Writing Resources

Get your students excited about informational writing! This complete informational writing unit includes daily lesson plans, notebook charts, mentor texts and more. This unit takes your students through the whole writing process. Students will begin with getting ideas and end with a published piece of informational writing. The informational writing lessons included can be used in two ways:

1. Students get their own ideas for their essay.
2. Students write based on a prompt.

✋🛑 The materials in this resource are the same ones included in The Literacy Loft Membership. If you are a monthly or annual member, please do not purchase! If you'd like to learn more about the membership, click here!

✋ This unit is also part of the Writing Units Bundle which includes Narrative, Opinion, & Informational Writing Units.

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

What is included in the informational writing unit?

✏️Writing Minilessons:

There are a total of 24 minilessons. The lessons can be skipped, moved around, modified as needed based on your students' needs.

1. Study a Mentor Text
2. Writers are teachers.
3. Getting Ideas
4. Prepare for research
5. Writers research
6. Look for Big Ideas (Main Ideas for Text)
7. Sort Information
8. Plan with Boxes & Bullets
9. Draft Paragraphs
10. Paragraphs with Purpose
11. Use Text Evidence
12. Balance Facts with Voice
13. Using a Teaching Tone
14. Elaboration: Using Mini Stories
15. Using Figurative Language
16. Craft Moves & Elaboration Strategies
17. Expert Words (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
18. Transitional Words & Phrases
19. Introductions
20. Conclusions
21. Revise: Add Text Features
22. Revise: Eliminate Unnecessary Words
23. Edit
24. Polish & Publish!

✏️PowerPoint: 

For each lesson above, PowerPoint slides are included that can be used to model and teach the lesson. 

✏️Notebook Charts/Binder Charts for Students (see full list below):

For each lesson, a notebook chart is included to support student learning.

✏️More Writing Resources Included:

• Rubrics & Checklists
• Graphic Organizers
• Mini Word Wall
• Sort
• Teacher Example Essay + Planning
• Mentor Text Recommendations
• Publishing Paper

 ✏️ Writing Notebook Anchor Charts + Graphic Organizers

• Characteristics of an Informational Text
• Writing an Informational Text
• Wise Readers Ask Questions
• Cause and Effect
• Sort Out the Details
• What does the TEXT say?
• Using Text Evidence
• Transition Words for Informational Writing
• Organizing an Informational Text
• See, Think, Wonder
• See, Think, Wonder Notes on How to Use the Strategy
• Text Features
• Informational Writing Editing Checklist
• Informational Writing Checklist and Rubric
• Solving Our Spelling Problems
• Paragraphs with Purpose
• Instead of Says
• Introductions
• Conclusions
• Building the Main Idea of a Paragraph
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 1
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 2
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 3
• File it Away! (Graphic Organizer/Boxes and Bullets)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 3 sources with lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 3 sources without lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 4 sources with lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 4 sources without lines
• Sorting My Evidence (Graphic Organizer to sort information)
• 4 Square Boxes and Bullets Writing Planner
• Boxes and Bullets Planning Page
• Informational Writing Checklist

✅You can try a sample of this unit for FREE here!

✅You can also read THIS BLOG POST about the unit.

What other teachers are saying about the unit:

"My school adopted a curriculum which was just had guidelines as to what should be taught but was lacking resources. I purchased this writing unit and was so pleased with how comprehensive the lessons and graphic organizers are! I will definitely purchase the other units! Thank you!" - Jessica M.

"Your units are amazing and my students have benefited greatly. Before this, I used to hate teaching writing. But this is honestly now one of my favorite subjects to teach." - Brittney B.

"Excellent resource. This is jam packed with information and is everything you promise and more. Thank you for a thorough product." - Ms. Duffy's Dream

📹 Click play on the video to see the complete unit. 

You probably already know that conferring and working in small groups is the most organic and effective way to differentiate your instruction AND meet your students' needs. However, that requires YOU to be working with them. What about when you're not working with them? You want meaningful, rigorous writing opportunities that are skill-specific. That is precisely the purpose of these writing centers. 

There are 5 Types of Writing Centers with 5 of each writing center. That means you've got 25 Writing Centers to help your students grow! Each writing center also includes an Answer Key so that students can self-check or you can use as a grade if you prefer. The centers are available as color-coded or black and white. This particular set of Writing Centers are based on Scientific concepts.

✋🛑 The materials in this resource are the same ones included in The Literacy Loft Membership. If you are a monthly or annual member, please do not purchase! If you'd like to learn more about the membership, click here!

You can grab the Narrative Writing Centers here.

