Writing
Small Moment Stories
in
First and Second Grade
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
A Small Moment Story zooms
in on a very important
moment and describes what
happened RIGHT BEFORE
and RIGHT AFTER that
moment.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Writing Process
Collecting: Authors collect ideas (seed ideas) by thinking about things such as
special places, people and things, feelings, and experiences.
Drafting: Authors select a seed idea and begin to write using all of the writing
craft moves that they know.
Revising: Authors go back in to their drafts and elaborate by (among other
things) adding dialogue or inner thought, small action, details, setting and strong
feelings.
Edit: Authors review their writing to check for grammar, punctuation, spelling
and meaning.
Publish: Authors publish their revised and edited writing, using their neatest
penmanship.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Collecting Ideas
Think about a:
Special Place and ONE THING that happened at that place
(Grandma's house and the time that I won the tennis tournament)
Special Person (or animal) and ONE THING that happened with that special person
(or animal)
(My dog Lucy and the moment that I saw her in the pound)
Favorite Hobby and ONE TIME that you spent doing that hobby
(Running and the time that I crossed the finish line)
Favorite Food and ONE TIME that you had that food
(Pizza and the time that I made my first pie)
A Part of Your Body and ONE THING that happened to that part
(My eye and time that I got hit with a sled and needed stitches)
Strong Feeling and ONE TIME that I had that feeling
(Fear and the time I saw the bear on the road in front of me)
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Drafting
Authors choose a seed idea, plan a story and begin writing, using all of the writing
craft tools that they have learned.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Revising
Make your story more interesting by:
 Adding dialogue
 Adding inner thought
 Using sound words
 Adding small actions
 Describing an event/setting using your senses (smell, touch,
sound, etc.)
 Adding details by slowing down a moment and stretching it out by
making a "movie in your mind"
 "Show not tell" (instead of I was happy. Try: My face lit up, my cheeks
turned bright red and giant smile stretched across my face)
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Editing
Authors can use a checklist like this:
__ All of my sentences begin with a capital letter.
___ All of my sentences and end with punctuation mark.
__ All of my sight words and word wall words are spelled correctly.
__ I sounded out every sound in words that I did not know how to spell.
__ My story has a beginning, middle and end.
__ I zoomed in on one moment and then wrote about what happened right before and
right after.
__ My story makes sense.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
Publishing
Authors re-read their edited drafts one more time and then publish their writing in their
neatest hand writing with their neatest illustrations.
* In Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students don't usually re-copy. Instead they
will make their piece more special by adding more details and colors to their pictures or
adding a title page.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012
What to do with your young writer at home
1. Make writing as fun as reading! Give them special paper, pens, and
materials.
2. Find a special place to write.
3. Help them collect writing "seed" ideas by pointing out special times during
the day ("This would be a great story!"). Find a special place to collect their
seed ideas....like a fancy folder or notebook.
4. Show them how YOU write!
5. Change it up. Instead of reading to your child at bedtime, sometimes WRITE
with or for your child.
6. Write often, let your child write to you, friends, relatives and pets.
7. Develop a writing ritual.
8. Celebrate your child's writing....display it on the fridge.
Bob Bender, PS 11 2012