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!
Apr 20
The two silent short films for the classroom, Miyako (by Jessica Do) and The Monster Under My Bed (by Karlijn Scholten), both feature young girls, silent storytelling, and nighttime monsters—but their moods, animation styles, and resolutions couldn’t be more different. These silent short films for the classroom make a perfect pairing for teaching narrative technique, …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=7754
Apr 13
The animated short film The Catch (by Ringling College of Art and Design) tells a fable‑like story of generosity, perseverance, and unseen rewards. A young boy sent to gather food for his village finds his fortune changing after helping an unlikely companion: a hungry fox in trouble. With powerful visual storytelling and a strong moral …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=1568
Mar 28
Teaching students to write a biography is one of the most rewarding writing lessons, and learning how to teach students to write a biography in a clear, structured way makes the process even more meaningful. Kids enjoy learning about real people, and teachers value how biographies connect reading, writing, and social studies. The challenge is …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=2153
Mar 02
The animated shorts Distracted and Dear Alice deliver powerful messages in just a few short minutes—messages your students will understand, analyze, and connect with immediately. Both tell the story of a young girl longing for a distracted parent’s attention. These emotional, modern-day parables are ideal for introducing compare-and-contrast writing, especially for upper-elementary and middle-grade students. …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=96
Feb 02
Teaching students to write strong narratives is an ongoing journey, much like convincing them that “said” isn’t the only verb in existence. Before students dive into crafting stories, they need a solid foundation in character traits, point of view, setting, theme, and plot development. Once they grasp these story elements, they’re ready to apply practical …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=306
Jan 26
Have you ever read a student’s narrative that was one giant paragraph, stretching across the entire page like it was trying to set a world record? For some students, paragraph breaks come naturally; for others, it’s like they never learned where the Enter key is. If you’ve ever wondered when to start a new paragraph …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=2683
Jan 19
Let’s be honest, when we tell students to “show, don’t tell,” most of them look at us like we’ve just asked them to write a novel in ancient Greek. It’s one of those writing skills that sounds simple… until they try it. This post walks you through a ready-to-go mini-lesson that helps students understand what …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=285
