Writing Timer
Quick writes, journal time and writing workshop drafting, with a clear “Pencils down.”
Activity
Time
Station rotations
4 × 15 minutes, 60s to switch · 15 minutes total
Press Show to class for the board or projector. The disc shrinks and turns yellow, then red. Space starts and pauses. The screen stays awake while the timer runs.
Time's up!
Great work, everyone.
Why use a writing timer
Timed writing helps reluctant writers start: the goal is to keep the pencil moving until the disc runs out. The board shows the prompt or the word “Writing”, and the end screen says “Pencils down.”
How to run it
- Type the prompt in “Words on the board” (up to 40 characters), or keep “Writing”.
- Pick a length: 3 to 5 minutes for a quick write, 15 to 25 for drafting.
- Press Show to class and Start.
- Use the 1-minute warning chime as the signal to finish the current sentence.
Tips
- For quick writes, use the 5 min chip and challenge students to fill half a page.
- For writing workshop, run Station rotations: plan, draft, revise as three “stations”.
- Copy link keeps the prompt and the time in one link you can paste into your slides.
Questions teachers ask
How long should a quick write be?
Usually 3 to 5 minutes. Short enough to start right away, long enough to get a few sentences down.
Can I put the writing prompt on the board?
Yes, type it into “Words on the board”. Longer prompts wrap onto two lines.
Can I break writing time into stages?
Turn on Station rotations and treat each station as a stage, for example 3 stations of 8 minutes with 30 second switches.