Contributor: Nancy Mikhail. Lesson ID: 12926
Before you shop, you make a list so you know what to buy and don't forget anything. When you want to write a story, you should make a list of what you want to say. Learn how to "prewrite" your story!
Most likely you would not enjoy your time playing because you would feel the cold air chill you. Planning to enjoy some time outside on a cold day is like the writing process.
Preparing for playtime on a cold winter day, planning a trip, and other activities you enjoy doing require planning.
Your family may take care of most of this planning, but it’s fun to be involved in the decisions that are part of this preparation. Let’s say for example, you and your family members are planning to go on a trip. This trip can be to anywhere you’d like.
You may help gather the directions to the destination, decide what to pack for the trip, and more!
You probably wouldn’t enjoy the trip as much as you would if you had prepared! For example, you may not have packed the correct clothing or followed the correct directions to get to your destination.
The same thing happens when you are about to write! You need to have an idea and a plan of what you are going to write before you write! This preparation helps you write a message that is organized and fun for the reader to enjoy.
Prewriting means you create a plan to write your essay, book, story, or whatever writing piece it may be. This is the first step in the writing process. The steps for prewriting include:
Here is an example of a bubble or cluster map:
Give each a try or pick one to use next in the Got It? section.