The seven books in the series are sequenced to build students' writing skills over the course of an entire school year. Each lesson includes a focus for instruction, a step-by-step teaching script, conferring suggestions, and follow-up teaching points. The lessons are sequenced to build students' skills and confidence as a writer. The format of the series is very user-friendly.
This to me is the best money that I personally have ever spent on my own classroom. I attended a conference where Ms. Calkins was the keynote. I had always had Writing Workshop up and running in my classroom, but I never had a real plan laid out for the year ... what specific skills I was going to cover when and how. Well, when Ms. Calkins spoke of the Units of Study, I was hooked. I bought them that day, studied them over the weekend, and implemented them the following week. Within a year and a half, The Units were adopted by our district, and our writing scores went up!!! Need I say more? They are fantastic!!! :)
Wonderful books!! I am learning so much about Writer's Workshop and teaching writing mini-lessons to the primary grades. This is an awesome guide to have. I can't wait to try out these mini-lessons in my classroom. Many kids today complain they hate writing or don't like to write. I think using this approach and series will change their minds :)
This is a great resource for primary teachers for teaching writing. This unit of study contains individual books that are focused on a theme--from launching the writing workshop, to poetry and nonficition writing. This teacher's resource will be a great book to use in my letter writing study with my kindergartners.
These books are kept on my work desk and I always have at least one of the units in my book bag and on my bedside table. Reading them inspires me to teach, teach, teach... and write. If only I was taught writing this way in school.
For all those teachers who are absolutely befuddled about how to teach writing, I encourage them to use this set! It provides a wonderful series of units for K-2.
This set of books is fantastic for any K-2 teacher! Makes me want to start this school year over and try again. Oh wait...I can just try them out next school year!