writing program grade 1

How to teach writing to Grade 1 kids: New strategies for teachers and parents

Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Education, Western University

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Perry Douglas Klein receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanties Research Council of Canada

Western University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR.

Western University provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA.

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Writing is a craft that is vital for both communicating and learning . However, many children struggle to learn to write. For most, their difficulties persist throughout elementary school unless they get help. As recently as 2018, there was very little research on how to teach Grade 1s effectively .

However, recent research shows how teachers can help Grade 1s make a strong start on writing. Parents have a vital role to play in laying a foundation for early writing success.

Many parents have likely heard children say, “I don’t know what to write.” Teaching children strategies for writing tackles this problem head-on.

Breaking writing down into steps

In 2019, a team of Spanish and British researchers published one of the first experiments on teaching writing strategies in Grade 1 . They explored how a child can learn to write a story by asking themselves a series of questions: When did it happen? Where did it happen? Who is the story about? What did they do? What happened? How did it end? These questions help the child to generate and organize their ideas.

To help children remember this writing strategy, teachers in the study used a picture of a mountain with a path that led past six houses — one for each question. The teachers discussed the strategy, modelled how to use it and wrote together with the class. After instruction, the children wrote stories that were higher in quality, longer and more coherent.

Strategies work

The value of teaching writing strategies in Grade 1 has been confirmed by additional studies that examine teaching specific kinds of writing: Procedural writing (instructions for someone on how to do something) , and opinion writing (short essays meant to persuade someone of something) . In this writing research, teachers combined strategy instruction with discussions, picture books and dramatization.

And in our own recent research, we found that strategy instruction is effective for Grade 1 students across the range of writing achievement levels: low, medium and high . These Grade 1 studies join over 100 previous studies with students in higher grades in showing that teaching writing strategies works .

Printing, handwriting, spelling

Recent research also provides renewed support for the seemingly old-fashioned skill of printing. Grade 1s who can print accurately and quickly are able to create better and longer stories and reports . Teaching printing helps students to create better stories . Despite over 70 previous studies on the benefits of teaching printing and cursive writing , systematic teaching and assessment of these skills has declined in some curricula.

Read more: Writing and reading starts with children's hands-on play

Spelling is another traditional skill, the importance of which has been confirmed by recent research. Better spellers create better and longer stories, while poor spellers struggle with composing , and Grade 1 spelling affects the development of composition in later years.

Spelling education works best if it is formal, including, for example, lessons and practice activities . Additionally, teaching writing strategies combined with spelling and printing is more effective than teaching each of these skills alone .

Parents can help children practice spelling at home. Teachers and parents can also show children the “invented spelling” strategy of saying a word slowly, stretching out the sounds, and printing a letter (or letter combinations, such as “th”) for each sound. This will lead to some errors, but in kindergarten and Grade 1, invented spelling is an important driver of spelling development .

New understanding of Grade 1

This new understanding of the importance of Grade 1 is beginning to change writing education . In the past, many schools in Canada and the United States waited for struggling readers and writers to reach the middle elementary grades . Then, they were assessed by a school psychologist. If they were diagnosed with a learning disability, they were placed in a special education class.

However, in a new approach, response to intervention, teachers use evidence-based methods (like strategy instruction) to teach the whole class. They assess students regularly based on their daily writing, and if a child is below grade level, they receive help in a small group .

This approach is not yet common. However, it is almost certainly coming to some provinces in reading education . Reading education and writing education are intertwined, so we can expect the same approach to follow in writing.

Laying the foundations

The foundation for writing success is ideally being supported at home before children start kindergarten.

Parents can ask children to tell them stories, print the stories for them, then read them aloud for the child. They can teach children simple skills like forming letters and printing their name.

Parents can also practice printing with children at home; this is especially valuable for struggling writers . They can help children to write things that are important to them, like birthday cards for family members .

Read more: To help children learn how to read in the pandemic, encourage writing messages as part of play

Parents can also encourage children to read and write independently . Once children begin to write, parents can be their best audience, praising their efforts and the good qualities of their writing, and making suggestions to help with ideas, printing, and spelling .

When children begin school, and into Grade 1, parents can watch for red flags in their child’s writing development. During Grade 1, the average student learns to print the letters of the alphabet legibly and fluently, spell one syllable words the way that they sound (cat, game) and spell common short words that are not spelled the way that they sound (you, they). They also learn to write a story a few sentences in length about a personal experience .

If your child is missing these basic skills, don’t wait and see — talk with your child’s teacher and make a plan to help them succeed.

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Grade 1 Writing Activities

8 fun grade 1 writing activities.

We’ve compiled a list of seven exciting writing activities to inspire your little ones to get started on their writing journey.

1. Read, Read, Read!

Your first-grade child may have a book that they just love! Why not get them to read it one more time and then write a short paragraph explaining why they love it so much. Which character do they like the most and what would they want to ask them if they met in real life?

Reading is generally a wonderful way to improve writing levels in young children and is especially effective when done on a regular basis! On Night Zookeeper , we love to encourage children to write about what they are reading in an interactive journal called ‘Reading Light’.

2. Get Active, Get Outdoors

A great way to inspire your little ones whilst burning off some excess energy is to get outside with pencils and paper. Before heading out on your adventure, make a chart like the one below:

The great outdoors is the perfect place to get your children using all of their senses. Begin your adventure by asking your child to write down an object that catches their eye in the first column. Then challenge them to describe the sounds they can hear around this object, how it feels and how it smells. Once your chart is complete, find a quiet place to sit with your child and invite them to write a sentence about each object using some of the lovely descriptions that they added to their chart.

3. The Sentence Building Game

Spelling often holds children back from getting started on their writing journey at first-grade level. You can help alleviate this barrier by giving children words they can use to build sentences with.

The idea of this activity is that children use the words provided to make as many sentences as they possibly can. Points can be awarded for each complete sentence that starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark. Here’s an example of how you could set this up:

4. Get Crafty!

A wonderful way to make writing fun for your child is to combine the writing process with an arts and crafts project.

For example, challenge your children to paint a picture of an animal they love. This could be a pet or an animal they love to visit at the zoo. They could also use magazine clippings and other materials you have at hand to add a layer of collage to their picture. Finally, complete the activity by asking them to write three sentences about why they chose this animal in particular.

5. The Daily Journal

Keeping a journal is a great way to get your first-grade child writing in small chunks, on a regular basis, about a topic they know better than anyone!

Here’s a format you might like to use:

You could even ask your childr to be involved in the template creation process. Ask them which questions they would like to answer on a daily basis and incorporate these into the activity. This will give your child a sense of ownership and a deeper understanding of the activity.

6. The Greeting Card

Ask your child to make a card for a person in their family. This is a wonderful activity to get your children writing whilst also spreading love and joy in the process.

The card could be to celebrate a special occasion such as a birthday or holiday, or it could simply be a card to share their thoughts and feelings with their chosen family member. Children can be encouraged to write as much as they like about this special person, writing down all of their thoughts and feelings.

7. “When I am older, I want to be…”

Plan a special day for your child when they get to dress up as an adult they admire. This could be someone famous that they look up to, or it could simply be a profession that they admire, such as becoming a teacher, pilot or doctor. Set up activities to give your child the opportunity to explain verbally what they would like to be when they grow up and give them time to act as the person they have dressed up as. Towards the end of the day, present them with a template of questions for them to answer in writing. The below template may be helpful, or you can invent your own with your child.

8. Night Zookeeper

Night Zookeeper makes writing fantastically fun for children aged six to twelve!

Our writing program for kids features an array of writing activities, such as prompts, games, and interactive lessons, created to inspire children while keeping them focused and engaged.

Sign up today to get a 7-day FREE trial!

More writing activities & prompts

• Grade 1 Picture Writing Prompts
• Grade 1 Writing Prompts
• Elementary Writing Prompts
• Elementary Writing Activities

Related content

• Elementary Language Arts
• Elementary Writing Curriculum
• Language Arts Resources

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Writing Lessons for 1st Grade

Writing has always been one of my favorite subjects to teach. I always struggled to find writing lessons for 1st grade with a good scope and sequence, a curriculum I loved, and time to do it all. I wanted a curriculum that integrated children’s literature, gave step-by-step strategies, offered lots of modeling and practice, wasn’t rushed, and offered extensions into my literacy center. Since I couldn’t find what I wanted, and what my students needed, I decided to create my very own writing lessons for 1st grade.

