How to Write Stories for First Grade Lesson Plans
By the time most children enter the first grade, they have heard thousands of stories. Now is the time for them to learn what makes up a story, so they can write their own! Building a young writer's confidence comes from giving them a strong foundation with mentor texts, group brainstorming, step-by-step instruction and individual workshops.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Book
- Large easel with paper or whiteboard
- Markers
- Paper for every student
- Pencils
- Crayons
Instructions
-
-
1
Start the lesson with the children gathered together on a rug in front of the teacher. The first objective will be to ask the students to distinguish fact from fiction. Once they have given some examples and you define the difference you can move on. Next, have them state the four components of a story (characters, setting, problem and solution). Introduce the book that you will be reading. Show students the cover illustrations. Have them predict what the problem in the story might be.
-
2
After you have read the story, discuss the setting, characters, problem and solution. Have the students brainstorm about what other solutions might have worked in the story. Next, have the students illustrate the four components of the story that was just read. They should include a few sentences to explain each component. The objective is for them to use grade-appropriate spelling and grammar in complete sentences for this exercise.
-
-
3
Once students understand the four main components that make up a story, you can move on to students writing their own stories and introduce writer's workshop, individual student-teacher meetings, to the classroom. Students will also need to be introduced to the traits of effective writing: details, order, word choice, voice, grammar/spelling. Lori Jameson Rog is an educational consultant who has developed a great way for young writers to remember these traits, making them into fun characters: http://www.lorijamison.com/materials.html.
-
1
