Gathering and Collecting Ideas

Authors grab our attention with interesting ideas. They hold our attention with details.

As writers gather and collect ideas, they also focus on details.

Families:

Invite your child to play this game with you that will help them to focus on the details of an idea or topic.

  1. Brainstorm some topic ideas with your child about an experience (e.g., making dinner, going on a picnic, going to the park)
  2. Begin by asking a question…”We’re making dinner; what do we need?”
  3. Take turns coming up with a one or two word answer that begins with each letter of the alphabet (e.g., apple, broccoli, can opener).
  4. Encourage your child to add their top three words from this game to their “idea collection”, and list two or three details that they know about these items (e.g, apple – round, red, crunch; broccoli – green, bumpy, delicious)

Your “idea collection” is growing!