💻Google Slides

🖨Printable Pdfs

Click here for Writing Centers Volume 2 (Narrative)

What centers are included?

1. Fix it Up! Editing - Students edit a paragraph. The number of mistakes is located at the bottom so students know when they have found them all OR if they need to keep looking. An answer key is included so students can self-check.

Topics:

• Cool Critters! (Ants)
• Sluggish Situation (African Land Snail)
• Amphibians
• Salamanders
• Poison Dart Frog

2. Transition Mission- Students use a transitional words and phrases chart to add transitions to a paragraph. An answer key is included so students can self-check.

Topics:

• Crocs & Gators
• Metamorphosis
• Animals Impact Their Environment
• Oil Spills
• Endangered Species

3. Elaboration Station - Students are given a few sentences with facts about the topic. After the facts/evidences, students use elaboration strategies to add on to the paragraph. Sample responses are included.

Topics:

• Volcanoes (Informative)
• Grizzly Bears (Informative)
• Drought (Informative)
• College Athletes (Opinion)
• Physical Education (Opinion)

4. Paraphrase Practice - Each center has a paragraph. Students practice paraphrasing the paragraph. A chart for the STP (Stop! Think. Paraphrase) strategy is provided.

Topics:

• Indicator Species
• Pollinators
• Tracking Twisters
• Invasive Species
• Animals in Zoos

5. Sort + Write - This center includes 5 different science-based sorting activities. Students have directions for each sort. They are given words and phrases to sort for a specific purpose. After they have sorted, they write a multi-paragraph essay using the details and the sort to organize and write their essay. There are a total of 5 sorts. These could also double duty as a science center.

• Writing Rocks! (Classifying Rocks)
• Life Cycles (Complete + Incomplete)
• Heat Energy (3 Types)
• Writing Matters! (Solid, Liquid, Gas)
• People & Their Environment: Helpful or Harmful?

The centers are included in color + black and white. Ideas for storage and organization are included. Please see the preview for more information and to get a better look at these centers.

If you have any questions as to how you can use these in your upper elementary classroom, please email me at help@theliteracyloft.com.

- Jessica

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

These centers are the perfect supplement for our writing units and the monthly text sets.

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit
• Narrative Writing Unit
• Monthly Text Set Bundle

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Email: help@theliteracyloft.com 

About this Product

This product came as a result of my students’ love of the biography series “Who Was…?” If you have not looked into this series, I recommend that you do! They are a fun, easy read that offers an engaging way for students to learn about historical figures and important people. Although this product is based on this series, this product could be used for any biography book or project. This is a nice way to integrate Reading, Writing, and Social Studies.

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

How I Used this Product

In my 3rd Grade classroom, I used multiple copies of the same book or books and paired students in partnerships. In my school, we have a 30 minute Reading Intervention Block. I began this project with students who were not pulled out or working with me in small groups during this time. This was a nice way for students to work independently or in partnerships. It also created an extension for what they could already do as readers. Plus, they had so much fun! I let them work on this project in their partnerships. This held several benefits. Many students who were not pulled out or working in small groups tend to be higher level students OR students who have untapped potential. Allowing them to work on a project like this can extend their learning, as well as find new ways to enjoy reading. While other students had special groups or went to see other teachers, it was nice for these students to have their own project too.

The Poster Page is a template that you could use for students to turn in with the essay or you could use this as a planning page and then have students create a larger poster on their own. I assigned it as homework and was pleasantly surprised at what my students turned in. I saw a wonderful increase in engagement by students who had shown little motivation or enthusiasm for reading. You can see the photos in the preview or in the product itself. Please know I updated the pages after the photos were taken with more detail and provided the poster template. Good luck to you with this project! If you have any questions, please contact me!

You might also LOVE...

Reader’s Notebook Anchor Charts

My Opinion Matters! {An Opinion Writing Unit}

My Life is A Story {A Personal Narrative Writing Unit}

Buzzin' in Book Clubs {Book Club Reading Unit Resources}

Newspaper Article Writing Unit {Here's the Scoop!}

Opinion Writing for a Literary Response

Current Events Writing {What's the Scoop?}

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

This unit is 50% off through Thursday, July 14th!

Join the TLL Teachers Facebook Group to participate in all the fun!

This unit is a foundational unit to build craft, community, and confidence in your writing workshop. This is a 10 day unit that focuses on moving through the writing process and having students complete one narrative piece. The narrative unit will go deeper into crafting a personal narrative. 

What's included? 

