First Grade Authors Share Their Books at the Hall of Literature Celebration!

It was a Wednesday, so we asked “Where is Speyer?” The answer: welcoming their parents to a Hall of Literature! Yes, it was the First Grade Hall of Literature, where our first graders shared books they authored with their families, which was the culmination of months of preparation. 

They began the year with author studies, analyzing the structure of stories, defining the traits of characters, understanding how to build suspense, and understanding how all of the aspects of the story fit together to make a whole. Because the first graders have been steeped in this kind of thinking all year, we wanted to give them an opportunity to create writing pieces of their own. 

Each student designed a character, plotted out a story with that protagonist and used the elements we've discussed in order to make a unique and satisfying story. Working independently and with their fearless teachers, they reinforced the writing process of revising, editing, sharing the work with a partner, and rereading the completed piece in order to check for clarity. It was a wonderful accomplishment for each student to bring his/her idea to fruition. Some students wrote even more books about the character they'd created! 

To hear their thoughts on the writing process, check out their reflection videos HERE and HERE!

Starting from the moment they enter Speyer, our students learn to embrace writing and the journey of how to tell stories of all kinds, honing essential skills they will use throughout their time at Speyer…and beyond!