We sure do have a great group of budding writers this year! We recently introduced some new writing activities in our writing center and the kiddos are loving them! The fact that they CHOOSE to go to the writing center makes me so happy!
I have a really sweet bunch this year and they are exceptionally nice to each other, so I knew they would really enjoy our note writing center. I copied a bunch of the note writing templates onto white paper and stuck them in a little bucket. My students can write notes to each other, their family or even their dear teachers 🙂 Then they stick the notes in the appropriate cubbies for delivery. They get so excited to receive little notes in their cubbies too 🙂
{I love you because you are sweet and nice and generous. #swoon}
{I like your Darth Vader shirt.}
{I like you because you are nice.}
I found this one of my desk after school…so precious!! {and I love that she signed it “stodin’t}
Another fun writing center was born after a trip to the Dollar Tree! I found these really fun mini magnetic drawing boards and knew my kids would love them. I set out some of our CVC word cards so they can practice writing their CVC words. They love this center!
{the eraser was really tricky to use, I had to show my students to hold the board down against the table as they slid the eraser}
We also started to use our Write the Room papers from my All Done, Now What? unit. They grab a mini clipboard and a pencil and quietly walk around the room searching for words to write. Even my most reluctant writers love this activity 🙂
What do you do to get your kiddos writing? Leave a comment so I can learn more ideas!
How precious are these valentines? LOVE!
Sara
Miss Elementary
Love those magnetic boards!! How FUN!!!!! 🙂
PS I won't tell you how much I spent on some at Lakeshore . . .
Brilliant! I love your budding writers 🙂 I happened to pick up some of those magna doodle things at target, but couldn't really find a use…until your bright idea! Thanks 🙂
Love this post Hadar! So creative!
I love the magna doodles…. I am tempted! Really tempted!!!
The boards are a great idea!
Writing with chalk on the playground outside is a favourite of mine. Love the mini magnetic drawing boards, might get some of those!
Butterflying Through Teaching
My kiddos love magna doodles in writing center!! 🙂 Love the notes!
Love the mini magnet drawing boards… I think I am going to have to invest in some of those! What a great way to practice letter formation, names, words, etc. while having fun- the possibilities are endless!
Jacqueline
I is for Inspire
Thanks for sharing!
Great idea!!
Jennifer
First Grade Blue SKies
I recently found your blog and really like it and your ideas and products. Thanks for sharing. I am currently homeschooling my son for kindergarten right now. He is doing great, but I have a question about these writing projects you do- like this one on this post, where the students write things like "you are a very great teacher"… Are they writing this (by that I mean spelling the words) all by themselves or do they get help from you to spell the words? I am just curious as to where we are at compared with a kindergarten classroom. If I have my son do more independent writing, do I encourage him to spell it out by himself more (I currently spell most things for him), and if he is wrong, do I let it go and praise his effort or do I correct him? This is my only problem with homeschooling, I'm not always sure where I compare with a classroom teacher. The writing your students do is impressive! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Holly! When my kids are writing, I only expect them to spell correctly what I have taught them. So the sight words we've learned and beginning sounds should be correct. Otherwise, it's all about inventive spelling and matching letters to the sounds we hear! As you can tell by some of the pictures, some of my students are REALLY good spellers, and some of them are still learning. The kids wrote these all independently, I did not help them at all. The one who left the note on my desk saying I was a "very great teacher" is one of my higher ones 🙂
Hi, I just commented under the name "brent" which is actually my husband- lol. I didn't realize I was logged in google under his name! My name is Holly. Sorry, and thanks for any info you can share with this area of teaching for me!!
I put stencils and "how to draw" books in my writing center. I also give my kiddos the option of "free choice" journal as an early finisher. My kids love writing. In the beginning of the year we started a word wall for sight words. I have pockets of word cards where students can find and copy a word they do not know how to spell. Many have trouble tracking from the wall to their paper. Being able to take the word to their table helps. They also have to read it to find the word and to put it back in the correct pocket. I find that they are not using the pockets as much because they have leaned to spell most sight words. I also require them to use because if they tell me they like something. This helps to encourage better sentences.
Love the postcards, so sweet!
Linda
Down the Learning Road
So many wonderful ideas. Proud to call you a friend and super glad you are getting to teach because you are an awesome teacher.
Mels
Ms. K/1 ELL