Back to the Visual Plan

It was a nice week of writing in kindergarten. I love these periods of growth that spike at different points in the year. We are still in our phase that is heavily focused on talking and drawing and students are working on peer planning. We added the visual plan to our process this week. As I watched students do this it reminded me of a former student and former post on this very planning process.

Here's what our workshop time looks like in steps:
Step one-Sharing Circle, "Who has a story today?" This gets our storytelling juices flowing and sparks our idea banks.
Step two-Knees and Noses. Students sit with knees touching knees to a partner and noses facing so the talking time is actively engaging. This is our transition talking time. Everyone gets an opportunity to share a story and have an audience. Right now we are still working on listening and speaking. Later, questioning and active revision will be in play with peers!
Step Three-Pick a good spot with your knees and noses buddy to practice your spatial plan! Below are two students, one watching his partner draw his plan with his finger. This helps him really think through what elements he wants included in the picture and where they need to go! We do this part right in the spot the student is writing so the ideas are not lost on the trip to get materials.

Step four-Drawing time begins, quiet ensues and thinking is thick. These two stuck together through the drawing process.

Step five-Meet up with your knees and noses partner. Check your picture and retell your story! How did it go?
Step six-Sharing Circle, "who has a story today?" This is optional or planned during a conference and used as a peer model/mentor text for the writers in the room.
Our stamina continues to grow in all these areas. Right now these six steps take around 30-40 minutes to make our writers workshop complete!