Primary Ideas: Teach 'em to pick their own topics!

Jennifer shares these great ideas from her 1st Grade Classroom:

I believe that "Good writing" begins with meaningful topic selection. Writers take more ownership when they are in control of their writing topic. It is my responsibility to encourage, model and teach my first graders how to do this. In my classroom, we learn very early what good writers do.

What Good Writers Do:

• Good Writers write about Small Moments from our everyday lives (losing a tooth, dropping our lunch tray, losing a gym shoe, etc.)


• Good writers write about Memories (weddings, injuries, getting a new pet, etc.).


• Good Writers write about things that we are an Expert on (fishing, jumping rope, walking a dog, etc.).


• Good Writers write about things that they have a big feeling about.


• Good Writers write about things that they know a lot of specific information about.


• Good Writers write about things that are real in their lives.


• Good Writers write about things that are important to them.


• Good Writers write about things that they think others will be interested in.
  
  We also learn that: Good Writers are inspired by other writers: An old piece of writing might inspire a new piece of writing. Someone else's writing might inspire a new piece of writing. A good book might inspire a new piece of writing.
  
  My students and I create charts with this type of writing language. These becomes my focus lessons during our Writer's Workshop.
  

Status of the Class

Another great tip to help kids select their writing topic before they actually have the paper & pencil and begin to write about the first random thing that comes to mind, is "Status of the Class."

This means, I pass out the writing journals at the carpet. The students "warm up their brains" by rereading old pieces. They decide if they will be revisiting a piece of writing to write & write or make changes or they decide if they will be moving into a new piece of writing. They have about 3 minutes to do this.

Then, I begin calling out names. As a student hears their name, they share their writing topic. ---Yes, they truly use this language. It's fantastic!

• "I'm revisiting my story about learning to trot on my horse."


• "I'm making changes to my story about my b-day party."


• "I'm writing about a Memory when I twisted my ankle ice skating."

Once a student gives me their topic, they head right to their writing space and begin writing. The entire Status of the Class experience should be quick (5 minutes max!). It feels a bit chaotic at first, but if you stick to it & train your students, it's extremely beneficial.

My first graders have truly made a connection to the importance of meaningful topic selection which directly connects to Ideas, Ideas, Ideas.