Launching Persuasive Writing In Kindergarten

Can I persuade you to read this?

I sure hope so!

Here are my reasons why you should read this post:

1. You will see amazing writing from kindergarteners.

2. You will see how a little idea has the possibility of becoming a BIG event- kindergartners really do have the power to empower change!

3. You will learn about mentor texts for persuasive writing that are tried and true!

So... did I persuade you to read this post?!

If not, then I am apparently not as great of a persuader as my kindergaretners!

If so, I am so glad to have you along...now lets get to it!

We follow Lucy Calkins' Writers Workshop units of study and are embarking on the 'Persuasive Writing' topic.   This is new to me this year- in previous years we used her K-2 kit and did not have a persuasive writing unit!  I was nervous, but excited, to try it out!

It suggests launching the unit by having conversations with the children about 'problems' that they think need to be fixed, and how they think they can be fixed.  I knew if I opened up that 'door' the 'problems' that would be detailed may be more than what I bargained for, so I guided their discussions just a bit!  I also chose to take a week to do persuasive writing using interactive and shared writing, rather than having my students dive in and try it independently.  I felt it important to take the time to truly model and explain persuasive writing so that my kinders would be more successful when we moved toward independent writing.  

I asked them to think of our playground and what they like about the playground.  From that we went to what we didn't like about it and then into what we could do/add that would make it better.  From that I got an overwhelming consensus...SWINGS!

The Pre-K/Kindergarteners in my building have a separate playground.  It is a lovely playground, and I am happy to say I was a part of the fundraising and building efforts for it over 10 years ago, but it doesn't have any swings.  The 'big kids' playground, on the other had, has swings.

So the children decided they wanted to write Mr. Davey (our principal) a persuasive letter convincing him that we needed swings on our playground too!

They came up with what they wanted and 3 reasons as to why it was a good idea:

and each signed it!

I was so proud of their writing, I invited Mr. Davey into our classroom so that the children could read him their 1st, yet very convincing, attempt at persuasive writing!

After reading our letter he had some questions he wanted us to answer:

1. Can I go on the swings too?

2. How many swings will we need?

3. How much will they cost?

He said to let him know when we had answers to those questions.  I am not so sure he thought we would really carry through with it...but they were adamant about these swings, soooooo.....

The next morning they each wrote a 'proposal!'

  They each answered Mr. Davey's 3 questions, as well as drew a picture of the proposed swings!   

Everyone said he could go on the swings...yet the numbers of swings and cost varied greatly!

We decorated a cover:

Stapled it all together:

And added a special message at the end of the book!

I invited Mr. Davey back in and he sat before the class and read each proposal!  When he was done he told them he needed the weekend to think it all over and will get back to us on Monday.  

He said he needed to ask 'his boss' (the superintendent) and asked to borrow our proposals and original letter!

So now we EAGERLY await Monday and the answer to our burning question... Will we get swings on the kindergarten playground?  Was our letter and proposals convincing enough to persuade the school to purchase them for us?  Only time will tell!   And if they do get them...I am personally purchasing a plaque to attach to those swings that they are here because of my 2013-2014 persuasive kindergarteners!

****UPDATE****

Do you want to know if we got the swings or not???

Come on by and read this post on The Primary Pack!

But that was not the end of our launching week with persuasive writing!

I used 

as our first 'mentor text' for persuasive writing.

If you are not familiar with the story, it is a conversation between a kid and an ant.  Each gives their reasons as to why to squish/not squish the ant.  At the end, the author leaves you with 

the 'raised up shoe' and lets you decide what the boy should do!

I polled the class and 18 of them decided they would not squish the ant and 2 said they would!  So my teaching assistant took the 2 'squishers' and I took the 18 others and we worked in groups to write persuasive letters to the kid to convince/persuade him as to what to do!

After the letters were finished we drew happy and sad ants to match the letters they belonged to!

And may I just say that both letters are equally as persuasive?!

From there we moved into working into even smaller groups- I want to wean them off the whole group writing so that they would be read for independent writing!

We were working in our 'plant' unit and had discussed both vegetables and flowers over the course of the week.  So, I read the following books:

  

And had them think about a farmer's decision- does he grow flowers or vegetables?  Why is one better than the other?  How do you get him to grow what you think is best?

Both books provided examples of why each is best- so I left it up to them to decide!

I polled them...and it was nearly split down the middle!

We broke into two groups again and got to work:

 Here they are side by side after we were all done!  

It surely is a hard choice...which persuades you more?

My veggie lovers:

and look at all the adorable veggies they created to make their letter even more a'peel'ing!

 My flower lovers:

and their beautiful flowers to distract and convince you that flowers are best were a great added touch!

I feel they are now ready to branch off and begin writing more independently!

They understand what 'persuasive' writing is and how to go about writing a persuasive letter!

I collected a bunch of mentor texts that I found from a post on Library Thing as well as other Google and Pinterest searches so I am all ready for next week!  These are just a few of the ones I found!  You can also find great ideas, anchor charts and examples of student work via Pinterest searches about persuasive writing!

 

 

    

And now that it was time to send them off on their own I was getting a big anxious/nervous, so I purchased Kim Adsit's Writing An Opinion pack from Teachers Pay Teachers as a supplement to the lessons and sessions Lucy Calkins lays out.

Kim's pack is phenomenal!  She has anchor charts all set for you- just print on cardstock, laminate and create together with your class!  I have used her Readers Workshop anchor charts with much success, so I assume these will be just as great!

I also LOVE her modeling chart to do with the students and all the 'choice' cards she provides. 

Just click the cover above for more information!

