Encoding (Writing)

Home Writing Journals

A writing journal for home is a great way for students to practice their writing skills. Grab a colorful notebook at the store, have them decorate with stickers and pictures of things they love and make it something they want to get into daily. There are plenty of topics to write about. For example, something fun they did over the weekend, a sporting event, a birthday party, a movie they watched, a playdate and more! Going on a trip? Bring the notebook for your child to record about their days and what they see and do. You can even print little pictures to add to the journal or have them illustrate a picture to match their words. This will also provide a keepsake of memories for them to hold onto to look back at when they are older.

Journal Topic Examples: daily journal, summer journal, vacation journal, holiday journal, letter journal to parent/sibling/friend, or reading journal.

Any composition or spiral notebook will work. Personalizing it will engage and motivate students to want to write in it.

Primary journals are great for students who are still working on proper letter formation. (primarily K-2 but can be used for any child still needing the lines for support.)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a great book series to show an example of a journal that a student could keep.

Amelia's Notebook is another great book example of journal style writing.

Pre K-1st grade students that are learning to write can still start a journal! These are two journals from a 4 and 5 year old! Pre K/K could dictate their story idea and have an adult write it out. You can use this to practice a letter, sounds, and speaking in a complete sentence. Use the picture to discuss details about the sentence. For K/1 who are learning to write they can start with 1-2 sentences. They can label their illustrations for more practice and focus on capital letter at the beginning of the sentence and punctuation at the end.

For grades 2-5, students can start writing more and adding more descriptive detail turning their story into a paragraph. Have the child pick a topic they would like to write about and that is their idea. Then have them think of about 3 details to describe that main idea. Use questions such as who, what, where, why, when and how to describe in further detail. At the end of their writing they should wrap it up, share feelings and have a closing sentence. This is a way to show the reader you are done with the story. If the whole story was about getting a new puppy the closing might be, "I am so grateful to finally have a puppy and cannot wait to watch him grow up." When writers are able to write a strong paragraph, they can start writing multiple paragraphs.

ORGANIZE and PLAN thoughts for writing

Oral storytelling visual/tactile strategy

This is a great way to start oral storytelling which will eventually lead into written text. Use cubes or legos in these colors that match the planning document for a paragraph. When your child wants to share something or tell a story have them use this tool called a share stick. As they say a sentence they pull a cube off and set it aside. The green cube is for the topic sentence, the yellow cubes are for details and the red is the wrap it up/closing. Here is an example telling a story about playing basketball at recess. Today at recess I played basketball. (green cube removed) I played with my friends Sam, Charlie and Piper. (yellow removed) I made two baskets. (yellow removed) We played the whole recess until my teacher blew her whistle. (yellow removed) It was so fun and I cant wait to play again! (red removed)

Single Paragraph Organizer

This is a great organizer for kids to use before they write. Once they think of a topic, they record it on the topic line with notes. This does not need to be a full sentence because it just their notes which will later turn into sentences. If they want to add a title, they can do that as well. If they are writing about their birthday party, the topic might say, birthday party at SkyZone. Then they add 3 or more details that describe the party. (played dodgeball and climbed the rock wall, chocolate cake with sprinkles, so many presents and my favorite was a football) Then the closing would be a wrap it up/feeling to end their story.

Multiple Paragraph Organizer

Once your child is ready to write multiple paragraphs, they are ready for this organizer. Refer to the video below for details. Students take an idea and expand each one of their details into a paragraph.

Editing using CUPS+E

Start having your writers get in the habit of checking their work before they say it is complete. See video below on how to help your child expand their sentences.

Engaging Writing Activities

Letter Writing (write to a friend or family member)
Make a card (thank you, apology, birthday)
Make a mini book (construction paper and white paper stapled together)
Make a newspaper (use template to write about school, home or your community)
Start a gratitude journal/feelings journal
Make a grocery list
Make a birthday or holiday list
Play restaurant and make a menu for dinner (if you have pizza nights or taco nights have kids write a menu and each family member can choose what they want)

NEWSPAPER TEMPLATE.docx

To build stronger motivation and engagement in writing, provide a literacy rich environment at home with fun pencils and pens, markers, lined and unlined paper, fancy paper and envelopes and scissors. Let the creativity soar!

FRIENDLYLETTERWITHWITHOUTLABELS-1.pdf

Helpful Videos!

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