Stentence Starters

Writer's workshop is in full swing. I love how excited my class is about choosing their own topics, the writing process, drawing and creating. 

However, some of my young writers need a bit more encouragement to stretch sounds and write words and sentences.  They need some practice outside of workshop time.

Like you, outside my workshop time I do many things to support writing: arranging cut-up sentences in the pocket chart, modeled & shared writing, and (my favorite) list writing. 

Below you will see an idea I came up with using picture prompts and sentence starters.  The text in the picture may be hard to view, so scroll past the picture for a more readable view.

 

Click on the picture to get this item.

Below is the text in the picture:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sentence starters and picture prompts can be just what your emerging writer’s need to feel successful as they develop skills.

Ideas:

     ·          Make copies of the same sentence starter for every page.

     ·          Only copy one sentence starter and provide blanks for the following pages.

     ·          Provide different sentence starters for each page. 

     ·          Leave it open-ended for students. Provide a selection of sentence strips for them to make their own unique books.

You may also like:

(click the pictures to see more)

 

 

 

 

Enjoy

~Holly

Back to School Bundle

Check out this Back to School Bundle!

Buy the bundle at ½ the price of the individual items!

Savings!

 

Hop over to this giveaway hosted by Kinder Loves

to win my bundle!!

 

 



Enjoy

~Holly

Writing Center Organization ~ List Writing

I love opening the year with list writing.  During morning message (or anytime during the day) I model writing lists.  Sometimes it is to hold an idea, reminder for later... sometimes it is something I can write about in Writer’s Workshop.  I have found that emergent writer’s love list writing too!

Last year I created some list paper and picture card prompts.  I found that I had a few reluctant writers, but with a little nudging or prompting they would partake in list writing.  Of course, the best lists are created by the kids with ideas generated all by themselves… but a little framework around the tasked really helped them take off!

Click on the picture to get this Freebie!

 

To keep interest I introduce one new list per month.  Students quickly move to writing their own themed-lists each month.  Some even liked to draw their own picture prompts for others to use!

Think of all the skills they are strengthening when list writing!  ~recording sounds they hear, applying phonics skills they know, generating ideas, categorizing, language… the list is endless!~

I have decided that this year I will make List-Writing a feature in the Writing center.  Since my writing center is housed in an area labeled “Wild about Writing,” of course, I themed my file folder storage using some fun animal print.

I bought these cheap hanging file storage units.  Then I labeled each folder using cute clipart...and voilà!   Here is the latest addition to my Writing/Literacy stations! 

 

 

You can get the monthly labels HERE!

I printed them on 1” x 2 5/8” labels.

 

Find more List Writing HERE:

Now if I could only get into my classroom… and really set up!

Enjoy

~Holly

Classroom Library Organization

How do you organize your

classroom library?

I have struggled with this over the years and have had used many methods.  Here’s what I am currently doing and it has been the best system for me so far!

After deciding on how many baskets would fit onto my shelves (and a massive book sort) I grouped books by theme, concept, or sometimes even series. I have a different section in my library area for leveled books for students to choose from when they need a “just right” book to read independently.  This is for my general fiction and nonfiction collection.

 

 

 

 

Here are the organizational tricks for keeping the library in order:

1. Each Basket has a label with a word or two that describes it contents.

2. Each label also has a number.

3. The basket labels in each row are mounted on a piece of colored paper.

 

On the back of each book (see below) there is a sticker with the name and number of the basket written in the color matching the paper the label was mounted on.  This way the students can return the book using word, number, and color clues.

 

A class lesson at the beginning of the year on how to choose and return books to baskets is all it takes for my Kindergarteners to maintain this space.  They learn how the “codes” on the back of the book work quickly. 

 

 

Some mornings I will have a pile of books at each table that need to be returned or hand a few books to a student to return during transitions. This way students get a lot of practice using the system early on in the year.

 

Another quick tip:  Each student has a clothespin with their name on it.  They simply clip it to the basket when they are using a book and remove their clothespin when they return it. 

 

 

I also like to assign students a basket to be in charge of.  Just give them a little responsibility and they will police themselves! There are so many ways to find a book's proper basket with this system.

The students especially love making sure all of our books are in perfect condition.  I have a basket for books that need a little repair. 

 

It is next to impossible for the library to get too mixed up! It is even easy for parent volunteers to quickly reorganize if needed.

 

This system is simple to create and maintain. Adding color and numbers to the system you already have is a quick and easy way to build in even more organization to your current system with our starting from scratch.

 

Enjoy,

~Holly