HomeDraw and Write Sentence Frame: Picture Box, Lines, and Word Bank Free original lessons
Draw and Write Sentence Frame: Picture Box, Lines, and Word Bank
Plan a printable draw-and-write frame with a picture box, ruled sentence lines, and a small word bank. Includes teaching steps, rubric, and four practice tasks.
Free lesson
Four exercises
Worked answers
Writing and Handwriting Paper Guides
This instructional plan describes a draw-and-write sentence frame that pairs a large picture box with ruled sentence lines and a small word bank. The frame is for early writers who benefit from drawing first, then composing one clear sentence. The convention for handwriting is explicit: x-height is measured from the baseline to the midline of the writing space; letter styles may vary, and valid alternatives are accepted when the sentence is readable and the spacing is consistent. All resources described here are free but planned, not yet built. The copy below gives teachers the instructional sequence, a worked example, a rubric, four self-contained exercises, and a validation checklist for publication.
Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.
Purpose and layout of the frame
The frame has three zones: a large picture box at the top, four ruled sentence lines below it, and a small word bank at the bottom or side. The picture box is for a quick sketch that anchors the sentence. The lines are for one sentence, not a paragraph. The word bank holds six to eight short words that support the topic without dictating the sentence.
The boundary is deliberate: this is not a read-and-draw matching sheet and not plain handwriting paper. The picture box and the sentence lines work together. The word bank is a scaffold, not a required list. A child may use zero, some, or all of the words.
- Draw the picture box as a rectangle roughly one-third of the page height.
- Place four ruled lines below the box with clear baseline and midline marks.
- Add a word bank of six to eight short words in a bordered strip.
- Add a short story extension prompt at the bottom: one sentence that tells what happens next.
Teaching sequence: draw, say, write, check
Start with the drawing. Ask the child to sketch the main idea in the picture box using a pencil. Keep the sketch simple: one or two objects and one action. Then ask the child to say the sentence aloud before writing. The spoken sentence should name who or what, and what is happening.
Next, the child writes one sentence on the ruled lines. The word bank is available but not mandatory. After writing, the child checks three things: capital letter at the start, finger spaces between words, and a period or question mark at the end. The check is quick and concrete.
- Child draws one main idea in the picture box.
- Child says the sentence aloud to a partner or to the teacher.
- Child writes the sentence on the ruled lines, using the word bank if helpful.
- Child checks capital letter, spaces, and end punctuation.
- Child reads the sentence back and points to the words.
Handwriting convention and valid alternatives
The handwriting convention is stated explicitly so that valid alternatives are not penalized. X-height is the distance from the baseline to the midline. Letters with x-height (a, c, e, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x, z) should sit on the baseline and reach the midline. Ascenders (b, d, h, k, l, t) rise above the midline. Descenders (g, j, p, q, y) fall below the baseline.
Letter styles vary. Print, precursive, and cursive are all acceptable if the sentence is readable and the spacing is consistent. The rubric rewards legibility and consistent spacing, not a single universal letter shape. A child who forms an open-tailed g or a looped y is not penalized if the letter is recognizable in context.
- Mark the baseline and midline clearly on the ruled lines.
- Model one sentence showing x-height letters touching the midline.
- Accept print, precursive, or cursive forms when readable.
- Check spacing by asking: can another reader find the word boundaries?
Story extension prompt
The short story extension prompt sits below the sentence lines. It asks for one more sentence that tells what happens next. This keeps the task bounded: two sentences total, one on the lines and one extension. The extension can be spoken first, then written on the back or in a small box if space allows.
The extension is optional for children who need more time. The core task is the picture plus one sentence. The extension supports children who finish early without turning the frame into a full story page.
- Read the extension prompt aloud: What happens next?
- Child says one sentence aloud.
- Child writes the extension sentence on the back or in the small box.
- Child checks the extension for capital letter and end punctuation.
Worked example
A child draws a cat sitting on a mat. The word bank contains: cat, mat, sit, sun, happy, nap. Write one sentence on the lines and one extension sentence.
Worked answer
Core sentence: The cat sits on the mat. Extension: The cat takes a nap in the sun.
Why: The drawing shows a cat and a mat, so the core sentence names the cat and the action sits. The word bank supports cat, mat, and sit. The extension uses nap and sun from the bank and tells what happens next. The core sentence has a capital T, finger spaces, and a period. The extension has a capital T and a period. Both sentences are readable in print style with x-height letters touching the midline.
Four practice exercises
Exercise 1
A child draws a red ball under a chair. The word bank contains: ball, chair, under, red, roll, find. Write one core sentence on the lines and one extension sentence. Use the handwriting convention: x-height is baseline to midline.
