Opinion writing for kids in kindergarten is my favorite concept to teach. But, it’s an all-out struggle. Rightly so, five year old students come to our classes without any previous experience with getting their thoughts on paper.
Teachers often think that opinion writing has to be started in the second semester of the year in kindergarten. I disagree.
Opinion writing for kids in kindergarten is often the best way to get students motivated to use that pencil and paper quickly.
Get started immediately.
Of course, students need to know how to hold their pencils. Once students grab their pencils and begin writing, it is very hard to change their grip.
So, pencil grip should be modeled by pinching the bottom of the pencil with the pointer finger and the thumb and the rest of the fingers should support those two fingers.
For students who grab the pencil with their whole fists or students with other awkward grips (I have seen them all) purchase or borrow a pencil grip from another teacher.
Students should write for twenty minutes a day. “How is this possible?” you ask. Read on.
Teach Skills in Context.
There are certain skills students need to write a sentence. First, they need to have knowledge of sounds of letters.
Having an alphabet chart and a sight word personal word wall gives students the tools they need to develop confidence while writing.
Practicing handwriting together while modeling how to write the letters in the words “I like you “accomplishes two goals. Students are learning how to form letters while they learn to write and spell a word.
I like to teach the sight word like by singing the spelling of the word like. I sing it to the tune of It’s a Small World.
l-i-k-e that spells like l-i-k-e
l-i-k-e that spells like l-i-k-e
l-i-k-e that spells like l-i-k-e
l-i-k-e like
In the beginning weeks, I model how to write short sentences that contain sight words such as I like you and I like mom.
This is opinion writing in kindergarten. Later on, they can expand to more than just the topic sentence.
Use Portable Word Walls.
I have always had a class word wall. I place the words up that are most used by students when they are writing in their journals.
The problem is sometimes it is hard for students to copy the word when it is so far away from them.
“I can’t see, Mrs. Barton,” they yell as if I am down the hall in the cafeteria.
Then, they move closer, and slowly but surely the whole darn class is standing by the word wall.
This led me to create a portable word wall that I laminate and add words as the students need them. Some students want to always write about their sister, and some students don’t have a sister.
This enables the word walls to be personalized to each student’s individual writing needs. My free portable word wall also helps students with letters and sounds as it has a picture of a word that the letter sound makes. This makes opinion writing for kids in kindergarten easier.
Use Mentor Texts to teach opinion writing in kindergarten.
There are many great books that teach opinion writing for kids in kindergarten. Main characters often have a point of view. This can provide an opportunity for students to agree or disagree with the main character. In addition, I like to have students put their thumbs up or down in agreement or disagreement.
Turning to their shoulder partner to discuss their opinions is also helpful. One of my favorite books to teach about opinion writing for kids is I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton.
This book is great because it weaves non-fiction with a cute and colorful story. Click on the freebie that goes along with the story. There are so many great facts about spiders.
This author has other books such as I’m Trying to Love Math that would be great for opinion writing also. The kids love it, and so did I.
Before I start my journal writing each day, I teach a mini lesson. This is sometimes referred to as shared writing. It is a huge help to get students writing and expressing ideas.
Each day, I model something that the students want to write about. I choose one skill to focus on each day. Skills can be:
Capitalization
End punctuation
Topic sentence
Sight word spelling
Stretching out words
Word spaces
I write this on a white board easel. Students help me sound out words and correct mistakes.
Use Engaging Writing Prompts
Sometimes, it is beneficial to have students expand their horizons and write on a pre-determined writing prompt. When teaching opinion writing for kids, I have found that students (and teachers) are always motivated by food.
Second, another motivating topic seems to be anything holiday related.
Use Personal Journals
I use journals to let students express themselves on any topic they choose. Also, I don’t worry if they are writing on the same topic daily.
Much the same way that students learn how to read by becoming confident reading the same book over and over, students develop confidence with writing the same sentences and sight words continuously.
Using I like and having a list of their friends enables students to engage in opinion writing about their friends. I find that this is the most motivating for them. As they get better at writing and using their portable word walls, they can describe why they like their friends. This is important to teach opinion writing for kids in kindergarten.
Share, share share
When we write something, we want to publish it by sharing with others. Maybe, that is why so many teachers have blogs. We like to share.
