• Home
  • Blog
  • Categories
    • Subjects
    • Organize & Manage
    • Thematic & Seasonal
  • Freebies
  • Store
  • FAQ/Contact
Traci Clausen - Engaging TeachingTraci Clausen - Engaging Teaching
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Categories
    • Subjects
    • Organize & Manage
    • Thematic & Seasonal
  • Freebies
  • Store
  • FAQ/Contact

Engaging Writing Curriculum

Home » Engaging Writing Curriculum
Engaging Writing

Engaging Writing Curriculum

Teaching writing is a stress inducer for a lot of teachers. Engaging Writing is here to help!

During my first couple years of teaching, writing time was THE area that frustrated me the most. Many techniques and strategies I read about and tried to implement just muddled the “art” of it. They took up far too much time. Overall, they missed the mark with my little ones. Honestly, I dreaded my writing block.

Over the years, I’ve had lots of discussions with peers about the struggle with teaching writing. Understanding this is an area of frustration for many teachers, I am thrilled to share with you a complete, easy to follow and implement, and extremely effective writing program.

Because it is FILLED with OODLES of goodness, Engaging Writing  is a teacher’s dream! It simplifies the writing block. Most importantly, with Engaging Writing, kiddos master those writing standards and become strong, confident, non-reluctant writers.

THE ENGAGING WRITING PROGRAM PRINCIPLES

Engaging Writing is based on four basic principles:

  • Each lesson is CCSS aligned with 1st and 2nd grade standards and standards mastery focused. Lessons, visuals, read-alouds, practice and application develop skill mastery within these standards.
  • The program is genre specific. The lessons increase student schema in narrative, expository and opinion writing genres. There are 10 weeks of instruction for each genre.
  • It covers both 1st and 2nd grade skills. So, teachers who loop with their kiddos, have multi-age classrooms, or a group of students who require differentiated activities have 2-years worth of resources in one place!
  • Engaging Writing is quick and simple. It requires minimal prep. The primary purpose is interactive learning through lessons and activities.

ENGAGING WRITING TEACHER’S GUIDE

Engaging Writing Teacher Guide

The program includes a comprehensive, easy to use teacher’s manual. It guides writing instruction through quick and easy to implement daily lessons. The teacher’s guide file is ready to print and go.  I took mine to Staples and had it bound. You could also use a comb binder to bind it, or even put it in a binder!

Engaging Writing Table of Contents

Engaging Writing Guide

30 weeks of differentiated lessons are laid out in an easy to follow daily format. The included approximate/suggested lesson time icons help with planning.

Also included in the lesson plans:

  • differentiation notes
  • samples & suggestions
  • assessment reminders
  • short-cut symbol/color-coded format
  • reference to correlating student activity page numbers

Engaging Writing Daily Guide

TEACHING THE GENRES

Each genre unit includes an organization and lesson summary sheet.

  • genre overview – description of the genre and the learning/performance expectation
  • genre incorporation ideas
  • quick prep list

Engaging Writing Genre Specific Writing

 

COLOR CODED ANCHOR CHARTS / GENRE POSTERS

Full-color anchor charts provide quick display opportunities. The graphic reminders are a tremendous support for students (and teachers). They are also color-coded to match the components of each 10 week genre lesson.

Writing Genre Posters / Anchor Charts

MENTOR TEXTS SUGGESTIONS

Reading and listening to awesome writing is a fabulous way to better understand HOW to write. Engaging Writing™ includes lists of children’s books that are a perfect addition to any classroom library! The text, genre components, and illustrations provide terrific examples of excellent writing.

Mentor Texts that Support Writing

 

ENGAGING WRITING STUDENT RESOURCES

Engaging Writing Student Resources

The student resource reproducible file is HUGE! It contains everything you will need to copy for your kiddos. Resources are provided for beginners and advanced primary writers based on 1st and 2nd grade writing standards. This file is kept separate from the teacher’s guide to ensure ease of use and copying.

The Interactive Flip Book provides student support throughout each 10-week unit. This key component quickly and easily covers each aspect of the writing genre in detail using key words, definitions and examples.

Engaging Writing Flip Book

The Writers Quick Reference is a writing tool for the entire year.

