Special People

• A self-portrait or a drawing of someone special in a child's life provides a writing starter to which kindergartners can relate. Have students take turns sharing about themselves or someone important to them while the teacher records the descriptions on chart paper. Children may describe physical appearance, interests, hobbies, pets, favorite games, movies or TV shows, what the person is good at or anything else they wish to share.
  
  

Things I Like

• From a very young age, people know what they like and what they don't like, so writing a letter or journal entry to the teacher about likes and dislikes is a topic in which all kindergartners should be experts. A student may write "I Lk sbres." Instead of correcting the mechanics and spelling, a teacher writes back, "I like strawberries, too. I like them on ice cream. What is your favorite strawberry dessert?" Through dialogue about likes, the teacher demonstrates standard spelling and introduces new vocabulary to expand literacy skills.
  
  

Special Occasions

• Vacations, holidays and family celebrations provide lots of fodder for interactive writing. In a group shared-writing story, a student may add to the story by telling about one special activity that he got to do during that time. For example, "I went sledding on a big hill. My brother built a giant snow bunny." If the teacher knows that Natalie was a flower girl in her aunt's wedding over the weekend, she can write in the dialogue journal, "How was the wedding? Please tell me about your dress." Natalie might write back, "mi ders wz blu and prpl. t hd las nd rfls. i dns wt da brd." (Translation: "My dress was blue and purple. It had lace and ruffles. I danced with the bride.")
  
  

Scientific Observations

• You have writing material waiting to be explored if your class makes schoolyard investigations with magnifying glasses; grows seeds; raises fish, caterpillars, hamsters or chicks; visits the zoo, aquarium, beach or wetland preserve; or embarks on any other kind of scientific project. Prompt them to write about their scientific observations, including interesting and informative details.