For pre-writing processes, it doesn’t get much more basic than brainstorming. The first lesson in brainstorming should be done at the classroom level rather than the individual student level. Give the class a word with which to start. For example, “Pets.” Have students raise their hands to suggest other words that come to mind when they think of the word “Pets," such as: Exercise, feeding, grooming, cuddling or even something silly, like slobber.
For second-level brainstorming, choose one of the words associated with pets and branch off from there. If we use the word “Exercise,” for example, related words might include: Walking, running, fetch, and hamster wheel.
Second graders have the cognitive ability to understand that stories, no matter how long or short, come complete with beginnings, middles and ends. Illustrate this point by using any number of books with which the class is already familiar.
Once you have chosen the book you are using for your example, begin reading and stop at the end of the beginning and summarize the beginning on the blackboard. Then read the middle, stopping at the end of the middle and summarizing that section on the blackboard. Finally, read the ending and summarize that. You can do this exercise with several books so that the students see it in action for different stories.
After students compose first drafts of their stories or narratives, work with them to find clear beginnings, middles and ends. After that, talk about things such as complete sentences and making sure they don’t start every sentence the same way, which is common among young writers. After they have identified where edits need to be made, have them revise accordingly.
As the final step in the writing process, the final draft should offer a story or narrative that truly captures what the student is trying to say. It is very important to keep each step in the writing process and have students compare rough drafts to final drafts so they can see how much their stories change in the writing process and, ideally, how much better they become.