Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language

by Whitney La Rocca, Jeff Anderson

Overview

Whitney La Rocca and Jeff Anderson adapt their vibrant approach to grammar instruction in Patterns of Wonder, Grades Prek-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language. Here, young, emergent writers are invited to notice the conventions of language and build off them in this inquiry-based approach to instructional grammar. The book comes with standards-aligned lessons that can be incorporated in just 10 minutes a day. Patterns of Wonder’s responsive, invitational approach allows young students to play and inquire about language and experiment, take risks, and have fun. Inside you’ll find:

• Ready-to-use lesson plan sets that pinpoint and build across the most common needs of emergent writers
• An adjusted invitational process adapted for young learners, and the "Phases of Emergent Writing" as tools to plan for effective, scaffolded instruction
• How to position grammar concepts about print instruction across three overlapping levels of support: oral language, illustrating, and writing
• Over 200 engaging picture book recommendations to stir curious classroom conversations

Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1 provides a simple classroom routine that is structured in length and approach, but provides teachers flexibility in choosing the texts, allowing for numerous, diverse voices in the classroom. The practice helps students build cognitive recognition and provides a formative assessment for teachers on student progress. Grounded in play, conversation, and most of all, wonder, Patterns of Wonder brings the authors’ irrepressible excitement for inquiry and writing instruction to the ways we support our Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade emergent writers. The Patterns of Power series also includes Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing; and Patterns of Power en Español. Grades 1-5: Inviting Bilingual Writers into the Conventions of Spanish.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625314505
Publisher:	Stenhouse Publishers
Publication date:	12/24/2021
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.80(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Whitney La Rocca is an elementary literacy coach and has spent over 20 years working with young readers and writers. She enjoys delivering professional development and coaching teachers in best practices to empower children to create their identities in the world of literacy.

For over thirty years, Jeff Anderson has inspired writers and teachers of grades K–8 with the power and joy of the writing and grammar. He has written eight books for Stenhouse Publishers. He also writes middle-grade novels.

Table of Contents

Foreword Matt Glover ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction: A Space for Wonder Is a Space for Writing 1

Part 1 Getting Started with the Patterns of Wonder Process 7

Chapter 1 The Patterns of Wonder Process 9

Chapter 2 The Patterns of Wonder Phases of Emergent Writing 21

Chapter 3 The Planning Behind the Patterns of Wonder Process 49

Chapter 4 The Patterns of Wonder Process in Action 65

Part 2 Into the Patterns of Wonder Lessons 75

Using the Patterns of Wonder Process in Your Classroom 77

Scribble Writing Lesson Sets 87

Lesson 1.1 Making Your Mark: Use Marks to Record Language 88

Lesson 1.2 What Could You Say? Use Words to Make Sentences 92

Lesson 1.3 Shake a Book and Nouns Fall Out: Nouns Show People, Places, and Things 97

Lesson 1.4 We Nail Verbs: Verbs Show What's Happening 102

Lesson 1.5 What Color Is the Sky? Adjectives Tell What Kind 108

Lesson 1.6 You Can Count on Me: Adjectives Tell How Many 114

Lesson 1.7 Oh, Yes: Prepositions Tell Where 118

Lesson 1.8 And Adds More: Conjunctions 124

Lesson 1.9 What's First? Use Transition Words to Share Thoughts in Order 129

Symbol and Letter Writing Lesson Sets 135

Lesson 2.1 On Your Marks … Use Marks, Symbols, and Letters to Record Language 136

Lesson 2.2 The Sounds of the Sea: Letter-Sound Correspondence 141

Lesson 2.3 Jump into Sentences: Use Words to Make Sentences 146

Lesson 2.4 Names from A to Z: Capitalize Names 150

Lesson 2.5 Can I Be Your Noun? Nouns Show People, Places, and Things 155

Lesson 2.6 Writers Run into Verbs: Verbs Show and Tell Action 160

Lesson 2.7 The Powerful Dot: Periods Start Clicking 164

Lesson 2.8 Yello! I'm So Excited! Exclamation Marks 169

Lesson 2.9 Are There Any Questions? Question Marks 173

Lesson 2.10 Are All School Buses Yellow? Adjectives Tell What Kind 178

Lesson 2.11 Five Fingers, One Hand; Ten Toes, Two Feet: Adjectives Show and Tell How Many 182

Lesson 2.12 In the Classroom: Prepositions Tell Where 187

Lesson 2.13 Dare to Use joining Words: Conjunctions 193

Lesson 2.14 Writers Use Tools: Transition Words to Share Thoughts in Order 200

Transitional Writing Lesson Sets 205

Lesson 3.1 The Sound of Words: Use Letters to Record Language and Make Words 206

Lesson 3.2 Letter Sounds Are No Accident: Letter-Sound Correspondence 210

Lesson 3.3 Be a Sentence Citizen: Use Words to Make Sentences 215

Lesson 3.4 Space Matters: Use Spaces Between Words 218

Lesson 3.5 The Name Game: Capitalize Names 223

Lesson 3.6 Off to a Good Start: Begin Sentences with Capital Letters 228

Lesson 3.7 Map Maker, Map Maker, Make Me a Map: Nouns Show People, Place, and Things 231

Lesson 3.8 The Replacements: Pronouns 235

Lesson 3.9 Verbs Gotta MOVE: Verbs Show Action 239

Lesson 3.10 At Lasso's End: Periods 243

Lesson 3.11 Maybe Something Exciting: Exclamation Marks 247

Lesson 3.12 Going Up? Question Marks 252

Lesson 3.13 More to a Label Than a Noun: Adjectives Tell What Kind 255

Lesson 3.14 I Ate Three Snacks in Two Hours, But I'm Still Hungry: Adjectives Tell How Many 260