The first 8 weeks of my writing curriculum focus on building the foundation of writing by writing words, sentences, and then paragraphs. I know how busy teachers are and how many subjects we teach. I wanted my lessons to be clear, precise, and easy to follow. So, each lesson has a digital component you can project on a projectable board to guide the lesson. In my room, we always meet up front by our SMART board to begin. You simply make your way through the interactive daily slides.

The lessons for the week are based on a topic and are bulleted for you as an easy reference.

I have also included posters you can print and display as they are introduced. You will just need to print the weekly activities for your students, open the PowerPoint or Google Slide and go.

Mentor Text

Each week students are exposed to a mentor text or two that models a writing strategy or inspires a topic for writing. The story guides our instruction for the week and is a great starting point. I have included a list of all the stories , but I have also included links to the story read on YouTube in the projectable lesson to save teachers money.

Lesson Set-Up

I spend about 20 minutes a day on the writing block. Each lesson has an “I Do”, “We Do”, and “You Do” section. Modeling is truly key to their success and working together for the “We Do” just reinforces the modeling you did in the ”I Do” section. When you get to the “You Do” section, don’t be afraid to pull a small group of students who still need more support and complete it together. I did that daily last year and it really paid off.

Writing Center

As each new piece of writing is introduced, I add it to my writing center. I have literacy centers in my room so I can work with a small group of children on reading. It is important to me that my children have already had exposure to what I put in the writing center. I want them to be familiar with it and be able to complete it independently.

Organization

I like to keep all my materials in a binder for each 8-week section of learning. I put the lesson plans in a clear sleeve and the printables and posters in a pocket folder behind the weekly sleeves. In the very back, I keep all the center activities.

Last year my students LOVED writing. I loved how it was already planned and easy to implement. It wasn’t rushed and all my students felt successful. You can get started with weeks 1-8 of these Writing Lessons for 1st grade or purchase writing lessons for the entire year with my First Grade Writing Curriculum Bundle .

Here are what some teachers had to say about Writing Weeks 1-8 Getting Started :

“Absolutely love this product! It is some well thought out and planned. It has made my writing block extremely easy and has helped my students grow their writing skills!” “This is my favorite purchase on TPT and I have spend hundreds! Excellent resource! Engaging and easy to use. I love this so much!!!!” “I have taught First Grade for 15 years. This is by far the BEST introduction to writing I have ever used! It’s so easy to follow, so well laid out and INCLUDES everything you could ever need! This is the most beneficial purchase I have made from TPT… probably ever! PLEASE create more like this! It’s amazing! Thank you!”

And if you’re looking for some other great literacy resources be sure to read my blog post all about my Grammar Lessons for First Grade .

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I’m Megan, a first grade teacher and a mother to 7 amazing children. I love to create and collaborate with teachers. When I’m not teaching, I love spending time with my family, baking and playing tennis.

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Writing Activities for 1st Grade

Strengthen your child's writing skills with interactive educational resources for writing for 1st graders online. These learning resources include fun games and worksheets with eye-catching visuals and characters. Get started to help your 1st grader master this concept by engaging their critical thinking.

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The Brown Bag Teacher

Teach the Children. Love the Children. Change the World.

March 11, 2015

1st Grade How To Writing

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 hands-on experiences : making maracas, launching workshop.

Favorite Mini-Lessons

Transition words, favorite mentor texts.

Throughout the week, I’m pulling from three of my favorite mentor texts – How to Babysit a Grandpa , How To Wash a Woolly Mammoth , and How to Teach a Slug to Read . These are perfect for showing students how real-author use how-to techniques (logical order, sequencing, time order words) to share a story or information with a reader.

Read and see more HERE .

How-To Writing within Work on Writing

As we start writing our How-To pieces independently, we’ll self-assess our writing and use the below checklist (personal ones and a class anchor chart) to guide our work.

In retrospect, this is a unit I’ll definitely teach at the beginning of the year. Teaching at this point of the year, is much simpler and requires less groundwork, but still, it’s a nice review of skills we’ve learned throughout the year in reading and writing. Plus, now that we’re officially readers and writers, it’s amazing to see what my students come up with!

• Opinion Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  mentor texts ,  bundle )
• Narrative Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  mentor texts ,  bundle )
• Inform/Explain Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  bundle )
• How-To Writing ( blog post ,  resources ,  bundle )

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Being a Writer, Third Edition

Comprehensive writing instruction.

Being a Writer™ is the only time-tested, research-based program that successfully integrates essential components of comprehensive writing instruction and explicit social skills development to foster students’ ability to communicate as writers and become responsible, caring members of the classroom community.

Being a Writer can be implemented as a powerful, stand-alone curriculum for grades K–5 or serve as a seamlessly integrated program within our comprehensive K–5 English Language Arts curriculum, Collaborative Literacy .

How It Works

Teaches process and craft.

Research is clear that when students learn the writing process—from planning to publication—they gain proficiency in developing their ideas and creating effective pieces. With its predictable lesson structure, Being a Writer lessons include explicit opportunities for students to hear, discuss, and analyze mentor texts, and incorporate elements of author’s craft, genre, and organization into their own writing.

Integrates Grammar Skills and Conventions

Learning grammar and writing conventions is made accessible through explicit, integrated instruction. Being a Writer offers clear and comprehensive guidance, seamlessly incorporating grammar and skills instruction into the writing process.

Taps Into Intrinsic Motivation to Write

To develop into strong writers and critical thinkers, students need to write a lot. In Being a Writer , students have time to write every day on topics they choose and care about.

Nurtures a Community of Writers

To develop as writers, students need opportunities to collaborate with others across the writing process. In Being a Writer lessons, students:

• Generate ideas together
• Choose ideas to write about, then share them with a partner before putting them on paper
• Learn how to ask for, give, and receive helpful feedback through peer and teacher conferring
• Share their work publicly and learn to express appreciation for their classmates’ writing

Uses Digital Writing Tools

When technology is integrated into the writing process, the overall quantity and quality of students’ writing improves. In Being a Writer grades 3–5, students develop word processing skills (both on and offline) and conduct online research.

Program Features

Research-based and standards-aligned.

Our pedagogy has grown out of years of research on writing instruction. Explore the research for our programs .

According to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, a successful writing program must:

• Provide time to write daily
• Teach the writing process and have students apply it for a variety of purposes
• Help students develop fluency with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, and typing and word-processing
• Create an engaged community of writers

Diverse Trade Books as Mentor Texts

Trade books representing inclusive, authentic author voices are provided to immerse students in each genre through exemplary writing. Additional mentor texts including essays, articles, podcasts, and videos are also used in the lessons.

Thoughtful Assessment Tools

Class assessments, teacher conference notes, student self-assessments, and individual writing assessments inform instruction by clearly identifying strengths and areas for additional instruction. Detailed rubrics help teachers evaluate students’ writing in drafts, writing notebooks, and published writing.

Integrated Social Skills Development

Creating a writing environment that is encouraging, nonthreatening, and enjoyable is critical to students’ writing development. Explicit social skill instruction teaches students how to agree and disagree respectfully, take responsibility for their learning and behavior, and reflect on their interactions with others.

Embedded Professional Learning

Being a Writer is an educative curriculum, constructed so that teachers expand their content knowledge and develop their pedagogical expertise every day as they engage with the program. Educators learn and deepen their practice as they teach.

Comprehensive Digital Resources

Each Being a Writer classroom package includes a seven-year license to the Learning Portal , which gives teachers access to digital manuals and allows them to:

• Manage program resources and access digital instructional media
• Download and print all student consumables and reproducibles
• Build and share paperless assessments and reports
• Get the very latest communications, updates, and instructional pacing notifications

Professional Learning

For schools looking for additional implementation support, Collaborative Classroom offers a variety of in-person and virtual learning pathways including  year-long  or  summer-specific  learning plans that can be tailored as needed, and one-on-one virtual coaching with  Collaborative Coach .

Related Resources

• Being a Writer Brochure
• Being a Writer Webinar
• The Learning Portal
• Scope and Sequence
• [White Paper] Writing for Life: The Evidence Base for Powerful Writing Instruction
• [Webinar] Research-Based Writing Instruction: Five Essential Features

Related Blog Posts

• Elyse Eidman-Aadahl of the National Writing Project on Writing Instruction
• Our Approach to Evidence-Based Writing Instruction

Get Sample Lessons

Download free Being a Writer sample lessons and the program brochure.