Show answer and check
Core sentence: The red ball is under the chair. Extension: The ball rolls to the door.
Why: The drawing shows a ball and a chair, so the core sentence names the ball and its position under the chair. The word bank supports ball, chair, under, and red. The extension uses roll and tells what happens next. The core sentence has a capital T, finger spaces, and a period. The extension has a capital T and a period.
Check: Point to each of the six words and count the five finger spaces between them in the core sentence. Confirm the capital T and the period. Check that x-height letters in ball and chair touch the midline and sit on the baseline.
Exercise 2
A child draws a boy feeding a duck at a pond. The word bank contains: boy, duck, pond, feed, bread, swim. Write one core sentence and one extension sentence. The core sentence must include at least one word not in the word bank.
Show answer and check
Core sentence: The boy feeds bread to the duck. Extension: The duck swims away.
Why: The drawing shows a boy, a duck, and a pond. The core sentence names the boy and the action feeds. Bread is in the bank, and to and the are words not in the bank, so the constraint is met. The extension uses swims and tells what happens next. The core sentence has a capital T, finger spaces, and a period.
Check: Underline at least one word not in the word bank (for example, to or the). Count the words and check finger spaces. Confirm the capital T and the period. Read the sentence aloud and ask whether it matches the drawing.
Exercise 3
A child draws a girl holding an umbrella in rain. The word bank contains: girl, umbrella, rain, hold, wet, sky. Write one core sentence that asks a question, and one extension sentence that answers it.
Show answer and check
Core sentence: Why is the girl holding an umbrella? Extension: She is holding it because the sky is wet.
Why: The drawing shows a girl, an umbrella, and rain. The core sentence asks a question, so it ends with a question mark. The extension answers the question and uses sky and wet from the bank. The core sentence has a capital W and finger spaces. The extension has a capital S and a period.
Check: Confirm the question mark at the end of the core sentence and the period at the end of the extension. Check the capital letters. Read both sentences aloud and confirm the extension answers the question.
Exercise 4
A child draws two birds on a wire above a house. The word bank contains: birds, wire, house, sit, sing, two. Write one core sentence and one extension sentence. Use at least two words from the word bank in the core sentence.
Show answer and check
Core sentence: Two birds sit on the wire. Extension: They sing above the house.
Why: The drawing shows two birds, a wire, and a house. The core sentence uses two and birds and sit from the bank. The extension uses sing and house and tells what happens next. The core sentence has a capital T, finger spaces, and a period. The extension has a capital T and a period.
Check: Circle two words from the word bank in the core sentence (two, birds, sit). Count finger spaces and confirm the capital T and period. Check that x-height letters in sit and on touch the midline and sit on the baseline.
Common mistakes
- The child writes a sentence that does not match the drawing. Ask the child to point to the drawing and name the who and the action, then revise the sentence to match.
- The child copies every word from the word bank without composing. Limit the word bank to six words and ask for one word not in the bank.
- Letters float above the baseline or ignore the midline. Model one x-height letter touching the midline and ask the child to trace the baseline with a finger before writing.
- No finger spaces, so words run together. Use a finger-space check: place one finger between words and read aloud to confirm boundaries.
- The sentence has no end punctuation. Ask the child to read the sentence and decide whether it tells or asks, then add a period or question mark.
Self-check rubric
- Picture box shows one main idea that matches the sentence.
- Sentence names who or what and what is happening.
- Capital letter at the start of the sentence.
- Finger spaces between words are visible and consistent.
- End punctuation matches the sentence type (period or question mark).
- Handwriting is readable; x-height letters sit on the baseline and reach the midline; ascenders and descenders are placed correctly.
- Letter style may be print, precursive, or cursive; valid alternatives are accepted when readable.
- Word bank use is optional and does not replace the child's own composition.
- Extension sentence, if present, tells what happens next and is checked for capital letter and end punctuation.
Questions and answers
Is the word bank required?
No. The word bank is a scaffold. A child may use zero, some, or all of the words. The sentence must still be the child's own composition.
How many sentences should the child write?
One sentence on the ruled lines is the core task. The story extension prompt adds one optional sentence that tells what happens next.
What handwriting style is accepted?
Print, precursive, and cursive are accepted when the sentence is readable and spacing is consistent. X-height is baseline to midline; letter styles vary.
How is the picture box scored?
The picture box is scored for relevance to the sentence, not for artistic quality. A simple sketch that anchors the sentence is sufficient.
Can the frame be used for a question sentence?
Yes. If the sentence asks a question, the end punctuation is a question mark. The rubric accepts either a period or a question mark when it matches the sentence type.