Journal Writing-Animal Investigations

A student draws a picture of an animal that interests her based on a text.

Children draw about an animal of interest and then write their observations.

We are fortunate to own quite a few informational texts about animals.

Children have the benefit of alphabet strips and the word wall to help them with their writing.

Students look to the word wall to help with the letter/sound connection.

This student drew her picture of a cat, and then wrote about what she noticed.  The writing is top to bottom and evidences prewriting skills.

Early writers are expected to understand that writing conveys meaning.  Benchmarks for children 2.5 to 6.0 years of age from the Connecticut Performance Assessment Framework states that children aged 2.5 scribble, and that typically as students develop, their writing is different from drawing.  Letter-like scribbles may say "kangaroo" for example.  Around 3.5 years of age, students  begin to use some recognizable letters.  The sound may not correspond.  I see children use letters they know from their name.  They may write but not always moving from left to right.  At age 4.5 years of age, typically students begin to write using invented spelling (attaching letters to sounds as they deem appropriate), and writing left to right.  Letters are often reversed and this may continue for a bit.  Letter choice for most words may be random.