Middle-school students must be able to write explanatory/informational, argument, and narrative genre pieces and respond to literature, both for standardized tests and, more importantly, real-world writing. With a balanced literacy approach, Wolfe provides core instruction, teaching strategies, and mini-lessons on these text types, each of which can be delivered in a four- to six-week time period. Each mini-lesson includes applicable Common Core Standards, materials lists, overviews, planning tips, procedures (including modeling, guided practice, and independent practice opportunities), reading connections, formative assessments, and reproducible graphic organizers for scaffolding. Prerequisite skill overviews and rubrics--both analytic for formative assessments and holistic for summative assessments--are also provided for each genre unit to simplify your teaching and ensure student success.

Learn the ten keys to effective writing instruction! In this dynamic book, bestselling author Lori G. Wilfong takes you through today’s best practices for teaching writing and how to implement them in the classroom. She also points out practices that should be avoided, helping you figure out how to update your teaching so that all students can reach success. You’ll discover how to... Make sure students have enough work in a genre before you assign writing Develop thoughtful, short writing prompts that are "infinite" and not finite Have students read and learn from master authors in the genre they are writing Create a writing community so that writing is not an isolated activity Use anchor charts and minilessons, along with rubrics and checklists Implement revising strategies, not just editing strategies, taught in context Use conferencing to grow students as thoughtful, reflective writers Let narratives be personal and creative, focusing on details and imagery Let informational writing explore a topic creatively and in depth Let argument writing be situated in real-world application and not be limited to one-sided, "what-if" debates Every chapter begins with an engaging scenario, includes the "why" behind the practice and how it connects to the Common Core, and clearly describes how implement the strategy. The book also contains tons of handy templates that you can reproduce and use in your own classroom. You can photocopy these templates or download them from our website at http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138812444.

Help your students develop the writing skills they need to succeed with this timely resource! This book provides teachers with standards-based strategies to help students demonstrate their learning of fiction-related concepts as they navigate the complexities of literary works. This book offers detailed strategies for using graphic organizers, developing vocabulary, journal writing, taking notes, applying knowledge, and assessing student writing. The strategies also help prepare students for success in college and careers. Classroom examples and differentiation suggestions with every strategy provide clear models for success!

Help students write about science content and build their scientific thinking skills! This 2nd edition resource was created to support College and Career Readiness Standards, and provides an in-depth research base about content-area literacy instruction, including key strategies to help students write about and comprehend scientific content. Each strategy includes classroom examples by grade ranges (1-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) and necessary support materials, such as graphic organizers, templates, or digital resources to help teachers implement quickly and easily. Specific suggestions for differentiating instruction are also provided to help English language learners, gifted students, and students reading below grade level.

Resources and guidance for the journey of Common Core implementation In this age of the Common Core State Standards, all content area teachers must integrate literacy standards into their curriculum. If you're like most content area educators, you're feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of addressing all the new standards, or you might just need a little extra help. In this hands-on resource, Common Core literacy expert Katherine McKnight offers secondary teachers a clear understanding of what literacy looks like in math, science, and technical subjects. McKnight gives educators proven teaching techniques that help develop literacy skills in students. She also offers a wealth of practical strategies and ready-to-use activities that content area teachers can integrate seamlessly. Included are Ideas for implementing the literacy requirements of the Common Core across content areas A selection of activities that support literacy skills and build content knowledge in math, science, and technology classrooms An easy-to-use Difficulty Dial that indicates the complexity of each activity Robust student samples that bring the activities to life across a variety of grade levels and subjects Common Core Literacy for Math, Science, and Technical Subjects is designed for practicality. With bonus web downloads, a literacy resource guide, and countless ideas for deepening content knowledge, this book provides excellent support for rigorous Common Core implementation. Praise for Common Core Literacy for Math, Science, and Technical Subjects "A realist with an incisive wit, Katie's robust pedagogy and trenchant analysis inspire all of us to incorporate the CCSS meaningfully in specific content areas. For her gifted writing, let alone her substantive and easy-to-implement ideas, this is a godsend for content area teachers. Move it to the top of the priority reading stack." —Rick Wormeli, veteran educator, author, and teacher trainer "McKnight eloquently dispels much of the mythology surrounding the new standards, and explains how to help students find success. You'll find this engaging book your 'go-to' resource for implementing the Common Core." —Richard M. Cash, Ed.D., educational consultant; author, Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century

