Kindergarten Sentence Writing Made Easy! Free Activity Too
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Teaching kindergarten students is so rewarding and teaching young learners to be independent writers is right at the top of my list! When you teach kindergarten how to write simple sentences, you get to see your students’ eyes light up as they begin to understand sentence structure and how to write their own simple sentences.
Today, I’m excited to share some of my favorite simple sentence activities and sentence-writing lesson ideas.
In this blog post you will see how we bring sentence writing into our daily activities with intention. I will share sentence ideas for your whole group, small group, and even some kindergarten writing worksheets.
Kindergarten Sentence Writing in Whole Group
Writing a complete sentence in kindergarten can be daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be! The key is to work on sentence writing skills throughout the year in small but consistent doses.
One way we do this is during our core curriculum, during which daily sentence dictation occurs.
Writing a complete sentence in kindergarten can be daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be! The key is to work on writing sentence throughout the year in small but consistent doses.
Daily Kindergarten Dictated Sentence Writing
One way we do this is during our core curriculum, during which daily sentence dictation occurs.
During our whole class dictation, we make sentence writing explicit. With each sentence, work on sentence foundations such as:
- Capital letters (marking it with an arrow)
- Punctuation (circling it)
- Spaces
- Spelling
This sentence anchor chart is referred to with each lesson. Remember, with writing conventions, it is not enough to just know the rules, we want to build automaticity!
This is one of the first decodable sentences that are dictated in kindergarten. Each spelling pattern has been explicitly taught. Now it is time to apply those skills in writing.
This is one of the first decodable sentences that are dictated in kindergarten. Each spelling pattern has been explicitly taught. Now it is time to apply those skills in writing.
You can find these daily Science of Reading Lessons and writing pages at:
Kindergarten Sentence Structure Lessons
We also do a little sentence work prior to our writing time with these teaching slides. My work as an instructional coach brings me into many classrooms. Young writers often have trouble identifying incorrect sentences. Highlighting the different parts of a sentence is helpful. We always need the “who/what (subject)” and the “did what (predicate)”
Students move the subject and predicate to build a complete sentence. The explicit nature of these lessons are extremely beneficial for English language learners.
Students also change the sentence from a statement to a question (and visa versa.)
Also, students elaborate on a sentence!
You can find these sentence slides in my Science of Writing Sentence Warm-up files. With over 50 interactive teaching slides, you will find these activities:
- Build a sentence by identifying the subject and predicate.
- Let’s Elaborate! These offer open-ended writing opportunities where students select the subject and predicate and then students elaborate by adding the “when” or “where” to their sentence.
- Let’s Check it! Students move the slides to identify a complete or fragmented sentence.
- Let’s Identify! Students move sentences to identify interrogative sentences (questions) or declarative sentences (statements.)
- Let’s Change it! Students change the sentence from a question to a statement and vice versa.
Kindergarten Sentence Work in Small Groups
During small group lessons, we also work on sentences and dictation. One reason I like the idea of working on sentences in a small group setting is because you can support students who are just inches away from you.
As much as we try to support all of the students during our whole group lessons, it is hard to watch 20-25 at the same time. This “up close” teaching allows you to reinforce writing habits that carry over to students own writing.
Kindergarten Sentence Writing Center
One center activity that we start the year off with is so simple. We just start with one sentence for the students to build. These sentences include a few high-frequency words along with some theme words.
The first week of school we do this activity as a whole group. Simple! We take turns reading these simple sentences with a pointer. Students love building sentences! It is a great way to incorporate sight words that they have been learning.
After a few weeks of whole class participation, I usually say, “Friends! We have had so much fun with this activity. What if we make this one of our literacy centers?” They always cheer, “YES!”
As time progresses, I might say, “Hey friends, when you go to this station, let’s write our own sentences! I break out the recording sheets and say, “Let me show you how.” Simple! It does not have to be perfect at first. It’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 add a color word. 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. He even put a capital letter at the beginning of his sentence! 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.
Winter Sentence Writing
As we enter a different season, we can swap out the word cards. I like to keep this writing center activity as fresh and exciting as possible, without giving up the predictable nature that is needed for student success. Each month, kindergarten friends practice writing complete sentences that are thematically linked to what we are learning or perhaps what we are focused on. These sentence starters and seasonal picture cards are added each month and as the year progresses, students begin to write complex sentences.
Here are a few of the little books that go with this writing center activity.
Each printable booklet has a combination of sight words and themed words, so students have an opportunity to see these high frequency words in the context of a sentence.
I love having the option to add this book 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 for extra practice.
There are monthly sentences like the ones above, or some phonics sentences students can work on.
Phonics Based Kindergarten Sentence Writing Station
There are times when I want young 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 phonics skills. Long and short vowels, CVC words, blends, digraphs… these early literacy skills can be practiced during a sentence center activity.
The best part… students already know how to complete this sentence-building center.
Silly Sentences Literacy Centers
These centers are part of the teaching slides that students practiced as part of the whole group lessons (mentioned above). Students roll two dice to create and write their own silly sentence.
The writing checklist is a great tool for remembering the different parts of writing a complete sentence. These same cards can be reused in another fun way.
Kindergarten Writing Sentence Worksheets
Here is a helpful worksheet you can use for morning work. Students practice writing sentences while paying attention to convention and handwriting.
These simple cute and paste interactive worksheets are zero prep (and all the kindergarten teachers cheered.)
You can find the whole collection of simple sentence worksheets by clicking:
Decodable Sentence Building & Sentence Writing Practice – 150 Handwriting Pages
Are you looking for more Kindergarten Activities?
Here are a few blog articles you may be interested in.
- What is Sentence Segmentation and How to Teach It | Free File
- 15 Fine Motor Activities for Kindergarten | Free File!
- 10 Simple Literacy Stations That Will Last You ALL YEAR (Free File)!
- 15 Kindergarten Math Centers That Will Engage Your Class ALL Year! (Free File)
- 10 CVC Word Games to Play in Kindergarten and First Grade Plus a Free CVC Center Activity!
- 24 Fun and Engaging Sight Word Games and Activities for Kindergarten
Kindergarten Sentence Writing: Free Sample
I know! I like to try on clothes before I buy them too! Here is a little free sample that you can try on! I know it will be a perfect fit!
Simply add your email to the box at the bottom of the post and the file will be sent directly to your inbox! EASY!
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Deedee Wills
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!
Hi, I'm DeedeE.
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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20 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 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.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
I love this. If there are let’s say 5 students in a group and they are working on 1 sentence, would you have each child take a turn building the sentence before they all write the completed sentence? (Once one student builds it, then the cards are mixed up and the next student builds)
I worry about students running out of time to complete their sentence and having a student just sitting and waiting because they were the first one to create a sentence. I would recommend either having the group create a sentence together (although yes that can be difficult for students to agree) OR perhaps providing more than one pocket chart and potentially more sentence cards so that students can be working on their sentences simultaneously.