eng.gK.f.lesson_18.end_unit_celebration_portfolio
End-of-Fall Celebration — the Kindergarten Authors' Anthology
- Capitalize one's own name
- Read and write first 25 high-frequency words: I, a, the, see, my, like, to, is, can, and, we, go, on, in, it, me, you, are, this, will, that, with, for, of, was
- Tier-2 vocabulary: 15 high-utility words from read-alouds
- Compose orally and dictate a single sentence about a topic
- Label a drawing with a word or words
- Each student selects one piece of writing from their Fall portfolio to publish in the class anthology.
- Each student reads their selected piece aloud to the class.
- Students reflect on growth using the self-reflection rubric.
Lesson plan
Warm-up
5 minClass song: 'We are authors' (familiar tune).
- Lead with energy
- Project author photos of the unit's mentor authors
Direct instruction
7 minToday you become PUBLISHED AUTHORS! You'll pick your favorite piece from this Fall — a drawing-and-label, a caption, or a dictated sentence — and we'll put them all in our class anthology, just like a real book. Each one of you will sign your name on the title page. You'll read your piece to the class.
Guided practice
20 min-
Review your portfolio — pick your favorite piece.scaffold Adult helps; criterion = 'this is one I'm proud of.'
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Sign the anthology title page in your best name-writing.scaffold Anthology page on easel.
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Author's chair: read your piece to the class (or whisper it to the adult who reads it aloud).scaffold Microphone available; supportive applause after each.
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Self-reflection: 'At the start of Fall, I could ___. Now I can ___.' (Children dictate or write.)scaffold Sentence-frame strip; rubric icons (drawing, labels, captions, name).
M-K-F-WR-18-C
Video
Physical / non-image
60-second video: a kindergartner sits in the author's chair, holds up their drawing-and-caption, reads it ('This is my mom. She is brave.') Class applauds. Teacher asks one wondering question ('What's your favorite thing about your mom?'). Child answers. Models the protocol.
Formative assessment
5 min- Self-rate on the three end-of-Fall rubric items: (1) I can write my name with a capital letter. (2) I can label my drawings. (3) I can dictate a sentence.
M-K-F-WR-18-B
Chart
Physical / non-image
Three-row visual rubric. Each row has the goal in kid-friendly language, plus three faces: 'I need help' (worried), 'I can sometimes' (neutral), 'I can do it!' (smiling). Goals: (1) 'Write my name with a capital,' (2) 'Label my drawings,' (3) 'Dictate a complete sentence.' Children circle their face for each row.
Closure
3 min- Group photo of all the authors
- Hand each child a 'Kindergarten Fall Author' certificate
- Plan: anthology comes home next week for family to read
M-K-F-WR-18-A
Photograph
Photo of a class anthology cover: title 'Kindergarten Fall Authors' in 36-pt cheerful sans-serif. 20 small portrait photos of the children arranged in a heart shape. Borders in primary colors. Used as the template for the class to assemble.
Homework
- Anthology comes home next week — read it with your family!
Exercises in this lesson
Differentiation
- Adult helps select portfolio piece
- Whisper-read for shy children
- Dictated self-reflection
- Read TWO pieces
- Add an 'About the Author' page
- Volunteer to read to a buddy class
- Read in home language if confident; English if comfortable
- Bilingual self-reflection
- Family invited to celebration
- AAC for author's chair
- Adult reads on behalf if non-verbal
- Picture-based self-reflection rubric
Teacher notes
This is the affective high point of the term. Every child publishes. Every child is celebrated. The anthology goes home next week and is read together as a family literacy event. Use this lesson to make a formal Fall portfolio assessment: each child's growth is documented from the week-1 print walk through today's published piece. Parent conference materials assemble from these portfolios.