"I Went Walking" Lesson Plan: Creative Writing & Vocabulary Activity for 2nd-4th Grade

Bring the beloved story "I Went Walking" by Sue Williams to life with this engaging ELA lesson plan for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-grade students. This complete, hands-on activity guides children through an interactive vocabulary scavenger hunt and a creative writing project where they craft their own story booklet. Perfect for the classroom or homeschool, this lesson builds key vocabulary, encourages descriptive language, and reinforces story structure. Includes objectives, material lists, and differentiation strategies.

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Creative Vocabulary Adventure: A Lesson Inspired by "I Went Walking"

Materials Needed:

  • The book "I Went Walking" by Sue Williams
  • Index cards or small pieces of paper
  • Markers or crayons
  • Several sheets of plain paper (5-7)
  • A stapler or hole punch with string/yarn
  • A small bag or basket (for the scavenger hunt)
  • Optional: A camera or phone to take pictures

Lesson Details

Subject: English Language Arts / Creative Writing

Grade Level: 3rd Grade (adaptable for 2nd-4th)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

  • Identify and define key vocabulary words from the story (e.g., walking, saw, looking, following) and apply them in new contexts.
  • Use descriptive language (colors and nouns) to identify and label objects in their environment.
  • Create a short, original story booklet that follows the repetitive pattern of "I Went Walking" but uses new characters and settings from their own experience.
  • Verbally present their story, demonstrating an understanding of the vocabulary and story structure.

2. Instructional Strategies & Lesson Activities

Part 1: The Warm-Up Walk (10 minutes)
  1. Engage: Begin by saying, "Let's go walking! But first, what are some things you think we might see?" Briefly brainstorm a few ideas.
  2. Explore: Take a short walk around your home or yard. As you walk, use the key sentence pattern. For example: "I am walking... what do I see? I see a fluffy pillow looking at me." Encourage the student to do the same. This introduces the pattern and vocabulary in a physical, active way.
Part 2: Story Time & Vocabulary Focus (10 minutes)
  1. Read Aloud: Read "I Went Walking" together. Read with expression and pause to enjoy the illustrations.
  2. Vocabulary Spotlight: As you read, lay out pre-written index cards with the key vocabulary words: Walking, Saw, Looking, Following. When you encounter a word in the book, point to the card. Briefly discuss what each word means.
    • Act it out! Have the student act out each word. For example, march in place for "walking," use hands as binoculars for "saw/looking," and walk in a line behind you for "following."
Part 3: The Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt (15 minutes)
  1. The Mission: Announce, "Now you are the explorer from the story! Your mission is to go walking around our house/yard and find new 'animals' (objects) to be in your very own story."
  2. Set Up: Give the student the small bag or basket. Their goal is to find 5-6 interesting objects. They can either collect the physical objects (if small, like a toy car or a colorful block) or take a picture of them.
  3. Guided Discovery: As they find objects, encourage them to use descriptive words. Instead of "a car," it's "a shiny, blue car." Instead of "a plant," it's "a tall, green plant." This reinforces the color + noun pattern from the book.
Part 4: Create Your Own "I Went Walking" Book (20-25 minutes)
  1. Plan the Story: Lay out the collected items (or pictures). Help the student arrange them in the order they will appear in the story.
  2. Create the Pages:
    • Give the student the blank sheets of paper. Each sheet will be one page of the book.
    • On the first page, they will write the title (e.g., "I Went Walking") and their name as the author/illustrator.
    • For each subsequent page, they will draw one of the objects they found.
    • Underneath the drawing, help them write the text using the book's pattern. For example: "I went walking and what did I see? I saw a shiny, blue car looking at me."
  3. The Grand Finale: The last page should show the student being followed by all the objects they "saw," just like in the original book. The text could be: "I went walking and what did I see? I saw all my things following me!"
  4. Assemble the Book: Stack the pages in order and staple them or use a hole punch and yarn to bind them together.
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    3. Closure and Assessment

    Author's Chair (5 minutes):

    • The student sits in a special "author's chair" and reads their newly created book aloud.
    • Assessment: Listen for correct usage of the vocabulary (walking, saw, looking, following) and the story pattern. Observe their confidence in sharing their creative work. Ask a follow-up question, like "What was your favorite thing you saw on your walk today and why?"

    4. Differentiation and Inclusivity

    • For Extra Support:
      • Provide pre-written sentence starters on each page (e.g., "I went walking and what did I see? I saw a _________ looking at me.").
      • Focus on 3-4 objects instead of 5-6.
      • Act as the "scribe" and write the sentences the student dictates.
    • For an Extra Challenge:
      • Encourage the student to use more complex verbs instead of "looking" (e.g., "peeking," "staring," "glancing").
      • Have them add a second descriptive word (adjective) to each object (e.g., "a tiny, red Lego").
      • Challenge them to write a sequel story about what happens after the objects follow them.