Writing Teaching Guides
Practical strategies for teaching paragraph structure, introduction paragraphs, transitions, and the writing process to elementary students.
Teaching Guides for Writing
Practical articles for classroom teachers — each guide pairs with a printable lesson on InstructorWeb.
How to Teach Paragraph Writing
The three-part paragraph structure, a seven-step teaching sequence, common student mistakes, and the practice routines that build fluency in grades 3–6.
Writing a Strong Introduction Paragraph
Five hook types, the bridge-and-thesis structure, common student mistakes, and a four-week teaching sequence for grades 4–6.
Transitional Words and Phrases: A Teaching Guide
Six transition categories with example phrases, a five-step teaching sequence, and the four mistakes elementary writers make most often.
Teaching Conclusion Paragraphs
Why most student conclusions feel flat, the three-move frame that fixes them, the phrases to retire, and a 4-day mini-unit.
Teaching Editing and Revision
The difference between editing and revision, why students conflate them, and classroom routines that get students improving their own drafts.
Teaching Narrative Writing
The narrative arc, a teach-the-parts sequence, the “and then” problem and how to fix it, show-don’t-tell, and a mini-unit for grades 3–6.
Teaching Opinion Writing
The fact-vs-opinion boundary, the state-reasons-evidence-restate frame, the reason-vs-evidence distinction, opinion sentence stems, and a one-week mini-unit for grades 3–6.
Teaching Informative Writing
The introduction-body-conclusion frame, grouping facts into focused paragraphs, developing main ideas with details, text features and transitions, and a one-week mini-unit for grades 3–6.
Using Writing Prompts
What makes a prompt generate writing, matching prompts to genres, the read-brainstorm-plan-draft routine, and beating the blank page.
Teaching Descriptive Writing
How to move students from “it was nice” to writing that shows, the five-senses toolkit, strong word choice, and where description goes flat.
Teaching Persuasive Writing
The OREO structure, the reasons-and-evidence core, persuasive techniques, and audience awareness. Grades 4–6.
How to Teach Friendly Letter Writing
The five parts of a friendly letter, the greeting/closing comma rule, and how the format transfers to notes and emails. Grades 2–4.
Teaching Summary Writing
The Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then frame, cutting small details, and summarizing in your own words. Grades 4–6.
Teaching Topic Sentences
Stating the main idea, topic plus controlling idea, and telling a topic sentence from a detail. Grades 3–6.
Teaching How-To Writing
The goal, materials, and numbered steps, plus the order words that hold a how-to together. Grades 2–4.
Teaching Book Reports
The parts of a book report, summarizing without retelling, and backing up an opinion with reasons. Grades 3–5.
Teaching Sentence Combining
Joining short, choppy sentences into smoother ones — one of the most research-backed ways to improve writing. Grades 3–5.
Teaching Sensory Details
Appealing to the five senses to make writing vivid — the concrete way to teach show, don’t tell. Grades 3–5.
Looking for Writing Worksheets?
The writing hub has printable worksheets for paragraph writing, introductory paragraphs, conclusion paragraphs, transitional sentences, narrative writing prompts, and editing and revision — all with answer keys.