Complete Guide to Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Every Budget and Age

Looking for a homeschool writing curriculum that will educate and motivate your child to write with excellence?

It can be a hard road, Homeschool Mama!

Writing is one of the three core subjects (reading and math are the other two) that form the basis of a solid education – which is why it can be so stressful for the homeschooling parent!

We feel the pressure to develop strong writers, but we also want our kids to love writing. It can be hard to achieve both of those things.

Blessedly, there is a mountain of homeschool writing curriculum out there that can fit any homeschool style, education philosophy, budget, and family size!

This blog post is going to be your complete guide to the 12 best and most loved homeschool writing curriculums on the market.

Think of it as a one-stop-shop to explore curriculum you’ve heard of but don’t know that much about – or to discover new curriculum that is just right for your homeschool!

Enjoy and happy homeschooling!

Ultimate Guide To The 12 Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum Options

Below I have provided quick reference information for each curriculum in terms of grade level, materials needed, price, and details. 

Price is for new curriculum and according to prices available to me as I write this. 

1. IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing)

For Grades : 1st grade – 12th

What You Need : Teacher’s Guide and Student Book

Price : $55

Details About IEW:

This was the first homeschool writing curriculum that we tried, and I think it truly set an excellent foundation for my then 3rd grader. 

Our co-op at the time taught it every year, but I sat down and did the actual lessons and writing with her during the week. 

I loved that it did such a thorough job teaching kids how to put a keyword outline together for a structured, low-stress writing experience. As a writer myself, I understand how important an outline is to keep you organized and productive!

IEW is also very big on teaching vocabulary words and encouraging students to use more “interesting words” in their writing. To this day, my daughter still includes lots of adjectives and “strong verbs” in her writing because of her experience with IEW. She also carefully avoids using the “banned words” like “big” and “good” – why use those words when there are so many other more descriptive and colorful word choices out there!

Another fun part of IEW is that you can choose what theme you want your child to use for the year. For example, grades 3-5 can pick from “ Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales ,” “ Bible Heroes ,” “ Ancient History ,” or” All Things Fun and Fascinating .”

If you are looking to build a strong foundation in writing, I would recommend IEW for an excellent beginning. It was easy to teach, reasonably priced (definitely use the above links to check for used prices on Amazon), and solid.

I have not used the higher levels, but I have often heard it discussed as the gold standard for homeschool writing. 

Keep in mind that the IEW grammar program is sold separately.

2. BJU Writing & Grammar

What You Need : Teacher’s Guide and Student Workbook

Price : $110

Details About BJU Grammar and Writing:

BJU Writing & Grammar is the next writing program we tried. When our co-op shut down for the pandemic, I realized I was on my own for teaching writing.

We shifted gears to BJU Press because it bundled together grammar and writing, which would be a big time saver. 

My favorite thing about this homeschool writing curriculum is that it teaches the writing process perfectly. My then 4th grader learned the steps of Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, and Publishing – steps that she still uses today.

I loved that my kid was being taught to draft an entire piece in one day and that it didn’t need to be perfect! She could just pour out her thoughts on paper or “make the dough” as we called it. And then we would shape the dough during revising and editing later in the week.

This helped very much with her paralysis with writing, because she felt overwhelmed with it being perfect. 

She still uses these writing process steps for her writing today and I even still make her editing checklists similar to what the book had so she can edit her own work. 

I would strongly recommend BJU Grammar and Writing for strong grammar, time-saving, and high-quality writing.

3. Writing With Ease/Writing With Skill

For Grades : 1st – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Writing With Ease (elementary level) only requires a student workbook. Writing With Skill will require a student workbook and Instructor Text (teacher’s guide).

Price : $25 – $50

Details About Writing With Ease and Writing With Skill:

I love this super gentle writing curriculum from A Well Trained Mind and written by Susan Wise Bauer. 

I am on my second round of using Writing With Ease (the elementary level) with my younger children, and I absolutely recommend it as a beautiful introduction to writing. 

Every week I read sections of classic stories to my daughter and I ask her listening comprehension questions that she has to answer in full sentences. She thinks it’s just a fun story and talking time with mom, but there is a specific purpose. 

This process teaches her what a complete sentence is and what a fragment is – which is key information before you sit down to write.

There is also copy work of classic literature, grammar instruction, and writing original thoughts.

I haven’t used the next levels of this writing program from Susan Wise Bauer yet, but if this quote from The Well Trained Mind is any indicator, you need to check it out!

“We offer a variety of easy-to-use resources for teaching the vital skill of written communication. Our Writing With Ease series teaches elementary students how to transform thoughts into coherent paragraphs. Writing With Skill adds many other skills for middle and high schoolers, such as outlining, research, citation, and the construction of full-length essays in history, literature, science, and other subjects. The Creative Writer helps them write a best-selling novel that will get turned into a worldwide blockbuster movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which will enable them to support you in your old age.”

There are four levels of Writing With Ease and three levels of Writing With Skill . 

4. WriteShop

For Grades : K – 12th

What You Need to Buy : WriteShop Primary (ages 5-9) requires an activity pack and a teacher’s guide. WriteShop Junior (ages 8-13) can pick from a number of things or bundle them all together: activity pack, teacher’s guide, fold-and-go grammar guide, and time-saver pack. WriteShop 1 & 2 (Middle School/High School) requires a student workbook, teacher’s guide, and dictation/copy work guide.

Price : $41 – $110

Details About WriteShop:

WriteShop is a homeschool writing curriculum that I’ve had my eye on for a long time. In all of my homeschooling blogging circles, I seem to always hear buzz about how incredible this writing program is!

I have done some homework, and it is beautifully laid out, colorful, and so engaging from first sight. It is known for fun activities, engaging writing assignments, and its step-by-step, incremental approach to teaching writing skills.

And as an added bonus, WriteShop focuses on teaching the homeschool parent how to teach writing – in an easily understandable way.

The lower levels enjoy fun, hands-on writing activities to get kids excited about writing! I love that there are supply lists in the teacher’s guides (all regular things you’d have in the house) to teach a writing lesson! 

And the assignments would catch any kid’s attention: science fiction, adventure, and mystery story writing!

There are also additional resources on the website that you can use alongside WriteShop or as a writing supplement to your current curriculum. Check out StoryBuilders and Writing Prompts for some fun springboards for creative writing!

The higher levels allow students to work more independently, and there is even a video course offered.

It may be difficult to know which level you need to start with, so definitely check out the WriteShop placement test .

To find out more about Writeshop, head on over to their website or check out this full review from MeaningfulHomeschooling .

5. BraveWriter

What You Need to Buy : BraveWriter offers bundles of their curriculum that covers multiple kids, but they are very relaxed about what you “need.” It is cheaper overall to buy the bundle, but you can also just start out with one of their books, and go from there. Online classes are also offered. They are taught by homeschool parents, who are also published authors.

Price : $50 – $229 (bundle price)

Details About Brave Writer:

Brave Writer is definitely the most unique writing curriculum that I have researched yet.

This writing program was written by Julie Bogart, a homeschool mom who has 5 homeschool graduates to her credit. 

Brave Writer promotes a “Brave Writer Lifestyle” that focuses on raising kids in a language-rich environment where they will learn to not just be a good writer – but to love writing. There is a large focus on reading great books aloud and a weekly poetry tea time (I love that!), and less of a focus on structured lesson plans and “you have to write this many sentences.”

Parents are encouraged to purchase one bundle and adapt it to teach all the grades in their homeschool. That is a huge time saver!

Learn more at the Brave Writer website or check out this full review at This Simple Balance .

6. Wordsmith

For Grades : 4th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Each level only requires one book. Level 2 suggests buying a helpful teacher’s guide.

Price : $18

Details About Wordsmith :

Wordsmith is an economical homeschool writing curriculum from Janie B. Cheaney, a published author of six books. 

She provides a simple, easy-to-use curriculum that is broken up over three main books.

Wordsmith Apprentice (4th-6th grade) :

“All the practicality, humor and fun of Wordsmith, but written for the younger student, ages 9-12. An easy to use writing course encouraging students to develop their writing skills as they participate in every role on a newspaper staff: editor, reporter, writer, etc. Children develop a love for writing as they express themselves through sentence and paragraph writing, persuasive writing, and much more. The third edition has a larger font and cleaner type for easier reading. With added examples and delightful new illustrations, developing writing skills is made fun and easy.”

