This writers workshop helper-free file is just for you and it is perfect for kindergarten and first-grade! Let’s take a closer look inside!
Writers Workshop Helper
On the cover, we have a few reminders! We have tips on how to spell words. There is an editing checklist. You will also find a student-sized anchor chart that helps students when they think they are done.
Inside there is a sound chart for digraphs and blends. There is a place for a student personal word wall. There is also a place for students to place their goals, writing ideas, and notes! NOTE: This is just a standard file folder. You will just fold the sides in to create a folder that looks like the one below… Easy peasy… and CHEAP!
The back of the folder has an alphabet sound chart!
This writers workshop helps works in concert with our writing units. It is a perfect way to put organizational tools in the hands of your young writers.
You will be able to download this free file at the bottom of this blog post… but FIRST…
Informational Writing
I wanted to share some kindergarten informational writing samples. January is usually the month when we dive into informational writing.
One thing I simply love about writers workshop is that it is automatically differentiated. In other words, you can have students at a variety of levels all working on writing, but some students might communicate with just illustrations, while other students will use a combination of words and illustrations to make their meaning known.
All About Snakes was written by a kindergarten student who was on grade level. This is an example of what is possible when you begin writers workshop at the beginning of the year. Why wait? Great things are possible with explicit instruction. Students love it and you will be amazed at what students are capable of if you just trust that they CAN!
This writing sample comes from another kindergartner who was in the same class… YES! He was an advanced student. His oral vocabulary was off the charts and he clearly knows a LOT about dinosaurs. I’ll be honest, often times I have to juggle things to meet the needs of all of my students. My intervention students need more of my time, but I also must make sure I offer challenge opportunities for students who are working beyond their current grade level. Writers workshop is perfect for this! AGAIN… writers workshop is automatically differentiated!
I
You can find our complete writing units which are all planned out for you by clicking:
FREE FILE
You will simply need to add your email to box below and the file will be sent to you. NOTE: Please try to avoid using a school email. These tend to get blocked by district spam filters.
This file was an exclusive Get Your Teach On! Conference file, but I am now retiring it. I am currently working on all new GYTO free files for conference goers…YAY! This year is going to bigger than EVER! To find out our conference schedule, please visit GET YOUR TEACH ON!
Kathy Caputo says
January 6 at 2:01 amThank you so much!
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 12:26 pmYou are welcome 🙂
Joan says
January 7 at 12:48 amHello, every time I try to get one of your free files I am asked to subscribe with my best email. I do this and get an email that sends me to the blog and asks again for me to subscribe. I never get any free files, Do you know why this happens?
Deanna Jump says
January 7 at 8:18 pmI’m not sure, but the file has been downloaded by a lot of people so far, so it may be an issue on your end.
If you want to email Deedee, she can help you better I think. In the email, include the email that you have been using to sign up, then she can do a bit of research.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Gennell.schvartz says
January 7 at 11:16 pmI have the same problem . The freebee will not download. Very frustrating.
Deanna Jump says
January 8 at 3:44 pmHi Gennell,
I just checked my email server and I’m not seeing that your email was entered. It has been downloaded close to 3,000 times, so I’m wondering if it is an issue on your end. We certainly don’t want it to be frustrating for you. So, if you have added your email to the box and you are not seeing the communication from me (check your spam/junk inbox), then go ahead an email Deedee. She can help troubleshoot it for you.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Bracey Barnes says
January 9 at 3:26 pmI cannot see where to enter my email on the web page. There is not box at the end of the page.
Deanna Jump says
January 9 at 9:44 pmI’m sorry Bracey, I’m not sure what to say. The file has been downloaded a few thousand times. Perhaps, you have an issue with your device (Tablet? Phone?).
If you want to email Deedee, she can troubleshoot it for you.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Traci Plante says
January 9 at 2:49 pmHi there!
I am having the same problem. I will email DeeDee! :o)
Deborah says
February 9 at 12:58 amThis happens to me as well. Please let me know what I need to do to access the files!
Thank you for your hard work and dedication!
Deanna Jump says
February 10 at 10:59 pmIf you want to email Deedee she can help troubleshoot the issue for you! deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Deanna Jump says
February 10 at 10:59 pmIf you want to email Deedee she can help troubleshoot the issue for you! deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Liz says
May 25 at 4:13 pmThis also happens to me.
Deanna Jump says
July 19 at 10:04 pmYes, schools often block this type of application for free file management. I sure wish they wouldn’t. If you follow the directions in the other comments, we can get you set up!
Deanna Jump says
May 25 at 9:59 pmHave you checked your spam folder? Also, sometimes school email addresses block the files.
Dawn Kruckenberg says
January 6 at 2:27 amThank you! Love all your products!
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 12:26 pmYou are welcome!
Jackie says
January 6 at 1:26 pmThank you! I see these are first grade resources. Do you have a similar one for kindergarten?
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:47 pmHi Jackie! Actually, these are for kindergarten. The writing samples in the blog post are also kindergarten samples, although one of them in an advanced writer sample. This resource will be perfect for those people who use our writing curriculum as it builds writers who come into kindergarten without any letter/sound association. We have personally experienced amazing results and those districts who have adopted our curriculum are as well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to help.
Diane Fortune says
January 6 at 1:38 pmThank you! This is a perfect help!
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:44 pmGreat! I’m glad you like them!!!
Maria Novais says
January 6 at 1:39 pmSuperb as always! Thanks for sharing your talent.
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:43 pmYou are welcome!
Susan says
January 6 at 3:02 pmThank you so much for this great writing helper! Thank you also for making it free! 🙂
Where did you get this type of file folder that opens in the middle? I love it!
Many thanks!