• Unit Lesson Plans 
• Writing Notebook Charts
• Google Slides Presentation
• Google Slides Interactive Student Presentation
• Google Slides Interactive Student Notebook
• PowerPoint pdf

Need something else? Let me know in the comments! 

By the end of this unit, your students will be able to:

• Follow routines, procedures, and directions during each part of Writing Workshop. They listen quietly during the minilesson and participate with their partner.
• Begin working right away during independent writing time. They solve problems on their own and do not disturb others.
• Generate ideas for a personal narrative.
• Plan a personal narrative.
• Use their writing plan to draft a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• Use strategies to spell unknown words.
• Effectively communicate and work with a writing partner.
• Revise their own work by using a checklist.
• Edit their own work by using a checklist to correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
• Collaborate with a partner to share and work on their writing.
• Name and apply the stages of the writing process.

✋ 🛑 If you're a member of the TLL Membership, you already have access to these inside the membership. Not a member? Click here to join! 

 You can grab the Informational & Opinion Writing Centers here.

💻Google Slides

🖨Printable Pdfs

You probably already know that conferring and working in small groups is the most organic and effective way to differentiate your instruction AND meet your students' needs. However, that requires YOU to be working with them. What about when you're not working with them? You want meaningful, rigorous writing opportunities that are skill-specific. That is precisely the purpose of these writing centers.

There are 5 Types of Writing Centers with 6 of each writing center. That means you've got 30 Writing Centers to help your students grow! Each writing center also includes an Answer Key so that students can self-check or you can use as a grade if you prefer. The centers are available as color-coded or black and white. This particular set of Writing Centers are based on Scientific concepts.

Click here for Writing Centers Volume 1 (Informational & Opinion)

What centers are included?

1. Storytelling vs. Summarizing - Students decide whether the writer is storytelling or summarizing the story.

2. Storytelling Revision - Students rewrite the summary as a story. They are to add details, characters, dialogue, thought shots, and other narrative writing elements to slow it down and make the writing sound like a story.

Topics:

• New Girl
• What's in the basement?
• Camp Out!
• Roller Coaster
• Bee Sting!
• New Pet

3. Fact Adjectives - Students are given cards that has a photo with directions on writing with fact adjectives. They are to write inside their writing notebook or on a sheet of notebook paper.

Topics:

• Cats on a Computer
• Girl on the Phone
• Elephant & the Mouse
• Best Friends
• Stocking Up Squirrel
• Little Monkeys

4. Speaker Tags - Students think about what is happening in the conversation and how the character might speak. They will then write a speaker tag to complete each sentence.

Topics:

• It's a Deal!
• Homework?
• Recess Wars
• Kings' Quarrel
• Phone Call
• Book Spill

5. Transitions - Students will write a transition word or phrase to complete the sentences. A transitions chart is also provided.

Topics:

• Snowboarding
• Rooster's Ride
• Camp Commotion
• To the Hospital
• Something in the Water
• It's Just a Game

The centers are included in color + black and white. Ideas for storage and organization are included. Please see the preview for more information and to get a better look at these centers.

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

If you have any questions as to how you can use these in your upper elementary classroom, please email me at help@theliteracyloft.com.

- Jessica

These centers are the perfect supplement for our writing units and the monthly text sets.

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit
• Narrative Writing Unit
• Monthly Text Set Bundle

This Personal Narrative Unit is perfect for kicking off Writer’s Workshop at the beginning of the year, while also providing enough content to support the Narrative Writing Common Core Standard at any other point in the school year. The lessons in this unit will build excitement for writing and set foundations for the rest of your academic year. This unit also contains lifelong tools which could supplement other writing units and the overall writing process. 

✋🛑 The materials in this resource are the same ones included in The Literacy Loft Membership. If you are a monthly or annual member, please do not purchase! If you'd like to learn more about the membership, click here!

The content in the unit support 4 basic goals:

1. Get students excited about writing!
2. Build a community of writers.
3. Build confidence in the writers.
4. Find ways to craft our own life stories 

What this Unit Includes

(The lessons in this unit are NOT always in a specific lesson template or written to precisely tell you what to do. However, there are detailed descriptions and ideas for each teaching point, including how the teacher can model, how students will practice, and what students will do independently. This unit will look different in every classroom as your own personal teaching style, experience, and perspective filters through. I have included a brief explanation for each teaching point and how it would/could look in the classroom. I have also noted when to use the anchor charts for each day as well as included pictures of notebook work that may help also. This unit of resources will hopefully “fill your fist” as Katie Wood Ray would say, with writing strategies to help your writers build a love for writing! You can check out my blog for anchor chart ideas and information on teaching writing.

