Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 5
Lesson 21
Topic: Working Together
Read Aloud Book: Simon and Molly Plus Hester
Big Book: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
Companion Piece: Poems about Music
Essential Question: How do musicians work together
to make music?
Target Skills: Details; Author’s Word Choice
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 21
Day 2: Writing in response to the big book, Simon, Molly, Plus Hester
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: In this story, we’re going to read about 3 friends Simon, Molly,
and Hester. As I read, I want you to think about how Simon felt at the beginning
of the story, how he felt in the middle of the story, and how he felt at the end of
the story. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I
read.
After Reading: I had you listen to find out how Simon felt in the beginning, middle,
and end of this story. Turn and tell your partner how he felt at the beginning of
the story. Why did he feel that way?
Model writing the following sentence:
In the beginning of the story, Simon was happy because he was playing with Molly.
(have students share and help supply the information that goes in the blanks)
Now, how did he feel in the middle of the story? What made him feel that way?
Model writing the following sentence:
In the middle of the story, Simon was upset because Molly was playing with Hester.
(have students share and help supply the information that goes in the blanks)
What about the end of the story? Did he still feel the same way? If not, how did
he feel? What made him feel that way?
Have students fill this one in on their own. You can give them the sentence stem and
have them complete the rest.
In the end of the story, Simon was _____ because _______.
They can refer back to your sentences for help. You can have them share what they
are thinking with a partner first so they will have a better idea about what to write.
*To differentiate- if students are able, they can write about how he felt at the
beginning, middle, and end.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 21
Day 4: Writing in response to the big book, Zin! Zin! A Violin
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text
Before Reading: Today, we’re going to read a story about an orchestra. All of the
musicians in an orchestra play different instruments and make beautiful music by
working together. As I read, I want you to find at least 3 instruments that are
played in an orchestra. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening
for as I read.
After Reading: What were some of the instruments that are found in an
orchestra? Have students turn and tell their partner and you can record the
instruments on a chart as they share out.
After you have created a list of the different instruments, tell them to pick 3 that
they are going to draw and label.
As a class come up with a topic sentence that might go with the different pictures.
Lead them to come up with a topic sentence such as…
Sample Topic Sentence:
There are many instruments that work together in an orchestra.
Then the students can draw and label 3 different instruments from the
orchestra at the bottom.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 5
Lesson 22
Topic: Growing Up
Read Aloud Book: A Tiger Grows Up
Big Book: Leo the Late Bloomer
Companion Piece: What Can a Baby Animal Do?
Essential Question: How do things change when
someone is growing up?
Target Skills: Story Structure; Sequence of Events
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 22
Day 2: Writing in response to the read aloud book, A Tiger Grows Up
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: This week we are going to be reading about different animals and
what happens to them as they grow. Today, we’re going to read a book title,
A Tiger Grows Up. As I read, you are going to learn many new facts about what
tigers look like and what they can do. I want you to listen for some of these facts
about tigers. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I
read.
After Reading: You are going to be constructing a Can/Have/Are chart with the
students. To do this, you will guide them to think about the new facts that
describe what a tiger can do, what it has (physical features), and what they are
(other qualities they have) You will need to model a few with them. Below you will
find examples from the text.
Sample:
Tigers
Can
Fish
Hunt
Have
Stripes
Fur
Are
Hunters
Strong
Called cubs when they are
young
Fast
If students have difficulty after you have modeled, you will need to prompt them
with questioning.
After you have constructed the chart with the students, they can then write a
sentence with a fact from each category. Give them the following sentence stems.
Tigers can ______.
Tigers have _____.
Tigers are ____________________.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 22
Day 4: Writing in response to the big book, Leo the Late Bloomer
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text and story
structure (describing how a character changed)
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: As I read this story, I want you to listen to find out what Leo is
able to do after he grows up. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be
listening for as I read.
After Reading: Discuss with your partner at least 2 things that Leo was able to
do after he grew up. You can create a list if you need to of things Leo learned to
do.
The students will write a response to the story. As a class you can come up with a
topic sentence, and they can then write at least 2 sentences telling what Leo has
learned to do.
Sample Topic Sentence:
Leo learned many new things.
They could continue with sentences such as: He learned to ________. He
also learned to ___________.
You can scaffold this and provide them with the sentence stems if necessary.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 22
Day 4: Writing in response to the companion piece, What Can a Baby Animal
Do?
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from a text
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: Today, we’re going to read a story about baby animals. As I read,
I want you to find out some things that different baby animals can do. Turn and
tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as I read.
