Circle Time Sentence Starters

Facilitating rich student sharing during community circle time builds essential communication skills. Yet prompting deep back-and-forth discussion versus one-word responses from young children tests even veteran teachers. These sentence starter cards involve every student in conversational bonding and insight sharing through thoughtfully designed, developmentally appropriate question cues.

The set includes 48 double-sided language prompt cards covering getting-to-know you topics like family, pets, friends, feelings, strengths/challenges and more. Sample starters include:

• My favorite thing to do with my family is...

• When someone gives me a hug I feel...

• My favorite place to be is...

• I get scared when...

• My friends like that I...

• Something I want to learn more about is...

• I feel proud when I...

Open sentence shapes spark diverse responses while structured phrasing still scaffolds early narrators. Children gain confidence feeding off peers’ modeled shares first. Teachers can target specific emotional, social or academic domains needing growth through selected prompts. Cards also work one-on-one for children hesitant to share in groups.

Far beyond boring roll-call questions, these lively discussion catalysts infuse community vibes, self-esteem and listening skills into circle time learning. Students open up insighting their innermost thoughts, joys, worries and wonderings!

These cards can be laminated for use time and time again. They are perfect for getting a circle time going at the beginning or rounding it off with a discussion at the end.