Fail-Proof Writing: Informative Essay Freebie!

As a learning support teacher, I often work with middle schoolers who have never written an essay in their entire academic career. Writing often takes a back-burner when students struggle to simply read or comprehend the material. Yet, we know that writing and reading work synonymously which illuminates the importance of writing in the classroom. If you want to read more about my thoughts on writing in the classroom, click here. Although it may be daunting, students who struggle to write need to write!

I created step-by-step packets for writing informational, narrative, and opinion essays. They are based on a traditional introduction + 3-5 paragraph body + conclusion. These packets include the following:

1. Close-Reader Mentor Texts- Each packet includes three example essays that are broken apart for easy classroom analysis. It is important that students see quality examples of what they should be accomplishing. 

2. Note Sheets- Purposeful writers use very specific elements in their essays. Students cannot use these elements unless they are explicitly taught about them and trained to spot and use them!

3. Practice- This is when students are given the opportunity to practice identifying and utilizing the various elements within an essay: thesis, topic sentences, supporting details, etc. 

4. Brainstorming- Students need to be officially welcomed to the table to start the writing process. 

5. Step-by-Step Graphic Organizers- And by graphic organizers, I don't mean a blank chart. These are step-by-step organizers that walk students through creating an essay. Purposeful graphic organizers function like training wheels. Students use them until they train the students to write the essay on their own. They should mimic the writing process. 

6. Editing/Revising/Proofreading- This is often skipped or heavily minimized. Students need to be explicitly taught about the editing, revising, and proofreading stages. They also need specific guides to complete each process. 

7. Templates- Official final draft templates remind students of the importance of their work. 

8. Rubric- Scoring guidelines are important for students and a life-saver for teachers. 

For my free informational essay packet, click here.