Wordsmith: Building Skills (6th-9th grade) :

“Confidence is what most young writers lack, and  Wordsmith   is designed to lead them to the place where they can read over their own work and think, “Hey—that’s pretty good!”  Wordsmith  is the core book in the series, the one that every student from age 12 and up should complete, especially if their writing skills lag behind the recommended level.”

Wordsmith Craftsman (9th-12th grade) :

Part Three of  Wordsmith Craftsman  is a master class on The Essay, pulling together thought, organization, logic, personal connection, and style.  A well-written essay is rightly considered the mark of an educated, thoughtful man or woman. A student will learn how to apply the TOWER process (Think, Organize, Write, Evaluate, and Rewrite) to a variety of essay types, namely  descriptive, narrative, expository, critical , and  persuasive . The expository section includes a primer on the all-important first step in writing research papers (which will save a lot of freshman-comp angst later!).

There are sample lessons for all three of their books. Hop on over to the Wordsmith website to check them out and see if this homeschool writing curriculum best fits your homeschool!

7. Clear Water Press

For Grades : 6th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : Student Kit and matching DVD or Cloud Access

Price : $258 – $343

Details About Clear Water Press :

ClearWater Press is the perfect writing curriculum for aspiring authors! Students are taught this creative writing course through in-depth video lectures while they work on year-long writing projects.

Below are the details of their three main curriculum books.

Cover Story (6th-9th grade) :

“The  Cover Story magazine writing program works  with your student, not against them. Award-winning author Daniel Schwabauer takes 6th–9th graders on a creative journey writing their very own magazine through engaging videos. The optional grammar lessons make Cover Story a full English Language Arts!  Choose to watch Cover Story lessons on Cloud streaming or DVDs.”

One Year Novel (9th-12th grade) :

“Author Daniel Schwabauer takes 9th–12th graders under his wing to write their own compelling original novel—for a high school English credit! His unique approach begins where many writing courses don’t go at all, with an exploration of how Story works . A creative community and support resources help students thrive. Video lessons now available on Cloud streaming only.”

Byline Journalism and Essay Writing (9th-12th grade) :

“In the Byline journalism and essay writing program, students step into the role of a 1930s-era newspaper reporter, training under Editor-in-Chief Daniel Schwabauer, who takes them under his wings to teach them everything he knows. Before they even realize it, they master the dreaded high school essay! Choose to watch Byline video lessons on Cloud streaming or DVDs.”

Head on over the Clear Water Press website to find out more information and see sample lessons !

8. Writers in Residence: Apologia

What You Need to Buy : All in One Student Text and Workbook, answer key, additional workbooks for teaching more than one child

Price : $21 for one student

Details About Writers in Residence :

I have to be honest with you all, I had no idea that Apologia offered anything besides science! Apparently, they do offer a full language arts program through their Writers in Residence series!

I love that it is designed to be used with multiple children at the same time – a huge time and money saver for homeschoolers with multiple kids!

Your students will learn about everything from sentence structure to short stories to persuasive essay writing – all through a Christian worldview lens.

“Thorough and systematic, six units and twenty-four modules are included, with lively and colorful lessons building on previously-taught concepts, skills, and terms. The easy-to-use, “all-in-one” Student Text and Workbook features an engaging tone that’s written directly to the student. Each unit opener includes a focus on a Christian writer, unit overview, and rubric; units include models from professional writers for students to study and use as an inspiration for their own writing. Modules integrate clear, engaging instruction with sidebar notes and a variety of exercises. Assignments cycle through four types of writing tasks: I Remember: assignments focused on the personal narrative I Imagine: creative writing assignments such as short stories, poetry, and novels I Investigate: research skills assignments I Think: tasks that teach opinion and argument writing, including persuasive and argument writing”

To find out more, check out Rainbow Resource, Christianbook.com, or Amazon for reviews, sale prices, and more details!

What You Need to Buy : Student Text and Teacher’s Guide

Price : $45

Details About Jump In :

Jump In is a budget-minded homeschool writing curriculum focused on getting middle school students ready for the expectations of high school writing. It has a gentle, low-stress format that is focused on independent student writing.

“What to do when high school is just around the corner and your middle schooler HATES to write? Jump In: Middle School Composition covers all the basics needed for high school writing in an engaging fashion; humor sneaking in occasionally. Daily lessons will take 5 – 20 minutes to complete. Instruction is written directly to the student and sometimes involves Bible stories or characters. Lessons might start with 10-Minute Writing Plunges that are designed to engage reluctant writers or appeal to eager writers. Or the Plunges can be a break from other assignments or a course by themselves. Plunge prompts are given M-Th with no grading (or turning in). On Friday, the student chooses which one they like best, proofreads it, and gets it ready to hand in.

10. Essentials in Writing

For Grades : K-12th

What You Need to Buy : Student Workbook, Instruction Manual, and access to video lessons

Price : $69-$89

Details About Essentials in Writing :

Essentials in Writing is a video-based course that will take a lot of stress off the busy homeschool parent or the parent who is intimidated to teach writing. 

The format is rather simple. The student watches a video (DVD or streamed) and then completes the corresponding workbook pages. The parent is responsible to look over the work and discuss it with the child.

There are also fun hands-on activities, such as time capsules, that will get kids excited and engaged with the writing process. 

“Looking for a complete English course for all grade levels that is well organized, thorough in explanation, effective in teaching and easy to use in a homeschool or group setting? Then consider Essentials in Writing! Video instructor Matthew Stephens taught English at the elementary and high school levels for years, and he used his experience to good effect in authoring this course. Video lessons featuring Mr. Stephens are the essence of the course, with supporting workbook activities as follow-up. Mr. Stephens is doing the heavy lifting of presenting and explaining the material, leaving only clarification and follow-up questions to the home instructor. Lessons are presented in bite-sized chunks, so each day’s lesson features one main point. The quality of the video and audio is good, showing Mr. Stephens teaching in front of a classroom on a white board. For younger grades, the teacher and student would watch the videos together, then discuss to make sure that the student grasps the main ideas of the presentation. Students at more advanced grades can watch the videos on their own (as the instruction is always directed to the student), leaving only follow-up discussion of the material and assignment to the teacher. Of course, the instructor should preview the video material to ensure knowledge of the material and consistency of approach in working with the student.”

Check out the Essentials in Writing website for more information, sample lessons, and videos!

11. Writing Strands

For Grades : 5th – 12th

What You Need to Buy : One Student Book and One Teacher’s Guide (One teacher’s guide covers all 6 levels of Writing Strands)

Price : $40

Details About Writing Strands :

Writing Strands is a full language arts and writing curriculum from Master Books. It is a newly revised edition that has streamlined and improved on the older version.

The curriculum includes a Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level and has a Christian Worldview.

You will find clear daily schedules, opportunities for independent work, and writing lessons based on the analysis of literature and scripture.

Here is a snippet of the curriculum description for Writing Strands Book 2:

“This resource covers 180 days of instruction and includes a weekly lesson schedule, student worksheets, and an answer key for the objective questions in the reading lesson portion. Each week alternates between writing lessons and reading lessons; for their reading, students will read biblical passages as well as books chosen and assigned by the parent. A weekly lesson schedule is also included. This comprehensive approach will help students begin to develop a solid foundation in communication as they focus on basic, creative, organizational, and descriptive writing skills. This course alternates a week of writing exercises with a week of reading and discussing books and ideas.”

12. Writing & Rhetoric

For Grades : 3rd and up

What You Need to Buy : Student Edition and Teacher’s Edition

Price : $40 (for one semester)

Details About Writing and Rhetoric :

Writing & Rhetoric is an award-winning series of writing curriculum books.

Each book will only cover one semester, so if you stay on track, you will be doing 2 books per year.

Books 1-6 are for grades 3-6. Books 7-12 are marked for grades 6 and up. 

Here is a description of this overall curriculum:

“Writing needs to be taught just like any other subject, and letting students be ‘free’ to write without a model is often letting them jump in the deep end without learning to swim first! Writing & Rhetoric assumes students learn best by first reading excellent literature and then imitating those writers. Students who complete the entire program will learn to write narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive essays while developing their own unique style. Each exercise is designed to teach a skill that can be employed across all subjects. Skills are arranged from simple to complex, and the cumulative nature of each chapter reviews skills from earlier in the book, helping students to build a solid foundation of writing skills.”

