Kindergarten sentence writing can be made easy! Check out how I introduce sentence writing as a literacy center. Then, we build on it to make this a year-long literacy activity.
Writing a sentence in kindergarten can be daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be! I introduce sentence writing to kindergarteners early in the year and build upon it month after month!
We start the year off slowly with very simple sentences. In August and September, I usually start with just one sentence for the students to manipulate. They read it over and over with a variety of pointers (which are a BIG deal.) The first week of school we do this activity as a whole group. Simple! We take turns with the pointer. Then at the end of the week, I usually say, “Friends! We have had so much fun with this activity. What if we make this one of our stations?” They always cheer, “YES!”
A few weeks later, I might say, “Hey friends, when you go to this station, let’s write a sentence! Let me show you how.” This is a whole group activity. Simple! However, the product is not always stellar. That’s okay! We have all year to perfect it.
In August and September, the words are hard to read. The illustrations need a bit of interpretation. In my opinion, that is just fine. If we wait for perfection… we will be waiting until January. Nope! We can practice sentence writing and get better NOW!
After a few weeks of this, I might nudge in while a student is working at this station and do a little teaching. I might show them how to make the sentence neater. I might show them how to make smart color choices. Or… even suggest that they use crayons instead of a pencil to color. Oy!
Then during our center debrief (a MUST), I might say, “Friends, do you know what I saw Joe doing at the pocket chart station (where I have the sentences)? I saw him working REALLY hard to make his letters clear. You know what? That is what writers do and it makes my heart happy. Look at THIS!” Then I show it to them. Oh my MERCY! They ALL want to make my heart happy and we elevate the work. By slowly raising the bar… we raise the expectation.
As Winter comes, we are getting better and better at writing sentences. I like to keep this center as new and exciting as possible, but stay predictable for student success. Each month, my kindergarten friends practice writing sentences that are thematically linked to what we are learning or perhaps what we are focused on.
By this time of year, students are confidentally writing sentences during this literacy center. This is very exciting! They are so proud of their work… and of course, I love seeing how far they’ve come.
I love having the option to add in an emergent reader, either to the center for students to complete if they get finished with their sentence writing, or to use some other time during our day.
There are times that I want students to focus on a specific phonics skill as much as possible. I will, occasionally, mix up our thematic sentence writing center and add in sentences to practice various literacy skills. Long and short vowels, CVC words, blends, digraphs… these phonics skills can be practiced during a sentence writing center.
Between the thematic sentences and the sentence writing with a focus on phonics, I can easily keep this literacy center going all year long!
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My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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19 Responses
Thanks for the idea! I am a second year teacher, still trying to help my kinders to become better writers. Thank you for sharing!
I am a teacher at Phoenix preschool. Instead of suggesting that parents to go somewhere, I'm going to take a stab at being condescending and say to some of the negative reviewers that they should, "be a little introspective and examine your own parenting skills.
I can’t find your sentence wrting on TpT. I’ve tried clicking hte link above and it doesn’t work. Can you send me the link?
So sorry! I think some of my links have been broken when I moved to the new blog format. Here is the link:
Super Sentences
I can’t find your super sentences anywhere on TPT.
Cynthia
Hi there! Here is a link!
” target=”_blank”>Super Sentences
How many students do you have working at this station at one time? If more than one then do they each build the same sentence together? I was wondering if I needed to make more sentence pieces for building so they each could make their own sentence.
Thanks for your help!
Hi there!
I have two students at a station together. Since there are multiple pockets in the chart holder, the students can work together or make their own sentence. I only print one set of cards, though. I hope that helps.
Thanks Deedee,
Yes that does help. I will have 4 at this station, but I will just put two pocket charts back to back and have 2 on each side, so I will run 2 sets of the cards!!! Thanks so much!
Hi Deedee, How long do your students stay at a center? Do they rotate or only do one per day or how many per day? If you have any other blogs on centers and center management, if possible could you link me to some? Thank you SO very much!
Let’s see if this blog post will help you 🙂
Tips for Station Management.
I love the sentence center, but struggle with my ones that cannot read. I saw you have the little booklets for them with the sight words. How do you direct direct the children to do a lower level activity and higher level, when they go to a center. Also, what does it look like? I’ve used numbers, colors… Thank you! Love all your materials and advice!
Hi there!
When students go to the center, they don’t actually do the books. We do those at another time of the day as a whole class. Then they can take them home for extra practice. I did not really tell my students which sentences to do. I just offer the range of sentences and let them pick. I will talk to my students who I want to challenge and ask them to do more. I hope that helps.
I love this! Can I ask, are they different vocab pictures in each bundle or are the all the same? I am thinking of so many ways to use them
Yes! Each month has different themed cards 🙂
Hi there! I was wondering what size pocket chart you are using, and where did you get it from? I love this center and how you have it set-up so that your kiddos can do it independently!
I got it from Amazon!!! Thank you so much!
Here is a link to a pocket chart that is a similar size:
POCKET CHART
Hello! I’d love the free Predictable Sentence Sample; when I enter my name and e-mail address all that is sent to me is the newsletter. I’ve tried two different e-mail accounts and get the same thing. I love your bundles but would like to try it out before making the purchase. Is there another way this can be sent to me?
Hi Carrie,
I’m so sorry! With my new blog update, some of the forms for free files have been wonky! I just updated this form and pushed it out to you. Let me know if you did not get it.
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