Welcome to my blog index page featuring posts for upper elementary students who want to improve their writing skills. Teaching writing can be challenging, so I’ve compiled a range of posts to help you with your lessons.
My post categories include writing strategies, writing skills, capitalization and punctuation, narrative writing, teaching text structures with songs, teaching text structures, teaching persuasive techniques with commercials, and parts of speech. You’ll find ideas and free teaching materials to make your lessons more effective and engaging.
You can browse my posts by clicking on the images below or using the search bar on the right. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for updates on new posts and freebies. Whether you’re looking for tips on enhancing your students’ skills, making writing more fun and interactive, or integrating writing with other subjects, you’ll find something worthwhile on my blog.
I hope these posts will support your upper elementary students’ writing development and inspire them to become confident writers. Happy teaching!
Jun 07
Looking for a short film that sparks big discussions? One Small Step by Taiko Studios is a heartfelt animated short that follows Luna, a young Chinese American girl who chases her dream of becoming an astronaut. With almost no dialogue, the film is told through expressive animation, emotional music, and carefully crafted scenes that draw students …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=1954
Apr 07
Let’s face it: teaching summarizing can feel like trying to teach a cat to fetch. Sure, it might happen eventually—but it’s going to take patience, creativity, and possibly snacks. Summarizing is one of those deceptively tough skills. It sounds simple—“just tell me the important stuff”—but getting students to actually condense a text without turning it …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=5612
Mar 31
Teaching students how to punctuate extra information in sentences can feel surprisingly tricky. They often understand that writers add details, but choosing which punctuation mark fits best—a comma, parentheses, or a dash—requires practice, modeling, and a bit of playfulness. This post walks you through a complete mini-unit with anchor charts, organizers, and task cards that …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=100
Oct 27
Let’s talk audience. No, not the kind clapping politely at a school talent show while someone’s recorder squeaks out “Hot Cross Buns.” I’m talking about the kind of audience your students should be thinking about every time they put pencil to paper – or fingers to the keyboard. Getting kids to shift their tone and …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=8116
Oct 23
Before students begin their informative essay writing journey, they must learn the necessary skills. One such skill is the art of writing hooks, which captivates readers and makes their writing stand out. This blog post will explore four activities to help your upper elementary students master the art of writing hooks. With some practice, their …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=3999
Sep 25
Firsthand and secondhand accounts are one of those things that are easy to say but a little trickier to teach reading skills. Before we dive in, here’s a little story from my family archives. My dad was a genealogy buff. The kind of guy who had color-coded binders and could connect us to people like Frances Scott Key. …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=3097
Jul 03
Storytelling techniques are essential tools that help bring narratives to life and captivate readers’ imaginations. By learning storytelling techniques like foreshadowing, flashbacks, and plot twists, students can take their writing to the next level. These techniques don’t just make stories more fun to read; they also help students grow as writers. When students learn to …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=1629
