Unit Plan
Writing With Writers Teaching Guide
Instructions to improve student writing skills in eight genres: biography, descriptive, folktale, mystery, myth, news, poetry, speech, and book review writing
Grades
1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
Duration
1 CLASS PERIOD
Quick links to unit plan resources:
Overview
Writing With Writers is a set of step-by-step instructions to improve student writing skills. With eight genres — biography, descriptive, folktale, mystery, myth, news, poetry, speech, and book review writing — you can pick the component that best suits your curriculum and needs. Each component has specific grade targets and all components have the ability to publish student work online.
Objectives
Students will:
- Identify unique characteristics of different writing genres
- Follow the writing process for different genres to create original writing
- Use web technology to post original writing online
- Demonstrate understanding of different genres by responding to questions
- Understand how to review and revise their own writing
- Review and present constructive criticism to peer writing
- Learn to think critically and objectively about their reading
- Learn to review and revise their own writing
- Produce written work to show evidence of knowledge of the different genres
- Use technology to record original speeches
- Appreciate diverse cultures and traditions through writing
- Tell an original folktale to class members using appropriate fluency skills
- Respond to questions about the folktale genre to demonstrate understanding
- Practice poetry writing skills such as rhythm, rhyming, and descriptive vocabulary
- Practice writing skills such as description, summarization, and persuasive communication
- Practice skills such as descriptive writing and dialogue
Supporting Books
Writing With Writers for Grades 1–3
Introduce different writing genres and improve writing skills in these areas.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5
DURATION
8 CLASS PERIODS
Writing With Writers for Grades 4–8
Students can explore different genres as they read writing samples, brainstorm, work in groups, write, edit, and rewrite their work before submitting final drafts.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8
DURATION
8 CLASS PERIODS
Writing With Writers for Grades 9–12
Students read, brainstorm, work in groups, write, edit, and rewrite their work before completing a final version. The online step-by-step activities cover multiple genres of writing.
GRADES
9–12
DURATION
8 CLASS PERIODS
Featured Activity
Students work with authors, editors, and illustrators in exclusive workshops designed to help them develop their writing skills.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
In Scholastic’s four-step workshop, two award-winning writers help students develop and publish their own biographies.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8, 9–12
This workshop hosted by a published mystery writer offers tips, strategies and challenges to help students craft a successful mystery.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5, 6–8
Let the Scholastic News editorial team guide your students through the process of writing a compelling news story.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8
GRADES
3–5, 6–8, 9–12
In this five-step online workshop, a well-known children's author helps students learn to analyze and write about books.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8, 9–12
This four-step program, hosted by acclaimed folktale authors, teaches students how to write a successful folktale.
GRADES
1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12
Featured Reproducibles