Recap: Best Homeschool Writing Curriculum

I don’t know about you, Homeschool Mama, but it’s going to be very difficult to choose between all of these writing curriculums!

I do hope that you found a few that you want to research, dig deeper into, and hopefully use in your homeschool. 

Of course, this is not a complete list of all writing curriculum – I would need a whole book to write out everything that is out there!

Please drop a comment and share if you have a favorite writing curriculum that I didn’t list above!

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Welcome to Wonders

Expand their world through literacy

You want all your students to build knowledge while exploring our world through literacy. Literacy is the key to understanding—across time, borders, and cultures—and will help students recognize and embrace the role they play in the world they are creating.

Wonders is an evidence-based K–5 ELA program that empowers students to take an active role in learning and exploration. Your students will enjoy unparalleled opportunities to express and assess themselves through reading, writing, and speaking. They will encounter the right content at the right moment in their learning journey to promote strong educational outcomes for all.

Your Partner in Literacy Success

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When you're ready, experience Wonders for yourself. Explore a range of print and digital resources and discover strategies for classroom implementation.

Sample Wonders

Collaborating with you to empower great teaching and learning

The EdReports.org evaluation in which Wonders ©2023 was highly rated across the three gateways: Text Quality and Complexity, Building Knowledge, and Usability.

Case studies and testimonials from a range of customers in districts with differing needs. All these districts acknowledge that Wonders contributed to student success

An independent efficacy study, in which the students using Wonders showed significant gains from beginning-of-year to end-of-year exams. The study supports that there is a causal link to Tier III promising evidence, based on ESSA guidelines.

Read more on compelling indicators of student success.

Read on to learn how Wonders meets your most pressing needs as an elementary literacy educator:

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Foundational skills , link will open in a new tab, differentiated learning , link will open in a new tab, writing , link will open in a new tab, student empowerment , link will open in a new tab, authentic literature , link will open in a new tab, professional development , link will open in a new tab, instructional model , link will open in a new tab, evaluation materials , link will open in a new tab, grounded in the science of reading.

Put evidence-based practices to work in your classroom

Drawing upon decades of literacy research, we built Wonders to deliver high-quality literacy instruction backed by the Science of Reading. Our program is underpinned by the findings of preeminent reading researchers—because modern classrooms should be served by proven instructional practices.

Learn more about our research into the Science of Reading.

A Love of Literacy Begins with Phonics

Build a strong foundation for success with daily, explicit, systematic instruction

Make phonics explicit and bring foundational skills to the forefront of instruction, ensuring that every student has the building blocks needed to succeed on their journey through literacy.

Learn more about Wonders foundational skills on our pedagogy page.

Foundational skills instruction is multimodal, engaging, and structured for assessment-informed differentiation.

Consistent foundational skills routines are rooted in research and best practices.

The point-of-use Phonics Skills Trace provides structural clarity and shows students what they’ve already learned, what they’re learning now, and what they will learn next.

Student-facing digital activities and technologies gather data, differentiate instruction for key phonics skills, and provide you with a clear picture of student growth.

Students build capabilities every day with integrated spelling, grammar, and handwriting instruction.

Foundational Skills Lesson Cards provide simple, flexible, and scaffolded instruction and support of key foundational skills, including phonological awareness.

Reach Every Learner

Enrich, extend, and support learning for all your students

The path to success doesn’t look the same for every child. Wonders helps you accommodate varied learning needs with instructional on-ramps, scaffolded supports, ELL resources, and data-driven differentiation to teach, reteach, or extend—broadening all students’ horizons.

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Wonders ELL components provide unparalleled support for English language acquisition in all four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Explore the extensive ELL support available in Wonders.

In addition to embedded ELL Support in your Teacher's Edition, Wonders provides a dedicated ELL Small Group Guide. It supports flexible delivery of ELL small group instruction to accommodate both push-in and pull-out teaching models.

Robust, embedded scaffolds provide point-of-use whole group support for beginning, intermediate, and advanced English language learners.

The Newcomers Cards and Teacher's Guide are designed to build oral language, giving students the communication skills needed to connect with their teachers, classmates, and world around them.

Provide Equitable Access to Texts

Support meaningful connections to content area learning as well as literature and Leveled Readers at three complexity bands—and a fourth level for English language learners. Leveled Readers accelerate learning and build knowledge for all students.

A. Unit Vocabulary is bolded to reinforce knowledge building.

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Enrich Instruction for All

If They Read About It, They Write About It

Extend opportunities for students to put their ideas into writing

Strong communication skills help children navigate their world. Wonders provides students in grades K–5 with daily opportunities to practice both process and on-demand writing. A strong focus on extended writing to multiple sources prepares students in grades 2–5 for what they will experience on test day, whether they will take SBAC, AIR, or SBACC state assessments.

Get a closer look at Wonders writing instruction in the Reading/Writing Companion student consumable.

Empower Students by Listening to Voice and Honoring Choice

Encourage growth and exploration by promoting social and emotional learning and student agency

When academic and personal growth go hand-in-hand, the whole child flourishes. Wonders has built-in opportunities for students to exercise agency and engage in social and emotional learning, all while hitting targeted literacy skills. Moments presenting choice and encouraging self-reflection empower young people to play an active role in their education.

The Wonders  Guides are a team of age-appropriate, diverse, and student-friendly characters, providing students reassurance of their progress towards mastery throughout the program.

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Center Activity Cards give students a choice of various, multimodal activities designed to achieve the same learning goals and foster self-expression.

Expand Their World Through the Wonders of Literature

Build knowledge and broaden horizons

We are committed to showcasing diversity throughout Wonders , not only because all children should feel represented in their readings, but also because we recognize that literacy can help promote understanding. That’s why we have selected authentic texts that feature diverse lived experiences, written by authors from a range of backgrounds and cultures.

Invite students to explore their world with instruction that:

• Provides a 50/50 balance between literary and informational text to enhance content area learning.
• Includes both classic and contemporary works in various genres that highlight a diverse range of people and experiences.
• Focuses on social emotional learning and student empowerment with texts that model social justice and how students can impact their communities.
• Offers Culturally Responsive Lessons to help students and teachers read selected texts through a culturally responsive lens and highlight a diverse range of people and experiences.
• Supports teachers with examining unconscious bias and conducting sensitive conversations.

Preparing Every Teacher to Support Every Student from Day One

With on-demand, point-of-use resources, support is at your fingertips to help you maximize the power of Wonders

Your teacher digital workspace provides extensive guidance to help you effectively and easily implement Wonders . Digital supports will introduce you to the curriculum and the instructional path, give you an overview of resources, and provide guidance for administering placement and diagnostic assessments.

You’ll also get model classroom videos and ready-to-teach modules, designed to support district coaches and facilitators as they deliver on-site or remote Wonders support sessions.

Learn more about the extensive digital support available in Wonders.

Develop Critical Readers, Writers, Communicators, and Thinkers

Wonders instructional model.

Build Knowledge Through a Text Set

• Investigate an Essential Question.
• Read a variety of texts.
• Closely read texts for deeper meaning.
• Respond to texts using text evidence.
• Conduct research.
• Share your knowledge.
• Inspire action.

Communicate Effectively Through Writing

• Analyze mentor texts and student models.
• Understand purpose and audience.
• Plan writing, using sources as needed.
• Conference with peers and teachers.
• Evaluate work against a rubric.
• Improve writing continuously.
• Share your writing.

Instruction Aligned to the Science of Reading

Explicit instruction supports students in building knowledge:

• Foundational Reading Skills
• Phonics/Word Analysis
• Reading Literature
• Reading Informational Texts
• Comparing Texts
• Researching

Skills-based mini-lessons support students in developing their writing:

• Narrative Writing
• Argumentative Writing
• Expository Writing
• Handwriting
• Speaking and Listening
• Following Conventions
• Creating and Collaborating

Differentiation

Differentiate resources, instruction, and level of scaffolds.

Small Group Teacher-Led Instruction

• Choose from small group skills lesson options to target instruction to meet students’ needs.
• Read texts with scaffolded support.

Independent/Collaborative Work

• Students transfer knowledge of skills and standards to independent reading and practice.
• Students transfer skills to their writing.

Extend, Connect, and Assess

At the end of the unit, students transfer and apply knowledge gained to new contexts.

