How-To-Draw Writing Center

I am on a roll, people.

A ROLL.

I found another center that my kids are in love with. IN LOVE WITH.

It’s like my kids can’t even remember kindergarten. Kindergarten? What was that? We’re in first grade now AND IT IS THE BEST GRADE EVER IN ALL THE LAND.

At least that’s how I picture the thoughts running through their tiny little heads when their eyes light up with glee (yes, WITH GLEE, I said) at the introduction of a NEW! FUN! CENTER!

We had been working on Stencil Writing at the Writing Center for the last round of centers. And my kids *still* love it. I mean, who doesn’t? It’s a stencil. Anyone is an automatic artist with a stencil. What’s not to love?

And then I found THIS PACK by From the Pond. And now my kids have two choices when they visit the writing center (eventually they will have GOBS of choices, but we’re working up to that). Two WHOLE choices. It’s like I’m a genie in a bottle and their wish is my command.

I LOVE THIS PACK.

Click {HERE} to check it out on TpT.

I wanted my kids to be able to draw whatever they wanted, seeing as how we’re big ole first graders and beyond the “letter of the week” phase. However, if you do teach kinder and you are in the “letter of the week” phase or even the “letter of the day” phase, HOW FUN ARE THESE?!

To meet my classroom needs, I printed the pages on cardstock, cut off the bottom, and laminated them.

Voila!

There are 26 choices and GUESS WHAT? Mel has a PART TWO!!!!!

Yes, I am screaming.

Screaming WITH GLEE!

Because when my kids act like they are too big for their britches and they are tired of these 26 choices (I mean, 26 choices seems like a lot, but I grew up in the olden days and our remote control was attached to the TV with a long wire and you had to plug it in, and there were only about 15 different TV channels so what do I know?) but when my 21st century kids are tired of this set, I will pull out the next set and WOW THEM ALL OVER AGAIN.

Here are some samples from today’s center group. I’d also like to point out that no one used a stencil even though I had to die-cut them all by myself and my arm got tired because the blade on the die-cut was dull. Fine. Fine, I said.

This guy combined two How-To-Draw cards.

And yes, I was worried that the dog was on the street.

And that a train was coming his way.

And I may have told this little boy

that it better be a toy train and not real,

otherwise I was going to make him start all over.

Oh, I kid.

I tease!

Anyways, he assured me it was a toy train.

Two choices.

BAM!

Like I said, I’m on a roll.

And I’m here to help.

🙂

Comments

Lauren Shirk says

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What a great roll…I can't wait to see what's next!!!!!
Kim Gierahn says

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Oh praise be. Maybe my kids AND their teacher can learn to draw something. The kids just laugh at my "people" during writers workshop! The struggle is real!!
Shannon Porter says

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Love, love this!
Keely Keane says

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I thought of you today when I looked over at one on my students and his hands and face were covered in ink from the letter stamps. OMG!!!
Chris Saunders says

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I absolutely love your blog posts! I have started centers this year as you have described and love it! Not to much shuffling around–one a day and gives me those needed check in moments! I hope you keep posting your center ideas all year 🙂 ! Where did you get the paper you used in the directed drawing page? Thanks-Chris
Mel Lloyd says

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Thank you so much for sharing this! I adore the drawings your students did – what little artists!
I am so ancient that we didn't even have a remote connected to the TV – no remote at all – I had to get up and walk over to the TV and press a button – and we had 3 stations to watch… and 1 was in a different language… gah! Kids these days don't know how good they have it! 🙂
Jen R says

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you are genius!! i have those!! I didn't even think about cutting off the bottom – ha!!
Teacherlifeisgood says

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OH MY HECK! My kiddos would love this stuff! Going to buy now!
MissCoffey says

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Love this! I hate when kiddos feel frustrated when they can't draw something. They must feel so proud of their finished work! Thanks for the great idea 🙂
Leticia Rios says

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I have this pack and I love it! I never thought of cutting off the bottom and only using the directed drawing part! I'm definitely going to try that next! Thank you for sharing!
Jennifer says

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I do this center too- I add red, yellow, and green for different levels 🙂
Lucine says

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I do almost the same thing only they only get one choice per center time and it’s a how to draw something that went with our close read or read aloud picture book that day. They then write a story to go with the picture which is glued to the front side of the story with a title, date and their name then it is put in a notebook to keep. I have a Pinterest board that is full of all the guided drawings I’ve found. (2nd grade)
Audrey says

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I’d totally sang this, . . . if it were in Spanish 🙁
Love the idea!

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