Lesson 3.15 Where Is the Monster? Prepositions Tell Where 265

Lesson 3.16 BOA Connectors: Write More with Conjunctions 270

Lesson 3.17 Transitions Are Directions: Use Transition Words to Write Order 274

Conventional Writing Lesson Sets 279

Lesson 4.1 A Journey Through Words and Pictures: Use Letters to Record Language and Make Words 280

Lesson 4.2 Splitting Hairs: Capitalize Names of People 283

Lesson 4.3 Place Time: Capitalize Names of People and Places 286

Lesson 4.4 Capitals Begin: Begin Sentences with Capital Letters 289

Lesson 4.5 Because I Say So: Capitalize the Pronoun I 295

Lesson 4.6 Don't Cry over Spilled Crayons: Nouns Show People, Places, and Things 298

Lesson 4.7 One Singular Sensation: Singular Nouns 301

Lesson 4.8 More Than One Amazing Person, Place, or Thing! Plural Nouns 305

Lesson 4.9 Match Game: Pronouns 310

Lesson 4.10 Verbs for All Seasons: Verbs Show Action 316

Lesson 4.11 Why? You Know WHY! The End Marks 320

Lesson 4.12 Is It a Toy Turtle, Pet Turtle, or Sea Turtle? Adjectives Show What Kind 326

Lesson 4.13 Between Two Windows: Adjectives Show How Many 330

Lesson 4.14 We're Adjectives, Too: A, An, The 333

Lesson 4.15 When and Where? Prepositions 337

Lesson 4.16 BOAS Connect! Conjunctions 341

Lesson 4.17 Planting Seeds: Use Transition Words to Write Order 348

Conclusion: An Adventure of Curiosity 353

Appendix

Appendix A Patterns of Wonder Across Literacy Settings 355

Appendix B Patterns of Wonder to Patterns of Power 356

Appendix C Patterns of Wonder Planning Template 359

Children's Literature Bibliography 361

Professional Bibliography 367

Credits 369

Index 373

Editorial Reviews

Patterns of Wonder is pure gold. It is rooted in oral language, promotes play, and fosters a love of writing as it moves students through the phases of emergent writing. This book is going to transform instruction and be a resource that teachers reference daily.”

—Angela Buccheri, P-5 Humanities Coordinator Wallingford Public Schools

"I am so excited for Whitney and Jeff’s book to be in the hands of early childhood educators. In Patterns of Wonder they answer the question, 'What can developmentally-appropriate and engaging grammar, punctuation, and spelling instruction look like for our youngest writers?' Built on a strong research and theoretical foundation, they provide dozens of use-tomorrow lessons that will pique students’ curiosity about our written language and ignite wonder and excitement as they learn, play, and apply what they’ve learned to their own writing. Do away with the worksheets! Whitney and Jeff’s way of inviting children to learn these concepts will engage them so your teaching sticks."

— Jennifer Serravallo, author of The Reading Strategies Book and The Writing Strategies Book

“Whitney La Rocca and Jeff Anderson have created a revolutionary resource for inviting emergent writers to notice and WONDER about the conventions of language. Considering the intentionality of why and how behind an author’s choices, they inspire writers to compose powerful messages through oral language, illustrations, and words. The scaffolded lessons incorporate oral discussion, mentor texts, and play-based experiences to appropriately meet young students where they are in the phases of writing development, differentiating instruction, and moving writers forward one approximation at a time.”

—Megan Marquez, M.Ed., Writing Specialist

“Patterns of Wonder is the game changer teachers have been waiting for! Whitney and Jeff keep play at the center of emergent writers’ development with practical applications that are beautifully woven together. Every teacher should add this book to their toolkit.”

—Sarah Ramirez, M.Ed., Literacy Coach

“Imagine budding authors playfully celebrating the joy and possibility of written language as they share their stories. This will happen when you invite Whitney, Jeff, and their favorite picture books into your classroom. Learners at all development phases will confidently create their own written worlds while engaging in the Patterns of Wonder process. You’ll be amazed at what your young writers can do as they discover the patterns behind the wonder.”

—Maria Walther, Author of The Ramped-Up Read Aloud, The Literacy Workshop, and Shake Up Shared Reading

“Patterns of Wonder is a must-have for educators eager to engage and encourage our youngest writers. The invitational process provides the perfect backdrop to cultivate an appreciation for the beauty and power of language, as students ponder not only what authors do, but how they do it, in a nurturing, playful environment that celebrates both process and product. The buzz of excitement and flurry of hands in the air is a testament to a resource that is practically perfect in every way.”

—Patricia Gallery, K-5 ELA and Literacy Specialist, Smithtown Central School District, New York

“Once again, Whitney and Jeff have produced a valuable tool for teachers that has quality lessons and is easy to pick up and implement quickly!” —Evan Payne, Instructional Coach

“Patterns of Wonder speaks to my experienced kindergarten writing teacher heart! Whitney and Jeff’sPatterns of Wonder process and lessons have beautifully honored the emergent writer’s sense of wonder and their need to learn through approximation, inquiry, and play. Children are going to WANT to spend time every day putting their stories into pictures and words!”

—Carolyn Helmers, Kindergarten Teacher, Cincinnati, OH and Co-author of Intentional from the Start

From the Publisher