Quick Answer

Set up your writing center with picture and word models, drawing activities, and plenty of ways for children to try writing. Circus Writing Center helps children connect a picture with its word as they look, draw, and write at their own level.

The six words are tent, clown, balls, popcorn, ticket, and unicycle.

What's Inside

A 19-page printable PDF with:

• Six color picture and word models in a four-per-page format.

• Six horizontal picture and word models with two writing lines.

• Black-and-white picture writing strips in lined and unlined versions.

• Six word-only drawing cards with space for children to draw the matching picture.

• Six half-page Look, Draw, Write activities in both lined and unlined versions.

• Visual Look, Draw, Write directions to display beside the activities.

• Full-page and half-page drawing and writing pages, with and without a name space.

• A teacher information page with setup ideas and Preschool Vibes Standards.

How to Use

Display one set of picture and word models on your writing center board and keep another set on the table. Children can choose a model and place it right beside their paper as they draw and write.

Offer a writing strip, a Look, Draw, Write activity, or a drawing and writing page. Choose the lined or open writing space that works best for your students. Children can communicate through pictures, scribbles, letter-like forms, and letters. Name writing is optional.

Use the picture and word together to talk about how print carries meaning. Say the word as you point across it from left to right, and notice the letters children recognize. The matching pictures give children a familiar starting point for their own drawing and writing.

This resource pairs well with our Circus Directed Drawings, available separately. Add the matching drawing steps to your writing center for children who would like help drawing the pictures. Directed drawing instructions are not included in this resource.

Print at actual size and cut the cards and strips along their borders. Cut the two-per-page drawing and writing sheets in half. Use your printer's Fit setting if it needs larger margins.

Preschool Vibes Standards

1B. We can stay with an activity and keep trying when it’s challenging.

4H. We can use drawing and writing to share ideas, moving from scribbles and pictures to letter-like forms, letters, and name writing (as appropriate).

8D. We can use tools with increasing control (tweezers, scissors, markers, droppers, etc.).

Digital download. No physical product will be shipped.