Sep 28
Persuading students to write can sometimes feel like convincing your dog to take a bath. You offer snacks, encouragement, maybe a pleading tone… and they still look at you like, “Are you serious?” Luckily, switching up writing prompts can work wonders. When students get excited about what they’re writing, their pencils (and imaginations) start to …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=7287
Sep 22
Have you ever noticed that newspaper articles don’t waste time with suspense? They hit you with the most important facts right away. Boom—who, what, when, where, why, and how—all in the first few lines. That’s not laziness; it’s strategy. It’s called the Inverted Pyramid, and it’s the writing style journalists have been using for over …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=5817
Sep 15
Getting students to write with purpose, voice, and a clear sense of audience can be challenging. That’s where the RAFT writing strategy comes in. It’s your secret weapon for turning “What do I write?” into “I’ve got this!” Lesson Handout This handout includes all the RAFT examples in student-ready format. Just print and teach. Get …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=91
Sep 01
Teaching middle schoolers to write a thesis statement can feel like trying to convince them that comma rules actually matter or that no, emojis do not count as textual evidence. It’s one of those uphill climbs where clarity meets resistance, and every lesson feels like a mix of grammar boot camp. But once students crack …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=336
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
Jan 22
Let’s face it—student writing can sometimes sound like a list of thoughts scribbled on sticky notes and shuffled around by a squirrel in a hurry. You’ve probably seen it: sentence after sentence with no clear connection. Sometimes student paragraphs read like GPS directions with half the turns missing. That’s where transition words come in. Think …
Permanent link to this article: https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=4140
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