After Reading: Think about the animals we read about in the story. Tell your
partner one animal, what their baby is called, and what that baby is able to do.
Continue sharing several times. You may create a list on the board of the animals
in the story, what their babies are called, and what the babies can do.
Sample Chart:
Animal
Whale
Cat
Horse
Kangaroo
Bird
Rabbit
Baby
Calf
Kitten
Foal
Joey
Chick
Bunny
What they can do
Swim
Climb
Run
Jump
Fly
Nibble
After you have completed the chart, the students can create at least 2
sentences about baby animals from the story. You may need to model one
with the students.
Example: A calf can swim. A kitten can climb.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 5
Lesson 23
Topic: How Things Grow
Read Aloud Book: Oscar and the Frog
Big Book: Zinnia’s Flower Garden
Companion Piece: Growing Sunflowers
Essential Question: What steps can someone follow to
plant and grow flowers?
Target Skills: Sequence of Events; Text and Graphic
Features
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 23
Day 2: Writing in response to the big book, Zinnia’s Flower Garden
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Sequence of events
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: As I read this story, I want you to listen to find out what steps
Zinnia takes to plant her flowers. After we read, we’re going to make a chart that
lists the steps. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be listening for as
I read.
After Reading: Guide students to understand the sequence of events or steps that
take place as Zinnia is planting her flowers. You could prompt them by asking
questions like, “What is the first thing that Zinnia does?” Then guide them to
understand the most important steps in the process. See sample chart below.
Sample Chart:
Zinnia’s Flowers
Put seeds in ground
Waters the seeds
Seedlings start to poke through the dirt
A flower bloomed
The students can illustrate and write a sentence with each step in the
process.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 23
Day 4: Writing in response to the read aloud, Oscar and the Frog
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Using details from text and graphic
features
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing
Before Reading: Every living thing has its own way of beginning and growing. In
Zinnia’s Flower Garden, we read about how flowers grow. The flower starts out as
a small seed. In our story today, we’re going to find out how other living things
start out. As I read, I want you to listen for how the living things start out and
where they live and grow. Turn and tell your partner what you are going to be
listening for as I read.
After Reading: Place a chart on the board that contains all the living things
mentioned in the story. Go through each living thing, one at a time, and discuss how
it starts out and where it lives and grows. See sample chart below as a guide.
After the chart is completed, have the students select 2 living things and write a
sentence about each, telling how it grows. You can model one like the sample below
and then have them pick 2 other living things to write about.
For those who need additional support, you could provide the following sentence
stem.
A _______ came from a _______ . You could add, “It lives in ____.”
Sample Chart:
Frog
Egg
Water
Water
snail
Egg
Water
Dragon
fly
Egg
Water
Bird
Duck
Plants
Cat
Egg
On dry
land
Egg
On dry
land
Seed
Land
Kitten
Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 5
Lesson 24
Topic: Animal Colors
Read Aloud Book: Red Eyes or Blue Feathers
Big Book: Chameleon, Chameleon
Companion Piece: Amazing Animal Bodies
Essential Question: How do animals’ colors help them
survive?
Target Skills: Conclusions; Author’s Purpose
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 24
Day 2: Writing in response to the read aloud book, Red Eyes or Blue
Feathers
Before Reading: I’m going to read you a book about animal colors. Some animals
use their color to help them in their environments. As I read this story, I want you
listen to find out how each animal uses its color to adapt or blend in to their
environment. Turn and tell your partner what you are listening for as I read.
After Reading: Display the chart with the animals from the text already listed.
For each animal discuss how they use their color to help them survive in their
environment. If needed, you can go back to the text and reread about each animal
then have students discuss.
Sample Chart:
Animal
Polar bear
Red fox
Red-eyed tree frog
How they use color to blend in
White fur blends in with snow
Red coat and dark tail blend in
with plants and trees
Closes eyes and body blends in
with green leaves
Other Fact
*You will continue this lesson on another day, so the last section should be
blank at the end of the lesson.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 24
Day 3: Writing in response to the read aloud, Red Eyes or Blue Feathers
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Sequence of events
Report Card Skill Addressed: Students will use a combination of drawing,
dictating, and writing; Students will write sentences correctly
Before Reading: We read this book yesterday to find out how the animals use
their color to blend in or adapt to their environment. Today as I read, I want you
to listen to find out another fact about the animals, like what they eat. Turn and
tell your partner what you are listening for as I read.
