• Explore, with assistance, the forming of phrases into sentences, and sentences into paragraphs.
• Begin to use simple paragraphing.

Activity

• Have the children tell you everything they learned about whales from the Did you Know? section of Leap into Language 2. Write their responses on the chalkboard or chart paper.
  
  
• Invite them to tell about things they know themselves. Record this information too.
  
  
• Read whale information books to the children over a 2 or 3 day period.
  
  
• Remind them to listen for information that can be added to the chalkboard or chart paper. They should also listen for information which might verify or invalidate any of the previously recorded information.
  
  
• If the information facts were recorded on chart paper, cut them apart. If the information is on the chalkboard, write each fact on a sentence strip.
  
  
• Discuss how the information might be sorted, e.g., description of whales, whale habits, food they eat, dangers to whales.
  
  
• Print each heading on a strip of paper.
  
  
• Give some of the children a "heading" sentence strip and have them stand up in front of the classroom.
  
  
• Give the information strips to the rest of the class. Each child should read their strip(s) and stand behind the correct "heading".
  
  
• When the groups are formed, check to see that each fact matches the heading. Have each group orally put their information into sentences, e.g., Whales eat krill, fish and squid. Some whales like to eat herring (the teacher will need to model writing phrases into sentences).
  
  
• Later have each group write their information into a paragraph. Put all the information together and generate some discussion about forming paragraphs.

Assessment Tips from Old Tom the Turtle

• Note the ease with which the children form into the correct "heading" group.

• Involve students in a reflection of what they have learned about forming paragraphs. Generate a list of paragraph rules for Little Blue. As much as possible, use the children’s own language.

• Record in anecdotal records students’ use of paragraphs in their own writing.