Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Work on Writing

I am excited to be hosting this week's Freebielicous Linky Party. This week, we are sharing our ideas for Work on Writing!
Work on Writing is actually mine and usually my students' favorite center! Why do I love it so much? Because my students work at this center TOTALLY independently and quietly!

 I actually introduce this center the first week of school.  I usually start with a very simple write the room from my Monsters pack. I put this at my center so I can make sure to help any students that need help. Most of the kids pick up on writing the room quickly, then I usually move on to making lists. Again, I introduce it at my center so I can make sure all of the students understand their task. As I introduce different writing options, I add the one that they have learned into an organizer on the wall. They are all stored in the red wall organizer--I make multiple copies to leave in there year round.
Eventually, all of the writing options will be added and students can CHOOSE which one they want to work on. As you can see below, I have a lot of options for students to choose from! My kids usually gravitate towards writing the globe and writing the room for some reason! I also had a group of girls who just HAD to make a card, or two, almost everyday! Especially after I added envelopes and fake stamps to their Work on Writing center! But hey, anything to keep them writing!!

At the writing center I have numerous thematic word walls for them to use. These word walls are introduced to the students and I actually leave all of the themes out for them to use.

These are set up on file folders and are very easy to store. Here are some of my old ones (a little different clip art than the ones seen above).
 Inside there are tons of thematic words for them to use in their writing. This has REALLY helped my ELL students with their vocabulary and has been a huge reason in why my students work so independently at this center. No one asks me to help them sound out a word, or asks me to spell a word, etc. It is all right there for them!
Students can pull out the Ocean Words, for instance, and use that folder to create a list, write sentences, draw and write words, etc. All activities that are left in their center and were already introduced to them. Eventually my students actually learn how to spell a lot of these thematic words on their own which is awesome to see!! By the end of the year they are using these words to write all sorts of fun stories!
Later in the day, I have my actual Writer's Workshop. For me, this is set up totally different. I have the kids on the carpet for a whole group lesson. At the beginning of the year this usually consists of drawing a picture to represent a story. Then, we move into labeling and writing a simple sentence. After I teach my whole group lesson, my students have time to journal write, add to a story they have been working on, etc., practicing the skill that was just taught. We also write about what we are learning in social studies or science A LOT. My kids really enjoy writing about nonfiction topics! 
With writing sentences and stories independently, I have learned to be very patient! It takes time! I visit at least one person per table during writing time to help them sound out words. The other kids at the table are usually 'listening in' and I end up indirectly helping them as well. 
I know there is so much more to say about writing! That is why I can't wait to read some tips from other bloggers! and don't worry if you don't have a blog--I would LOVE for you to leave a comment and share what you do or any tips you may have!

Don't forget to follow me now on Blog Lovin'
After you follow me on Blog Lovin' leave your email in a comment and after checking, I will choose one winner to win one of my writing packs discussed in this post!  The winner is #54 Katrina! I will be emailing you shortly!
I have also been working with some of my blogging buddies and we have a pretty big surprise planned for this week. The only way to find out that surprise is to make sure you are following me on Facebook!! 
get the InLinkz code

76 comments:

  1. I think that your items are so adorable! Is your Awesome Words for Inspiring Authors packet available on TPT?

    Thanks!
    ~Kay

    http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kay-At-Kindergarten-Kiddos

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  2. Yes it is, let me add the link above! Sorry about that!

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  3. I follow you!! Love this!! erin.haack@gmail.com

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  4. I'm a bloglovin' follower!
    -Andrea
    cielobella@aol.com
    simmonsa1@sfusd.edu

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  5. This was a great post! I'm really inspired to organize my writing center more effectively. Thank you. And...I already follow you on bloglovin'

    Thanks again,
    Vera thetututeacher@gmail.com

    The Tutu Teacher

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  6. Lovin the ideas ;) Happy to follow you

    Iteachkidsabc@gmail.com
    :o) V.
    Special Teacher for Special Kids

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  7. All your writing helper folders are adorable! I love the uniformity with the clipart too!

    I follow you on Bloglovin!

    thepolishedteacher@gmail.com
    The Polished Teacher

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  8. I love the idea of word wall folders! I had some students who could have really used those last year. Thanks for the inspiration! (oh and yes I follow on BL) <3

    Sarah Adams
    Miss A's Kindergarten
    missaskindergarten@gmail.com

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  9. This is super cute. I follow you on Bloglovin! :)

    ilove2teach06@yahoo.com

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  10. Love it! Writing is my favorite subject to teach!

