A YEAR OF KINDERGARTEN WRITING
FROM DRAWING TO CONFIDENT WRITERS
Teaching writing in kindergarten can feel like chasing a moving target. Some students come in writing full sentences. Others are still learning how to hold a pencil. Many teachers ask, “How do I meet every writer’s needs while keeping a consistent routine?”
The answer? A scaffolded, year-long writing plan that supports students step by step—from drawings and letter strings to sentences, nonfiction writing, and opinion pieces. In this post, I’ll show you how I structure my Kindergarten Writing Workshop throughout the year—and how it’s transformed the way my students see themselves as writers.
Whether you’re new to writing workshop or just want to feel more organized and confident this year, this post will give you the tools and timeline to get started.
Why You Need a Year-Long Writing Plan in Kindergarten
Kindergarten writing isn’t just about letters and sounds—it’s about building confidence, routines, and purposeful expression. A solid writing plan should:
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Provide structure while allowing for creativity
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Support all learners, from emergent to confident writers
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Align with developmental stages and the science of reading
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Build writing stamina through meaningful, engaging units
If you’ve ever felt like you were piecing together lessons week to week, or unsure how to get your students from pictures to published work—this kind of plan can be a game changer.
The Kindergarten Writing Progression: What to Teach and When
Here’s a look at how I structure writing workshop throughout the year, with each unit carefully designed to build on the one before it:
UNIT 1: DRAWING AS WRITING
We begin with drawing to help students communicate their ideas. At this stage, they learn how to add details, color purposefully, and label parts of their pictures. It builds stamina and sets the tone that everyone is a writer.
UNIT 2: LIST BOOKS
Next, we introduce phonetic spelling through lists. Kids love writing about their favorite foods, animals, or things in their backpack. These books are accessible and help students transition into writing words and stretching out sounds.
UNIT 3: REPEATING PATTERN BOOKS
Students begin creating simple books with patterned sentences like, “I see a…” or “My friend can…” This supports sentence structure, sight word fluency, and independence. It’s also where students start writing full sentences.
UNIT 4: NONFICTION WRITING
We tie this unit to science and informational reading. Students learn about text features, like labels, headings, and diagrams. They feel empowered to be experts and share what they know.
UNIT 5: HOW-TO BOOKS
These books allow students to use sequence and procedural language. “How to Brush Your Teeth” or “How to Make a Snowman” are student favorites. It's a great opportunity to introduce transition words and organization.
UNIT 6: PERSONAL NARRATIVES
Kindergarteners write about special memories using a first, next, then and last that they used in the nonfiction unit. With picture plans, and timelines students learn to turn real-life moments into simple stories they can proudly share.
UNIT 7: OPINIONS
Supporting Struggling Writers with Built-In Scaffolds
Every classroom has a wide range of abilities. Your writing plan must be flexible enough to meet students where they are. That’s why I designed my units to include:
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Editable pages for differentiation
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Anchor charts and visual tools
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Alphabet strips and sound walls
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Sentence stems for early writers
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Checklist rubrics for tracking growth
Even reluctant writers start to take pride in their work when they see a clear path and celebrate small wins along the way.
A Ready-to-Go Writing Workshop for the Whole Year
If you want a kindergarten writing plan that’s already done for you, I’ve created a KINDERGARTEN WRITING WORKSHOP BUNDLE that includes:
✔️ Six scaffolded writing units (Drawing, Lists, Repeating Books, Nonfiction, How-To, Narratives & Opinions)
✔️ Editable student writing pages
✔️ Whole-group mini-lesson plans
✔️ Anchor charts and mentor text ideas
✔️ Simple pacing guide and unit timeline
✔️ Real-life classroom-tested tools
No more guessing what to teach next. This writing workshop follows a natural progression and helps every child grow as a writer—while saving you time and stress.
Click here to download a free sample of my WRITING UNITS!
Ready to commit to a full year of confident writing instruction? Grab the bundle here.
Let’s Talk Writing: Which Unit Are You Most Excited to Teach?
Are you just starting with drawing and labeling? Or do your students love opinion writing? Share in the comments what part of writing workshop your class connects with most—I’d love to hear from you!
Quick Recap: Writing Workshop, All Year Long
✔️ Start with drawing to build confidence✔️ Introduce nonfiction, how-tos, and personal writing
✔️ Support every writer with visual tools and scaffolds
✔️ Use a yearlong plan to reduce planning stress and increase growth
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