Writing

Teach Combining Sentences in 5 Easy Steps (1st & 2nd Grade)

If you’ve ever read a first grader’s writing and hit five short sentences in a row, all starting with “I,” all about the same size, you know the choppy-sentence stage. It’s not wrong exactly. It’s just young. Combining sentences is one of those skills that takes that choppiness and turns it into actual, readable writing pretty fast, once kids have a system for it. Here’s how I’d walk through teaching combining sentences, one step at a time. Step 1: Start with two short sentences kids already get.Keep the content dead simple. “The dog ran. The dog barked.” You want all

Boy reading a book next to the text the simple fix for the phonics to reading gap decodable sentences

Your Kids Can Sound Out Words. Can They Read a Sentence?

The pendulum has done a full swing since I started teaching a billion years ago. Whole language is not a thing anymore (for good reason), but we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Teachers are spending TONS of time teaching students isolated sounds and words (rightfully so), but not nearly as much time on decodable sentences and reading connected text. This is an easy fix, so read on, Teacher Friend! The Real Issue Here’s the thing. Sounding out “sh” in isolation and reading “The fish had a big splash” are two very different skills. A kiddo can nail

Story Starters for Primary Students: Bye-Bye Blank Page

Hey there Teacher friend! I am sure you can relate to this senario: You tell your class it’s writing time, and instead of picking up their pencils, half your students just… stare. At the ceiling. At you. At their shoes. Like you just asked them to solve a calculus problem. Sometime, there are even tears. Sheesh! Story starters can change that. Seriously. What Is a Story Starter (and Why Does It Matter)? A story starter is exactly what it sounds like — a prompt that gives students the very beginning of a story. Maybe it’s a sentence. Maybe it’s a

How to Teach How-To Writing in K-2 (Without Losing Your Mind)

How-to writing. Also known as procedural writing. Also known as the thing that sounds so simple until you’re actually standing in front of a group of first graders trying to explain what a “step” is. Procedural writing is one of those units that can go really, really well. Or it can kind of fall apart around day three when someone decides that step one of making a sandwich is “go to the store.” Not wrong, technically. But okie dokie, let’s back up. The good news? There are some simple ways to make how-to writing click for young writers. Let me

Writing Fractured Fairy Tales: Mini-Lessons, Mentor Texts, and Classroom Fun!

Writing Fractured Fairy Tales: Mini-Lessons, Mentor Texts & Classroom Fun

Okay, friends. If there is one writing unit that gets kids genuinely excited to put pencil to paper, it is writing fractured fairy tales. Not just any fairy tales—fractured fairy tales. The kind where the Big Bad Wolf is suddenly the good guy, Cinderella refuses to go to the ball, or the Three Bears file a complaint with the local police. Kids go absolutely wild for this stuff. And honestly? So do I. After 23 years in a primary classroom, I can tell you that fairy tale writing hits differently than other units. It is one of those magical combinations

Classroom Writing Routine for K-2: Fun Writer’s Workshop Ideas for Teaching Writing in the Primary Grades

Okay, teacher friends. Let’s talk about writing time, your Writer’s Workshop, your writing block, whatever you call it, it is the time when you are teaching your students how to write. You know that moment when you say “Get out your writing notebooks” and half your class looks at you like you just announced a dentist appointment? Yeah. That’s real. Teaching writing in the primary grades can feel hard—for teachers AND for kiddos. But here’s what I’ve found: when you have a solid classroom writing routine, everything gets easier. Your students know what to expect. You know what comes next.

Why Journal Writing Is One of the Most Powerful Tools in Elementary Classrooms

Hey there, Teacher Friend! I wanted to talk today about something that has gone a little by the wayside since the introduction of computers in everyone’s classroom: Journal Writing! There’s something about a stack of student journals that just feels… hopeful. Maybe it’s because journals don’t ask kids to be perfect. They don’t rush them. They don’t insist on neat conclusions or fancy endings. And in a primary classroom, that kind of space really matters. Keeping a journal at school gives students a place where their thinking can live. A place to write, draw, notice, reflect, and practice being learners.

