Kindergarten Writing Units

Core Writing Units

Focus Notes The mini lessons noted below may vary and are firstly designed depenedent on student need.

Launching the Workshop Label books	routine and structures authority lists/expert lists conferencing paper choices establish a community of writers: make a risk taking community, acceptance of developmental spelling, seeing yourself as an author, authors chair self portrait Focus on adding pictures to labels
Wordless Books List/ Pattern Books	sequencing adding details retelling
Small Moments Personal narrative	adding sentences to pictures write with focus build on main idea/stretch it out
Writing for Readers (editing—mechanics/spelling)	Sounding out words Using word walls, tools in room Make writing look right Make writing sound right
How to Books (Nonfiction)	Sequencing Transition words Lists (of materials) Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better)
All About Books (Nonfiction)	Planning—choosing topic you know a lot about, list what you know Table of contents Diagrams/captions Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better)
Poetry	Immersion in the sights and sounds of poetry Imagery in pictures Language development Class poems
Independent Projects	· Authors as mentors · Make plans for writing projects

Grade 1 Writing Units

Core Writing Units

Focus Notes The mini lessons noted below will vary and are firstly designed depenedent on student need.

Launching the Workshop	routine and structures authority lists/expert lists conferencing paper choices establish a community of writers: make a risk taking community, acceptance of developmental spelling, seeing yourself as an author, authors chair
Small Moments Personal Narrative	Oral storytelling Sequence (set scene, problem, solution) Beginning, Middle, End write with focus/build on main idea/stretch it out dialogue description/sensory details adding/removing details give play by play
Nonfiction Writing How to	Fact versus opinion Be specific Picture text match details
Narrative Using the Authors as Mentors approach. Study works of one author- (that the students can emulate).	Depends on the author Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better) Study the mentor's books Pick out strategies/elements that the author uses
Nonfiction Writing All About	Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better) Diagrams, charts, graphs, captions Table of contents Fact versus opinions
Author your own Unit Response to Literature, fairy tales, letters, etc. Choose a genre and immerse the students in it. Read lots and study what is unique about that genre. What strategies/elements are present in that writing?	Depends on unit Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better)
Poetry List Poems	· Zoom in to topic Revision (make content better) Seeing something through poet’s eyes—look at things in a unique way Line breaks Show not tell Voice Patterns

Grade 2 Writing Units

Launching the Workshop	routine and structures authority lists/expert lists conferencing paper choices establish a community of writers: make a risk taking community, acceptance of developmental spelling, seeing yourself as an author, authors chair
Small Moment Narratives	Editing (Punctuation) Revision (make content better) Oral storytelling Writing for your audience Sequence (set scene, problem, solution) write with focus/build on main idea/stretch it out dialogue description/sensory details/sound words/time order words/transition words adding/removing details give play by play
Narrative Authors as Mentors Study works of one author (that the students can emulate). Good authors for study: Angela Johnson, Ezra Jack Keats	Focus on character Editing (mechanics/spelling) Beginning, Middle, End Revision (emphasis on content quality) Study the mentor's books Pick out strategies/elements that the author uses
Nonfiction Writing (Link to content areas) Procedural—How to Books Informational—All About Idea based— Persuasive Writing	Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better) Texts that teach Diagrams, charts, graphs, captions/labels/timelines Research/putting research in own words Choosing important information/knowing audience Fact versus opinion Table of contents Be specific
Persuasive Personal Letter Immerse the students in it, read lots and study what is unique about the genre. What strategies/elements are present in that writing?	Persuade someone to think like you do, share an opinion about a personal topic. Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better)

Response to Reading	Explicit teaching and modeling Personal reactions and connections Invoke reading strategies Reference text through sustained use of examples Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision of structure
Poetry Poems that tell stories or convey feelings	Editing (mechanics/spelling) Revision (make content better) Seeing something through poet eyes—look at things in a unique way Line breaks Show not tell Voice Patterns/rhythm/rhyme Comparing—metaphors/similes Stretching out the comparison Zoom in to topic

