.png "Kick Off Kindergarten Writing Workshop with Drawing!")
If you're wondering how to kick off your Kindergarten Writing Workshop successfully, the answer is simple: start with drawing.
Before kids write words, they communicate through pictures. That’s why I begin the year with my Drawing Unit for Kindergarten Writers. This foundational unit builds confidence, introduces the writing process, and empowers students to share their stories—even before they know all their letters and sounds.
Why Start with Drawing?
Drawing is critical to writing development. Here's what it helps young writers do:
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Build stamina for independent work
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Plan and organize stories
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Express ideas with detail
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Practice using shapes, lines, and forms
When students see themselves as illustrators, they naturally become storytellers.
What’s Included in the Drawing Unit?
Inside this Drawing Unit, you’ll find a carefully sequenced collection of lessons that gently lead students from marks on paper to meaningful storytelling. Each lesson is connected to literature, helping students see themselves as authors and illustrators.
Here’s what you’ll find in the unit:
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Drawing Lines to Tell a Story – Lessons begin with exploring different types of lines and how they help us draw. Students learn that every story starts with a line.
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Confidence-Building Activities – Scaffolded mini-lessons help students feel successful as they take risks and express themselves visually.
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Drawing with Shapes – Children learn to use basic shapes to construct people, animals, and objects—building a strong foundation for detailed illustrations.
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Mentor Text Connections – Each lesson is paired with a picture book to show students how real illustrators tell stories through images. Students mirror specific illustration techniques to add emotion, motion, and meaning to their own drawings.
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Adding Labels, Words & Titles – As students grow in confidence, they begin to add labels, words, and eventually full sentences to support their illustrations and convey meaning.
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Sharing Stories – Students are invited to share their drawings and stories with peers, building a classroom community of storytellers from the very beginning of the year.
Each part of the unit is developmentally appropriate and aligned with early writing standards. It's the perfect foundation to launch your full-year writing workshop with purpose and joy.
It’s designed to be easy to implement—even if you’re new to workshop teaching.
Free Anchor Chart: Different Lines
This chart supports lessons on:
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Drawing with purpose
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Adding visual details
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Using art as a planning step for writing
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