Snapshot Leads

Today the kiddos learned about Snapshot Leads.  I showed them some books that began with a setting lead.  We looked at Meanwhile Back at the Ranch and Something Beautiful.  The kids worked with me on my bear story to see if we could come up with some Snapshot Leads.  They came up with a variety of ways I could start.

Then they went to their seats to begin work.  I put a Post-It on the story they wanted to work with.  Here's there work.

We added the book covers and first page of each book to our writing bulletin board.

I also introduced using pens for writing.  During guided reading groups the kids write in their journals with felt pens.  The first grade team decided to also try using pens during Writer's Workshop.  Today they wrote with black pens.  

We've talked about (just like in guided reading groups) we just make an X if we make a mistake...no scribbling out of words.   I went around today during conferencing time and used a blue pen to show kids where they needed to fix work (adding capital letters, periods, lowercasing letters, etc).  Eventually they'll use red pen to correct their work.