Create a Low-Prep Writing Center Station

Jun 3

Wanting to create a writing center station for your students to visit during ELA centers, but not sure how to make it functional and low-prep?! I’ve got you covered! There are 3 print and go resources that I use to create my writing center, and my students love coming back to this station each day because of these resources. CLICK HERE to grab my Writing Center Bundle, and read below to find out more about our classroom writing center!

**Writing Center 101**

One of the daily ELA stations that my students visit is called “work on writing.” I use my ELA Expectation Visuals to teach and model how students should look in this center. Students come sit in the writing center (Writing Center Bundle found here) and they choose a paper option (list, card, lined story paper, letter stationary, etc.) from my writing paper templates and write the entire time. I have students turn their writing in to my Turn In Bin (or keep it in their writing folder if they aren’t finished with it) so that I can see the quality of writing that they are working on in this station.

**Writing Center Visuals**

You’ll want to find an area in your room with some wall space so that you can display your writing center visuals, and a low table to keep writing paper templates on. When introducing the writing center, I introduce one type of writing at a time (I start with showing students how to write a list, then a story, book, card, letter, recipe, and poem). After each one has been introduced, they should be hung up in the writing center area as a reminder about the types of writing that students can do during this time.

**Writing Paper Templates**

The next thing that you’ll need are different writing paper template choices for students. I like to keep a tiered tray filled with these print and go templates son that students can decide what they’d like to write, grab the appropriate paper, and get to it! This resource includes primary handwriting lines and regular lines.

Grab and Go Word Lists

There are so many ways that you can use this supportive resource in your writing center! These grab and go word lists can be created for each student, each table group, or you can leave a few at your writing center for students to refer to! These are great language supports, and they help get the creative juices flowing if students are unsure about what they should write about!