First Grade Bear Writing Project Lesson Plans
Elementary Winter Hibernation Creative Writing Journal Prompts
Jan 9, 2009
First grade teachers can use the book Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson [Simon & Shuster, 2002] to teach bear hibernation and motivate their students to write. The story of what happens while one bear is sleeping introduces students to the concept of hibernation and provides a fun foundation for a winter writing project.
How to Teach 1st Graders about Bear Hibernation
The teacher begins the bear themed writing lesson by introducing the class to a stuffed teddy bear named Bear. She and Bear read and discuss the story Bear Snores On with the first grade students. The first grade teacher explains to the students what hibernation is and tells the class that their new friend Bear will be hibernating soon.
The first graders help the teacher get Bear, the teddy bear, ready to hibernate. They prepare a den for him to sleep in and feed him nuts and berries so that he can sleep through the winter. When Bear is ready the class will say goodnight to him and place him in the den to hibernate until the first day of spring.
First Grade Creative Writing Winter Journal Prompts
The teacher will pass out hibernation journals to each student in the class. The students will decorate their journals and draw a picture of Bear on the cover. While Bear is hibernating the teacher will have the students respond to writing prompts about Bear in their journals to practice creative writing.
The writing prompts can be based on other topics the students are studying, current events, or what happened in the story. Sample journal prompts include:
- What is Bear dreaming about?
- What sounds might Bear hear while he is hibernating? Does he like the noises?
- Is Bear hungry? Did he eat enough food before he went in his den? What will he eat when he wakes up?
- How much snow do you think will fall while he is sleeping? Who will play in it?
Culminating Activity for First Grade Bear Hibernation Unit
Bear wakes up from his hibernation on the first day of spring. The class has a party to celebrate the beginning of a new season and the return of their friend Bear. The teacher has the students use their knowledge of bears and spring to plan the party. Bear-friendly food such as nuts and fruit are served at the party and spring-inspired decorations like tissue paper flowers are made and hung around the room.
First grade students learn about how bears hibernate by reading the book Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson. They demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of bears and hibernation by getting a pretend bear ready to hibernate in the classroom. While Bear is hibernating the teacher helps develop students’ creative writing skills by having them respond to writing prompts in a Bear journal.
For more ways to teach first graders how to write teachers can read Writer's Workshop for Elementary Students or Teach Kids to Write Paragraphs.
 |
 |