*20+ Writing Notebook Anchor Charts for the Writer’s Notebook to help support applying the writing strategies into their work by providing anchor charts at your students’ fingertips.

*20 Anchor Charts to be used for: teaching the lesson, laminated as posters, put in sheet protectors and on a binder ring as part of your writing center or any other creative way you find use for them!

*Narrative Writing Checklist and Grading Rubric

*Standards for 3rd-5th grades (to glue in notebook)

*Publishing Paper

Whether you are using this in your classroom to start off the year or as a way to improve your students’ writing process, I hope you and your students enjoy this unit as much as we did! If you have any further questions or needs I would love to hear from you!

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

-Jessica

1. Students get their own ideas for their essay.
2. Students write based on a prompt.

• Unit Lesson Plans
• PowerPoint
• Notebook Anchor Charts
• Full Size Anchor Charts
• Teacher Examples
• Rubrics & Checklists
• Sorts
• Mini Word Wall

1. Study a Mentor Text
2. Getting Ideas
3. Collect Entries
4. Writers rehearse
5. Reasons and Evidence
6. Structure of Opinion Writing
7. Make a Plan Using Boxes & Bullets
8. Using Transition Words
9. Hook the Reader (Opinion Statement)
10. Reason Paragraph (Planner to Paragraph)
11. Precise Word Choice
12. Expert Words (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
13. Elaboration
14. Craft a Conclusion
15. Revise: Eliminate Unnecessary Words
16. Edit
17. Polish & Publish

• Rubrics & Checklists
• Graphic Organizers
• Mini Word Wall
• Reasons + Evidence Sort
• Teacher Example Essay + Planning
• Mentor Text Recommendations
• Publishing Paper

• Characteristics of Opinion Writing
• Writing an Opinion Essay
• Topic Ideas for an Opinion Essay
• Getting Ideas for an Opinion Essay
• Debatable Topics
• Opinion Vocabulary
• Reasons vs. Evidence Sort
• Opinion Writing Structure (2 Reasons)
• Opinion Writing Structure (3 Reasons)
• Transition Words for Opinion Writing
• Transition Words from Pig Parade Mentor Text
• The Hook
• Paragraphs with Purpose
• Color Code Your Text
• Word Choice
• Opinion Sentence Stems
• Writers Use Expert Words
• Transitional Phrases for Evidence & Elaboration
• Crafting a Conclusion
• Instead of Says
• Using Text Evidence
• Quoting or Paraphrasing the Text
• Using Quotations from a Text
• Opinion Writers Checklist
• Peer Editing
• Thesis Statement for an Opinion Essay
• Planning a Thesis Statement
• Rebuttal, Response, & Counterclaims
• Repeat Your Opinion
• Close Reading Strategies
• Writers Choose Strong Evidence
• Consider Your Audience
• Language & Tone to Validate Your Argument
• Opinion Writing Editing Checklist
• Solving Your Spelling Problems
• Opinion Writer's Checklist
• Sorting My Evidence
• 4 Square Graphic Organizer
• Writers Celebrate 3-2-1 Style

Let’s connect! 

• The Literacy Loft Blog
• The Literacy Loft on Instagram
• The Literacy Loft on Pinterest
• The Literacy Loft on Facebook

-Jessica

The Literacy Loft

help@theliteracyloft.com

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Get access to our Free Resource Library:

http://bit.ly/FREEsourceLibrar...

• 36 Google Slides with a gif
• Paper Response Sheet (in case you want students to write their answers by hand)
• Answer Key with Sample Responses

• writing center
• literacy station
• early finisher task during independent writing
• homework
• small group
• daily warm-up for writing workshop
• sub plans for writing

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect!

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Email: help@theliteracyloft.com

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

***This bundle has been updated as of 1/11/2016 with the new Opinion Writing Charts***

This bundle contains our Narrative, Opinion, & Informational Writing Units. Click the links below or inside the preview to check out the individual units.

• Opinion Writing Unit
• Personal Narrative Writing Unit
• Informational Writing Unit

Each unit includes: 

• Writing Mini Lessons
• Notebook Anchor Charts + Full Page Anchor Charts
• Google Slides/PowerPoint
• Writing Activities

Are you looking for something else?

If these units do not include something particular you are looking for, please email us. We are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our products!

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

✏️ Get students writing about the newspaper genre with Current Events Summarizing Worksheets! Wh Reading comprehension questions help students gather the main idea and supporting details to start their summaries. Perfect for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.