This innovative resource provides teachers with a road map for designing a comprehensive writing curriculum that meets Common Core standards. The authors zero in on several “big ideas” that lead to and support effective practices in writing instruction, such as integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening; teaching writing as a process; extending the range of students’ writing; spiraling and scaffolding a writing curriculum; and collaborating. These “big ideas” are the cornerstones of best researched-based practices as well as the CCSS for writing. The first chapter offers a complete lesson designed around teaching narrative writing and illustrating tried and true practices for teaching writing as a process. The remaining chapters explore a broad range of teaching approaches that help students tackle different kinds of narrative, informational, and argumentative writing and understand complexities like audience and purpose. Each chapter focuses on at least one of the uncommonly good ideas and illustrates how to create curricula around it. Uncommonly Good Ideas includes model lessons and assignments, mentor texts, teaching strategies, student writing, and practical guidance for moving the ideas from the page into the classroom. “An uncommonly good book about uncommonly good ideas about teaching writing in the era of the Common Core—and beyond. In this slender volume two master teachers, Sandra Murphy and Mary Ann Smith, share the knowledge accumulated during their lifetimes of teaching writing and exploring the broader world of related theory and research. They confront the hard problems all teachers will face, but do so with an evident joy in their chosen profession The book is slender, readable, and well worth the ride, whether you are a novice terrified as you stare into your first classroom or an old hand looking for an extra boost with a new class and a new year.” —Arthur Applebee, Distinguished Professor and chair, Department of Educational Theory and Practice, University at Albany “Throughout this book I find the intelligence and insights that help me think about what it looks like to teach writing through the Common Core State Standards while maintaining my own integrity as a teacher. This book is a master class that you can take throughout the year, reading today about what you need to learn to do better tomorrow.” —Jim Burke, best-selling author and high school teacher

Help students write about social studies content and build their historical thinking skills! This 2nd edition resource was created to support College and Career Readiness Standards, and provides an in-depth research base about content-area literacy instruction, including key strategies to help students write about and comprehend historical content. Each strategy includes classroom examples by grade ranges (1-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) and necessary support materials, such as graphic organizers, templates, or digital resources to help teachers implement quickly and easily. Specific suggestions for differentiating instruction are also provided to help English language learners, gifted students, and students reading below grade level.

"Chapter 1 contains a definition and explanation of genre-based strategy instruction with self-regulation for kindergarten through grade 2. In Chapter 2, we discuss writing purposes and the writing process, and we provide explanations about how to make connections between reading and writing under the larger umbrella concept of genre. In Chapter 3, we explain the strategy for teaching strategies, which is the instructional blueprint for using this book and for the development of additional genre-based lessons. Chapters 4 to 6 are instructional chapters and include the lessons and resources for responses to reading, opinion writing, procedural writing, and story writing. Chapter 7 includes guidelines for sentence writing and application of oral language in grammar instruction"--

In order for students to write effective arguments, they need to read good arguments. In this practical book, you’ll find out how to use mentor texts to make writing instruction more meaningful, authentic, and successful. Author Sean Ruday demonstrates how you can teach middle school students to analyze the qualities of effective arguments and then help them think of those qualities as tools to improve their own writing. You’ll learn how to: Introduce high-interest topics to students to get them interested and engaged in argument writing. Teach students to look at multiple sides of an issue and critically evaluate evidence to construct informed, defensible arguments. Make argument writing an interactive, student-driven exercise in which students pursue their own writing projects. Use mentor texts to help students learn the core concepts of argument writing and apply those skills across the curriculum. The book is filled with examples and templates you can bring back to the classroom immediately, as well as an annotated bibliography which links the concepts in this book to the corresponding Common Core State Standards. Blank templates are also available as printable eResources on our website (http://www.routledge.com/9781138924390).

In order for students to write effective narratives, they need to read good narratives. In this practical book, you’ll find out how to use mentor texts to make narrative writing instruction more meaningful, authentic, and successful. Author Sean Ruday demonstrates how you can teach elementary and middle school students to analyze the qualities of effective narratives and then help them think of those qualities as tools to improve their own writing. You’ll learn how to: Introduce your students to the key features of a successful narrative, such as engaging the reader, organizing an event sequence, and crafting a strong conclusion. Assess students’ writing by evaluating the specific attributes of an effective narrative. Make narrative writing an interactive, student-driven exercise in which students pursue their own writing projects. Use mentor texts to help students learn the core concepts of narrative writing and apply those skills across the curriculum. Encourage students to incorporate technology and multimedia as they craft their narratives. The book is filled with examples and templates you can bring back to the classroom immediately, as well as an annotated bibliography with mentor text suggestions and links to the Common Core. You’ll also find a study guide that will help you use this book for professional development with colleagues. Bonus: Blank templates of the handouts are available as printable eResources on our website (http://www.routledge.com/9781138924390).