Next week we are learning all about bugs so I will be having my kinders use one of the bug pages from Kim's pack, as well, as this one I have created:

They will choose whether or not the caterpillar should stay as a caterpillar or change to a butterfly.  They will have to give 3 reasons to persuade the caterpillar to choose what they think is best!

I can't wait to see what they decide...and what they write!

Feel free to click to download it and use it with your class!

The adorable caterpillar and butterfly graphics are from Kari Bolt- and she has them for free!

So as this post comes to a close, I am curious to hear the answer?!!

I obviously persuaded you to the read this post...

1. Are you glad you read it?

2. Did you find it helpful?

3. Are you better equipped to launch persuasive writing with your class?

I am hoping the answers to all three are YES! 

Looking for more persuasive writing tips, mentor text and ideas?

I am linking up with The Reading Tutor for Mentor Monday and this week's topic is Persuasive Writing!

Click this link to see all the other bloggers that have linked up to share their experiences and expertise with persuasive writing:

I am truly excited to see how my students independent persuasive writing takes off!  I hope you will stop by again to check up on them too!  

Until next post,

'Building' Our Knowledge of Addition...1 Tower At A Time!

Today, while working with my kinders at one of our math centers, one of my kids said 'This is FUN math!'  

Ahh...the words we love to hear....that make the endless hours of planning and prepping seem like a walk in the park!

So what was this 'FUN MATH?'

Addition Towers!

So how exactly do these towers work?

There are 2 sets of spinners- the yellow/green and the red/blue (matching the connecting cube colors I have the most of!)

Each set of spinners has one color with numbers and one color with dice.

They start with a blank number line strip from 1 to 10, 2 spinners, a paperclip, pencil and bucket of cubes.

1. Roll the 'number' spinner and count out that many of that color cube

2. Roll the 'dice' spinner and add that many of that color to your tower.

3. Count up all the cubes on your tower and place it on the corresponding number on the number line!

This shows how the students is adding the green cubes to the yellow cubes

Use a paperclip as the spinner.  They get the hang of it real quick!  I find the jumbo clips work the best!

Count up the cubes in your tower and place it on the number line

Keep rolling, counting and adding until all the spots are full

If your tower equals the same as a tower you already have on the number line, you have to 'knock it down' and try again!

This student knew he needed to roll a 4 to add to the 5 yellow cubes in order to get 9 to finish his number line (stairs, as they called it!)

As you can see, sometimes only 1 color was in a tower- that was when a '0' was spun for one of the colors!

All done!

'YES!'

We talked about how our towers all had the same numbers (1-10) but that they looked different because of the different numbers of colored blocks.  There were so many different combinations that were rolled!  It is a great segment into fact families, number bonds, composing numbers, etc!

I had a recording sheet to go along with it, but by the time we were done making our towers, our math center time was up.  I am thinking of revisiting this center in a few weeks when we do our 'composing numbers' unit and have them only work with the number lines to 5 and then have them record their findings!

You can find all the materials (less the blocks) to complete this center here :

On the same topic, we recently worked in groups to practice composing numbers using our Composing Monster!  You can get your directions and printables seen here, free, by clicking this picture:

 I printed the large monster printable from the pack and glued it to chart paper.

I added the 'frame' for the number sentences from FULL support to NO support:

 I then divided the children into 4 groups and gave them a monster, dice, counters, poster and marker.  I had them decide how to work as a team- who would be the roller, feeder, writer, etc!  MOST groups decided to work by rotating the jobs!  I was so impressed by their ability to work so well together!

The 'roller' rolled the dice- once for the first number and again for the second number.  The 'recorder' wrote the numbers.  The 'feeder' fed the monster the 1st amount on side 1 of his 'mouth' and the 2nd amount on side 2 of his 'mouth.'  The 'counter' counted up all that came out and the 'recorder' wrote the answer.

They wrote it both as a number 'picture' and then transferred it to a number 'sentence!'

For the last one, they had to figure out to write numbers, as well as the plus and equals signs.

This is the example I did- the black shows what was given- the pink shows what was expected of them to fill in.

 Here are our completed posters....AMAZING!!

I was so impressed I just had to turn them into a bulletin board display!

SO, when we got to subtraction, I wanted them to work in teams again.

This time there were less jobs to 'divide'...

 Most groups figured out to pass the marker so that each got a chance to record.  And they worked together to figure out how to fill in the number story to tell about the subtraction pictures!

Another GREAT display of teamwork....as well as understanding numbers and basic operations!

But the most exciting thing...tomorrow SPRING begins!

So we made these adorable projects today!

This idea was inspired by a pinterest pin and idea I saw on Mrs. Payton's Precious Kindergarteners blog, but I added a writing component twist!

We brainstormed the colors of the rainbow and items that could be each color.  I then sent them off to make 6 'strips' and to write something for each color of the rainbow.

We had painted our plates the day before, so they were all dry and ready to go.  In a pinch, you could use yellow party plates or have them color the plates yellow.  Even a half circle of yellow construction paper would work if you can't do paint!

 I showed them how to make a 'bubble' or 'cloud' around their word so that when they colored it the word did not get covered.

 They glued the strips to the plate, added a face and some 'rays' (or as they called them- spikes!) and WAL-AH... SPRING is here!!!!

They are not only cute, but have fun kinder sound spelling- which always brightens my day and smile!

So to help kick off and welcome spring, be sure to visit my TPT store tomorrow, March 20th, for 20% off EVERYTHING!

It has been a LONG winter, so we need to celebrate and ring it in so that it knows we want it to stay!

Stock up on tons of fun Spring Resources!

But a sale can't simply be enough after THIS WINTER! 

SO, enter this Rafflecopter to win a $5 Spring item of your choice from my TPT Store!

I will select 3 winners!

Contest ends at 11:59 pm EST 3/20/2014!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Until next post,