    -Shauna
    Fun Fabulous First
    Sssmile14@gmail.com

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  11. Following! tiffanybee17@Comcast.net

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  12. Following! tiffanybee17@Comcast.net

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  13. Love your ideas!!! I also follow you on BlogLovin!
    DDgirl4ever@yahoo.com
    Julie Davis

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  14. Love all your wonderful writing ideas! I follow you on BlogLovin!!
    Pam Kerl
    pam.kerl@gmail.com

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  15. Your work on writing pack looks awesome! After teaching third grade last year, I'm moving down to kinder this year! I have a feeling that work on writing is going to be a bit different at this age level! Your tips are greatly appreciated!

    I also follow you on bloglovin!
    Jnstevens0726@yahoo.com

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  16. I'm now following you on Blog Lovin. fdonahue@ffc8.org

    Faye

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  17. This is amazing!! I love all these writing ideas! I love your idea about the folders with the key words! This will really help my kids from always asking me how to spell words!

    I follow you on bloglovin!

    Julia
    mybloodrunsorange8@gmail.com
    The Army Wife Teacher

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  18. I'm following you on Blog Lovin'!
    rlelr@verizon.net

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  19. Awesome post! I have your Work on Writing pack on my wishlist and was wondering how I could implement all those options so they can be independent and choose... you solved it for me! :)

    One question... how do you store all those papers, since they are choosing, and do you just run a bunch of extra copies a head of time?

    Thank you so much! rmitchell@asheboro.k12.nc.us

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  20. What an amazing writing center set up you have! I am definitely pinning this post for next year. Thank you for sharing!!

    Heather (heathernnance@yahoo.com)

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  21. I really struggle teaching writing. I have so many kinders that come in BOY not even able to write their name or form all of the letters. It is so frustrating and I end up dreading writing time because I am being pulled in so many directions as almost all students need help! *Sigh*

    I already follow you on BlogLovin! :)
    -Pam
    flipflops.polksdots@gmail.com

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  22. I follow you! I also have your Work on Writing pack. I loved it before, but the update is awesome!!

    algray@rocketmail.com

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  23. you have amazing products! I am following you wherever I can so I don't miss out!

    amidamer@yahoo.com

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  24. You have some fabulous ideas. Thanks for sharing.
    koolaid_1989@hotmail.com

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  25. Thanks for the great tips! I am a follower mom3wheeler@att.net

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  26. I follow! moushey1485@yahoo.com

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  27. I love all of your units. I am a new Kg with BCPS so I always look to your blog for ideas :) Will you be adding activities based on Journeys?I follow your blog on FB and bloglovin...
    thralvr@yahoo.com

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  28. I love your ideas. You inspire me to do more. Thanks!
    I follow your blog on FB and bloglovin'.
    Lois
    loisl@psdschools.org

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  29. I adore all of your products and thematic units!! I already follow you on Bloglovin' as Heather Deramus! Thanks for the chance and hope I win!

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  30. Of course I follow you on Bloglovin!! I LOVE all of your posts and your items in your store. This will be my second year in Kinder (and teaching!) and I would love to have your writing center pages to add to my writing center. I am looking to beef it up a little this year. :) breannesimons@gmail.com

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  31. I already follow you on Bloglovin! Love the pocket chart idea for storage!!
    oznut16@yahoo.com

    Erica
    The Eagle's Nest
    www.littlesoaringeagles.blogspot.com

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  32. I am always looking for ideas to teach writing. Love your unit!!
    I follow you on FB and Bloglovin!
    Nayda Nieves
    nlnieves22@gmail.com

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  33. Thanks for sharing! I love your ideas.

    Amanda Walker
    amandwalker2377
    amandawalker88@hotmail.com

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  34. I love your writing packets and the themed word walls! I follow you on Bloglovin as Stacia Seagroves.

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  35. You are perfect to host a linky on writing. Your thematic word walls are great!
    We do a lot of writing in workstations, and throughout the day. We also have writer's workshop separate from our workstations. I like to work with a small group each time although not always the same group. But I think this year, my class' favorite writing time was morning work on Fridays. I'd be greeting students, monitoring breakfast, taking attendance, collecting homework & they would be writing away...and talking about it. We would always run past announcements so I could circulate and do mini-conferences.

    I follow you on bloglovin'.
    prlhrbr@yahoo.com

    Jenn
    KinderMyles

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  36. Oh, I love this!!! I think it would be great to try with my kiddos this year and will get them more excited about writing! Thanks for sharing how you do it! :)

    I'm following you on Bloglovin'!!
    rberns32@gmail.com

    ✿ Regina
    Keepin It Krazy

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  37. I am following on BlogLovin! I would love one of your writing packs.. I am moving down to Kindergarten next year.

