Kindergarten Writing Station: 5 Tips
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We have always loved our kindergarten writing station.
When I started this station years ago, I wanted to set this station up for success. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the writing station.
Place the writing station near the word wall.
This will support your students as they learn to spell those, ever important, word wall words.
Introduce tasks over time.
We start out pretty simply in August. My writing work station looks the same in August as it does in May. In August, I put out the vocabulary cards and the paper options. The first week of this station, I tell my students that their job at that station is to stay and “write”. They may only use one page. Then each week I nudge them to do more. It might sound like this, “You know what I noticed at the writing station? When Cecelia was there, she wrote words on her paper! Isn’t that amazing? {This usually prompts a chorus of ohhs and ahhs.} So if I wanted to write the word backpack, where to do you think I could find that word? {They all chime in as I have a student use the pointer to find it}. Friends, if you are going to the writing station today, you might want to be like Cecelia and add words to your writing.”
At this point, they are jumping out of their shoes and straining their necks to see if they will get to go to writing station.
A few weeks later, I might plant the seed about writing a sentence!
This little mini-lessons last about 3 minutes. If I am feeling like some of the work at this station falls short of their ability, I might take a minute to share the “awesome work” of one of their classmates. This is THE EASIEST station to keep going all year.
Soon they are writing cards
and books at this station.
Keep the tools handy!
I love to have freshly sharpened colored pencils at this station. I really love the Crayola erasable pencils. They sharpen straight (which makes my OCD happy) and they last the whole year.
I store the previous month’s vocabulary card sheet in a magazine holder. It is not uncommon for my students to want to write about Halloween… all… year… long!
At the beginning of each month, I copy each of the page options… about 10 of each of them. Some I lay out and others (like the ones clipped in the picture below) get set aside and are added each week.) Once those resources are gone, then the students have to select something else. This nudges them to try different types of writing.
Provide Support
“I Can” cards can provide the visual support students might need to prompt them towards independence.
Add vocabulary cards that they are likely to use that month.
Keep it predictable.
Just like you, I use my station time to pull my small groups. So I do not have time to reteach stations week after week. Therefore, I try to develop tasks that are engaging and appropriate without reinventing the wheel week after week.
The set up of the writing station looks the same in August as it does in December (the image below).
and January
And March! Yet, my students squeal with delight each month when the “new writing station” is revealed. When students are motivated and engaged, discipline issues seem to disappear.
You can find all of my monthly writing stations by clicking HERE.
There is also a money-saving bundle. You can find it HERE.
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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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14 Responses
Hi Deedee! I have your bundle of writing activities and use it a lot! I appreciate taking the time to talk about it. Your tips are great! One question. Where do you have the children store their unfinished work?
Donna
Thank you! Thank you!!! They put their finished and unfinished work in their tables station bin. They can always go back to it if they wish, but it is not required.
I agree with keeping it predictable. With the themed stations it makes it easier for them to be excited but still know what to do.
Thanks for this..I love it! Does your district do Lucy Calkins at all?
Kindergarten is very important way for teach kids.
Kindergarten tutor
I love, love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the inspiration and tips! This year I have been apart of a model classroom group that implements Literacy stations in K-3 classrooms. I am so excited to use these tips for the remainder of the school year and really kick them off next school year!
These ideas work great in first grade too as a part of the Daily 5 – Work on Writing choice!
Love this, where did you get those ‘I can’ cards? They look fantastic.
They are part of the units. Just click on the links and you should be good to go!
I just purchased one of your units. I am so excited to get started. How do you attach the “clothesline” to the wall? Do you have trouble with the kiddos pulling it down?
I used the command strips. I have never had it pulled down because my students did not take the cards off the line. There was a smaller, single page chart they could use if they needed a close-up or had trouble tracking the word.
Hi, so I have your Writing Station. I am short on space in my classroom currently. I thought I saw your Writing Station “mobile” somewhere but I can’t seem to find it. Do you have an article/picture about how you can make this station “mobile”? Any idea? Thanks, Mrs. Kibbe
Is this what you are looking for?