Writing Activities Scaffold

Outcomes Kindergarten Outcomes Year 1

ENe-
2A
composes simple texts to convey an idea or message
EN1-
2A
plans, composes and reviews a small range of texts for a variety of
purposes on familiar topics for known readers
ENe-
3A
produces most lower case and upper case letters and uses
digital technologies to construct texts
EN1-
3A
composes texts using letters of consistent size and slope and uses
digital technologies
ENe-
9B
demonstrates developing skills and knowledge in
grammar, punctuation and vocabulary when responding to
and composing texts
EN1-
9B
uses basic grammatical features, punctuation conventions and
vocabulary appropriate to the type of text when responding to and
composing texts
ENe-
10C
thinks imaginatively and creatively about familiar topics,
simple ideas and the basic features of texts when
responding to and composing texts
EN1-
10C

thinks imaginatively about familiar topics, ideas and texts when
responding to and composing texts
ENe-
11D
responds to and composes simple texts about familiar
aspects of the world and their own experiences
EN1-
11D

responds to and composes a range of texts about familiar aspects of
the world and their own experiences
ENe-
12E
demonstrates awareness of how to reflect on aspects of
their own and others learning
EN1-
12E
identifies and discusses aspects of their own and others learning

**Each writing task can be used as an assessment of student understanding of the HSIE topic of the week.

Lesson Task Process Reg/Eval
1 The water cycle (Information report)

Students have learned about the water cycle in the previous
HSIE lesson. Discuss the process again and the order, and
what happens at each stage. Keep the cycle image on the
board (A) (simple, scientific) and (B) (simple and cute).
Give students a scaffold of first, next, then, finally.
(A) http://openschool.bc.ca/courses/sos/sc08/images/wat
ercycle.gif
(B) http://www.apswater.com/images/simple-water-
cycle.jpg

1 Creative writing using this stimulus
picture:

http://sandysclasspeps.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/frog-on-a-
boat.jpg
(Image of a frog taking shelter under a leaf during the rain)

Discuss what is happening here: what could the frog be
feeling? What could its emotions be? Where is it? What
colours would be around? Whats the story?

Students write a creative piece about the frog, either in first
or third person, using adjectives and (Year 1) similes and
adverbs.

2 Imagine you are going to be sent into
space. Choose 5 things that you can
have with you.
Students have learned about needs and wants.
Discuss going into space and what kinds of things you might
need or want there. What would each child take? Write a list
of these things, and why you would choose them.

2 Why do we need water? (Information
report)
Students have learned about the importance and uses of
water; discuss these again. As a class, organise paragraphs
(grammar link) containing larger ideas: living, cleaning, fun.
As a class, write the first paragraph. Students can then go
and fill in the 3 subsequent paragraphs with their ideas. They
can then write a conclusion with the class.

Lesson Task Process Reg/Eval
3 Use this picture as stimulus for
creative writing:

http://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/styles/embedded
-gallery/public/media/gallery/sci-cfcc-seal-caught-
net.jpg?itok=i6JE8Gqn
Students imagine they are the seal.
What are you feeling, what will you do, how did you get like this?
Discuss feelings and introduce the word struggle. Students can
write whatever comes to mind for this piece. Encourage use of
adjectives and feelings.

3 What happens if you leave litter
on the beach?
Drawing on previous HSIE lessons, discuss litter and the chain
of effects that happens if it is left on the beach. Students
describe and explain these events and the effects they have.

4 Water bottle poems (shape
poems)
(see sheet at end of program)
Remind students about syllable poems. Teach students about
Haiku Japanese poems which capture feelings and moods.
They have a structure of 5-7-5 syllables. Write one as a class
about pollution. Then write one about bottled water. Students
can use this one (SB, JG) or preferably create their own.

Students write a poem about bottled water in their exercise
books, and these are checked by the teacher. They copy these
poems inside the label of the water bottle picture, and then cut
out the water portions and stick cellophane in the spaces.
These are displayed on the window. Their name is written in the
bottle cap.


Lesson Task Process Reg/Eval
4 Debate: should we use bottled
water?
Discuss for and against of bottled water, drawing on content
from previous lessons.
Talk through the scaffold of a simple debate;
I think that ____________because ________ and ________.
Firstly, (first point and reasons why). Secondly, (second point
and reasons why). So as you can see, (original point).
Then students can choose if they are for or against and
support their points in their writing.

5 Information report: how do we
clean dirty water?
Students have learned about this in previous lessons. Discuss
again, paying attention to the order of events. Students write
about how dirty water is cleaned.
Give students a scaffold of what are we doing, why are we
doing it, how are we doing it, what are the results?

5 Procedure: how did you make
your water filter?
Discuss how students made their water filters. What materials
did they use? What did they do first?
Give students a scaffold of first, next, then, finally. They
should also conclude with a summation of how well their water
filter worked and what they would do differently next time.

6 Use this image as a source for
informative or emotive writing.

http://www.worldvision.org/resources.nsf/main/water-
insight/$file/girl-collecting-water.jpg
This image depicts a dirty river where a teen boy is gathering
water.

Students have learned about poor water quality in other nations.
How would this boy be feeling? What could happen to him as a
result of the dirty water? Whats the story here?
Students can write an informative or emotive piece depending on
how they relate to the picture.

Lesson Task Process Reg/Eval
7 Use this image for
descriptive/emotive writing:

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/wp-
content/uploads/2013/09/130916-flood-dog.jpg
This image depicts a boy carrying a dog through flood waters.

Whats the story here? Who is the boy and what is his relation to
the dog? Where are they going? Where is his home? What will
he do?

Students write an emotive and descriptive piece imagining that
they are this flood victim.

8 Descriptive writing about a day at
the beach
What happens at the beach? Feelings, sights, temperature,
emotions, company, sounds Students can write a story or a
descriptive piece of writing.


8 What have you learned about
water? (for portfolios)
Students are given the writing sheet (see separate sheet
/template) and are asked what did they learn about water?
Discuss as a class. They have to think of 4 (detailed for Year 1)
things.