Just like teachers, student writing is more motivating when they get to share it with classmates and beam with pride. So, I like to read the writing of one table a day. Also, I ask the class what they did well, and use their writing to point out great things they have done such as putting a period at the end of the sentence.
Pointing out positives goes along way to get gets excited about sharing their thoughts on paper.
Two things that teachers are lacking in are time and money. I may not be able to help with the time aspect, but maybe the money.
The Side Hustle is a term that has gained in popularity for teachers. Most teachers have some sort of second job to make up for the poor compensation that teachers receive. Also, teachers are very good at multitasking.
I am a teacher, and my side hustles are blogging and TPTing. I will be talk about the latter in this article.
This is something that I have done for the past ten years, and I have made 500-1000 dollars a month on average. This works well if you like to frequent stores such as Goodwill, Savers and thrift stores.
Pros-
This is a great diversion from the stress of teaching. It is extremely mindless.
It is fun if you like to shop.
When you find “treasures” and expensive items, it can be quite an adrenaline rush.
Cons-
It takes some time to determine what is profitable.
Shipping costs and eBay and Amazon fees cut into profits.
Tips-
Take advantage of the discounts available for teachers. Stores such as Savers and Goodwill have designated days where items are 50 percent off.
We have had great success with old perfume, new toys, video games, and electronics.
Use the eBay app to scan UPC tags to see what you can sell each item for. We usually only buy items that can make at least an eight to ten dollar profit.
Teachers have some of the most innate creative abilities. Many times, this is why they are in the teaching field. Etsy is an online business platform that offers unique gifts, jewelry and one of a kind items. It lends itself to being one of the best teacher side hustles.
Pros-
Product listing is very simple and straightforward.
Etsy generates some traffic if you have good keywords.
The Etsy app is very helpful for listing and keeping track of sales and products.
Cons-
Etsy takes a considerable amount of advertising to make the business profitable. Social media is very important in increasing sales and activity.
The market is saturated with ideas and items. If you have a great one, it will be soon be replicated.
Like anything, slow and steady wins the race. If you have something unique to offer, it will take time to build your store, but it can be done.
Tutoring
Varsity Tutors is a live learning platform that helps connect students and private tutors together for academic tutoring and test preparation for all ages, skill levels, and subject areas.
Pros-
You can make your own schedule and choose who and what to tutor.
This company is legitimate, and tutors make 17 dollars an hour on average.
Tutoring is done online, and this makes accessibility easy.
The company is well organized and efficient.
50 dollars are given as referral incentives.
Cons-
This is an online tutoring service, and not everyone learns the best through an online platform.
Response to opportunities is key as customers can seek other tutors quite easily.
If you would rather do private tutoring in your area, rates can be much higher. Care.com is a great place to list your skills and find local students in need of tutoring services.
From their website: “Constructed-response scoring professionals are part-time employees who are Readers for the College Board’s Advanced Placement® (AP®) Program or other testing programs, and/or Raters associated with ETS’s TOEIC®, TOEFL®, Praxis® and GRE® programs.”
Pros-
Work can be done online or at test centers across the Unites States.
ETS provides reasonable accommodations and/or assistance to applicants with disabilities
This is a very flexible job with overall good company management.
Cons-
Training is ongoing.
Pay recently went from 20-15 dollars an hour.
Dog Watching/Walking-
If you are a dog lover, dog sitting, or walking can amount to a nice extra chunk of change in your pants pockets. Rover.Com can put you in touch with many customers that live in proximity.
Pros-
You can pick and choose how much you work.
This job provides time for exercise and the opportunity for lots of play and fun with furry friends.
Watching dogs at your own home is possible and enables a relaxed environment.
Pet sitters are usually paid 45-75 a night. Rates are flexible, and having good reviews on Rover.com will help you earn more money.
Cons-
Cleaning up poop, vomit and other dog-induced messes top the list. Dogs can destroy a toilet paper roll in one second. Be proactive in avoiding messy situations.
Walking dogs can be dangerous. Carry pepper spray in case there are stray dogs that come after you or the dog that you are walking. Make sure that your dog is secured on a leash.
Customers will call you at the last minute for emergency sitting opportunities. Be prepared to give times that you are not available.
This is an online grocery shopping business where employees fill orders that they received online.