After Reading: Using the chart that was started the day before, have students
think about another fact they learned about each of the animals. They can turn
and tell their partners and then share out so you can record their responses.
Below you will find an example of the types of information you could record on the
chart.
Sample Chart:
Animal
Polar bear
Red fox
How they use color to blend in
Other Fact
White fur blends in with snow
Likes to eat seals
Red coat and dark tail blend in
Eats insects and fruit
with plants and trees
Red-eyed tree frog
Closes eyes and body blends in
Uses eyes to help see at
with green leaves
night
Model using the information above to write 2 sentences about one of the animals.
Example: The red-eyed tree frog closes its eyes and blends in with the leaves
to hide from predators. It uses its eyes to see better at night.
Have students chose an animal to write about. They should use the information in
the chart to complete the sentences. They can share their sentences first with a
partner before they start their writing.
Checklist for Writing:
Sentences begin with capital letter.
Sentences end with punctuation.
Use spaces between your words.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Unit 5
Lesson 25
Topic: Growing Food
Read Aloud Book: Bread Comes to Life
Big Book: Pie in the Sky
Companion Piece: From Apple Tree to Store
Essential Question: How do people get food from
plants?
Target Skills: Text and Graphic Features; Sequence
of Events
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 25
Day 2: Writing in response to the read aloud book, Bread Comes to Life
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Sequence of events; how to writing
Before Reading: This week you will be learning about how to get food from plants.
Today as we read the story, Bread Comes to Life, I want you to listen for the
directions on how to make bread. We will learn about the ingredients needed and
the steps to making bread. Turn and tell your partner what you are listening for as
I read.
After Reading: Ask the students to help you identify the steps to make bread.
You will probably need to refer back to the text and illustrations to help the
students recall the order of the steps. When writing a recipe, you will need
several key parts. First you must write down what you are making. Then you will
need to list the ingredients. Next, you record the steps or the directions and
finally, you write a conclusion.
So as we go back through the text to identify the steps, I’m going to record the
information on the chart like we are writing a recipe.
Sample Chart:
Bread
Ingredients: flour, yeast, honey, water, salt, oil
1. start with the flour
2. add yeast, honey, water, flour, salt, and oil
3. stir and stir
4. dump it out and dust it with flour
5. knead it and stretch it
6. set aside to rest and rise
7. let it double in size
8. punch it down and let it rise again
9. put in the oven to bake
Slice and enjoy your bread.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 25
Day 3: Writing in response to the big book, Pie in the Sky
Comprehension Skill Addressed in Writing: Sequence of events; how to writing
Before Reading: Yesterday we read a story about how to bake bread. Today,
we’re going to read about another food that comes from plants and learn about how
to make a special kind of pie. As I read, I want you to listen for the ingredients we
need to make our pie and the steps needed to make it. Turn and tell your partner
what you are listening for as I read.
After Reading: Have the recipe for “Bread” displayed on the board for them to
refer to. Discuss the different parts that are needed to write the recipe. Now
tell them that they will be referring back to the story that we just read and
writing a recipe for cherry pie.
Create a chart like the sample below with the students.
Sample Chart:
Cherry Pie
Ingredients: cherries, flour, sugar, cinnamon, pie crust
1. wash cherries
2. squeeze out the pits (seeds) and save juice
3. add the juice, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in the bowl
4. mix and roll out the crust and put it in a pan
5. pour in the filling
6. put the crust on top
7. bake in the oven
You can put ice cream on top to make it more delicious. I hope you enjoy your
pie.
Kindergarten Writing Plans Lesson 25
Day 4: Writing a recipe- procedural writing
Model for the students how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or some
other simple recipe (that contains only 4-5 steps).
Review the parts of a recipe with the students by referring back to the charts
made during the week. (title, ingredients, steps, conclusion)
Ask the students what the title of the recipe should be and record it on the chart
paper.
Then ask students to work with a partner and discuss what ingredients are needed
to make the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Have the students share out and
record on the chart.
Tell students that they are now going to be working with a partner to write the
steps to making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. To do this, you can give the
groups sentence strips that contain the steps and they can work in their group to
place them in the correct order. This will show that they can accurately sequence
the steps. As you walk around, you can let them know if they have them in the
correct order and assist when necessary.
After they have the steps in the correct order, they can write them on their own
paper or a template you provide.
Sample Chart:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Ingredients: peanut butter, jelly, 2 slices of bread
1. lay out two slices of bread
2. spread peanut butter on one slice
3. spread jelly on the other slice
4. put them together
Enjoy your peanut butter and jelly sandwich.