Writing Companion
Grades 3–12
Build competence and confidence through concise, focused minilessons!
- Each chapter features step-by-step instruction for a commonly tested writing genre such as a research report, narrative, opinion/argumentative, informative/explanatory, and literary analysis.
- Starting with a source text, students focus on the key elements that distinguish good writing for the genre.
—Scaffolded tasks help students break down each element into manageable chunks.
—Each task builds upon the last, leading to a finished product.
—You Try It writing performance tasks provide test practice and additional feedback opportunity. - Student models, differentiated instruction, and group/partner activities all help strengthen writing skills and understanding.
- Editing skills practice of common language and style issues.
Prepare Students for State Assessments
- Students identify and cite textual evidence.
- Authentic source texts provide assessment simulation.
- Student models demonstrate steps within the writing process.
- Rubrics and checklists for each type of writing.
Step-by-Step Lesson Structure
- 4 to 7 lessons for each writing type.
- Each lesson focuses on a key standards-based skill or concept.
- Multiple activities per lesson enable students to improve their writing skills in small, manageable segments.
Prepare Students for Writing Performance Tasks
- Activities are tied to source texts—annotating, analyzing, citing.
- Lessons build to "You Try It"—a model writing performance task.
- Student models illustrate standards-based quality expectations.
Support for Struggling Writers & ELLs
- The Gradual Release Model progresses from scaffolded instruction to independent writing performance tasks.
- The step-by-step lesson progression builds competence and confidence.
- Small group and partner activities are provided throughout the lessons.
- Differentiated lesson plans for struggling and advanced writers.
- Writing Companion