Demonstrate Understanding

• Extend knowledge through online reading and Reader’s Theater.
• Connect ELA skills to content area reading with science and social studies texts.
• Assess learning with program assessments.

Review and Evaluation Materials for Wonders

Grade K Scope & Sequence

Grade 1 Scope & Sequence

Grade 2 Scope & Sequence

Grade 3 Scope & Sequence

Grade 4 Scope & Sequence

Grade 5 Scope & Sequence

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• Classroom Management
• Cultural Responsive
• Differentiation
• Distance Learning
• Explicit Teaching
• Figurative Language
• Interactive Notebooks
• Mentor Text
• Monthly/Seasonal
• Organization
• Social Emotional Learning
• Social Studies
• Step-by-Step Instruction
• Teaching Tips
• Testing and Review
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1st Grade Step-by-Step Writing® Program Writing 1st Grade Step-by-Step Writing® Program Sale! 1st Grade Step-by-Step Writing® Program

$ 100.44 Original price was: $100.44. $ 70.00 Current price is: $70.00.

Do you want to transform your reluctant writers into ROCKSTAR WRITERS®? This printable 1ST GRADE WRITING UNITS BUNDLE is filled with our signature  STEP-BY-STEP WRITING®  lessons with INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOKS. It is a COMPLETE  WRITER’S WORKSHOP PROGRAM  with all the tools needed for the entire year. You will find simple yet engaging writing mini-lessons for Sentence Writing, Paragraph Writing, Narrative Writing, Opinion Writing, and Informative Writing.

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ORIGINAL AND ONLY REGISTERED STEP-BY-STEP WRITING® UNITS

Every lesson builds upon the previous skill in the writing process within one piece of writing, including modeling, original mentor texts, and examples. It gives students a thorough understanding of how to put a quality piece of writing together and helps even the most reluctant writers become  ROCKSTAR WRITERS® ! One study shows that 98% of two classes using the program scored in the exceptional range on state testing. Find out more about the  research-based  system at  Rockstar Writers® .

MOTIVATE-EDUCATE-DIFFERENTIATE!

This resource is packed with ways to MOTIVATE-EDUCATE-DIFFERENTIATE! Students will be engaged, you will have already prepped and modeled lessons for explicit teaching, and the differentiation will make a difference.

DO YOU HAVE LIMITED TIME FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION?

This program can be taught without the interactive notebook pages. You can use the mini-anchor charts for student notebooks to save time.

★  Digital versions and videos for 1ST grade are available at  Rockstar Writers® .

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE 1ST GRADE WRITING UNITS BUNDLE?

★ SCRIPTED Lesson plans and ideas with strategies for differentiation

★ Anchor charts

★ Differentiated Interactive Notebook Pages

★ Model Writing (For each lesson that builds into a quality essay)

★ Original Mentor Texts and a Suggested Mentor Text List

★ Practice Worksheets (Ideal for independent work and homework)

★ Task Cards with Recording Templates (Perfect for centers)

★ Writing Checklists (In each type of writing)

★ Common Core Checklists

★ Word Lists (Tons of lists to give students ideas for writing.)

★ Tracking Forms

★ Writing Goal Form

★ Peer Reflection Form

★ Personal Reflection Form

★ Rubrics (3-point and 4-point in each type of writing)

★ Final Copy Templates

★ Writing Prompt Cards

★ Passages in Opinion and Informative (For note-taking lessons and to use for additional prompts)

★ Weekly Writing Guide for Students (Essay of the Week)

★ Assessments

1: 1ST GRADE SENTENCE AND PARAGRAPH WRITING

Students will learn to write effective sentences and paragraphs.

MINI-LESSONS:  Nouns, Verbs, Pronouns, SIMPLE sentences using subjects and predicates, compound sentences with a FANBOYS chart, topic sentences, relevant details, and closing sentences.

2: 1ST GRADE NARRATIVE WRITING

Students will learn to write an expressive narrative. A comparison of narratives and personal narratives is included to show how to use the lessons for both types of writing. A mini thesaurus is also included.

MINI-LESSONS:  Narrative elements, brainstorming, graphic organizers, determining plot, character traits and actions, strategies to write a rough draft and forming a writing goal, D.A.R.E. to Revise (Delete, Add details and transition words, Rearrange, Exchange for a strong lead, better word choice, strong conclusion), C.U.P.S. to Edit (Rules for Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, Spelling), writing a title, peer reflection, and final copy strategies.

3. 1ST GRADE OPINION WRITING

Students will learn to write a compelling OPINION.

MINI-LESSONS:  Opinion elements, brainstorming, graphic organizers, writing an introduction, body, and conclusion, strategies to write a rough draft and writing goal, D.A.R.E. to Revise (Delete, Add details and transition words and phrases, Rearrange, Exchange for a strong lead, better keyword choice, strong conclusion), C.U.P.S. to Edit (Rules for Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, Spelling), writing a title, peer reflection, and final copy strategies.

4: 1ST GRADE INFORMATIVE WRITING

Students will learn how to research facts and information effectively. (Directions for a research assignment are included.)

MINI-LESSONS:  Informative elements, brainstorming, graphic organizers, writing an introduction, body, and conclusion, how to take notes, avoid plagiarism, using graphics, headings, strategies to write a rough draft and writing goal, D.A.R.E. to Revise (Delete, Add details and transition words, Rearrange, Exchange for a strong lead, better keyword choice, strong conclusion), C.U.P.S. to Edit (Rules for Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, Spelling), writing a title, peer reflection, and final copy strategies.

5: BRAINSTORMING IDEAS

Start with brainstorming ideas for the year! There is an interest inventory and interactive pages for (I Love, I Wonder, My Family, and My Feelings).

6: STUDENT RESOURCE GUIDE

Students will have many skills and idea lists at their fingertips when writing. Make a copy for your writing center, or give one to each student!

7: WRITING PROCESS POSTERS

Display this so students can visualize the steps to writing effective essays.

8: WRITING PROCESS PLANS AND PAGES

Lesson plans, anchor charts, and interactive pages to teach the writing process.

9: SPELLING DICTIONARY

Students can use it to look up words and add words they frequently use.

3 Versions  (Mini booklet, Full-page, Google (Link in the mini booklet)

10: EDITABLE PACING GUIDE

The pacing guide (long-range plans) is a suggested way to use the program. It is easily editable if your district requires you to teach in a different order.

11: COVER PAGES, TABS, AND TABLE OF CONTENTS

These can be used for each section of the notebook.

BONUS FILE- READ FIRST- SET UP AND RESOURCES

★  Support: Exclusive access to my email and Step-by-Step Writing Facebook Group

★  Getting Ready

★  Preparations

★  Order of Skills

★  Writing Workshop Schedule

★  Steps for each lesson

★  Techniques for Teaching Writing

★  Setting Up Notebooks

★  Mini Lesson Instructions

★  Decorating notebook (Including student handout)

★  Portfolio Labels

★  Portfolio Message to Parents

★  Quick Notebook Check Rubric

★  Presentation Rubric

★  Writing Workshop Rules

★  Teacher Binder Cover Pages for each section

Look no further!  It is all here! It is a  STEP-by-STEP , user-friendly writing program. I can’t wait for you to join the band!

DO YOU NEED MORE CONFIDENCE IN TEACHING WRITING?

Pam has 26 years of teaching experience, a Master’s Degree, and National Board Certification. She is a writing coach and shares her SECRETS TO WRITING SUCCESS.  YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE AT ROCKSTAR WRITERS.COM!  She has a free workshop on how to teach essay writing!

What teachers are buzzing about:

“I bought this resource my first year of teaching. It is my fourth year now, and it is still my go-to for teaching writing (even though we have a writing program in the school, this one is MUCH better). The students really treasure their interactive writing books and published pieces at the end of the year. I love the amount of content in this resource–graphic organizers, checklists, rubrics, interactive notebook materials–and so much more! This is worth the money!”

“Such a great resource – one of the best purchases I have made! Writing has never been a favorite activity for my students, but this has allowed them to be a little more creative and more willing to show me what they can do!.” -MissLentz

“I love that these are mini-lessons that build on each other. I have a very short time to teach writing this year, and this is a great resource to have for planning quick, mini lessons! Thank you!” -Carrie

COMMON CORE WRITING AND LANGUAGE STANDARDS

1.W.1, 1.W.2, 1.W.3, W.5, W.6, W.7, W.8, W.9, W.10

1.L.1, 1.L.2

FOREVER UPDATES AND ADD-ONS!

