Newest How-To Writing Bundle!

The more time we spend on Instagram, Facebook and blog stalking, the more we learn about teaching, classroom strategies and engaging center ideas. Not only are we learning about practical teaching ideas, but we are learning SO much about the simple (yet time consuming) art of: creating! (HUGE shout out to Proud to be Primary Blog for doing an AWESOME post on creating great products!)

            While our TPT store has been up now for two years and are products are purposeful/what we each use in our own classrooms, we have really taken the time these past few months to explore ways to make our products more engaging and just down right cute!

            This past week, my first graders and I began our second go around at How-To Writing. How-to writing is always so much fun for my kids AND me. The prompts are endless and this time around my students have really gotten creative with different How-To ideas! (We even wrote paragraphs on how-to add with/without regrouping during our integrated centers.. but that is a post for another day!)

            Motivated by my students and a desire to makeover my previous How-To Bundle, I created this 100+ page CCSS aligned bundle. What was important to me was to go beyond just providing graphic organizers and writing paper.  I wrote out a 14 day unit plan, a list of mentor texts, transitions poster, 6 different writing checklists and writing conference organizers as well as pre/post assessments!

             Most importantly, I took the time to explain how crucial and beneficial a pre-assessment in writing is to meet the needs of all your students. I also explained  how (and why) to formulate skill groups within your class along with sample skill group lesson ideas.

            Gone are the days of teaching a standard mini lesson and having all of the students write independently as your peer over shoulders. In my district, we are required to use data to drive our instruction: our mini lessons and small group work. And while this style of teaching was difficult to get adjusted to at first, it is absolutely BEST practice!

            At any given moment you can walk into my classroom and ask my first graders: What is your writing goal and how will you achieve this goal? They ALL know. The importance of this is immeasurable. Their ability, at the young age of 6, to work towards a specific need (with my guidance during small skill group meetings) is incredible. They have come SO far as writers this year and I attribute it to our encouragement to use pre-assessments to drive instruction. 

            If you haven’t used this “model” in your classroom yet, TRY IT. I am telling you, you will be amazed. When students are aware of their needs they can more actively take control of their learning! When a student is writing in their journal and turns to you to say, “See.. no random capitals!” or cheers when they “graduate” from their goal on to the next as the class claps along you know something is working!  Our bundle provides you this opportunity to use data to drive your instruction!

            You can check out a preview of our bundle here Ultimate How-To Bundle PREVIEW! If you like what you have read, or seen in the preview, check out our Ultimate How-To Writing Bundle! 
                   -Kerry