***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.
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!
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 requiresYOUto 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.
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 jessica@theliteracyloft.com.
- Jessica
These centers are the perfect supplement for our writing units and the monthly text sets.
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:
"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.
Biography Project {Grades 2-5} | Distance Learning | Google Slides
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*Google Slides and Print Option*
*Rubric Added!*
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.
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 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 requiresYOUto 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.
1. Storytelling vs. Summarizing-Students decide whether the writer isstorytellingorsummarizingthe story.
2. Storytelling Revision -Studentsrewritethe 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 withfact 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.
If you have any questions as to how you can use these in your upper elementary classroom, please email me at jessica@theliteracyloft.com.
- Jessica
These centers are the perfect supplement for our writing units and the monthly text sets.
