"A small moment is like a tiny seed, not the whole watermelon", the sheet tells 2nd graders. Students plan one true moment, such as losing a tooth or finding a bug, by answering three questions about what happened, where they were and what they felt. A word table offers First, Next, Then and Finally along with words like suddenly, heartbeat and proud. Then they write the story and check it against a four-point list. It fits Common Core W.2.3 and W.2.5.
W.2.3
“Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.”
The planning questions ask for actions, thoughts and feelings, the word table gives temporal words, and the checklist asks for a sense of closure.
W.2.5
“With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.”
The planning page keeps students on one small moment, and the checklist box is for rereading and fixing the draft.
Three questions: the moment to zoom in on, where you were and what your body was doing, and what you were thinking or feeling.
A 12-word table of time-order words (First, Next, Then, Finally) and describing words like zoomed, shouted and smiled.
Open lines for the story, followed by a checklist: one small moment, time-order words, actions, thoughts and feelings, and a strong ending.
Model a moment
Tell your own small moment aloud, stretched out, before students plan. Hearing you describe a heartbeat or a shout helps them answer question 3.
Seed, not watermelon
Some students plan a whole beach trip. Ask them to pick one minute from it, such as the first wave, and redo question 1.
Writing conference
Use the checklist box as the agenda for a one-on-one conference. Read the ending together and ask how it closes the moment.
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