About this Product:

Current Events are a nice way to integrate Social Studies, Reading, and Writing. Additionally, they are a wonderful way to keep your students connected to the community and world around them. 

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

This resource addresses the following Common Core State Standards:

Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. 
Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. 

Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of the text.

This product includes:

What’s the Scoop? Directions, Rubric, and Checklist?
This page gives the student directions for their assignment and then offers a checklist/rubric. In this way, students know exactly what is expected of them and how they will get their grade. This is also helpful for the teacher when grading the assignment.

What’s the Scoop?
This part of the assignment requires students to find a newspaper article and then answer Who, What, When, Were, and Why questions based on the article. 

The Author’s Craft
This portion of the assignment requires students to think about the author’s perspective, angle, and word choice in the text/about the topic. Students will identify the author’s tone (positive, negative, neutral) and then give examples of the author’s word choice. Students will also identify two new words, give the sentence from the article that used the word, meaning of the word, and create a new sentence using the word. 

Sum it Up!
Students will use the article as well as the answers to the previous questions to write a summary of their article. 

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

About this product:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CC.RA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

This product is a fun way to get your students excited about persuasive writing. Your students will write this piece from the point of view of an elf working in Santa’s Candy Cane factory. They are an elf who is put in charge of the factory when things take a turn for the worst. Your elves really want to keep their jobs (it is getting close to Christmas!)

This set includes the following items:
- Teacher Lesson Outline
- Student Scenario Page
- Three Planning Pages
- Transition Words Sheet
(plain and holiday versions)
- Hook Santa In Printable
- Endings Printable
- Two Letter Outline Printables

Reading and Writing from 1 text set!

What are monthly text sets? 
The monthly text sets are two or more texts based on the same topic. Each monthly text set can be used for both reading and writing. The topic of each text set is high-engaging nonfiction topics. Each text set supports opinion or informational based writing in response to reading.

What is included in each text set? 

• 2 (or more) related informational articles
• Reading Comprehension Questions
• Writing Prompt to be used with the texts in an essay format
• Writing Plan Example
• Teacher Example Essay (editable)
• Differentiated for Grades 3-5  

Polar Bear Problems
Students read articles about polar bears. Using the texts, they write an informational essay about the topic.
Standard-based reading comprehension questions help you integrate reading while using the same text you are using in writing.

Try the free text set here:
https://theliteracyloft.co/FREETextSet

These text sets go perfectly with the Informational and Opinion Writing Units:

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit

Check out the Monthly Text Set Bundle and save up! The bundle includes ALL of the text sets that are currently available.

What topics are included for each month?
The topics included are thematically related to that month. However, the text sets can be used at any time of the year based on your needs.

January - MLK (Opinion Text Set)

February - Equality in Education: Thurgood Marshall & Mary Mcleoud Bethune (Informational Text Set)

March - Ants: Perk or Pest (Opinion Text Set)

April - The Benefits of Bees (Informational Text Set)

May - Sea Turtles (Informational Text Set)

June - Sharks Text Set (Try for FREE here!)

July- Hurricanes Text Set (Informational Text Set)

August - Video Games: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

September - Homework: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

October- Bats (Informational Text Set)

November - Paid to Play: Should College Athletes be Paid?

December - Polar Bear Problems (Informational Text Set)

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect!

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Email: help@theliteracyloft.com

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

• 36 Google Slides with a gif
• Paper Response Sheet (in case you want students to write their answers by hand)
• Answer Key with Sample Responses

• writing center
• literacy station
• early finisher task during independent writing
• homework
• small group
• daily warm-up for writing workshop
• sub plans for writing

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

This unit has been updated 8.14.2017 to include Book Reviews 

What is included?

This bundle includes my favorite and most used Reading and Writing Unit resources in a package that saves you 20%. This reading and writing bundle includes the resources listed below. You can click on any of the links to take you to the resource and see the preview.

*My Life is a Story {Personal Narrative Writing Unit}

*I'm the Expert! {Informational Writing Unit}

*Reading and Writing the Language of Poetry Unit

*My Opinion Matters! {Opinion Writing Unit}

*Reading Notebook Anchor Charts {Literature}

*Reading Notebook Anchor Charts {Nonfiction}

Each of the included units includes Reading and/or Writing Notebook Anchor Charts to help support your students' needs.

Why Reading/Writing Notebook Anchor Charts?

The charts in the units are meant to be used inside students’ reading or writing notebooks. This is why they are shown two on a page. I don’t know about you, but we have copy budgeting issues at my school and I am always trying to find ways to save paper and copies! Plus, my students use composition notebooks for every subject and we have a special section for Notes and Teaching Charts where we glue these in.

