A December writing journal gives children a place to try different kinds of writing during a busy month. Use one activity at a time and show how a writer can move from a picture detail to a complete thought.
At a glance
Plan a mix of picture sentences, inference, and short story or information writing.
1. Describe a detail
Show one picture and ask children to name what they see. Use one detail in a modeled sentence.
2. Look for a clue
Ask what the picture suggests. Model explaining the guess with a visible clue.
3. Plan a short story
Choose a character and one problem. Draw or say what happens before writing.
4. Try an informational entry
Invite children to explain a familiar activity or describe something they observed. Help them give one exact detail.
5. Reread and revise
Have a partner listen for the main idea. Add a word or sentence that helps the reader understand.
A classroom example
In a fictional class, Emi writes that a character is cold. The teacher asks what she noticed. Emi points to the mittens and adds that clue to her journal entry.
Companion printable
The 35-page printable contains 24 holiday activities for narrative, informational writing, inference, drawing, and picture sentences.
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