Common Core Narrative Writing - Grade 4

"Strategies for Writing has a powerful effect on students at Baldy Mesa. Teachers are empowered; students are excited to learn."

-- Dan McDonald, Principal, Baldy Mesa, Phelan, CA

"I've never experienced anything, over the course of my 21 years that engages every student like Strategies for Writing." -- Mercedes Walker, Principal, Palmetto Elementary, Fontana, CA

Make writing dynamic!

This Common Core aligned 72 page comprehensive manual includes EVERYTHING you need to teach fourth graders to write stories.

Make your job enjoyable with tested, proven strategies and activities used successfully with 1000 plus students for over 5 years in California, Minnesota, and internationally (Belize).

This manual applies all four learning modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile) to promote retention, increase knowledge, and develop confident writers and oral communicators.

The Strategies for Writing program uses scaffolding and modeling to engage and empower even the most hesitant student.

It can be used as a stand-alone manual or as part of the Strategies for Writing series (Kindergarten to grade 5).

This complete, comprehensive manual includes five parts:

1. Teacher’s manual

• Rubrics for scoring for narrative writing.

• Pacing guides for the entire year broken down by week to teach each genre successfully

• Step by step, easy to follow teaching instructions

• Student samples of actual student work collected from diverse groups of students

• Witty, memorable chants that reinforce components for narrative.

• Each activity is directly linked to a Common Core Standard in language arts, reading, or social studies.

2. Student’s Notebook/Posters

• Can be used as a student support piece to differentiate and define the writing process

• Can be used to make posters for all types of writing

• Sample templates which remind students of essential elements for each type of writing

• Genre information which clarifies genres in case students forget

3. Templates

• Blank student templates for each narrative which include essential elements for story writing

4. Games & Activities

• pages of games and activities which support the writing process

• Games for differentiating between narrative and expository

• Activities for strengthening word usage and vocabulary

• Game cubes to write creative stories

5. Awards and Incentives

• Awards for top performance for narrative

• Incentive tickets which have icons to support writing concepts; useful for classroom management

Testimonials from Teachers and Principals:

"Strategies for Writing is an innovative, creative writing program. Students can't wait for writing time. Write on!"

-- Ryan Holman, Superintendent of Curriculum, SJUSD

"Strategies for Writing has a powerful effect on students at Baldy Mesa. Teachers are empowered; students are excited to learn."

-- Dan McDonald, Principal, Baldy Mesa, Phelan, CA

"Strategies for Writing empowers all students to become successful writers. I only wish I'd discovered Strategies for Writing earlier in my career."

-- Mary Loucks, Grade 2, Hamilton Elementary, Rosamond, CA

“Strategies for Writing engages students and teachers, empowers, and creates a strong writing environment in my classroom.”

-- Libby Underhill, Grade 2, Bemidji, MN