It includes:

  • dead word alternatives
  • transition words
  • phrases specific
  • spelling reference

Writer's Reference Book

THE ACTIVITIES

Beyond the lessons, there are extensive and differentiated activities.

These activities provide opportunity for:

  • independent work
  • partner & collaboration work
  • guided groups and whole group
  • assessment

70+ Writing Activities

Engaging Writing™ includes complex text. Complex text is an important literacy development component. Students use text-based evidence and answers in genre specific tasks.

Engaging Writing with Complex Text

Because practice is imperative, Engaging Writing includes lots of practice opportunities for all three genres. As a result, this practice increases student writing skill schema, allows for differentiation and “leveling up” growth, too!

Opinion Activities & Assessments

Narrative Activities & Assessments

Expository Activities & Assessments

70+ Genre Specific Writing Activities

Informational text is another key Engaging Writing™ component. The NGSS standards for both 1st and 2nd grade are on many of the expository text practice pages. Cross-curriculum focus during class lessons fits in smoothly.

NGSS aligned Engaging Writing

 

The teacher’s guide includes the thumbnails for each of these pages. This “quick look” helps in quickly planning and prepping for the lessons.

Student Activity Thumbnails

The teacher’s guide also includes answer keys for each of the student activity pages! Simplify your grading time – or better yet – get some grading assistance from a helper.

Student Activity Answer Key

 

GRAMMAR, WRITING PLANS, GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS AND FINAL DRAFT STATIONERY

Engaging Writing™ incorporates grammar practice sheets. These help students improve creativity and novelty in their writing style while mapping and organizing their thinking.
Graphic Organizers

Paragraph production and story writing concludes each unit. Students manage their thoughts and ideas in graphic organizers and writing plans. Finally, they conclude the unit writing detailed paragraphs on the provided stationery.

The teacher’s guide includes a completed sample of ALL of these graphic organizers.

ENGAGING WRITING IS COMPREHENSIVE, PRACTICAL, EFFECTIVE & TEACHER & STUDENT FRIENDLY!

Engaging Writing™ is the complete package.

Ultimately, Engaging Writing™ encompasses my passion for keeping things simple and effective. The program is everything you need for an effective writing block! It is an easy to use and implement alternative to the regiment of “workshop” style writing blocks. Additionally, it is a system superior to the lacking writing lessons included in many district ELA curriculum adoptions. Engaging Writing™ is the answer to the writing block challenge!

Engaging Writing

I developed Engaging Writing™ as a stand alone writing program. However, it also works amazingly well as a writing supplement. It adds the structure and steps necessary to build strong writing skills. Check it out! Watch your kiddos writing skills grow!

You might also be interested in . . .

Share

2 Comments

Leave your reply.
  • maureen
    · Reply

    August 25, 2018 at 4:59 AM

    How can I get these resources?

    • Traci
      · Reply

      Author
      August 25, 2018 at 9:52 AM

      Hi Maureen,
      You can click on any of the links in the post or HERE to find Engaging Writing in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 🙂

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

I’m passionate about helping teachers find their joy, develop efficiency and ignite their own teaching strengths. I’m so happy you’re here!

 

Recent Posts

  • Grammar Boost
  • Word Work Activities Extravaganza!
  • Kindergarten Literacy Activities
  • Phonics & Sight Word Practice with Chunky Monkey
  • The Most Important Reading & Writing Strategies

TRENDING ON TPT

AFFILIATES

Educational & Teacher Supplies

SitSpots Logo

Daily Boutique Deals


Cricut Logo

Stay in Touch!

Exclusive Planner Help Videos
 
Contact & FAQ

 

Hi! I’m Traci and I’m super glad you’re here. I’m passionate about sharing all the *wisdom* gained over my many years of teaching. I love helping teachers find their joy, develop efficiency and ignite their own teaching strengths. I believe simplicity and fun coupled with effective strategies and engaging and focused lessons are the key to it all. Also… laughter can carry you through just about all things.

Check out my classroom FAV’s on AMAZON!

 

Traci Clausen, Inc. (Traci Clausen – Engaging Teaching) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

© 2021 · Traci Clausen - Engaging Teaching

Prev Next