If you follow me on Instagram, you know I absolutely love write the room activities in Kindergarten! They are a great way to get your students up and moving while learning or reviewing. You can do them with any subject- number recognition, beginning sounds, CVC words, counting, sight words, even vocabulary.
Today, I am going to share a few tips on how to successfully run a write-the-room activity in Kindergarten, as well as a write the room freebie for you.
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Setting up a Write the Room Activity
To start Write the Room, you will need to hang up the cards beforehand around the classroom. The first thing you must think about is your classroom layout. Your students will be walking throughout your classroom to do this activity.
Are there any sections of your classroom that are “off-limits”? In my classroom, I did not want my students going behind my desk, so when I hung up the cards, I made sure to stay away from my desk area.
If you are doing this activity as part of your centers, definitely consider where other centers are and not put cards there.
Some teachers like to hide the cards, like under chairs or in hard-to-see places. Sometimes I will do one hard-to-find card, but if you do more than one or two, it will take your students longer.
Using clipboards
One of my must-have supplies is a classroom set of clipboards! Clipboards make these activities very easy to do because your students will be able to write wherever they are in the classroom. You could also use a hardcover book or even the floor if you have tile, but I've found that clipboards are so handy to have. We also use clipboards to do mini-lessons on the carpet or when they use their flexible seating options.
I got this set from Amazon and used these for 5 years in my classroom. I just take a magic eraser and wipe them off at the end of the year and they are back to looking brand new.
Teaching your students how to do Write-the-Room Activities in Kindergarten
If you were to give your students clipboards, a recording sheet, and a pencil, then said “Go!”, you would have a VERY chaotic room! If you teach Kindergarten, then you know that you need to teach your students step-by-step how to do even the simplest things. It's important to take the time to teach your students how to correctly do write the room activities.
Model How To First with Your Students
When I teach my students, I pretend like I am the student. I walk to grab my clipboard, clip on the recording sheet, and take my pencil. Then, I walk quietly to a card, then say the answer (and how I figured out the answer) out loud. I show my students where and how to write the answer. Last, I go find another card.
Another suggestion is to do the first card together with your students. I hold up the card and have my students point to where they write the answer. We talk about what the answer is and they write it down. I walk around to check and help out those students who may not understand. This is helpful because I know my students understand and I can help those students who might need a little extra assistance.
State your expectations
This one is probably the most important! Before you do this for the first time, think about your expectations.
Here are some things to think about when setting up Write the Room Activity:
Will I do this as a whole group activity or during centers?
I've used write the room in both! During centers, it is more of an independent activity and it's a smaller group, so usually it's quieter. As a whole group, it may get a little more chaotic and be a little loud, but it's a great lesson activity.
Will it be completely silent or can students whisper?
I let my students whisper only if there is another student at the same card. They cannot talk unless they are asking for help.
Is this a completely independent activity or can students ask others for help?
I always let my students ask others for help, but they do not give the answer. If they are missing a card, a friend can point them in the direction to find the card. If they are unsure of what the picture is, they can ask a friend what it is. I do tell them that they fill out their recording sheet independently.
How will students go from one card to another?
Walking, ALWAYS walking in the classroom! I emphasize this when going over expectations. It is NOT a race to see who finishes first.
What will students do when they are finished?
If there are pictures on the recording sheet, they can go sit at their desk and color. Sometimes, I will have one of the early finishers help a struggling student.
How do I handle when there are too many students at one card?
For this last question, I have this simple rule- Only 2 students at a card at a time. If a student walks up to a card and there are already 2 students there, they can either go find a different card or wait patiently for one of the students to leave. This eliminates any pushing or shoving to get to a card or the “school of fish” problem- just picture all your students staying together going from one card to another.
Try a Free Write the Room Activity!
If you want to try this out in your classroom, you can grab this write-the-room freebie! Just type in 12 of your sight words, print, and play!
Looking for more Write the Room activities?
If you are looking for more Write the Room activities, you can check them out at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!
I hope you will try out some write-the-room activities in your Kindergarten classroom!