1st Grade Author Celebration

Early this December, 1st graders gathered for their first Author Celebration of the year. After lots of work writing, revising, and adding details, the writers chose their very best "small moment" stories from October’s and November’s Writing Workshop to share with classmates, parents, teachers and administrators—they even completed an “all about me” writing piece to share at the final presentation.

Once teachers modeled how a sharing session might unfold, students practiced reading their stories to one another. During the celebration, visitors mingled across the 1st grade students and listened to the stories that the children wrote. The visitors listened intently, leaning in to see pictures and smiling to show appreciation. At the end of the ceremony, the children shared cookies and punch with their families in recognition of their accomplishments.

The 1st grade writing philosophy draws on the work of Lucy Calkins, Professor of Curriculum and Founding Director of The Reading and Writing Project at Columbia Teachers College. It encourages Heritage students to fully engage in the practice of writing, while teaching them valuable lessons about the overall process.