Stencil Writing

I am just as calm as a cucumber.

Ain’t no big thing that tomorrow is the first day of school.

It’s all good.

Today I will go to church and then spend the rest of the day trying to memorize the kids on my list from the yearbook. Obviously, I am a very busy person.

And a big, fat liar.

But before I start my homework, I want to show you a work on writing or writing center idea that my kids absolutely love from year to year.

I blogged about it a million years ago {HERE} and I want to give all the credit to my friends, Christina and Susan, who shared it with me forever ago.

We call it Stencil Writing.

Grab the Word Bank Templates {HERE}

I was trying so hard to be artistic with my iPhone. I hope you can tell. 😉

Here’s how I created my cards:
1. I went to our Instructional Resource Center at the District Office to laminate stuff several times this summer.
2. One of the times I was there, I snapped some quick pics of the die-cuts available.
3. When I was as free as a bird and had nothing better to do, I made a template and typed up a word bank for each of the die cuts I wanted for my center. You can grab that template {HERE} or up above if you think you want it. The font I used is KG Miss Kindergarten, which is my new font obsession.
4. I printed out the templates onto card stock. Then I laminated them here at home on my handy dandy personal laminator which made me worried I would not be strong enough to die-cut through them because I think we all know that personal laminate is way thicker than school laminate.
5. I cut them in half.
6. I picked a day to return to the Instructional Resource Center to have a Die-Cut Party all by myself.

Here are some short cuts for you if that sounds like too many steps. 1. Get some construction paper, card stock, or cut some file folders in half.
2. Laminate them.
3. Die-cut them.
4. Use a sharpie for a word bank.

That’s how my old stencils were. I wanted an update. Plus my old stencils are probably about ten years old and they are literally falling apart. Tape can only do so much.

Also, I wish I had a Silhouette Cameo or a Cricut because then I could tell you it works the same way, but I have no clue. Would one of those fancy machines work for this center? Then you just could do everything from home. But I have no clue. I am very sad to report that I do not have either one of those wonderful fancy machines that cuts things out for you so that your arm doesn’t get tired and you end up with lopsided muscles.

To introduce this center, I made 32 stencils THE EXACT SAME.

This is my new brilliant idea and I would like to go back in time and do it this way from here on out backwards. But I have never done it this way and I am SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.

I did the word banks on labels here before I realized I could make a template. I am a learner of life. I am always learning new things. And short cuts. And then I share them with you. You’re welcome.

I will give every kid the school house stencil and I will be modeling under the ladybug how we first use a PENCIL to trace the stencil . . . then we will try to write one to two sentences (it is the beginning of the year after all) about the stencil, using the handy dandy word bank, and then I will let them color and add background.

It will be a big ole fun lesson with lots of little things thrown in such as capital letters and a period and sounding out a hard word or finding a word on the word bank, etc.

But the best part is that I won’t have kids saying they didn’t want the school house, they really wanted the frog, or the castle, or why did he get the dog, or I wanted a raccoon, did you know we get raccoons by our garbage cans and my mom has to chase them off with a broom, can I please have the raccoon card?

Nope. We ARE ALL GETTING THE SCHOOL HOUSE CARD AT THE SAME TIME SO I CAN MODEL THIS CENTER CORRECTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

Then they will go to this center during centers time in small groups and be able to pick whatever they want from the 39 stencils I made. I planned on having 50 but some of the die-cuts and I got into a little tiff and the die-cuts did not cut properly and I tried to cut/razor-blade/finish off the unfinished die-cut and it did not work. So I have 39.

And I was not angry. I wasn’t.

And there you have it. Stencil Writing. It pretty much stays in the writing center as a choice all year and it is extremely popular.

If you need a Stencil Writing Paper Template, click {HERE}.

🙂

I will hopefully survive tomorrow and be around to tell you all about it.

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Comments

Bridget S says

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This is freakin awesome!!!! Thank you so much for the word list!!! I LOVE THIS!!!!!

