Writer's Workshop Deconstructed: Part 1

Here's the scoop on the coop:

I like little pencils for little hands. I give standard size pencils a snip with a pliers before I sharpen them so that they are about four or five inches long, and in proportion with a child's hand. (Jack also likes that they're the perfect size for tucking behind his ear like a carpenter.) Golf pencils also work well too.

I made this laminated, stand-up alphabet card from a page in a Handwriting Without Tears workbook. Jack likes to sing the alphabet song and follow along with his finger, or refer to this when he is stuck on how to write a letter.

Paper, paper, paper. I cut it up all shapes and sizes. Long skinny pieces for lists. Bigger pieces for signs and letters. Small pieces for little notes, traffic tickets, price tags, and receipts. Fold-over cards for thank you notes, invitations, and menus.

And don't forget envelopes. Children love the mystery and surprise of slipping their big ideas into those tiny pockets and sealing them up. Envelopes also equip them for writing letters -- a wonderful way for kids to use writing to connect with others.

  

Here's the answer to the big question: Where do I get those wood pieces? They are wood pieces for capital letters from Handwriting Without Tears. I first talked about them here. They are a great hands-on activity for pre-writers and emerging writers. We use them to practice letter formation, build words, and play "Letter Store."   

      

For those of you who asked, I get the little chalkboards at the craft store for really cheap (they are usually with the pre-cut wood shapes) and we can't get enough of them. We use them for everything from little notes, to letter-writing practice, to keeping score, to taking orders, to jotting down reminders. We are definitely chalkboard crazy in this house. I always keep a jar of tiny chalk pieces and a little cloth nearby too.

 

Wow, that's a lot of stuff already, and we're not even halfway through the coop! Tomorrow I'll run through the rest (including sand letters, alphabet stamps, book-making tools, word rings, and the oh-so-curious Rolodex). Stay tuned...

By the way, please chime in with any questions, comments, or critiques you may have. The best part of any Writer's Workshop is that it's really a Writer's Work-in-Progress-shop. Include whatever inspires your young writer to write.

(And please share. I'm sure we'd all love to hear what everyone comes up with!)

Comments

[onemotherslove]

I hadn't thought about getting the chalk boards from the craft store. What a great idea! Here's my big question... How do you keep it neat? No smaller kids? I'm sure I could get my 4yo to clean it up, but then my 2yo would take everything out again. I have to keep this type of supplies out of sight. We have a "Cabinet of Fun" that they're not supposed to get into without permission.

[RachelJ]

I also wonder about the neatness. My 5yo has her own 3-shelf cabinet in our office and she has many of the same items. But she never keeps it neat!

Envelopes: I always save the ones from bills that I pay electronically or from junk mail (have writing already on them, but they still work!).

Also, where did you get the chicken coop?! I love the look of that as a shelf.

[Anna]

I am simply in love your writers workshop idea. My son is at the perfect age to start exploring this sort of thing. Thank you for sharing.

[Clarissa]

Great blog, I can't wait to hear more about it!

[Gina]

hi there. i have just discovered this little jewel of a blog! what a find. i am married to a writer and the little ones are always looking for ways to be creative in the same way. i've already gleaned some fantastic ideas from your blog. i especially like the "what color was your day?" activity, as well as your chicken coop, the little notes to daddy, and reading recipes. i thought i would mention to you another great find that i have just recently discovered, which is the bare books web site. http://www.barebooks.com/books.htm

also wonderful. thanks for sharing all your great ideas...i'll be back for more!

[Nataliya]

I love your blog for its innovative ideas and suggestions. I have a 3 year old son who loves, loves writing the letters, especially his name.
I have all sorts of pencils, crayons and markers available on his desk in clear jars, so they are accessible to him at all times. He especially likes writing in his little notepads probably because of their small size. Almost every morning he wakes me up by bringing me a page from his notepad with a picture and letters on it. Very cute.
I am looking forward to more of your writing inspirations.

[Kristi]

This was great! I am also a huge fan of HWT. What a great company :). I cannot wait to find out more details...I am definitely intrigued by the Rolodex!

[exhale. return to center.]

I love all the beautiful details (like the half-size pencils). SO inspiring!

[Laura G]

Oh boy, I am *loving* this! I've only just found your blog via Apartment Therapy (ohdeedoh) and I just want to say how lovely, creative, and inspiring it is. Can't wait for the rest of the secrets of the writer's workshop to be revealed! Also, thank you for pointing us toward Handwriting Without Tears - I would have loved to stock my preschool classroom with those glorious wooden letter shapes when I was teaching :)

[Laura G]

Just wanted to add - when I was teaching I found that some kids who were not as interested in writing with pencils or markers loved writing with paint! I would set out really long strips of paper (like 3 feet long!) and nice little brushes and just black paint. Something about using a different medium really appealed to many of the children in my class. They would make "signs" for things in the room and tape them up.

[jo]

it reminds me of the movable alphabet in Montessori
school classrooms........

[kim]

thanks for sharing! just made our own young writers workshop... for a bit older children :)