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  38. I already follow you! :) I haven't met one of your packets yet that I do not LOVE! Just picked up the Apple unit and would love to add this to my collection. amymcelveen@yahoo.com

    Whooo Loves Kindergarten

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  39. I follow you on bloglovin' and I love your writing ideas!
    Thank you! Andrea :)
    aaparsons@hotmail.com

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  40. Lobe your ideas. I follow on bloglovin as bartramsbuccaneers.
    bartramsbuccaneers@yahoo.com

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  41. I follow you on Bloglovin'! I just bought your Work on Writing pack and I am so excited to use it with my Kinders. I would love to add the Inspiring Authors to to my collection of yours! :) love all your stuff!!

    Epollick@knights.ucf.edu

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  42. Thanks for the giveaway! I love your writing ideas. I'm a follower!
    Molly
    mkkalina@outlook.com

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  43. I'm a follower. These are so awesome and would be great for my class! Thanks for always creating so many fun activities!

    irishbook_gal@yahoo.com

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  44. Glad to hear to start D5 right away. I am going back to Kindergarten from 1st grade next year and I was struggling with starting it right away. Reading these blogs is very helpful! I love how you have it set up!
    I am just starting up a blog! And I am following you on bloglovin!
    Thanks!!!
    mykindergartendream.blogspot.com

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  45. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  46. Oops! Thanks for sharing your ideas! I'm a follower.
    jmcpang78@hotmail.com

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  47. I love your writing ideas. They are very helpful. I am following you on bloglovin. We started Daily 5 late into the year. I can't wait to start it first thing!
    -Robin
    smithrc563@aol.com

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  48. Very helpful ideas, love the packet!
    epolston at rowland dot k12 dot ca dot us

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  49. I would love to take your thematic folders and make them bilingual. I love to even just show my kids the words in Spanish!
    Thanks,
    zandraclay@gmail.com

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  50. Great information in this post. Thanks! I'm following you on bloglovin :)
    morethanmath@yahoo.com

    -Mo
    More Than Math by Mo

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  51. I really love your theme words. My ELL students have a very hard time with vocabulary and this will help them so much!!! Having them accessible any time is an awesome idea!!! Oh, my email is artandcraftmom@yahoo.com

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  52. I love how many choices you give students for writing! I am a second-year kindergarten teacher and one of my big focuses is writing! Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. archai@graniteschools.org

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  53. I follow you and love your cute ideas! Thanks for sharing! My email is kristenmcdermott0922@gmail.com

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  54. I'm following you on bloglovin'.
    I love all the wonderful ideas and resources you share :)

    ~Katrina
    katja9484@yahoo.com

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  55. Great ideas and I love when students work independently--- and they love it too!
    Follow on bloglovin & facebook. My e-mail is jhousman@usd227.org

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  56. I follow you on bloglovin!!
    rachaelahope@yahoo.com

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  57. Love your writing pack! katrina.glick3@gmail.com

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  58. This looks wonderful for center time :)

    Rachelle
    Rachelle.Ruark@gmail.com :)

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  59. This looks great! I love your organization! I follow through email, do I still have to sign up for Bloglovin'? I see everyone's switching to that, but I already get email so not sure if I need to or not. Thanks for clearing that up if you can!
    lbettis@everestkc.net

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  60. I am a new follower. gmf88@bellsouth.net

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  61. Thanks for the great advice! :) I'm moving to Kinder in August so I'm reading all the tips I can!

    ~Jessica
    jfredrickson88x@gmail.com
    Fun in PreK-1

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  62. I am a new Bloglovin follower! Lslouka@msn.com

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  63. I enjoy reading your blog & am following you on bloglovin'. Thanks kerryoreilly@sbcglobal.net

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  64. I follow you on blog lovin!!!!!!! Bethpittman1@Comcast.net

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  65. I'm a follower! I love our organization! I hope some of it will rub off on me! :). cvanhorn76@gmail.com

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  66. I'm a bloglovin' follower. I love your ideas, thanks for sharing!
    nafoley@tampabay.rr.com

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  67. I used the writing folders last year and my little K kids LOVED them!!! They couldn't get enough of them. Would love to have more....love all of your great ideas.
    Kimchaiken@gmail.com

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  68. I love your ideas & have used many in my classroom! Thank you so much for sharing!
    mythreesons92@hotmail.com

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  69. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  70. I follow you on bloglovin under Pspetralia. My email is pspetralia@gmail.com
    I am a new blogger and would love it if you could follow me back...
    http://mrspspecialties.blogspot.com/

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  71. Love the "thematic folders". I'm a follower on Blog Lovin'.

    jkiekhoefer1@gmail.com

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  72. I follow you on BlogLovin'. Thank you for sharing these wonderful resources!
    Jessica dot berger @ hotmail dot com

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  73. Love this idea!! and i'm going to check out your tpt store now

    Natasha @ Serenity You

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  74. I went to Mexico!!! That was amazing!!!

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  75. Hi there! Can you tell me where you got your red pocket chart that holds all the papers for your writing station? Thanks!

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  76. Hi Ashley! It is from LakeshoreLearning.com

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