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:43 pmYay! I’m glad you like it! This is just a standard file folder. You will just fold the sides in to create a folder that looks like the one in the blog post. 🙂
marlene jackson says
January 6 at 4:20 pmAlways informative
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:40 pmThank you!!!
gennell schvartz says
January 6 at 4:23 pmYour free file for writers is does not download. I am already a subscriber and now I need to re-subscribe in order to download?
Deanna Jump says
January 6 at 4:40 pmYes, you will just enter your email again to get the file. Don’t worry, you won’t get double emails from me as long as you use the same email address 🙂
krista says
January 6 at 4:53 pmI love this! Thanks so much!! You rock!
Deanna Jump says
January 7 at 8:19 pmYou are welcome!!!!!
H. Wright says
January 8 at 2:41 amEEK! This is so great! Thank you for an amazing resource. I just gathered the materials to make these for my kinders to help in their writer’s workshop and also made one for my daughter who is in 1st and she’s been writing all afternoon with it. Who doesn’t love a little something special to encourage writing!! Thank you for being so resourceful and SO generous!
Deanna Jump says
January 8 at 3:41 pmYAY! You are welcome!!!
Paula Hyatt says
January 9 at 3:25 pmWhere do you get those folders? I have looked for that type forever
Deanna Jump says
January 9 at 9:45 pmThey are just regular file folders, but the sides are folded in 🙂
Lisa says
January 9 at 6:14 pmLooking forward to the freebie. I’ve never felt comfortable teaching writing 🙂
Deanna Jump says
January 9 at 9:44 pmYay! I’m glad you like it!
CCK says
January 9 at 9:01 pmHi, I just found this wonderful resource. I would love to use it in my class with my ELL students. I believe this fantastic, extra, duper, fascinating thing will make it extra special for them during writing time 🙂
Please help me get it, as of now I don’t see a link to direct me to enter my email address as you have specified above. Thank you! You are simply extraordinary, sharing is caring. Thank you again!!
Deanna Jump says
January 9 at 9:42 pmIf you scroll to the bottom of the blog post, there is a big box where you will enter your email.
Janet says
January 11 at 2:33 amHI Deanna. Thank you so much for this resource and the blog post. I see the on-level and above-level writing from your Kinder kids, but I’d love to see one from a kiddo who is not yet ‘on level’. I guess I just need to know I’m not the only one with struggling kids. 😉
Thanks again!
Debbi Marenbach says
January 12 at 2:13 pmWent to the bottom of the blog post and there is no link for printing the sheets.
Deanna Jump says
January 13 at 3:45 pmAt the bottom of the page, there is a box that asks for your email address. If you put it in, the file is emailed to you.
Laura Bennett says
January 13 at 2:14 pmAwesome writing resource!
Linda Wooleyhand says
January 16 at 12:23 amI’ve put my email in several times over the last week but haven’t received the download. I’ve checked my SPAM it’s not there either.
Deanna Jump says
January 21 at 1:58 pmHi Linda,
I just checked my email server and it looks like on January 6th, you marked my email as “SPAM,” perhaps accidentally? There are really strict regulations, so that automatically blocks any of the emails coming from my email server from reaching you. SHOOT! Is there another email you could use?
Linda says
January 21 at 3:52 pmI absolutely did not do that on purpose, I’ll see if I can figure out how to reverse it. In the meantime you can use lmiw525@gmail.com Thank you for your help. We use Writing Through the Year in our kindergarten and LOVE it.
Deanna Jump says
January 22 at 2:29 pmFantastic Linda!
I just sent you an email with the new address! You should be on your way now 🙂
Jessica Watson says
January 26 at 10:12 pmSo excited to try this in my classroom!
Libby Lewis says
March 10 at 12:41 pmI just attended your conference in Chicago and am very exited to try some new strategies! I would like to implement your writer’s workshop file folder idea. Thanks so much!
Deanna Jump says
May 24 at 6:27 pmYou are welcome!
Mackenzie says
April 30 at 7:36 pmThis looks great in my class.
it makes my class so organized.
And it helps the kids with there sounds
Deanna Jump says
May 24 at 6:22 pmThank you!
Janel says
May 31 at 8:38 pmJust downloaded this the folders. I really want to focus on building better writers in kinder. Do you typically start using the folder early/first day/first week in the year? How do you introduce it to kinders since they usually can’t read when they enter kinder?
Deanna Jump says
June 9 at 4:11 pmWe usually start the folders after the first few weeks of school. Our lesson plans really spell it out for you and takes the guess work out. 🙂
Angie Hixson says
July 28 at 4:58 pmThis is a great idea. Thanks for the freebie!!
Deanna Jump says
August 1 at 4:29 pmYou are welcome!
Danielle Sodano says
September 26 at 12:27 pmthanks
Reita says
December 16 at 10:53 pmI am new subscriber and was looking forward to the Writer Workshop Helper for flap books. It never arrived in my mailbox. Advice?
Deanna Jump says
December 17 at 5:01 pmHi there! If you don’t see it in your junk folder or spam folder. Send us a note to deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com and we can get it out to you.
Taylor Mears says
April 8 at 1:20 amHey Deanna,
Do you laminate these folders or do they hold up ok without lamination? I want them to last more than one school year but I’m wondering if they wont fold as well once they are laminated.
Deanna Jump says
April 8 at 8:50 pmWe had a thin laminator so they worked really well. I used the edge of scissors to score where the fold was and that did the trick!
Patricia says
July 26 at 2:53 pmDeanna, what are these folders called and where can I get them? Thank you!
Deanna Jump says
August 8 at 3:06 pmThese are just standard legal-sized folders. Then I folded them differently to make this student writing folder.