And then and then and then

How many mini-lessons have you conducted on sentence fluency; pointing out the over-use and ineffectiveness of those two little words that your students love to place at the beginning of sentences: And then?

No doubt your students nod and eagerly point out all of the offenders in your modeled writing. They help you change the language or suggest you cross them out. Then you send them off to do their own writing only to see this new composition:

My dog ran away. And then my mom went to the neighbors. And then the neighbors said that they saw my dog run past the window. And then my mom got in the car and drove around town. And then she saw the dog sitting by a hotdog stand!

Or worse, this:

My dog ran away and then my mom went to the neighbors and then the neighbors aid that they saw my dog run past the window and then my mom got in the car and drove around town and then she saw the dog sitting by a hotdog stand.

If this is the case, don't despair.   There is an exercise that will help your students to recognize their own lack of fluency. Model this lesson on your white board as your students work along with you.

1. Have students take out a composition that they've written recently.

2. Ask them to number their sentences. (Young children will, unfortunately, place numbers down the margin. With first and second graders you may want to show individuals how to number their sentences during a writing conference.) Place each number over the capital letter that begins the sentence, like this:

1                          2

My dog ran away. And then my mom went to the. . . .

If your students have a page of writing with only one sentence, they will actually slow down and place capital letters and periods where they belong! It's a lovely thing to watch.

 3. Provide them with a vertical half-sheet of paper. Have them number the paper (1- # of sentences they have).

4. Invite them to record the first two words of every sentence:

1. And then
2. And then
3. And then
4. And then
5. And then

 5. Ask: Are you fluent? Students are often astounded to see that they're not. This lesson works for all repetitious beginnings. Once your students have seen it for themselves, they are very good at avoiding their most frequently used beginnings.

No More "I'm Done!"  focuses on nurturing independent primary writers.  In addition to suggesting a classroom set-up and routines that support independence, a year of developmentally appropriate minilessons is provided.