Pros-
Schedule is extremely flexible, and you can work when you want and how much you want.
Tips can be good.
Cons-
This job has poor job security.
Reviews on this company are very poor. Employees complain about tip baiting, wear and tear on cars, and job dissatisfaction.
Employees wait to hear back from customers on replacements for items that aren’t in the store.
Surveys-
Imagine sitting on your couch with a cup of coffee and your phone. Who needs to imagine that? We do it all the time, but this time you can get paid. All you need to do is answer some questions and express your opinions. Survey Junkie is a great site to add to the list of teacher side hustles.
Pros-
You can pick and choose how much you work.
This is extremely mindless work.
Surveys take about 15 minutes to complete and the payout threshold is 10 dollars.
Cons-
This is not a huge money maker.
There is literally no job growth or potential for advancement.
This is one of the leading teacher side hustles for educators. We have all heard the stories about millionaire teacherpreneurs. Teachers Pay Teachers has replaced the old Mailbox teaching ideas that we previously bought.
Pros-
This provides a completely passive income once your store is up and running.
Teachers are in control of how much time to put into this job. You are your own boss.
Some educators make up to 2,000 dollars each month.
There are many You Tube videos available to help with the process.
Cons-
This is a long game. You cannot quit your other job overnight.
Marketing and social media are a big factor in the success of a store.
TPT stores take a lot of time and good computer skills are essential.
Teachers are often extremely successful at their jobs and their teacher side hustles. The reasons are apparent:
Great ingenuity
Efficient at multitasking
Creative
Hard-working
Empathetic
There are many other teacher side hustles out there. It just depends on your talents and interests. Here are a few other teacher side hustles that may interest you.
Everybody needs virtual kindergarten graduation ideas this year. Things will look a tad bit different.
They don’t have to be that different though. Take what you do and adapt to the virtual world. Kindergarten graduation is the first real milestone that children have in school. The kindergarten promotion songs and slideshows can still be used and adapted to digital learning.
I have created a template for a digital scrapbook that students are able to edit on the computer or there are also black and white copies. Put a graduation hat on your students to make it official.
Students can write about what they want to be when they grow up and their favorite memories.
Collecting pictures throughout the year and putting them to music is simple and easy these days. This slideshow template makes it even easier. Just add pictures and save as JPEG files. Most phones can do this with a touch of a button on I-MOVIE and other slideshow apps.
Kindergarten is a special year. This is a day that parents will often recall forever. Having a sweet song with adorable innocent pictures often evokes tears of pride.
Put the slideshow in Google classroom or make DVD’s to mail home to the students.
Kindergarten graduation is an occasion that parents and students will look back on proudly. My daughter is graduating from high school this year, but I will always remember her sweet face at her kindergarten graduation.
These virtual kindergarten graduation ideas will help you create a celebration that will be forever remembered and appreciated.
If you are having Zoom or Google Meet classroom sessions, pick one song that students can learn with you. These are some of the songs that everyone loves to sing.
This is honestly my favorite. Maybe, it is because I love John Travolta. Or, maybe it is because it lends itself to the cutest movements ever. Regardless, everyone is impressed with this kindergarten graduation song. Words can be found here.
I found this song when my daughter’s kindergarten teacher used it for her kindergarten graduation. It is so adorable that I asked her for a copy of the words. This song is a timeless favorite.
I love this one as it is so easy for the kids to perform because they are just imitating what you say. The students also love this kindergarten graduation song/chant. They cannot contain their enthusiasm when they say, “Left, right, left right.”
This song is perfect for the last song. It is very beautiful when the kids sing it with the sign language actions. Parents will be extremely touched by this number.
Kindergarten Poem
This is one of the many virtual kindergarten graduation ideas that students can do online. Give each student a letter in the word “kindergarten” and have them create a big picture of that letter.
Also, give them the line from the below poem that goes with the letter. They can then perform this on your Zoom graduation. Mute and un-mute as they say their lines.
K is for kindergarten! Hip, hip hooray!
I is for imagination. We use every day.
N is for numbers. We know, one two three.
D is for drawing, the best you can see.
E is for exercise to keep our bodies strong.
R is for reading books all day long.
G is for good friends. We make more every day.
A is for the alphabet we know how to say.
R is for remembering everything we learned.
