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Writing Folder Tools for K-2

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Hey there!  Do you use writing folders with your students?  If you don’t, you are definitely going to want to after reading this post – I have some ideas to share about what to put in students’ writing folders, as well as 30+ pages of writing folder freebies for you!!

Download 30+ pages of alphabet / spelling charts, mini anchor charts, and editing checklists for FREE!,


Okay, so maybe your kiddos already have writing folders, but are they just a place to store student work?  Writing folders can be SO much more than that!  I like to create student folders that have tools and supports that students can use during writing time.  I do this because Kindergarteners, firsties, and second graders can need a LOT of support with their writing!  And unless you are lucky enough to have lots of assistants in your room or a machine that allows you to clone yourself, there is only ONE of you to support 20+ little writers.  This gets tricky!

One of the most simple tools you can give young writers is an alphabet chart.  This helps with letter formation and spelling.  I always expect my kids to spell words without my help.  When my Kindergarteners first began adding words to their pictures, I would always respond to the question, “How do you spell _____?” by saying, “How do you think you spell it?” or “Listen for the sounds in the word” or “What strategy are you going to use to figure it out?”  Here are the 3 letter charts included in the free download – an alphabet chart, blends and digraphs chart, and a vowel chart (the download also has them in black and white).

Download these three free spelling charts and more to create writing folders for your students!


Another great tool to put in students’ writing folders is an editing checklist.  I can’t tell you how many times I had this conversation with my second graders:

Student:  I’m done!
Me:  Did you already edit?
Student:  Yes!
Me:  Did you check for capital letters and periods?
Student:  …No… (shuffles back to desk)

If the kids have their editing checklists right in front of them, they are more likely to remember to edit without you having to have that conversation with them!  I recommend using writing folders with 3 prongs in the middle – you can place an editing checklist and other resources in the middle of the folder, without them getting shoved behind other papers in one of the pockets.

This post has directions for making writing folders for students, and 30+ pages of free downloads for Kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students' writing folders!

Another handy tool is a genre mini-anchor chart.  The charts I’ve created guide students through the process of writing narrative, informational, or opinion persuasive pieces.  Teaching lots of minilessons on a genre is great, but these anchor charts consolidate the most important points of writing in a given genre.

Download these free genre mini-anchor charts for your Kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students' writing folders!
 
In addition to the alphabet charts, editing checklists, and genre charts, you’ll also find transition and temporal word banks, blank booklets for keeping sight words or interesting words, and more.  There’s a lot of material, so make sure you teach students how to use each component before having them add it to their writing folders!


Click {here} to get your free download!  Some of the materials are adapted from parts of my Kindergarten, 1st grade, or 2nd grade writing curriculum bundles.  All of the freebies will go along nicely with the writing minilessons from the bundles!

    


Happy teaching!

Alison

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9 years ago

Thank you SO much for the freebie! I LOVE the idea of creating writing folders. I’ll definitely be trying this when my new little ones start school next month.

Karyn

You’re so welcome! I hope you enjoy using it! 🙂

9 years ago

I apologize! It took about 15 minutes to figure out that the first email went to my inbox, but the second went into junk mail. I wasn’t expecting that. I have the freebie. I can’t wait to start using it!!
Thank you!

Abby Gonzalez
7 years ago

Alison, I recently got the Writer’s Workshop Bundle and I could not believe how much is there. I wish I had gotten in over the summer it would have made our writing a whole lot better. Today I was looking for writing folder resources and I found the freebie, it is awesome but I can’t use it because I am a bilingual kindergarten teacher in Texas… so, I was wondering if you have any resources in Spanish?

Thank you

Rosie
7 years ago

Hi,
I have a hard copy of your Spanish alphabet chart, just like the one in here, but I cannot find it anywhere digitally. Do you still have it out somewhere?

Thank you,
Rosie

Kerryn Lindley
7 years ago

These look great. Do you know of any that are suitable for Year/Grade 3?

Kristi
6 years ago

For some reason, it won’t allow me to download the freebie. 🙁 I would love to get it somehow.

Dannie martinez
6 years ago

How can I get this for my son

Brittany
3 years ago

Thank you so much for the wonderful freebie! We homeschool our children. Our son has a hard time with writing, but this folder really helps him to not get so frustrated.

Welcome!

I’m Alison, a literacy specialist. I love getting kids excited about reading and writing – and sharing teaching ideas with other teachers!

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