Kindergarten writing can be an intimidating topic, both for students and teachers alike! Kindergarten students come into the school year with a variety of abilities. Some have learned to write their name and recognize letters while others may still struggle with proper pencil grip and recognizing their name in print. Having a set writing routine can help every student in your classroom get the daily practice they need to become confident authors.
Why Should I Use Kindergarten Writing Prompts?
Do you dread rushed mornings scrambling to have something for your students to do as soon as they walk in the door? Did you forget to run morning work and the copy line is way too long for you to make it back to your classroom on time? Maybe it’s only a few months into the year and you’re already struggling to think of new and interesting writing prompts as you slowly model and teach your young authors. Kindergarten prompts are the perfect morning writing solution!
Simplify Your Writing Routine with Kindergarten Prompts
Paperless kindergarten writing prompts are the answer you need to a simple morning routine that will give you and your students a fun and consistent way to start every day. All you need is a solid white surface, you don’t even need a SMARTBoard, and you can project the daily prompt without rushing to the copier. Every day of the week has its own type of prompt so you don’t have to worry about choosing what to project or if your students are getting bored. You’ll love how engaged your students are as they come in immediately knowing what to do!
How Does It Work?
Choose a white surface to project on and a notebook for each student. You can then choose from editable PowerPoint files, non-editable PowerPoint and PDF files, a Google Slides version, or a printable version with the prompts on strips. If you choose an editable version you can download the included prompts and customize them to fit your students’ needs immediately. Otherwise, just click and go!
Setting up your student notebooks is a simple process.
First, print black and white journal covers for students to color or fully colored versions to attach to student notebooks. Tip: if you print on labels you don’t even have to glue!
Then you can print the prompt guide and glue it in the front or back inside covers. The prompt guide contains every prompt the students will write about that year, along with a unique number. Students write the corresponding number every time they write. When reviewing student writing later, teachers and families can look at the prompt guide to see #27: Write facts about snakes. This fosters family communication and relationships as they can ask questions about the writing and otherwise understand the point of that piece.
The sticker guide aligns with the secret skills! To avoid student complacency with journals, be on the lookout for a secret skill daily. When reviewing journals after writing time is over you can find a student whose work met the expectations that day, such as writing the correct page of the journal, and give them the corresponding sticker. This is a simple way to motivate students to follow directions and do their best as well as a way to grow as a community by cheering on the one that won the Morning Journal All-Star Award!
After setting up notebooks, the use of these kindergarten writing prompts is super simple! Students get their notebooks out of their desks, open to a new page, and write the date and number of the prompt. Then they simply follow the model until you decide journal time is over!
What’s Included?
Multiple how-to videos are included to ensure you understand any technical items, as well as how to maximize the use of this product for your students.
A variety of options to display the kindergarten prompts help you decide what works best for your classroom: editable PowerPoint, non-editable PowerPoint, PDF files, Google Slides, and a print-and-go option.
Every week of kindergarten writing has prompts that follow this schedule:
•Make It Monday (Drawing a picture, labeling a picture, making a list, etc,)
•Trace It Tuesday (Write numbers/number sentences and trace them with different colors)
•Write It Wednesday (Rainbow write or color pattern write letters and sight words )
•This or That? Thursday (Choose your favorite between two choices–for example, cats or dogs–and illustrate your answer, write your answer, write a sentence about your answer, etc.)
•Free Write Friday (Write or draw about anything you want!)
Every quarter there is a gradual increase in difficulty as your expectations for your kindergarten authors continue to grow.
In addition to the full 40 weeks of kindergarten writing prompts, you also receive 4 journal cover designs, a sticker guide, a prompt guide, and a new music feature where calming music fills the room to inspire your students and set the mood instantly!
Benefits of Kindergarten Morning Journal Prompts
Young learners thrive on a routine, and these kindergarten prompts help instill that! Structure your day so students begin writing right after completing morning jobs and work until the next logical transition such as announcements or once all buses have arrived. Encourage students to write the entire time by adding more details to their words or illustrations.
Create an easy portfolio of kindergarten writing throughout the year to have on hand for conferences, IEP meetings, and more. Daily writing opportunities build student confidence, motivation, and encourage a love of writing! You will be amazed as you look through these kindergarten prompt journals to see how much every one of your students has grown.
These morning journals build speaking and listening opportunities naturally into your day. Students can share their work with an author’s chair. This fosters confidence for the one sharing as well as a sense of positive classroom community when others share what they think the author did well.
Find more blog posts about how to utilize writing prompts in your classroom here!
What Teachers are Saying
“I cannot tell you how wonderful this resource is! My kids LOVE to write every day! They know what the day is and what type of writing they are going to do that day before I ever show them! Writing scores have soared!!”
— Barbie L. ★★★★★
“I really love this resource! It is difficult to find independent work that my students can do but this resource was perfect for their skill set. I love that it spans the entire year and becomes more work-intensive as the week goes on. Great resource!”
— Mallory P. ★★★★★
“My students love seeing what the prompt will be each morning. They record their responses in a journal. They love that they have free choice on Fridays. The prompts are simple, quick, engaging, and the students look forward to journals every day. Very age appropriate.”
— Julie B. ★★★★★
“My students asked for this every morning! They caught on to the predictability of it quickly and could tell me before we started what letter we were going to do that day!!! I saw a lot of progress in their drawings and confidence in themselves!”
— Marti T. ★★★★★
Read more reasons why writing prompts are amazing and new ways to use them!
Try This Free Week of Kindergarten Writing Prompts
Fill out the form below to grab your free week of paperless kindergarten prompts. Watch your mornings transform from busy chaos into something peaceful you and your students look forward to!
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Reasons to Use Kindergarten Prompts in Your Classroom
- Paperless kindergarten writing prompts help streamline your morning routine by saving you prep and planning time.
- The consistent weekly routine and daily prompts motivate students to write first thing in the morning, building confidence and ability through structured daily practice.
- Free up more precious time to greet students as they walk in the door, individually assess students, or do other important tasks while your students are engaged and learning.
Arm you with high-quality tools: Sleep peacefully at night knowing you’re doing what’s best for your students.
Save your energy: Provide resources that cost you little energy (that stuff is precious)---but have high impact on your students.
Light your spark: Putting fun back into your classroom after the hardest teaching years can be just what you and your students need.
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