More importantly, I use a lot of anchor charts in my classroom. With the amount of charts I make- it would be impossible to keep all of them up throughout the year and sometimes students forget they are there. Having them right in their notebooks allows easy accessibility to help during independent Reading or Writing. You might also find these useful for parents to use at home.

Since I began using anchor charts inside our Reading and Writing Notebooks, I have noticed my students are able to work better independently. They have the tools they need to support their learning. The charts have also been helpful in planning and presenting my lessons. For example, when we are talking about “theme,” I have examples and ways to find it by using the chart. This helps to bring a large and broad topic down to a concrete idea.

This set also includes a variety of graphic organizers for both reading and writing. I would love to hear your feedback on this product and requests for any other anchor charts you might feel would be useful to you and your students!

This ELA + Math Morning Work is available for the following grade levels:

ELA + Math Bundles

• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

ELA Bundles

• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade

ELA Weekly Assessments

• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade

Math Bundles

• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Are you not seeing what you are looking for? Please email me at help@theliteracyloft.com if you would like different Reading and Writing Unit resources bundled for a 20% discount. 

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

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The Literacy Loft on Facebook

-Jessica

Reading and Writing from 1 text set!

What are monthly text sets? 
The monthly text sets are two or more texts based on the same topic. Each monthly text set can be used for both reading and writing. The topic of each text set is high-engaging nonfiction topics. Each text set supports opinion or informational based writing in response to reading.

What is included in each text set? 

• 2 (or more) related informational articles
• Reading Comprehension Questions
• Writing Prompt to be used with the texts in an essay format
• Writing Plan Example
• Teacher Example Essay (editable)
• Differentiated for Grades 3-5  

Paid to Play: Should college athletes be paid?
Students read 2 articles about the positive and negative impact of college athletes being paid to play. Using the texts, they write an opinion essay in which they give their opinion about whether college athletes should be paid.
Standard-based reading comprehension questions help you integrate reading while using the same text you are using in writing.

Try the free text set here:
https://theliteracyloft.co/FREETextSet

These text sets go perfectly with the Informational and Opinion Writing Units:

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Check out the Monthly Text Set Bundle and save up! The bundle includes ALL of the text sets that are currently available.

What topics are included for each month?
The topics included are thematically related to that month. However, the text sets can be used at any time of the year based on your needs.

January - MLK (Opinion Text Set)

February - Equality in Education: Thurgood Marshall & Mary Mcleoud Bethune (Informational Text Set)

March - Ants: Perk or Pest (Opinion Text Set)

April - The Benefits of Bees (Informational Text Set)

May - Sea Turtles (Informational Text Set)

June - Sharks Text Set (Try for FREE here!)

July- Hurricanes Text Set (Informational Text Set)

August - Video Games: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

September - Homework: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

October- Bats (Informational Text Set)

November - Paid to Play: Should College Athletes be Paid?

December - Polar Bear Problems (Informational Text Set)

Try the free text set here:

https://theliteracyloft.co/FREETextSet

Let’s connect!

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Email: help@theliteracyloft.com

Reading and Writing from 1 text set!

What are monthly text sets? 
The monthly text sets are two or more texts based on the same topic. Each monthly text set can be used for both reading and writing. The topic of each text set is high-engaging nonfiction topics. Each text set supports opinion or informational based writing in response to reading.

What is included in each text set? 

• 2 (or more) related informational articles
• Reading Comprehension Questions
• Writing Prompt to be used with the texts in an essay format
• Writing Plan Example
• Teacher Example Essay (editable)
• Differentiated for Grades 3-5  

Homework: Helpful or Harmful?
Students read 2 articles and a poem about the positive and negative effects of having homework. Using the texts, they write an opinion essay in which they give their opinion about whether having homework are helpful or harmful.
Standard-based reading comprehension questions help you integrate reading while using the same text you are using in writing.

Try the free text set here:

https://theliteracyloft.co/FREETextSet

These text sets go perfectly with the Informational and Opinion Writing Units:

• Informative Writing Unit
• Opinion Writing Unit

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Check out the Monthly Text Set Bundle and save up! The bundle includes ALL of the text sets that are currently available.

What topics are included for each month?
The topics included are thematically related to that month. However, the text sets can be used at any time of the year based on your needs.

January - MLK (Opinion Text Set)

February - Equality in Education: Thurgood Marshall & Mary Mcleoud Bethune (Informational Text Set)

March - Ants: Perk or Pest (Opinion Text Set)

April - The Benefits of Bees (Informational Text Set)

May - Sea Turtles (Informational Text Set)

June - Sharks Text Set (Try for FREE here!)