You made my Sunday…now I've got to get busy!!!
Literacy Without Worksheets
marablejm says

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This is fantastic! I will definitely need to try this idea for work on writing/writing center this year with my kindergarteners. The stencil will at least help me to not hear, "but I don't know how to draw (insert anything here)!" Thanks for sharing!
Sailing into Second says

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GENIUS my friend!! Oh how I wish I were back in 1st grade to use this AMAZING idea!!
-Aris
Nancy C. says

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Thank you for this wonderful idea. Between your great ideas and humor (and your not trying to sell me your latest 7 packets or bundles like most other blogs do….I love the other blogs, too….but all that innovation stresses me out), I feel like your blog is a breath of fresh air! And it calms me down! Thank you. I always look forward to a new blog post from you!
Debbie Prellwitz says

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I remember your first blog post about this, and thought what a great idea it was. This time I am going to do it! Thank you so much for the templates and paper. I love reading your posts. You never fail to inspire me…and make me laugh. Thanks so much!
mcialini says

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Thank you for sharing this idea and templates. I am going to have a student teacher this year and I will share this blog post with her so she can teach the lesson. See how far your kindness reaches! Hope you have a great first day. We don't go back until Labor Day here on the east coast.

Marybeth
Cialini Chat
Miss Kindergarten says

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LOVE this idea!!! I am going to make it for the second half of the year! {my excuse because i feel too lazy right now hahah}
Julie Clark says

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What a great idea!! Thank you for sharing!! I've never seen this before, and I'm definitely going to try it. Have a great first day!!
Amber O. says

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LOVE this idea:) So simple, but so engaging! And although you're providing a template with words, the students still have choice. You and your team are geniuses!
SweetSchoolMoments
angie says

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Great idea! Thanks!
Lori says

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What a great idea! I have a Silhouette and I think this would be easy to do using the machine. I'll have to give it a try and report back!
Karen Ganon says

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I REALLY like this idea, and we have a die-cut machine at school. I am so doing this. Thank you!
Liz says

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This. is. brilliant.
Erica says

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I love this idea! Another one to add to my list of ideas for when I have to think of fun things for student teaching!

Erica
The Blossoming Teacher
Ginger Snaps says

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So cute! I had never thought to do this!
~Christina says

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LOVE! I hope you have a GREAT 1st day back, you better eat lots of snacks now to save up all your energy!! 🙂
Jen R says

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super STINKIN' CUTE!!! and yes, you need a fancy cutting machine! lol
♥ Jen
Teacher by the Beach
A Splash of Life Blog
Amanda says

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I wish I could be a fly on the wall of your classroom tomorrow – I'd love to see your first day in action. I think I'd learn a ton!! And as another person commented, it's so nice to read your blog and NOT have to scroll through tons of advertisements about all their *amazing* products. That gets very old very quickly! Your blog is a joy to read, and the few products that you do share make me wish I could use them in my classroom! Thanks for being awesome! 🙂
– Amanda Kipfer
Donna says

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You have to get a Cameo… it will change your life. I am not even kidding!! Ask for it for Christmas, anniversary, Easter, whatever but get it!!
Karen F. says

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How creative and clever is this idea!!! I have smaller stencils. you know the plastic kind.. but I love this idea so much more!!! Cant wait to put this to use!! Thank you and yes when I see an e-mail for a new blog post from you I stop EVERYTHING to read it!!! 🙂
Karen
Beth Ross says

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You could also cut them out of Fun Foam sheets. They work great in die cut machines too. You wouldn't have to laminate them to make them durable.
Carol Polston says

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Wow! Why didn't I think of this (slapping my forehead)! I used to use stencils a million years ago as an extra activity. I am doing this! Thanks so much. Carol
jaynescraps says

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This is so great! I'm pulling out my Silhouette right now. You need to get one Kristin. I got the Portrait because it takes up very little space on my work table. You won't be disappointed. Best gift my husband ever bought for me:) I'm easy to please. Hope you had a marvelous first day. It really is exhausting. I don't have kiddos until September! Time to get ready…
tigerdrmrmom says

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What a great idea for those envelopes of stencils I keep in a file because I haven't decided what to do with them. Now I know.
Nicole from Teaching With Style says

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I LOVE this!!! Doing it for sure!
Felicia says

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Love it. So smart and simple. Thanks for sharing!

Stencil Writing

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