In the first weeks of writers workshop, half the class cannot yet write a sentence and all of them have something to say. Writers Workshop Unit 1: Pictures Tell a Story starts where those children actually are — with the drawing — and treats the picture as the first draft, then builds labels onto it, then a sentence underneath. By the end of the unit the paper looks like writing, and more importantly, the children think of themselves as writers.
Why this pack helps
The hardest part of launching workshop is not the writing, it is the routine: what to do when you finish, where paper lives, how to keep going when you are stuck. This unit front-loads all of that, so your mini-lessons stay short and the independent time actually runs. The anchor charts give the class a shared reference to point at, and the graduated paper means a child who is drawing and a child who is writing sentences are both doing the same lesson on their own level.
What’s inside
- Sequenced mini-lesson plans for the launch unit, each short enough for a carpet session.
- Anchor charts on what writers do, choosing a story, adding details and stretching a word.
- Graduated writing paper — picture-only, picture with labels, picture with one line, then several lines.
- Story planning pages for children who need to talk and sketch before drafting.
- Conference notes and a simple checklist for tracking who you have met with.
What it covers
- Drawing as a first draft — treating the picture as the story, not decoration.
- Labeling — putting the first letters onto the page with a purpose.
- Stretching words — hearing sounds in order and writing what you hear.
- Sentence writing — spacing, capitals and a mark at the end.
- Choosing a topic — small moments from a child’s own life instead of a prompt.
- Adding detail — returning to a finished piece and putting more into it.
- Workshop routines — getting paper, working the whole time, sharing at the end.
- Sharing and feedback — a partner routine that stays kind and specific.
Who it’s for
Kindergarten and first-grade teachers launching writers workshop in the first weeks of school, transitional kindergarten and pre-K teachers introducing writing time, and homeschooling parents who want a structured start rather than an open notebook. Intervention teachers use the same sequence later in the year with children who have not yet made the jump from drawing to labeling.
How to use it in your classroom
Teach one mini-lesson a day and keep it under ten minutes, then let the children write. Hang each anchor chart as you introduce it rather than putting them all up at once, so the wall grows with the class. Put out two or three levels of paper from the start and let children choose; a child who picks the lined page before they are ready will tell you plenty about what to teach next. Use the conference notes to make sure you reach every child in the first two weeks, including the quiet ones who never ask.
What’s in the pack (a closer look — your download contains the full set)
A mini-lesson page states the teaching point in one sentence, gives a short model to demonstrate, names what the children go off to do, and ends with a share prompt for the last three minutes. The paper pages step up in small increments: a full page box with no lines, then the same box with three label lines, then a box above one wide line, then above three. The anchor charts are drawn to be printed at poster size or shown on a screen, with room to add the class’s own examples as the unit goes on.
Pack edition & format
- Pack edition: the current release of the beginning-of-year writing unit, laid out for US Letter paper.
- Format: print-ready PDF, delivered instantly after checkout, with paper pages designed to copy in quantity in black and white.
- Access: lifetime — re-download at the start of every school year.
Please look at the preview images before you buy, so the paper styles and line heights suit the age group you teach.
Frequently asked questions
What file will I download? A PDF containing the lesson pages, anchor charts and writing paper. Print the paper in bulk and the charts once.
Can I edit the lessons? The pages are fixed-layout PDF, so the wording stays as written. Teachers usually adapt aloud, since the plans are short by design.
How should I print it? Copy the writing paper single-sided in black and white, and print the anchor charts in color, scaled up if your printer allows it.
Can I share it with my teaching partner? The license covers one teacher’s own classroom. Your partner needs their own download, and the file should not be posted to a public site or a district folder.
See more printable writing units in Classroom Teaching Resources.
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