7 Steps to Writing the Best Part of Me

A few posts ago, we talked about our Star of the Week (grab it here).  When we say that our kids LOVE to be the Star of the Week and share their poster, we mean it!  Their little faces just light up when they share their favorite parts of their lives with the class.  So… we thought “How can we make this even more meaningful?”

Enter: The Best Part of Me project.  

We were inspired by Wendy Ewald’s book, and knew we had to make this a part of our yearly writing instruction.  We’ve even taken this project all the way to publication - and the parents LOVE it.

We want our flock to see students shine like we have, too. 

So… use these 7 steps to put this into place in YOUR classroom.

7 Steps for Writing the Best Part of Me in YOUR classroom:

1. Read books - Start with books to celebrate uniqueness - I Like Myself by: Karen Beaumont Hair Love by:  Matthew A. Cherry Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by:  Patty Lovell What If We Were All The Same? By: C.M. Harris. 

   
   
   
   Have rich discussions from these books and celebrate the individuality found in your classroom.  Then, read Wendy Ewald’s book.  Your kids will be so excited when the book is over and you tell them THEY get to write a book like it!
   
   

2. Anchor Chart - We LOVE anchor charts.  (FlockStar Tip: Use push pins to keep your anchor charts displayed on your ceiling all year long).  When creating an anchor chart for this project, you are allowing students to come up with different [appropriate] body parts and reasons they could be the best. 
   
   

3. Model - Write your own paragraph.  We start with a hook/ topic, 3 details, and a closing.  Write in front of your students and THINK aloud.  Let them see you brainstorm and come up with detailed reasons.  Keep this paragraph on display for students throughout the project.  You can reference it when conferencing if needed, too.
   
   

4. Brainstorm - Have students create a brainstorm web.  Let them pick their favorite part and put it in the middle.  Then, students will come up with 5 reasons to support their choice.  It may take some kids a few webs to really narrow down their thinking.  Try to take some time to meet with students individually during this step to make sure they’re on track. 
   
   

   

   Here's the web we have students fill out

   
   

   

   Student sample (don't worry... we worked on the "so I can slap my sister" part.) HA!
   Gotta love honest firsties!

   
   

5. Organize - We built a graphic organizer with sentence starters for students to use before writing the complete paragraph.  This helps them understand how to transition from reason to reason.  It also scaffolds the importance of starting sentences differently - which is always tough for the little guys.
   
   

   

   Student sample - web + organizer

   
   
   
   
   

6. Revise and Edit - You will live in this space for a while.  It will take some time for you to meet with each student and work with them to revise and edit.  Honestly, we have found that it is best for us to use our small group time to do this.  We usually protect that important time from any disruptions, however, for this project it is important to conference with your kids and monitor their progress. 
   
   Help students make this paragraph their own.  If you have students that are ready to write without a graphic organizer, work with them during this time to make their writing unique.  Assist students with using descriptive language and describing their reasons in ways that make sense.  [Be prepared for some silly reasons!]
   
   

7. Publish - We usually write as a paragraph, then rewrite a final copy for publication.  However, if you are not taking this to publish as a book, have students write their paragraph and glue it to a large piece of construction paper.  On the other side of the paper, have students glue a picture of their best part.  Seeing these two things side by side will help students share their work with classmates.  Then, you could post it out in the hallway.  To make it even more special, laminate it before sending it home.  We can totally see families holding on to this special project for years to come.  Again, we use a company (StudenTreasures) to publish our students’ work as a book.  It is so easy, and teachers usually get a free copy.  We’ve both had classes that have ordered tons of books and classes that ordered minimal books - either way we’ve always ended up with a free copy.  Your kids will LOVE seeing their work in a real life book.  Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about this process - we’d love to share our experiences. 

   
   We would LOVE to see how you use this project in your classroom. Be sure to share and tag us (@flockstarteachers). Until next time... Keep Flockin' It! -Kaysin & Robyn