1-2-3 Come Do Some Interesting and Fun Writing With Me

Having interesting and fun writing prompts, will motivate your students to want to write.  Tossing in a bit of crafty coloring, will be icing on the cake. 

With that in mind, I just finished designing some creative-wintry writing prompts that I think your kiddos will enjoy.  They are pretty simple, so they'd easily fit into your Daily 5 or writing block. 

A Sweet Tweet For Santa, is based on the popular idea of "tweeting".   Students color, cut and glue the bird to the top of their writing prompt paper, then each day (for 10 days) they jot down (tweet) something sweet that they've done, that Santa might be interested in knowing.

Remind them to use proper spacing, capitalization and end punctuation.  I've also included a completed sample for you to share with your students.

"Stuff It!" is also a unique writing prompt.  I've included several options, with two different stocking patterns, so you could actually do both of them, or give students a choice.

To reinforce patterning, have students write their name on the "cuff" of the stocking in an ABAB color pattern.

After coloring and trimming their stocking, students make an alphabetical list of things they'd enjoy finding "stuffed" in their stocking.  Once they've completed and checked their list, they rewrite the final draft on their stocking.

For the other writing prompt, students gather in groups of 3-4 and exchange their stockings with each other.

Everyone in the group "stuffs" a Christmas compliment into their classmates' stockings, by writing something nice about that person.  Encourage the use of adjectives. 

This activity is especially appropriate if your class does the "Fill a Bucket" program. Completed projects make a nice, self-esteem building, December bulletin board.

Now You're Talkin' is an especially imaginative writing prompt, that I really enjoyed making samples for. 

It's especially beneficial if you're working on the proper use of quotation marks.

There are 5 different writing prompts to choose from.  Pick one for your students, give them a choice, or have them do a different one each day and assemble them into a journal.  I've included a cover if you want to do that. 

Students color the pictures, then pretend to be a gingerbread man, reindeer, and snowman, jotting down things they might say if they could talk.

To help explain things, I've included completed samples for each one for you to share with your kiddos.

If you could hear Santa or his elves, what might they be saying? are the other two writing prompt options.

Encourage the use of adjectives and remind students about proper spacing, capitalization and end punctuation.

If you're not doing these as a journal, have students choose their favorite, mount on construction paper and hang them on a hallway wall or bulletin board.

Finally, my personal favorite, is a class made book entitled Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh?  Making class booklets, were always my first grader's favorite writing activity, as well as much sought-after reading options during quiet time. 

Here's the scenario for this fun December writing prompt: Oh no! Santa's reindeer are sick!  Who will pull his sleigh on Christmas Eve? 

Students choose an animal and write why they think they would be a good choice, then illustrate their page.  Collect and collate your students' contributions and make into a class book.   I've included a cover for it.

Read your completed book as a whole group, by having each student read their own page when you come to it.  Be sure and make one of your own, or share the completed sample that I've included in the packet.

To help give your students some interesting ideas, and get them excited about writing, you might want to read Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh Tonight, by Laura Rader.

In this story, as with the writing prompt, the reindeer are sick, so Santa holds auditions for replacement animals.  

Another hilarious story, with awesome illustrations, is Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? by Jerry Pallotta.  This story takes place pre-reindeer time, when Santa was wondering who could pull his sleigh.

Your kiddos will get lots of ideas, as there are many silly scenarios presented by different animals trying out for the job --  from skunks, kangaroos and giraffes, to monkeys, mice and even snakes.  In the end, Santa finally realizes that reindeer are the perfect animals for pulling his sleigh.

I've included a Venn diagram, as well as a graphing extension you can do if you read both books.  Click on the link to view/download the Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh? class-made book packet. 

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting. I hope these writing prompts help to get your students excited to practice.

The sun is trying to peek out, making the snow sparkle, which puts me in the mood to do some decorating.  Wishing you a festive day.

"Christmas without reindeer is like snow without moonlight: it loses its sparkle." -Unknown

 1-2-3 Come Tweet With Me

Often teachers are so busy teaching, that sometimes they can miss important things that are happening in their students' lives.

Putting up a tweet board on a door, wall or bulletin board, helps you stay informed and builds community.  A more caring classroom will also be created.  Another bonus, is that this idea is also a quick, easy, and interesting way to get students writing.

Practicing writing sentences, that have appropriate capitalization, spacing, word choice and punctuation, can be tedious at times.  Switch things up with a little creativity, and students will WANT to write. 

Composing and dashing off a tweet, is a simple way to do that.  Encourage students to write a tweet at least once a week about things that are happening in their lives.

You may want to include this as part of your Daily 5 writing activities.  Taking a moment to read the tweets also fits in nicely with Daily 5.

To make your tweet board eye-catching, I've included tweet notes for students to write on.  Run them off on a variety of different colors and keep them handy near your tweet board. 

Explain to students that there are two kinds of tweets: "sweet tweets" are positive happy highlights, things that they are proud of, or what they are excited about -- something they are doing or involved in.

"Tweet talk"  are notes about something that a student wants to share because they are feeling a bit down or blue, and would like some encouragement. 

Perhaps a grandparent or pet passed away, or they didn't make the team.  Maybe a friend is ill or they failed at something; parents are planning a move, or a divorce is pending, but no one made you aware of this. 

The Tweet Board is a quick and easy way for students to share those feelings.  Teachers need to know about the things that are affecting their students' moods, and having an impact on their ability to focus and learn.   Knowing, gives teachers an opportunity to praise and encourage, as well as sympathize and give that extra TLC a child needs when their world is in upheaval. 

With that in mind, I also included tiny tweets in the packet.  These are little notes that  you or students, can jot to someone and leave in their desk or locker. These fit in nicely if you're doing a  "Bucket Filling" program as well.

For more writing practice, that is private and personal, have students keep a Tweet Journal.  I've included 2 cover options for this.  Students choose one, add some color and glue it to a notebook.  (I always take advantage of the back to school doorbusters, when notebooks are as inexpensive as 15 cents.)

Implementing this idea is easy-peasy.  Simply choose a tweet poster to showcase your tweet board. (There are 3 options.) 

Run off copies of the sweet tweet notes, keep them in a basket or envelope by your tweet board (I've included labels for these) explain the board to your students, and then let the tweeting begin!

As part of your going-home or morning routine, you could ask students if anyone wants to share one of their tweets.  At the end of the month, clear the board and start again. 

Click on the link to grab your FREEBIE: Sweet Tweet Talk

Thanks for visiting today.  It's a rainy day with lots of thunder.  (I find the rumblings and sound of the rain splattering on my office window very soothing.)  The perfect kind of day to read, color, cut, paste and play...  Here's hoping you can make some time to relax too.

"Your attitude decides your altitude.  Soar!" -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Tweet a Writing Prompt With Me!

Since tweeting is all the rage, I decided to hone in on that motivation, to get students to write about a variety of things on a daily or weekly basis, using this quick, easy and fun "tweet" form.

There are 10 different tweet forms for you to rotate through, plus a blank one for you or your students, to make up their own tweet topics.

The last entry on every form is "Feeling."  Students think up 3 adjectives that describe them that day, which further reinforces the important use of description in student writing.

If you have the time, have students partner up and share what they've written, as a means of expressing, venting and getting to know each other.

Click on the link to view/download the Sweet Tweet writing prompt packet.

Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

"The task ahead of us, is never as great as the Power behind us." -Unknown