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!
Aug 18
Let’s face it—terms like retell, recount, and summarize are tossed around in ELA standards like confetti, but their meanings can blur. If you’re an upper elementary teacher, you’ve likely scratched your head wondering, “Aren’t these all basically the same thing?” Short answer: not quite. Let’s unpack each term, explore the skills students need at different …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=2688
Jul 28
Need a quick way to teach writer’s voice that actually sticks? Between quirky mentor texts, engaging examples, and one hilariously earnest Ed Sheeran commercial, this post gives students real insight—and it’s ready for Monday. Plus, grab the free handout to make lesson planning easy. It includes the printables you need to complete the activities mentioned …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=272
Jul 21
We all know teaching author’s purpose is more than just PIE (persuade, inform, entertain)—though pie does sound delicious. In this post, you’ll find four student-approved activities that go beyond the basics, including a hands-on foldable, a PowerPoint with matching cards, a free Boom Learning practice, and an awesome doughnut-themed writing project. Because nothing motivates writing …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=325
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
Ever find yourself staring at a student sentence and thinking, “That punctuation mark is doing the absolute most”? Commas, parentheses, and dashes tend to sneak in when students add extra info—and knowing which one to use (and when) can be surprisingly powerful. Let’s break it down in a way that actually sticks. What Are Nonrestrictive …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=100
Dec 02
Teaching students to understand problems and solutions is a breeze with real-life examples, but spotting them in nonfictional texts is much more difficult. This post provides you with strategies, graphic organizers, and practical examples to help your students master this critical reading skill. Grab this PDF for links to free text structure activities and printables …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=3567
Oct 31
Understanding cause-and-effect relationships is an essential skill for students, as it helps them grasp how events are interconnected and how one event can lead to another. This post shows effective ways to teach cause and effect with clear examples and activities. Included is a video lesson that demonstrates these concepts in action. Below, you’ll find …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=526
