When I started teaching 10 years ago, I taught grade 3. My first principal sat down with me Labour Day Weekend and guided me through my first day. He said get them to write about what they know: their summer holiday. In other words, write a personal recount or retelling of personal experiences. The students choose 3 events (highlight favourite moments) from their summer and write a paragraph for each one. Keeping in mind it is the first assignment, some basic language conventions include:
- paragraphs focus on one topic and include the setting (5Ws)
- written in simple past tense
- use of action verbs (e.g., went, saw)
- use of personal pronouns (e.g., I, we)
- details of and personal responses to the event
If you know me I like to go deeper. So the final draft will be a Travel Brochure. It will include photographs (real or digital) and illustrations of the events . When I get a chance I will post my planning guide and template for the brochure.
Looking for more info - check out the First Steps Writing Resource Book. It has some great ideas on recounts as well as an easy to follow assessment guide.
GR 2+3 Curriculum Connections:
Writing Classifying Ideas 1.4 Sort ideas and information for their writing (e.g., use of graphic organizers).
Writing Developing Ideas 1.2 Generate ideas to identify personal experiences (e.g., use of the five W’s).
Writing Form 2.1 Write short texts (e.g., a personal or factual recount of events or experiences that includes photographs or drawings and captions).
Media Litercy Form 2.1 Identify some elements and characteristics of media forms.
Media Literacy Conventions and Techniques 3.3 identify conventions and techniques for a media text they plan to create (e.g., a pamphlet could require titles, headings, subheadings, captions, different font sizes, colour, and illustrations).
Media Literacy Producing Media Texts 3.4 produce media texts for specific purposes and audiences, using a few simple media forms and appropriate conventions and techniques (e.g., an illustrated pamphlet).
