Teachers share their best reading and writing units that boost essential literacy skills for each grade level.
Unit Plan
Launching a Writer's Workshop
Grades
1–2, 3–5
Duration
2 WEEKS
Quick links to unit plan resources:
Objectives
Students will:
- Interview each other and family members to find out why and when writers write
- Discover where published writers get their ideas
- Brainstorm writing ideas
- Begin notebooking their ideas
Culminating Activity
The year-long Writer's Workshop should eventually culminate in a publishable piece of writing for each student. How? All the necessary ingredients are right there in their notebooks, which will be filled with ideas students can build on to create a finished piece worthy of publication.
Supporting Books

Why We Write: An Introduction to the Purpose of Writing
Students interview parents and each other to gather information about why and when people write.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5
DURATION
2 DAYS

What Should We Write About? An Introduction to Brainstorming Writing Topics
This lesson helps answer the question: what should I write about? Students discover where published writers get their ideas.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5
DURATION
3 DAYS

Let's Start Writing: An Introduction to Notebook Writing
This lesson introduces notebooking and independent writing. Before starting their own notebooks, students read and learn from models.