Pet Rocks 1st Grade

Content Objective: I can create a pet rock and describe my pet rock in detail.
Language Objective: I can write about my pet rock and include a beginning, three details, and
an ending.
Materials: students will bring in their own rock to decorate, glitter glue, googly eyes, paint,
pompoms, pipe cleaners, pet rock guided writing worksheets, pencils, erasers.
Procedure:
1. Using the student worksheet My Pet Rocks Name students will choose a name for
their pet rock and tell why they chose that name for their pet rock.
a. Students will then draw a picture of the pet rock they would like to create.
b. Teacher will provide informal verbal feedback and guidance during this writing
portion.
2. We will create the pet rocks in small groups at the back table with teacher supervision.
a. Students will paint their pet rocks and let them dry over night.
b. Once the paint is dry, students can decorate their pet rocks with glitter glue,
googly eyes, pompoms, pipe cleaners and other various decorations to create the
pet rock they sketched a picture of in the first step.
3. Once the pet rocks are created, students will write about their pet rock.
a. Create a brainstorm web of details you can include in your writing about your pet
rock.
b. Teacher models how to write sentences from a brainstorm web in a logical order.
It is important to directly state how you will write a beginning and introduce the
pet rock and its name, then include many details about the pet rock, and finally
write an ending to tell the reader your story is finished.
c. Leave modeled writing on the projector but encourage students to use their
creativity. Remind students that they should use words that describe their pet rock
and not the teachers!
d. Students will use their brainstorm webs to write sentences on their own about
their pet rock.
4. Students will read their pet rock writing to three friends to make sure their story makes
sense and includes the necessary elements of writing.
5. Share the writing rubric with the students. Go over the rubric with the students entirely.
a. Students will self-assess their writing and add up how many stars they gave
themselves.
b. The teacher will then use the same writing rubric to formally assess the students
writing.

Sample Pre-writing

Sample Final Writing

Completed Formal Assessment

Final Pet Rocks