writing outside for observation. We've read books and wondered what those writers' notebooks looked like, what ideas those stories came from, and what inspiration they offer us as we discover ourselves as writers.
Next Monday we will launch our first Genre Study of the year. For now, here is a taste of what writing looks like in Opal 3, including photos from a morning spent writing outdoors:
Flowers
Flowers
Flowers
Flowers
I love flowers. Flowers are beautiful. I love to look at them, smell them with Izzy. Oh the marvelous flowers! I love the colors until "Chomp…" Izzy chows down on them. "Grrrr" I say as I lock eyes with Izzy. "Grrrr" says Izzy, ready to pounce, and then it happens. She lands on my head. (JP)
I used to have 2 hamsters named Peter and Tom. They were adorable. Every day – well, almost every day – we would let them out of their cage in our backyard. We'd watch them run! … One day they were in the yard sniffing in the grass. Lulu our cat was in the yard that day. She saw Peter and Tom come over … and tried to swat at them, but of course they noticed and took off running! (PG)
Sweets are the best: donuts, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, milkshakes, sodas, juice, brownies, cinnamon rolls, lemon bread, sno-cones, banana bread, chocolate-covered popcorn, candy … (OD)
Bees hum with the wind. (MM)
The crow sits up in a tree. A lookout crow is looking for something to eat. Then a fly darts out. He goes after it. Crunch it's gone. (AI)
A daddy-longlegs crawled up by leg! (SL)
I can see the moon. It looks clear and bright. Stunningly bright blue, not its usually incandescent self. (WK)
It is a bright fall day and the sun is hot on my back and the blade of grass next to me is swaying at a light breeze. Lots of birds are singing around me like this tikatika, brumbrum. The wind rustles through the leaves on the trees. Bees are flying from flower to flower, pollinating. Trees are making shade for you and me to rest in when we are hot. Big grassy open spaces is where I want to me. The bark against my back feels rough but relaxing. (RD)
Well, once upon a time there was me. Just me walking down the street. Then suddenly I heard a pitter pat of paws and a scritch scratch of claws behind me. I whipped around and what do you think I saw? (HG)
When the waves roll back the treasures of the beach are revealed and if you put one to your ear you can hear the waves. But you look down and the water is as calm as the night sky. (AA)
Hazel (SK)
- Hazel taught me how to speak dog.
- How to eat my little brother’s ice cream like a dog and grab it from the bottom.
- I can snuggle her like a stuffie.
- She taught me how to play dog tag.
- I watch TV with her.
Hiking
I went hiking. It took a long time to get there and then we got there. We walked and walked and came to a waterfall. We crossed five little waterfalls and then we crossed a bridge that was over a big waterfall. We ate lunch and then we went home. (MR)
