When it comes to teaching young writers, procedural writing lessons can be a lot of fun. Children love the chance to show off something they know how to do! After all, that’s essentially what this form of expository writing is — writing a “how to” or procedure. And what better way to show off how to write this type of text than by reading how-to picture books?
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How-To Picture Books
How-To Picture Books
How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth by Michelle Robinson
This book introduces students to these prehistoric beasts, along with an example of how to write a step-by-step procedure that’s just a little bit silly. After all, who would have thought a woolly mammoth would have a tickly tummy? Your students will love the simplicity of this text. It also creates a fantastic opportunity to follow up with a great activity where students write their very own procedures!
Grab the How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth lesson inside the Colorful Apple Book Club!
How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace
A turkey is running loose in a school right before a Thanksgiving play. Can YOU help catch it so the show can go on? Follow along as students turn their school upside down trying to catch the turkey, ending with a twist that ensures no turkeys are harmed (or eaten!).
How to Catch a Santa by Jean Reagan
After waiting for days and days and days, it’s finally Christmas Eve. And that’s when you can try to catch Santa. . . . but only if you know the right tricks! Pay attention to these clever tips for “catching” Santa (be crafty! be clever! be gentle!) on Christmas Eve. Santa can’t resist cookies…or riddles! And don’t forget to leave the Christmas tree lights on so Santa can see his way around!
How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Reagan
Here’s everything a kid needs to know to spend a fun-filled day with grandpa! Written in a how-to style, the narrator gives important tips for “babysitting” a grandpa, including what to eat for snack (anything dipped in ketchup, ice cream topped with cookies, cookies topped with ice cream) what to do on a walk (find lizards and dandelion puffs, be on the lookout for puddles and sprinklers), and how to play with a grandpa (build a pirate cave, put on a scary play).
How to Make Friends with a Ghost by Rebecca Green
What do you do when you meet a ghost? One: Provide the ghost with some of its favorite snacks, like mud tarts and earwax truffles. Two: Tell your ghost bedtime stories (ghosts love to be read to). Three: Make sure no one mistakes your ghost for whipped cream or a marshmallow when you aren’t looking! If you follow these few simple steps and the rest of the essential tips in.
All You Need for a Snowman by Alice Schertle
In these pages, a group of kids is summoned to create a snowman of heroic proportions. Starting with the very first flake, the clever and energetic rhyming text details the steps these little sculptors take to create a snowman.
The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog by Paul Janeczko
From practical (how to mix a pancake or how to bird-watch) to silly (how to scare monsters or how to be a snowflake), the poems in this book are full of fun! Poets from Kwame Alexander to Nikki Grimes to Margarita Engle share the way to play hard, to love nature, and to be grateful.
If You Want to Knit Some Mittens by Laura Salas
How do you knit a pair of mittens? The first step is to get a sheep of course! In this fun story, a girl follows 18 steps to knit mittens–from bringing home a sheep to carding, spinning, and dyeing the wool to knitting the mittens. But along the way, her sheep creates chaos and becomes her friend.
Whether you use a storybook to teach the language features of procedure writing or you use a storybook to prompt the writing of a procedure, there are so many ways you can use books to teach procedural writing.
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