Check your purchases. If this resource has a button that says, “newly revised,” redownload!

DISTRICT AND SCHOOL-WIDE LICENSES AVAILABLE

One purchase is for one teacher and their students. You own it for life. It may be shared with your students yearly through presentations, printing pages, and password-protected websites.  The proper licenses must be purchased to share the files with colleagues or an entire grade level, school, or district.  There is an easy click under purchases where you can buy additional permissions! For DISTRICT LICENSING, contact me for pricing at [email protected].

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Shipping to Classrooms Summer 2024

Unlock students' potential with our new K-3 writing curriculum, combining grammar concepts with writing process instruction!

Now available for Pre-Order!

Meet Bridge to Writing

Bridge to Writing is a comprehensive K-3 writing curriculum that cultivates strong writers through research-based instruction, making writing lessons easy for teachers and engaging for students.

This one-of-a-kind curriculum seamlessly supplements your existing ELA curricula to teach sentence writing and paragraph development fundamentals, elevating writing skills and grammar proficiency in your classroom.

Bring Pen to Paper…and Beyond!

Easy-to-implement.

Lessons are easy to follow, require minimal prep time, and directly connect teachers to digital resources and videos helping them to implement the curriculum with fidelity.

Comprehensive

Bridge to Writing is the only writing curriculum to combine grammar concepts with writing process instruction, providing a comprehensive writing solution for K-3 classrooms.

Explicit, Systematic, and Sequential

Using a sequential and systematic method of instruction it teaches the fundamentals of writing and the writing process, starting with sentence structure and scaffolding from simple to complex.

Engaging Multimodal Instruction

Instruction goes beyond pen and paper providing students with a variety of learning opportunities including skywriting, fine-motor activities, hands-on instructional strategies, and interactive digital applications.

Research-Based and Standards-Aligned

Bridge to Writing is grounded in the latest research on how children learn to read and write and aligned to state and national writing standards. Learn more about the research base here .

Supplements Existing Curricula

Bridge to Writing seamlessly complements your existing ELA curricula to teach sentence writing and paragraph development fundamentals within :30 minutes of instruction.

Bridge to Writing Components

Teacher's editions.

Thirty weeks of lessons for grades K-3 provide teachers with explicit instruction pairing grammar concepts and writing process instruction.

Student WRITE Books

WRITE books—Wonderful, Ready, Informed, Talented, Encoders—provide student with opportunities to apply what they've learned during whole group instruction.

Teacher Resource Book

An educator's writing instruction toolbox, the Teacher Resource Book provides writing models, rubrics, checklists, and more!

Sentence Construction Cards

The building blocks for writing—including Bridge to Reading Red Words, nouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, pronouns, articles, punctuation)—these hands-on resources give students a multisensory way to explore writing.

Writers In the World

Introduce students to real-world professionals and the ways they apply writing skills in their daily lives, from speechwriters to playwrights and beyond!

Anchor Charts

Engaging visuals reinforce concepts including What is Writing?, Sentences Types, Writing Genres, Parts of Speech, Writing Process Steps, and more.

myHeggerty Digital Resources

myHeggerty unlocks instant digital access to Bridge to Writing resources, including digital lesson plans, classroom interactives, on-demand professional development, and more!

Customer stories

I love how the writing starts with students writing about what they know before going into more difficult concepts. I love the ease of the grammar pages and it allows my students to feel successful. My teacher heart is so appreciative of the rubrics for EVERY writing task!

I like how fast it is. I can get the lessons completed in about 20 minutes which feels developmentally appropriate to me. I also love that the program teaches what a sentence is from the beginning.

I like how Bridge to Writing immediately has students working with conventions. The writing prompts are precise, so even my most emergent writers know what to write and can feel successful.

I love the pacing. The grammar pieces are so important as well as integrating the writing process to produce independent writers.

I love that I am able to follow a progression of skills and to know where to start!

I have liked the simple nature of each lesson and the flexibility to make it authentic for my learners.

Grounded in Research

With input from Academic Consultant Dr. Gary Troia, Bridge to Writing is grounded in the latest research on how children learn to read and write, including the work of Joan Sedita, Anita Archer, Natalie Wexler, and more.

Digital extensions provide opportunities to expand teacher knowledge as the research base evolves, securing your investment for years to come.

Dr. Gary Troia

Academic consultant, aligned to standards.

Bridge to Writing not only covers state standards and CCSS Writing and Language Standards but goes above and beyond to equip students with essential writing skills for future grades. 

Bring Bridge to Writing to your District

Contact the Heggerty sales team to learn how the Bridge to Writing Curriculum fits within your ELA block.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bridge to Writing for grades K-3 is now available for Pre-Order and will begin shipping to classrooms in June 2024. Pre-Order here .

Coming soon! Our team is actively working on Bridge to Writing for the upper elementary grade levels for release in 2025.

A Bridge to Writing Classroom Kit providing materials for 25 students and 1 teacher starts at $699. Pre-Order your classroom kit here .

No—We recommend using Bridge to Writing with any research-based reading curricula. While there is no requirement for use, classrooms implementing Bridge to Reading will find alignment with lesson structure, resources, and concepts.

Thirty weeks of instruction is the time needed to meet and exceed, national and state standards. We know your time is limited (and valuable!), so we made an effort to provide you with exactly what you need to build successful writers.

On average, Bridge to Writing lessons take between 30 to 40 minutes.

Yes! This fall, nearly 1,000 K-2 classrooms piloted Bridge to Writing in classrooms nationwide. Learn more here.

Our team is actively exploring the possibility of developing a version of our curriculum to better meet the diverse needs of bilingual and dual-language classrooms! However, there is no current plan for release at this time. Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for your interest in Bridge to Writing!

Yes! Heggerty offers on-demand, virtual, and in-person professional development and training opportunities for educators to successfully implement Bridge to Writing.

Bridge to Writing was designed and is intended for Tier 1 whole-group instruction.

No, Bridge to Writing does not include explicit handwriting instruction. However, the curriculum addresses letter formation and includes a Letter Formation Anchor Chart.

Bridge to Writing for Third Grade introduces an increase in student ownership, autonomy, and responsibility, the addition of student-led goal-setting and reflection, longer form writing opportunities, more complex grammatical structures, increased technology focus, and more opportunities for peer-led discussion and editing.

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5 warnings and an advisory in effect for 22 regions in the area

Tomball isd teachers fired, accused of unprofessional behavior with students in autism program.

Karen Araiza , Digital Content Lead , Houston

TOMBALL – Teachers at a Tomball elementary school are out of a job and under investigation after being accused of unprofessional behavior towards students.

The district let parents know by email Tuesday that teachers in Structured Learning Lab classrooms at Creekview Elementary are under investigation by Harris County Pct 4 Constable’s Office and Texas Child Protective Services. The SLL classrooms serve students from PreK up to 6th grade who have Autism Spectrum Disorder or similar behaviors, according to a school document .

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Administrators are not saying how many teachers are under investigation or what they’re accused of.

The statement to staff and families says the investigation started last Monday, May 6, following reports of “alleged unprofessional behavior” towards students by teachers in the SLL classrooms. The district started their own internal investigation, let the teachers go and called in investigators from both from the Constable’s office and the state.

• Mother says 13-year-old son with autism was left unresponsive after bully beatdown

“All employee misconduct allegations are taken seriously and promptly investigated thoroughly. Tomball ISD has zero tolerance for employee misconduct. Again, the safety of our students in Tomball ISD is our number one priority. At this time, Tomball ISD has no further comment as the investigation has been handed over to law enforcement,” the letter to families and staff reads.

The statement also says the district is aware that the “isolated incident” may become public and they want to make sure the community has accurate information, but “while there may be concerns or questions, law enforcement has taken over the investigation and we cannot provide any more details at this time.”

• Katy ISD high school teacher accused of owning child pornography, taking candid photos of students

The Structured Learning Lab is a program designed to serve students who have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and/or behaviors similar to ASD, according to the school document outlining the program. It serves elementary students who have “significant educational needs related to ASD and/or similar behaviors.”

SLLs include highly structured, individualized programming, communication and language training, social skills training, utilization of natural environments for instruction, positive behavioral programming, educationally-based sensory activities, and when appropriate, inclusion with same-age peers in general education settings.

