If you are trying to get your child to write more this year, writing prompts are a great way to do this. We are using Weekly Reader's Writing Prompt activity cards this year. These supply your child with several options (subjects, famous people, events) to choose from. Each day they write something (if only a paragraph) about their subject/person/event. By the week's end they have a story. Allow them to illustrate their story at the bottom of each entry. Some writing prompts, such as the one Chelsea chose this week, work well because it can be written as a journal entry with your child as the main character. Young children find this easy to do. Each day read over what they have written. Gently point out corrections in their grammar but the main function of writing prompts is to get your child writing as naturally as he breathes and talks. It isn't a time for red letter grades or heavy-handed corrections.
Written by Chelsea, age 10 (she chose "The Titanic" as her writing prompt this week)
Day One:
I have just boarded the great Titanic. I'm a French girl who is going to New York to meet my mother for the first time! I've just finished a fine dinner and now I'm getting read for sleep. I must share a room with Anna Montoya. She is from Italy, and she is traveling around the world. She gave me some fine porcelain from China. She told me to meet her on the deck to watch for whales, so I'm on my way upstairs. I hope to remember what the whales look like so I can draw it with the Egyptian art set Anna gave me.
Day Two:
It's been a hard night. I didn't sleep at all. We had a storm and the waves hit against the boat and made scary sounds. But I just had a yummy breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast. Anna is very seasick so we can't explore the boat today. I'm disappointed, but we have a while. She'll get better. It's not like an iceburg will suddenly appear and make the boat sink, right? The captain says there's to be a dance tonight and all the girls must wear lovely dresses. Luckily Anna's letting me borrow her Japanese ball gown! She said she has a dress from Brazil she's going to wear so she doesn't need the Japanese gown. I'm so excited!
Day Three:
Yesterday's party was amazing! Everyone brought a covered dish. Mine was chocolate cream pie. Cloe', from France, brought snails! Anna found them very salty. I loved them. I guess it's because I'm French. Little Marie' and I loved the koosh koosh Anna brought! From the dancing to the food, everything was great. Miss Priss Lilly Broussard tripped on her dress and fell in the punch bowl! That was awful. After the party me and Anna went straight to bed. We just finished eating a very good breakfast of eggrolls, snails, and koosh koosh.
Day Four:
It's raining. Me and eight other people are in a life boat. Everyone, including me, is crying. The Titanic hit an iceburg and it's now sinking. A lot of people are waiting to die. The music is still playing. You can hear all of those people singing. There are still many empty spots in the lifeboats. If you listen closely, you can see sharks swimming in the freezing water, waiting for their feast. ("Chelsea? sharks? in freezing water...?" I ask. "Mom," replies Chelsea, "it's a story." Great opportunity to show her how important research is when writing a story for the public.) The wives of men that who are waiting to die, weep. Their hearts are torn apart. In my hand I hold a note Anna gave me. It reads, "Dear Chelsea, I will see you at home. This is my biggest adventure yet. ~ Anna." Well, there goes the great Titanic. I hold Marie' close. If you listen closely you can still hear Anna singing, waiting to go down with the Titanic.
This looks great, Cay. Thanks!
Posted by: Ruth | August 23, 2008 at 11:59 AM
This looks REALLY good. Thanks!
Posted by: Paula in MN | August 24, 2008 at 07:07 PM
What a great writing project. She did a fantastic job! I can still remember a writing project when I was a young girl. We had to pick a scenario out of a hat in school (12 years of Catholic school...) and write about it. Mine was a girl aboard the Mayflower ship. I remember vividly writing on the parchment paper that my dad burned the edges of to make it look old. We then bound it into a 'book' he made of old dark wood and bound with leather laces. I can't believe I remember that! Cat ^..^
Posted by: Cathy Santarsiero | August 25, 2008 at 02:29 PM