First Grade Storytellers: A Collaborative Nonfiction Writing Showcase

First Grade Storytellers:
A Collaborative Nonfiction Writing Showcase

Our 1st graders recently had an exciting opportunity to share their nonfiction stories from an English Language Arts writing unit on genres. As an opportunity to showcase student writing skills, 1st grade Lead Teacher Julia Maguire also noted an international focus on community building and mutual learning.

In preparation for the writing showcase, the 1st graders visited Corrie Slay’s 5th grade classroom to learn about their process in writing research papers on famous historical figures. 5th graders shared their experiences, discussing how they chose their subjects, conducted research, and organized their findings into cohesive papers, and many of their subjects were already familiar to 1st grade from a previous science unit on light and energy, where they learned about inventors like Thomas Edison and scientists like Marie Curie!

Back in their own classroom, students worked diligently on their nonfiction stories, learning how to choose a topic, gather information from books and other resources, and structure their writing with clear beginnings, middles, and ends. Julia’s lessons also emphasized the importance of adding interesting facts and details to make their stories engaging, as well as public speaking guidance.

Julia reflected, “Seeing our students share their stories and engage with their peers was incredible. The visit to the 5th grade really sparked their enthusiasm, and it was wonderful to see them apply what they learned. Beyond the success of their stories, they also learned how to be considerate audience members—what it means to listen intently, ask thoughtful questions, provide considerate feedback, and learn from each other.”

This project is a simple—though highly effective—testament to our commitment to fostering a collaborative, applied learning environment. By connecting lessons across grades and subjects, we help our students grow as learners and community members. We’re so proud of our 1st graders for their hard work and the way they embraced this experience, and we look forward to more opportunities for them to connect and learn together.