Preparing Written Narration?

[John'smom]

So I know Carrie always has a reason for why our dc do things. I am wondering what is being accomplished in having the child highlight the main idea of the written narration. Isn't usually the first season the topic sentence? I mean I know it can be in other places, but so far in our written narrations it is usually the first one.

Also are we suppose to be having our dc look back to the questions that we asked them orally when writing their written narrations? I have not been doing this, but when looking at some other children's work it seems to me that the are just answer the oral questions in a written form. I have 2 dc doing Preparing at the same time and at times their written narrations are similar, but at other times, one follows one route and the other follows another route. I thought this was how a written narration was to be done by letting children sift through the information themselves. Thanks for any clarification on this.

Another question: I think I have been doing something wrong all year with the narrations. I always have my dc write their written narrations on a dry erase board, and then we edit, and then I have them write them on their notebooking pages. Is there a negative to doing it this way?

[mom23]

I'm not sure that I'm going to answer these perfectly, but in doing Preparing this year with my dd I think that some kids just need more help in these things than others. For example, when we have to go back and find the sentence that tells the main idea that's really helpful to my dd because we sometimes find that it isn't the first sentence, but it should have been. Sometimes she'll start with a supporting detail and then the main idea is stuck somewhere in the middle and by finding that sentence I can show her how the narration would have been better if she'd started with the main idea instead. Also, for her the questions are helpful. I don't require that she look back at those and cover them in the written narration, but we do discuss the answers to them and it will highlight the important things in her mind, and also help to set in her brain the order of events. Sometimes she'll cover them in her narration and sometimes she'll go a different route, but on those chapters that she's stuck on how to begin the questions really help her. I think it's great that both your kids chose different routes with their narrations. Yes, you're right, that is the point of narrations that they sift through the information in their own way. It's not a right or wrong answer type of activity.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong with doing them on a dry erase board and then editing and then writing down a final copy in their notebook. That's probably a great exercise (editing with you) to strengthen their writing skills.

[Dandelion5]

Fggggggtttt

[John'smom]

Thanks for the opinions, ladies.

Anyone else want to weigh in? Seems there are lots of questions on written narrations lately.