Grade 3 Writing Units

Genre	Focus Notes
Launch Personal Narrative	· Immersion with mentor texts · Building a community of writers · Sharing of ideas · Exemplars · Dig up Buried Stories · Authority Lists · Writer’s notebook · Organization of ideas (Beginning, Middle and End) · Revising and Editing Publishing and celebration
Realistic Fiction	· Development of Characters, Place, and Plot · Lively Leads · Satisfying endings · Varying sentences · Breaking text into paragraphs · Use of language (precise nouns, powerful verbs)
Test Writing Cycle (2 weeks maximum) Writing to a Prompt	· Rubrics · Test writing practice- process focus · Beginning, Middle, and End · Reread for correctness
Nonfiction Feature Article Feature Article	· Lead with a question · Share a passion for a fascinating subject · Persuasive Paragraph · Include subtitles · Using vocabulary · Using commas appropriately
Poetry	· Imagery, Emotion, and Music · Creating a poem from a story · Using similes · Breaking text into lines
Response to Literature Integrated all year long within reading workshop.	· Rubrics · Embellish an idea · Author’s purpose · Polish your writing

Grade 4 Writing Units

Genre	Focus Notes
Launching the Writing Workshop Personal Narrative	· Immersion with mentor texts · Building a community of writers · Sharing of Personal stories · Using precise language · Authority Lists/Heart Maps · Dig up buried stories · Exemplars · Writing rituals · Writer’s notebook · Publishing and celebration
Personal Essay	· Thesis Statement · Persuasive slant · Strong voice · Using precise language · Using general information and specific detail · Characters · Organization (paragraphs) · Revising/Editing Checklist
Realistic Fiction Narrative	· Using a time to focus · Descriptive adjectives · Characters, Place, and Plot · Dialogue · Satisfying endings · Varying sentences · Breaking text into paragraphs
Test Writing Cycle (2 weeks maximum) Writing to a Prompt	· Rubrics · Test writing practice- process focus · Beginning, Middle, and End · Reread for correctness
Nonfiction	· Use a natural voice · Show how fascinating a subject can be. Share a passion · Use authentic details · Explore various text structures ( Example: questions/answer or compare/contrast) · Include subtitles · Using subject specific vocabulary · Using commas appropriately
Poetry	· Imagery, Emotion, and Music · Creating a poem from a story · Using metaphor, alliteration · Breaking text into lines · Use repetition in poetry
Response to Literature Integrated all year long through within reading workshop.	· Embellish an idea · Author’s purpose · Use recurring details · Use a double focus

Grade 5 Writing Units

Genre	Focus Notes
Launching the Writing Workshop Personal Narrative	Purpose: to continue building a community of growing writers Establish and/or review terms, vocabulary and routines Review 5 steps in the writing process Writer’s Notebook: How do we use it and keep it organized? What is a mentor text and how do we use it? Personal Narrative Purpose: To share the stories of our lives Establish structure (B,M,E) and (DD) description, dialogue, first person narration Explicit teaching and modeling Use mentor text to highlight/teach elements and techniques of narrative writing Leads, endings and tighten dialogue Develop compositional risk through the use of figurative language, use of 3, repetiton, a wow statement, a question.
Personal Essay	Purpose: To advance an idea of personal importance and establish the foundation of all future essay writing. (PE= T+3 or T+N) Thesis, 3 reasons OR Thesis + Narrative Thesis driven with supporting reasons that may be narrative Lead engages the reader through compositional risk Writer's tone is appropriate to the topic Use of transitions/ transitional phrases
Persuasive 5 paragraph essay 5 paragraph business/friendly letter	Explicit teaching and modeling Use selected samples to highlight/teach elements of persuasive writing Clearly stated position Supporting opinions Substantiating relevant evidence Summative statement that supports the position taken Exemplars, criteria and rubrics
Expository Informational Composition How-to/Enumerative (math specific)	Purpose: To staisfy the desire to know, to discover, to explain. text structure (e.g. problem/solution, chronological order, order of importance, cause and effect, compare/contrast, etc.) Narrow focus Simple outline Taking simple notes / organizing notes Structure: introduction, body, closing Age appropriate bibliography/references Purpose: To respond to math questions within a given text structure . Restate question as topic sentence using appropriate vocabulary Logical order or steps Use of transitions Precise, exact language/vocabulary
Literary Essay Response to Reading Embedded in reading workshop.	Purpose: to reflect and gain deeper meaning of text Thesis driven (LE= T+3+E+Q) Thesis, 3 reasons, Examples, Quotes Personal reactions and connections Invoke reading strategies Moves from general to specific
Speculative (2 week maximum) Writing to a test prompt	Explicit teaching and modeling Use narrative elements and techniques Write within a time frame
Poetry	· Imagery, Emotion, and Music · Creating a poem from a story · Using personification, alliteration · Use repetition in poetry · Delete weak lines for impact