Encoding and Decoding in Reading: Why Writing Words Absolutely Helps Students Become Better Readers

Hey there, Teacher friend! I came across this quote the other day, and it really got me thinking about encoding and decoding in reading. “Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.” Pam Allyn Table of Contents 1. Encoding and Decoding in Reading: More Connected Than We Think For a long time, I treated encoding and decoding as two separate lanes. Decoding lived in reading instruction. Encoding showed up during writing time. That felt logical… and also very tidy. But once you really start paying attention to how young readers work through words, that separation starts to feel

Image of sequencing activities with transition words. Why Sequencing Matters.

Why Sequencing Matters: Turning Pictures into Powerful Stories

Hey there, teacher friend! Today, I want to talk with you about sequencing, putting things in order, and why you need to teach it to your budding writers (and readers) in your elementary classroom. Why Sequencing Matters in Early Writing When you’re teaching young writers, there’s always that one story that starts with “First we went to the zoo” and ends with “Then we went to bed,” and everything in between is a beautiful blur. Sequencing is one of those foundational skills that helps students make sense of the world around them — and their own writing. It’s how they

Image of smartboard with a Sentence a Day Disguise a turkey teacher slide displayed. Text: Disguide a Turkey Class : A fun shared writing Thanksgiving Activity.

Disguise a Turkey Class Book: A Fun Shared Writing Thanksgiving Activity

Hey there, teacher friend, let’s talk about November! You know the stretch I’m talking about—Halloween sugar rush has finally worn off, and now we’re racing toward Thanksgiving break. Kids are buzzing, schedules are all over the place with assemblies, and you’re just trying to squeeze in meaningful writing without losing your mind. Been there. Honestly, I think every teacher has. That’s exactly why I’m always on the hunt for activities that keep students engaged, sneak in real writing practice, and feel fun. Because let’s face it—if you say, “We’re going to write another paragraph today,” you’ll get groans. But if

Image of teacher and student using shared writing. Text: Shared Writing: My Favorite Teaching Strategy for Building Confident Writers.

Shared Writing: My Favorite Teaching Strategy for Building Confident Young Writers

Hey there, Teacher Friend! Teaching writing in primary grades can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain in flip-flops. You’re juggling sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, and then—just when you think you’ve got it—half the class is distracted by a wiggly tooth or a loose crayon. Honestly, it can be overwhelming. That’s why shared writing is one of my very favorite teaching strategies. It makes the whole writing process more manageable for kids (and teachers!) and turns it into something fun, collaborative, and confidence-boosting. What Is Shared Writing? Shared writing is when the teacher and students work together to create a

Image of a frustrated child not writing, and a confident child writing. Text: Kickstart Writing Confidence with Quick Writing Warm-Ups

Kickstart Writing Confidence with Daily Writing Logs and Quick Writing Warm-Ups

Hey there, teacher friend! Do you ever feel like getting your students to write — especially at the beginning of the year — is like pulling teeth? I’ve been there. Blank pages, blank stares, and lots of “I don’t know what to write!” It’s frustrating for everyone. That’s where writing logs and writing warm-ups come in. These quick, low-pressure activities are the perfect way to get students writing every day without making it overwhelming. And honestly? The more kids write, the more confident they become. That’s why I created my Daily Quick Writes Writing Logs — to help make writing

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Writing

Teach Combining Sentences in 5 Easy Steps (1st & 2nd Grade)

Your Kids Can Sound Out Words. Can They Read a Sentence?

Story Starters for Primary Students: Bye-Bye Blank Page

How to Teach How-To Writing in K-2 (Without Losing Your Mind)

Writing Fractured Fairy Tales: Mini-Lessons, Mentor Texts & Classroom Fun

Classroom Writing Routine for K-2: Fun Writer’s Workshop Ideas for Teaching Writing in the Primary Grades

Why Journal Writing Is One of the Most Powerful Tools in Elementary Classrooms

Encoding and Decoding in Reading: Why Writing Words Absolutely Helps Students Become Better Readers

Why Sequencing Matters: Turning Pictures into Powerful Stories

Disguise a Turkey Class Book: A Fun Shared Writing Thanksgiving Activity

Shared Writing: My Favorite Teaching Strategy for Building Confident Young Writers

Kickstart Writing Confidence with Daily Writing Logs and Quick Writing Warm-Ups

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