July- Hurricanes Text Set (Informational Text Set)

August - Video Games: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

September - Homework: Harmful or Helpful? (Opinion Text Set)

October- Bats (Informational Text Set)

November - Paid to Play: Should College Athletes be Paid?

December - Polar Bear Problems (Informational Text Set)

Let’s connect!

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Email: help@theliteracyloft.com

This product is a guide and resource for an Opinion Essay in which students construct a literary response in the form of an opinion. According to assessments which are aligned to the Common Core State Standards, students in 3rd-5th grade may be required to respond to a text based on their opinion. How you use this resource will depend on your district and state assessments. I have based this product on certain Florida assessments in which students give their opinion about characters or the theme of the story.

Regardless of assessment, this unit is intended to help students not only become better writers, but better readers. The teaching points are a guide, aligned to the standard, and reinforced by the student checklist.

Though this product is aligned for grades 3-5, you may find valuable resources for 2nd or 6th grades as well.

The anchor charts are intended to be used in the writer’s notebook, but also might give you ideas about anchor charts for your classroom. I hope this product fulfills your needs and I would love to have feedback based on your experience. You might also be interested in other Narrative, Informational, and Opinion Units which you can find HERE.

What this Product Includes

Literary Essay Unit Teaching Points Planning Calendar

Blank Planning Calendar

Writing Notebook Anchor Charts

*Readers and Writers collect evidence to grow ideas

*Sentence Starters for Responding to Literature

*Readers get BIG Ideas by thinking about the Character

*Theme

*Crafting a Theme Statement

*Common Theme Statements in Literature

*The Hook - Chart for Leads

*Effective Endings - Chart for Endings

*The Hook and Effective Endings (Blank

*Opinion Writer’s Checklist

*My Thesis Statement - (Graphic Organizer to plan Thesis Statement)

*Transition Words for Persuasive and Opinion Writing

*Transition Words and Phrases

Planning & Publishing Pages

*Opinion Essay Boxes and Bullets Planner

*Opinion Writer’s Checklist for Peer Editing

*Elaboration Paper to help students elaborate each reason that supports their opinion

*Publishing Paper

*Square Opinion Writing Planner (Full Page

*Writer’s Celebrate 3-2-1 Style (Comment Cards for Student Celebration)

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Deal is over in days hours minutes and seconds

✨SPECIAL OFFER 30% Off!✨

Get your students excited about informational writing! This complete informational writing unit includes daily lesson plans, notebook charts, mentor texts and more. This unit takes your students through the whole writing process. Students will begin with getting ideas and end with a published piece of informational writing. The informational writing lessons included can be used in two ways:

1. Students get their own ideas for their essay.
2. Students write based on a prompt.

✋🛑 The materials in this resource are the same ones included in The Literacy Loft Membership. If you are a monthly or annual member, please do not purchase! If you'd like to learn more about the membership, click here!

✋ This unit is also part of the Writing Units Bundle which includes Narrative, Opinion, & Informational Writing Units.

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

What is included in the informational writing unit?

✏️Writing Minilessons:

There are a total of 24 minilessons. The lessons can be skipped, moved around, modified as needed based on your students' needs.

1. Study a Mentor Text
2. Writers are teachers.
3. Getting Ideas
4. Prepare for research
5. Writers research
6. Look for Big Ideas (Main Ideas for Text)
7. Sort Information
8. Plan with Boxes & Bullets
9. Draft Paragraphs
10. Paragraphs with Purpose
11. Use Text Evidence
12. Balance Facts with Voice
13. Using a Teaching Tone
14. Elaboration: Using Mini Stories
15. Using Figurative Language
16. Craft Moves & Elaboration Strategies
17. Expert Words (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
18. Transitional Words & Phrases
19. Introductions
20. Conclusions
21. Revise: Add Text Features
22. Revise: Eliminate Unnecessary Words
23. Edit
24. Polish & Publish!

✏️PowerPoint: 

For each lesson above, PowerPoint slides are included that can be used to model and teach the lesson. 

✏️Notebook Charts/Binder Charts for Students (see full list below):

For each lesson, a notebook chart is included to support student learning.

