mathmarm Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 My 1st grade son loves to wield a pen and constantly requests "writing homework" but doesn't spontaneously write on his own yet. His handwriting is well developed for his age/grade and physically writing is not a barrier to output in spelling or copywork. Though we try and limit his "school writing" to around 75-85% of what we think his "limit" is to keep writing tasks comfortably doable for him. We have started him on a writing program that Hubby and I both love for our homeschool and its going well. The program teaches basic grammar and mechanics via Narrative Writing. Jr really likes the program so far. I think that Jr. would enjoy some sort of Enrichment Writing tasks from time to time, but I don't know what to offer him. I want something supplemental for occassional writing enrichment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 (edited) When my dd was that age we added in things like -creative writing prompts. There are SO many of these. We used this booklet series on fiction writing that I think @Laura Corin had suggested. You could see if he's ready for the Don't Forget to Write series. https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Forget-Write-Elementary-Grades-ebook/dp/B005SHEUCY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=don't+forget+to+write&qid=1589291258&sr=8-1 Their projects are amazing. We used the Mrs. Renz book projects (used to be free, now on TPT). Unjournaling is great but also the search on amazon has lots of other great things https://www.amazon.com/s?k=unjournaling&crid=OLVI6FVK49Z3&sprefix=unjourna%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_8 Consider poetry writing. SWB/PHP has a fiction writing series that starts very simply that we enjoyed. Also books like Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry by Prelutsky. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pizza+pigs+and+poetry&crid=3P9976WEFBD9G&sprefix=pizza+pigs%2Caps%2C159&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_10 So just keep rabbiting in that vein and you'll find plenty to suit you. Some of the publishers (Scholastic, Teacher Created Resources, etc.) have charming writing workbooks that are more on the creative side, so don't be afraid to consider those. Are report/graphic organizer books like by Michael Gravois. -Take 5 Minutes Daily Editing (yes, I know it's not writing, but it's super useful and they can just find the errors, not rewrite the whole thing) -Anti-Coloring books -creative projects in our content areas, so write a journal for your history topic, write a play to go with your literature, that kind of thing. Some were in the materials I was using (VP guides, etc.) and some we just made up. I'm using Listography with my ds right now. https://www.amazon.com/Listography-Journal-Your-Life-Lists/dp/0811859088/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=listography&qid=1589291565&sr=8-2 We do a section every few days. It's just fun and such a nice snapshot of where he is. It's not independent for him, because my ds has SLDs and struggles to physically write. But when they hit the right age, it's really good. Have you looked into *games* for writing? Dixit, TallTales, Rory Storycubes, etc. Also Peggy Kaye's stuff is always amazing https://www.amazon.com/Games-Writing-Playful-Child-Learn/dp/0374524270/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=writing+games&qid=1589291703&sr=8-2 I have this one and (sigh) haven't done much with it yet. But we've loved all her other books we've used, yes. You've probably find playful writing ideas to fit him. Edited May 12, 2020 by PeterPan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 Agree with above. There are so many options for this. And it is awesome that he wants them. Currently, we are keeping a pandemic journal. I am just having my ker write a sentence a day about what we are doing at home right now and including some pictures and letting her cut from newspapers. I figure it is a time capsule of this crazy time, so history too. I have a Scholastic writing prompts book for grades 1-3 book that I keep for things like you are talking about, but any writing prompts site or book will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Does anyone know of a source for illustrated writing prompts? The writing program we are using provides illustrated prompts that Jr. really seems to thrive with and enjoy. It seems that Jr finds the typical writing prompts overwhelming and unhelpful. He likes the visual prompts that provide scaffolding but leave him enough room to feel like he's contributing. I found a TeachersPayTeachers store with writing exercises based on 4 sequenced images but they are not open ended and are essentially exercises in using fixed transition words: first, next, then and finally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 First idea is a nature study notebook. Write about what he observes. For more direction, come up with a basic procedure like 1. See something new/interesting. 2. Describe where it is. 3. Describe what it looks like. You can even do this from pictures in a book, rather than actual outdoor nature if it's easier. Or, I might be tempted to pair writing with a picture study. Kind of like the queen homeschool handwriting/picture study, except instead of copywork, he could write about what he sees in various pictures. Maybe even let him study it for a Couple of minutes then take it away and let him write what he remembers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 (edited) 15 hours ago, mathmarm said: Does anyone know of a source for illustrated writing prompts? Free illustrated writing prompts:101 Picture Prompts -- pdf to download/printChateau Meddybemps: Story StartersNew York Times: Over 140 Picture Prompts For a fee:101 Story Starters for Little Kids (gr. 1-3) -- gah! while this looks good, if I bought the book, I would put a big sticker over the word "little" in the title!! Also, what about creating his own comic strip stories? - printable blank templates - Comic Book: Blank Comic Strips -- book of blank strips to illustrate and write in dialogue or narration And, Peggy Kaye's Games for Writing has fun ideas. My DSs hated writing, yet they loved both of these ideas from that book: - list making -- 5 ingredients to go in a witch's brew; 3 things you'd take into space with you; 4 powers of a super hero; etc. - write a story together; roll a die, and that's how many words you get to add to the joint story on your turn; my writing haters so hated only getting a "1" that I finally had to tweak the game and make "1" an automatic re-roll, or add that 1 to a second roll Edited May 20, 2020 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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