Pattern Books

After reading First Grade Writers, Kindergarten and first grade teachers decided to use the chapter on Pattern Books as a unit in the spring of kindergarten and also in the fall of first grade. The author, Stephanie Parsons, is a part of Lucy Calkins Teachers' College in New York City at Columbia University so these additional units were developed with Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong Unit (K-2) in mind. The units in First Grade Writers are meant to be additions specifically for first grade. Philosophically the units fit right in with what we were already doing.

Kindergarten teachers generally chose labels, repeating line, and question and answer patterns to begin. Some teachers have also moved into before and after patterns and days of the week patterns.

Below are some of the pattern books that kindergartners have written that were shared during Teacher Meeting today. Spelling has been corrected to make the patterns easier to read.

From the Mackarado's, a starting place, a book of labels:

My Lunch

by Cole

My lunchbox

My sandwich

My chips

My drink

My dessert

My napkin

I like lunch.

From Mrs. Harbour and Ms. Stresen-Reuter's class after their field trip to the hospital,  repeating lines

My Hospital Kit

by Emily

I give my puppy a wristband because he knows names.

I give my puppy band aids because he might be hurt.

I give my puppy shots because that gives him medicine.

I give my puppy a treat bag because he is good.

From Ms. Lewis' class, this very sad repeating line pattern book:

I Used to Have Favorites

by Sophia

I used to have a hamster but we sold him.

I used to have a fish but he died.

I used to have a dog but he died.

I used to have a best friend but she moved.

From Mrs. Harbour and Ms. Stresen-Reuter's class, a question and answer pattern book:

What Lives at the Zoo?

by Dylan

What lives at the zoo?

Does a dog live at the zoo?

No, but a snake lives at the zoo.

What lives at the zoo?
Does a cat live at the zoo?
No, but a giraffe lives at the zoo.

What lives at the zoo?
Does an octopus live at the zoo?
No, but an elephant lives at the zoo.

What lives at the zoo?
Do ducks live at the zoo?
No, but buffaloes lives at the zoo.

I know that giraffes, snakes, and elephant all live at the zoo.

From Ms. Lewis' Kindergarten, a question and answer pattern book:

Where is My Family?

by Julia

Katherine, where are you?

Are you under the bed? No.

Are you under the couch? No.

Are you behind the shelf? Yes.

I found you!

Katherine, do you know where mom is?

Is she in the kitchen? No.

Is she in the dining room? No

Is she in the backyard? Yes!

Mom, do you know where dad is? No.

Is he upstairs? No.

Is he in his car? No.

Is he in the garage? Yes.

Hey dad, wanna go golfing?

Ready. Set. Putt!

From Ms. Sasso's class, a before and after pattern book:

Before I Came to Kindergarten

by Julianna

Before I came to kindergarten I was nervous.

Now I love kindergarten.

Before I came to kindergarten I could love on my sister all day.

Now I can love on my sister before and after school.

Before I came to kindergarten I ate lunch at home.

Now I eat lunch at school.

Before I came to kindergarten I played all day.

Now I work instead of playing.

This is from Mrs. Harbour and Ms. Stresen-Reuter's class after they noticed the pattern of days of the week in Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar:

My Backyard

by Payton

On Monday I swim in the backyard with my sister.

On Tuesday I play kickball in the backyard with my sister.

On Wednesday I play hide and seek in my backyard with my sister.

On Thursday I play freeze tag in the backyard with my sister.

On Friday I play nothing with my sister.

The end

These simple pattern illustrations show the types of books that children are being read as they notice the patterns that they see and the ways that they can adapt those patterns in their own writings of books. Can't wait until next week to see what the children produce.