Trickles Writing

Our favorite part of Learning Rivers is the story you create in Trickles Writing. Your child will be the author and illustrator of a fun self-paced reader. In each lesson, the child will learn a new letter and sound and build new words. These words will become the building blocks of the child’s stories. These stories will become the child’s very own readers! The child will also be the illustrator. Each story page has a picture box to illustrate the story.

As each new lesson of Trickles Reading teaches new sounds, new words will be added to the Word Bank. You may even think of more words than those given. Add them to your bank! Next, help the child write carefully controlled vocabulary sentences with our new words. Voila’ the child is a beginning writer! It’s as easy as 1-2-3-4…

1. Read all the words in the word bank to your child.

2. Use the new words to write a story of your child’s choosing. (If needed, use the sample story if you experience writer’s block.)

3. Illustrate your story. And write your spelling words.

4. Read your stories aloud for practice. Then read them to your friends and family. Test your spelling for mastery.

Writing it out – Word Bank Instructions

Story writing can be a fun and enjoyable experience for you and your child. Don’t force your child to take the pencil and write too soon. Make stories together first.

Talk it out! Always talk through your story first. Read the words in the word bank to your child, suggest ideas about words which could be used in a story. Make up sentences using your word bank words just for fun. The child is not expected to read the word bank. Reading practice is in Trickles Reading.

Ask your child questions, as you the teacher write out the story in pencil as though you were taking dictation. Let your child be the author. Offer two choices for a character. Offer two ideas for a problem sentence. Let the child choose the storyline as much as possible. Use as many word bank words as you can. Give a star for every list word used.

Read the story together and make changes as needed. Then recopy the story to the picture page.

Stages to Writing your own Story

We hope that you will start with option number one and finish with option number three – as your child shows readiness. Do not push your child beyond what he/she is ready to handle. It will come in time.

1. Pre-Writer (Ages 5-9)
   Have your child watch you write the story and you re-read it together. Then child reads independently.

2. Budding Writer (Ages 5-9)
   Have your child trace your handwriting on the story page, and then re-read.

3. Young Writer (Ages 6-12)
   You write the first draft on a separate page, then have your child recopy the final story into the journal and read aloud.

4. Intermediate Writer (Ages 9-15)
   Write rough draft from teacher’s notes and recopy.

5. Advanced Writer (Ages 12 – Adult)
   Student writes notes, rough draft, and recopies independently. (A writing conference is still recommended to assist even the advanced writer.)

How to Make Up a Simple Story

A simple story has a character and a problem. Sometimes a story can have a solution as well.

Make the stories simple, sweet and fun.

1. To start, choose your character.
2. Find a problem for your character.
3. Bring in a comment or solution to bring a resolution.

Here is an example of a very simple story.

1. Dan has a cat.
   The cat can act.
   The cat acts for cod.
   Dan’s cat acts and acts.
   Scat cat!
   Dan’s cat scats.

We have the characters of Dan and his cat. With only a handful of letters we have a story about a cat that acts for cod. The problem is that the cat doesn’t stop acting for cod., then he must scat.

Character + problem + solution = story

Give yourself a star for every list word used in your story.

Each lesson will also have a story to read and mark the new sounds that the child just learned in Trickles Reading.