✏️More Writing Resources Included:

• Rubrics & Checklists
• Graphic Organizers
• Mini Word Wall
• Sort
• Teacher Example Essay + Planning
• Mentor Text Recommendations
• Publishing Paper

 ✏️ Writing Notebook Anchor Charts + Graphic Organizers

• Characteristics of an Informational Text
• Writing an Informational Text
• Wise Readers Ask Questions
• Cause and Effect
• Sort Out the Details
• What does the TEXT say?
• Using Text Evidence
• Transition Words for Informational Writing
• Organizing an Informational Text
• See, Think, Wonder
• See, Think, Wonder Notes on How to Use the Strategy
• Text Features
• Informational Writing Editing Checklist
• Informational Writing Checklist and Rubric
• Solving Our Spelling Problems
• Paragraphs with Purpose
• Instead of Says
• Introductions
• Conclusions
• Building the Main Idea of a Paragraph
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 1
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 2
• Craft Moves and Elaboration Strategies 3
• File it Away! (Graphic Organizer/Boxes and Bullets)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 3 sources with lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 3 sources without lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 4 sources with lines)
• Show Me the Evidence (Graphic Organizer for gathering evidence from 4 sources without lines
• Sorting My Evidence (Graphic Organizer to sort information)
• 4 Square Boxes and Bullets Writing Planner
• Boxes and Bullets Planning Page
• Informational Writing Checklist

✅You can try a sample of this unit for FREE here!

✅You can also read THIS BLOG POST about the unit.

What other teachers are saying about the unit:

"My school adopted a curriculum which was just had guidelines as to what should be taught but was lacking resources. I purchased this writing unit and was so pleased with how comprehensive the lessons and graphic organizers are! I will definitely purchase the other units! Thank you!" - Jessica M.

"Your units are amazing and my students have benefited greatly. Before this, I used to hate teaching writing. But this is honestly now one of my favorite subjects to teach." - Brittney B.

"Excellent resource. This is jam packed with information and is everything you promise and more. Thank you for a thorough product." - Ms. Duffy's Dream

📹 Click play on the video to see the complete unit. 

This bundle contains JUST the Notebook Charts for the Narrative, Opinion, & Informational Writing Unit Notebook Charts. Click the links below to see the full units.

If you are interested in the FULL Writing Bundle click HERE!!! 

You might also like...

Reading and Writing Bundle #1

This bundle includes:

*Informational Writing
*Opinion Writing
*Narrative Writing
*Poetry Reading and Writing
*Reading Notebook Anchor Charts

My Opinion Matters! {An Opinion Writing Unit}

My Life is A Story {A Personal Narrative Writing Unit}

I'm the Expert! {Informational Writing Unit} 

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

These writing process signs will help you and your students identify the steps/parts of the writing process as well as keep track of where they are when working on a project and what to do next! Implementing a routine at the beginning of the year will help students be successful as writers throughout the year as well as in the rest of their writing life. These Writing Process Signs come in a calming blue with clear steps and visually pleasing clip art that will catch the eyes of you and your students. If you would like to see these posters in another color, please email me at help@theliteracyloft.com. 

Steps Included
*A Writer's Thinking labels (3 different versions, rectangle, oval, circle)
*Generate Ideas
*Develop & Plan
*Rehearse
*Draft
*Revise
*Edit
*Peer Edit
*Publish
*Celebrate!

Ideas for Classroom Use
These posters come landscape 11 x 8.5. If you are looking for a different format, please email me! I suggest printing and laminating each of the signs. You may or may not want to use all of the signs. In general, there are variations in the steps of the writing process. Printing on card stock would allow these signs to be more durable, but is not necessary! You could even print and slip into sheet protectors. If you do not have access to a color printer, or find that it is too expensive, simply print in gray-scale and you are good to go! Here are some ways I have used writing process signs in my classroom:

*Writing Center- Put signs in sheet protectors and then attach on a binder ring and have students use as a reference.

*Bulletin Board- Display in a row above or on a bulletin board or even in the writing center as a reminder of the steps writers go through during the writing process.

*Writers’ Tracking System- Use as a way to track your young writers’ status in the writing process. You could do this by connecting the signs using binder rings. Then, hang on a bulletin board and use clothespins with your students’ names or numbers to track where they are in the writing process. 

Are you looking for something else?
Please email me at help@theliteracyloft.com! I would love to add any words or signs that you use in your classroom. 

Are you looking for a different color? I will be adding other versions of this same product with a different color. Please email me if you are looking for something specific! 

🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.

I look forward to hearing how you implement these in your classroom! Please contact me with any questions, issues, or feedback! help@theliteracyloft.com

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook

Happy Writing!
Jessica

Let’s connect! 

The Literacy Loft Blog

The Literacy Loft on Instagram

The Literacy Loft on Pinterest

The Literacy Loft on Facebook