One way to support writing skills is to have your children keep a journal. This activity doubles as a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness helps us slow down and develop awareness, a bridge between our higher-level thinking brain and our emotional brain. When you use a spinner, this adds a game element, making the activity more fun.
Goal: Practice writing and mindfulness awareness.
Time needed: 10 minutes
Age: 7 to adult (Younger kids can draw their responses rather than write in words.)
Supplies:
• Timer
• Bullet journal for each participant
• Colored gel or fountain pens
• Spinner or similar tool for choosing numbers 1-4. It can be electronic or nonelectronic
• Print out the infographic for the journal prompt and glue it into the front flap of each journal book.
• Do an online search for a 6 + 1 Writing Traits rubric (There are quite a few to choose from in Google Images.) Print one out and glue it into the back of the journal.
Procedure:
• Do this activity with your children.
• Choose a specific time of the day and regular place in the house for journaling.
• Use the spinner to determine how many sentences participants will write. For example, 1 is four sentences, 2 is three sentences and one drawing, 3 is two sentences and two drawings, and 4 is one sentence and 1 drawing.
• Start the timer. I recommend 30 seconds for beginners and younger kids.
• When the timer goes off, let the kids choose any order they want to respond to the journal prompts.
• Participants can talk about their responses as they write and draw.
• Set aside a regular time once a month to review the journal entries and have the kids rate their writing 1 – 5 using the 6 + 1 writing traits rubric.
Bibliography
6 Traits Rubrics and Resources 3rd Grade Literary Assessment Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved from Poway Unified School District: https://www.powayusd.com/PUSD/media/LSS/Assessment-Testing/literaryAssessmentGuides/LanguageArts/3rdGrade/Six-Traits-Rubrics-and-Resources.pdf
Culham, R. (2003). 6 + 1 Writing Traits of Writing The Complete Guide to Grades 3 and Up. NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Culham, R. (2005). 6 + 1 Traits of Writing The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. NY: Scholastic.
On A Mission:SBT Kids! (2019). Retrieved from Stop Breathe Think Kids: https://www.stopbreathethink.com/kids/
Dvora’s introduction to teaching came when her youngest child was expelled from private religious school for fidgeting.
Currently, Dvora is a practicing educational therapist. Her work as an educational therapist started in 2013 after she left her full-time teaching job as a resource specialist at a middle school in Los Angeles. She works with Individuals and provides small group instruction to remediate and enrich student learning. Dvora’s approach integrates a mind body point of view, and the scientific method to support awareness and higher-level thinking. Dvora works collaboratively with families, school staff and other providers.
Dvora is a graduate of the LAUSD District Intern Program. She holds a California Teaching Credential in Special Education, a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola Marymount University, and a BA in Sociology from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
You can read more of her ideas on her blog: http://www.dvorakravitz.com/
She can be reached at mrsdvorakravitz@gmail.com
Goal: Practice writing and mindfulness awareness.
Time needed: 10 minutes
Age: 7 to adult (Younger kids can draw their responses rather than write in words.)
Supplies:
• Timer
• Bullet journal for each participant
• Colored gel or fountain pens
• Spinner or similar tool for choosing numbers 1-4. It can be electronic or nonelectronic
• Print out the infographic for the journal prompt and glue it into the front flap of each journal book.
• Do an online search for a 6 + 1 Writing Traits rubric (There are quite a few to choose from in Google Images.) Print one out and glue it into the back of the journal.
Procedure:
• Do this activity with your children.
• Choose a specific time of the day and regular place in the house for journaling.
• Use the spinner to determine how many sentences participants will write. For example, 1 is four sentences, 2 is three sentences and one drawing, 3 is two sentences and two drawings, and 4 is one sentence and 1 drawing.
• Start the timer. I recommend 30 seconds for beginners and younger kids.
• When the timer goes off, let the kids choose any order they want to respond to the journal prompts.
• Participants can talk about their responses as they write and draw.
• Set aside a regular time once a month to review the journal entries and have the kids rate their writing 1 – 5 using the 6 + 1 writing traits rubric.
Bibliography
6 Traits Rubrics and Resources 3rd Grade Literary Assessment Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved from Poway Unified School District: https://www.powayusd.com/PUSD/media/LSS/Assessment-Testing/literaryAssessmentGuides/LanguageArts/3rdGrade/Six-Traits-Rubrics-and-Resources.pdf
Culham, R. (2003). 6 + 1 Writing Traits of Writing The Complete Guide to Grades 3 and Up. NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Culham, R. (2005). 6 + 1 Traits of Writing The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. NY: Scholastic.
On A Mission:SBT Kids! (2019). Retrieved from Stop Breathe Think Kids: https://www.stopbreathethink.com/kids/
Dvora Kravitz, M.A., AET Educational Therapist
Dvora’s introduction to teaching came when her youngest child was expelled from private religious school for fidgeting.
Currently, Dvora is a practicing educational therapist. Her work as an educational therapist started in 2013 after she left her full-time teaching job as a resource specialist at a middle school in Los Angeles. She works with Individuals and provides small group instruction to remediate and enrich student learning. Dvora’s approach integrates a mind body point of view, and the scientific method to support awareness and higher-level thinking. Dvora works collaboratively with families, school staff and other providers.
Dvora is a graduate of the LAUSD District Intern Program. She holds a California Teaching Credential in Special Education, a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola Marymount University, and a BA in Sociology from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
You can read more of her ideas on her blog: http://www.dvorakravitz.com/
She can be reached at mrsdvorakravitz@gmail.com