T is for treats that we sometimes earned.
E is for excitement. This year we had some.
N is for next year. First grade here we come.
Kindergarten T-Shirts
This is a perfect shirt for this year. You can possibly drive by and deliver the shirt and do social distancing photos with your students.
I was thinking of having a virtual drive by graduation and handing out their shirts and diplomas as they drive by in their cars. Parents can decorate their cars with positive signs.
Of course, I would be wearing a mask and gloves. Make sure you get permission first.
Also, these shirts can be done cheaper at a local t-shirt creation shop. They are happy to get the business.
Our teacher shirt will say “I virtually taught kindergarten.”
Introductions
We all know that parents are going to be looking at one person: their child. Each of those special students should have an opportunity to say something if you are doing the graduation online.
Having the students introduce themselves and say what they want to be when they grow up or their favorite part of kindergarten is very entertaining.
In closing, I hope you found some virtual kindergarten graduation ideas that you can use for this year. To say the least, this was a very unique year of school.
Finding ways to make things special is what teacher do best. I am sure your students and parents will appreciate your effort in creating a memorable experience.
Disclosure: Affiliate links are used in this post. The website may benefit from items purchased by clicking the links. This helps to keep the website active.
So, you want to know how to teach kindergarten? Just follow these 30 easy steps, and it will all come together nicely.
1. Write a detailed plan to give to your administrator one week ahead of time.
2.Change plan to reteach today’s lesson tomorrow, the next day and the next.
3.Change plan again to accommodate more hands-on activity for the upcoming full moon.
4. Begin daily calendar activities.
5. Listen to a student respond that today is Octember 3rd, and in 120 days it will be her birthday.
6. Call on other students who talk about their Uncle Joe’s birthday, what they are getting for their birthday and how they wish their birthday was today.
Social-emotional learning is very important to teach in kindergarten, and I have found the perfect book to teach it: Jellybeans.Even the title makes me happy.
This book lends itself to teaching about kindness, anti-bullying topics, and likenesses and differences.
Rhyming is incorporated throughout, so this is also a skill that can be taught with this book.
Kids have always loved jellybeans, but now they can actually relate to them. Really.
All of the jellybeans are different but the same. The book makes it known that we all have different talents, shapes, sizes and personalities but yet we are alike on the inside.
Jellybeans are different colors.
Social-emotional learning is based on acquiring an understanding of inclusivity and diversity.
Jellybeans highlights diversity by using beautiful and colorful illustrations to metaphorically connect jellybeans to people.
“Much like a dish of jellybeans, each of us brings a different flavor.”
Children usually see anyone outside of their “normal” as undesirable in some way.
Students start to realize that they are different when it is pointed out to them.
Because, the book Jellybeans shows our differences in a positive light, it challenges the idea that there is a “normal.”
We are all unique and have very special characteristics.
“Be your own jellybean. Be proud of who you are.” This statement from the book is powerful and inherently teaches social-emotional learning to our young students.
There is the Sassy Jellybean. We all have sassy jellybeans in our classes.
There is the Bubblegum Jellybean who is snappy and loud.
Toasty Marshmallow Jellybean is light-hearted and mellow.
This is a prime opportunity for social-emotional learning to take place.
Social-emotional learning is based on the ability of students to regulate emotions and adjust to their environments.
A study based on a national principal survey “found that students who receive high-quality social-emotional learning instruction have achievement scores on average of 11 percentile points higher than students who did not receive SEL instruction.”
Kids in the classroom will recognize these emotional traits in themselves.
Also, traits viewed as negative can be looked at in a positive light.
Jellybeans is a great conversation starter on how to regulate our emotions and appreciate different emotions in our environments.
Discuss how we can all have diverse traits at various times and some personalities might be appropriate in different situations.
Role play situations like a football game where it might be appropriate to be snappy and loud.
Lesson Extensions for Social-Emotional Learning:
Have students share with a shoulder partner their similarities and differences.
Talk about when you feel like the Sour Cherry Jellybean who is grumpy or the Tutti Frutti Jellybean who is lots of fun.
Brainstorm all the ways that the jellybeans are the same.
Role play situations where students may feel a certain emotion that is similar to the jellybeans.
Have students finish the sentence, “ I am……. . This will show the similarities to the jellybeans and other people.