• Houston ISD parents, teachers protest ‘resign or terminate’ ultimatum given to principal

In a 2024-2025 job description for a special education teacher with the Structured Learning Lab at Creekview, the primary purpose of the position is described as:

• Provide special education students with learning activities and experiences designed to help them fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth. Develop or modify curricula and prepare lessons and other instructional materials to student ability levels. Work in self-contained, team, departmental, or itinerant capacity as assigned.

The working conditions on the job description are headlined as Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors

• Maintain emotional control under stress. Frequent standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, pushing, and pulling. Move small stacks of textbooks, media equipment, desks, and other classroom or adaptive equipment. May be required to lift and position students with physical disabilities; control behavior through physical restraint; and assist non-ambulatory students. Exposure to biological hazards.

Pay is $61,000 a year.

Stay informed with KPRC 2's Breaking News Alerts.

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Karen araiza.

Houston bred and super excited to be back home! I grew up in The Heights with my 8 brothers and sisters and moved back in 2024. My career as a journalist spans a lot of years -- I like to say there's a lot of tread on these tires! I'm passionate about helping people. I also really love sharing success stories and stories of redemption. Email me!

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Spokane will get its first standalone public language immersion school as growing Spanish program moves and evolves

Spokane County is getting its first standalone public language immersion school, as the ever-growing Spanish program through Spokane Public Schools housed in the Libby Center will move to its own facility next year and become its own school.

The popular program where instruction is 50-50 Spanish-English is outgrowing the space it shares with Odyssey and Tessera, programs for advanced students. Begun in 2017 with two classes of kindergartners, the program adds a grade each year until it serves kindergarten to eighth grade. Next year, the school’s original class of kindergartners will enter seventh grade.

But the Libby Center is out of space; two portables already sit on the campus for extra classrooms.

“We have 280 students enrolled,” Principal Mauricio Segovia said. “The need to continue supporting the expansion at this point requires the assessment of, ‘All right, if we continue supporting this, how can we possibly fit all the kids within this space?’ And it’s impossible.”

The soon-to-be standalone school will be in the vacant Pratt building, a long ranch-style facility built in 1958 in East Spokane that spills into Spokane Valley territory. The former elementary school, which closed in 2007, housed various alternative programs and was last renovated in 2013.

The building doesn’t need any major construction, said capital projects director Greg Forsyth. But it will get a fresh coat of paint and new electronics, along with play structures and furniture suitable for the young pupils.

“It has good bones, but it needs some love,” Segovia said.

The district has budgeted about $1.5 million to get the building ready. Most of that is to pay for transporting two portables at Libby to the new site, an extensive process that involves deconstructing the makeshift classrooms and hauling them 3 miles from Libby to Pratt.

Other costs include $600,000 for next school year for operations, like staffing and electricity, and anywhere from $180,000 to $685,000 in transportation costs.

The school board endorsed the move to Pratt on April 24, though it is not officially funded until they adopt the budget in August.

Staff and families already are dreaming of becoming their own school, rather than a school program, especially to build their identity and better execute their unique mission as an immersion school.

Surrounded by other English-speaking pupils in the Odyssey and Tessera programs at Libby, it’s difficult to fully immerse students in their target language. Instruction follows a 50-50 Spanish-English model, but kids mostly use English on the playground and in hallways. Segovia hopes to shift language use to 80-20 Spanish-English, which he believes will be much easier to accomplish if the program can exist in its own space, he said.

“We need the physical space where we’re going to identify with focus and in a more targeted way,” Segovia said. “The learning environment with the language that we’re targeting to develop, which is Spanish here, we cannot do because we’re sharing the space with another school that focuses on a different instructional model.”

Hired as principal this year, Segovia has ushered in changes to the program he’s eager to continue in a new building. Lured out of retirement from his past role overseeing a section of Chicago Public Schools and with teaching experience in his home country Chile, he rallied to collect around $15,000 in grant funding for the state to send his staff to conferences and other schools across the country. He’s also provided extensive training for his team, necessary because it’s easy for them to feel isolated as the only Spanish immersion teachers in the county, he said.

Other changes may be on the horizon for the school.

Segovia hopes to increase the number of classes of younger students to make up for attrition as students age.

Segovia also has made it his aim to include more Latinos and native Spanish speakers in his school; there’s still work to be done toward this goal, including reviewing outreach efforts and the enrollment process, he said.

“Just by continuing what we have done in terms of communication and strategy, we’re reaching the same people, and they are pretty much the 85% of Caucasian families we have currently in our program,” Segovia said.

Among the 44 pupils selected via a lottery to be in the school’s next class of kindergartners, none are Latino, he said. He hopes to initiate an alternative enrollment process for students who already speak some Spanish.

“It’s been mostly used by monolingual and white families,” Segovia said. “So now to increase that, to open up opportunities for increased diversity and welcome other minority students, I am creating access for students who are families who are Latino that speak Spanish.”

A blank canvas

Segovia said he’s only received positive feedback surrounding the prospective move to Pratt, which many families and staff have already toured. After the board voiced its support of the school’s move at the April 24 meeting, the chat on the meeting’s Zoom stream flooded with messages of gratitude and celebration. Around 70 tuned into the stream, more than is standard for the district.

“We’ll move into a space that maybe isn’t exactly how we wanted it, but we’ll make it that for ourselves,” said school parent Tania Johnson. “I think that will actually help our program build a lot of community and bring the students closer together.”

Johnson has a first- and sixth-grader at the program, her eldest one of the inaugural kindergartners at the school’s inception. Having been involved each year since 2017, Johnson is thrilled to watch the once 50-student program blossom into its own school.

“We wanted our children to be in a school that was based in the celebration of diversity and talking about social justice issues and really bringing inclusiveness and cultural awareness to the surface,” Johnson said.

Her sixth-grader is thriving while learning Spanish, on track to earn her seal of biliteracy by eighth or ninth grade, satisfying her world language requirement in high school and freeing up her schedule to take other electives, perhaps a third language. Johnson said she’s been learning French online in her spare time.

Along with a fresh building, the new school will get to decide its name, mascot and colors.

Segovia has begun surveying his staff and students in these areas – the favored mascot, earning half of the survey votes for students, is the axolotl, a critically endangered amphibian native to Mexico.

Combatting loneliness: Why staying connected is vital to your health

Staying connected – and in relationships – could be the cure you need to your health and stress issues.

The 5 Best Free Antivirus Software Programs of 2024

There’s basically no excuse for not having top-notch antivirus software on your personal computers these days.

You have multiple well-rated — and no-cost — options to choose from, as PCMag’s latest ratings of free antivirus programs illustrate.

To reach its findings, the publication tested 38 antivirus products and examined the results of other independent labs that have tested the programs.

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The best free antivirus software

PCMag awarded its “Editors’ Choice” honor for 2024 to Avast One Essential . It earned an “outstanding” overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 from PCMag.

In writing about the rankings, Neil J. Rubenking, PCMag’s lead analyst for security, says:

“Avast has been supplying antivirus protection for as long as there’s been an antivirus industry … All four of the independent testing labs we follow include Avast in their reporting, and it aces almost every test. It also takes high scores in our own hands-on testing.”

However, PCMag published its 2024 ranking of free antivirus software before the U.S. Federal Trade Commission fined Avast $16.5 million for selling users’ data. So you might want to consider one of the runners-up instead.

AVG Antivirus Free and Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows tied for the second-place spot, with each scoring an “excellent” 4 out of 5. AVG was named “best for useful bonuses,” and Bitdefender is “best for no-frills protection.”

Rounding out the top five are Avira Free Security and Microsoft Defender Antivirus , each earning a “good” rating of 3.5 out of 5.

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Kaspersky Free, which once ranked highly, is conspicuously absent from the list. PCMag notes that Kaspersky’s Russian origins and the war in Ukraine have caused many governments and organizations to censure and cut ties with the business. The Federal Communications Commission has gone so far as to say Kaspersky is a national security threat, and as a result, PCMag no longer recommends their products.

Should you pay for antivirus protection?

PCMag says that paid antivirus programs offer more protection and better protection than free versions. What’s more, tech support may be limited for free program users.

Whether you should pay for antivirus protection comes down to your budget. If a paid program isn’t in your budget, perhaps try a few of the free programs to see which you like best.

One exception is for business computers. PCMag notes that free antivirus programs are often free only for noncommercial use, meaning only for use on personal computers.

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