Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio (1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank
you letters
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Letter Formation, Basic Sentences
Copywork of basic sentence structure
Picture and nature study: student looks at a picture or into nature and
writes or dictates a description of what is seen
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 1st grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Copy and imitate a simple sentence structure and begin learning and
imitating paragraph structure
Teach how to write a topic sentence using simple starter words
Teach simple transition words to use in sentences to add details to the topic
Teach how to write an ending sentence using conclusion words
Independently write a paragraph (3-5 sentences) with organized structure
(beginning, middle & end use “Topic sentence, Body, Conclusion” language)
by end of year.
Copy, imitate and introduce writing simple poetry
Letter Writing: teach friendly letter format with heading
Creative Writing (one piece written using the 5 senses)
Picture and nature study: student looks at a picture or into nature and
writes or dictates a description of what is seen
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 2nd grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting attending to correct spelling, form,
punctuation, and capitalization.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Copy and imitate a good paragraph structure and form
Introduce the word “essay”
Use starter sentence words for topic sentence, transitional words for
body/details, and conclusion words for ending sentence in each essay.
Independently write 1 Paragraph Essay by end of year (5-8 sentences)using
organized structure (beginning, middle and end).
Letter writing: friendly letter format
Creative Writing
Copy, and imitate writing simple poetry
Write descriptive essay (3-5 sentence paragraph) of a picture and nature
study
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 3rd grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting attending to correct spelling, form,
punctuation, and capitalization.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Begin transition from calling a topic sentence to calling it a thesis sentence.
Introduce full list of starter sentence words, transition words, and conclusion
words to be used in writing. Use starter words, transition words and
conclusion words throughout all writing by completion of third grade
Teacher guided thesis statement using starter words, then student
independently write a thesis statement using starter words.
Teacher-guided 3 paragraph essay with clear thesis statement
2 independent 3 paragraph essays completed by the end of the year.
Intro 5 paragraph essay (President’s Report)
Letter Writing: friendly letter format, introduce business letter format
Creative Writing
Introduce and teacher guided simple outlining of reading
Introduce the 4 functional types of sentences in writing: declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.
Introduce editing process of student’s written work- teacher guides students
step by step using a rubric to evaluate student’s progress
Paraphrasing: Retell stories in chronological order in detail and learn how
to use that to write a summary
(Known writing projects: animal reports (4), about a classmate—narrative, creative
story, president report, flower report, poetry.)
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 4th grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters and AR book reports.
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting attending to correct spelling, form,
punctuation, and capitalization.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Review of 3 paragraph essays with Intro, Body, and Conclusion.
Independently write a thesis statement using starter words.
Use starter words, transition words and conclusion words throughout all
writing.
5 paragraph essay: Thesis statement, teach the 3 body paragraphs are
connected with connecting sentences using transition words, and thesis
restated in conclusion
5 paragraph essay instruction with 2 teacher-guided essays completed by the
end of the year.
Introduce two column note taking
Model written book report using updated format provided.
Letter Writing: Friendly/Business letters
Creative Writing
Introduce using quotes in writing
Introduce using dialogue in writing.
Outlining reading
Editing written work - teacher guides students step by step using a rubric to
evaluate student’s progress
Paraphrasing: Retell stories in chronological order in detail and learn how
to use that to write a summary
(Known writing projects: Famous Coloradan Research Paper, Cinderella Story, State
Report, Personal Narrative, poetry)
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 5th grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters and AR book reports.
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting attending to correct spelling, form,
punctuation, and capitalization.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Review of 3 and 5 paragraph essays
Introduce list of more advanced starter and transition words.
Independently write a thesis statement using starter words.
REVIEW the 3 body paragraphs are connected with a connecting sentence
using transition words.
One teacher-guided research paper (5 paragraph essay)
Additionally, 1-2 independent 5 paragraph essays by end of year
Book reports using format provided.
Letter Writing: Friendly/Business letters
Introduce two column note taking
Creative Writing
Introduce and begin writing different types of paragraphs: Descriptive,
narrative, expository, and persuasive.
Write summary sentences for multiple paragraphs read
Hierarchical outlining
Editing written work focusing on students using the correct grammar in their
writing.
(Known writing projects: Biome Report, Artist Report, Personal Narrative, Creative
story)
Content Area: Writing
Grade Level: 6th grade
Grade level expectations:
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Complete 4 pieces of writing throughout the year for student’s writing
portfolio(1 per quarter and 1 creative) this is in addition to chapel thank you
letters and AR book reports.
Copywork of scripture, poetry, and hymns: students reproduce literary
selections in their best handwriting attending to correct spelling, form,
punctuation, and capitalization.
Weekly Narration of Classical literature: teacher reads excerpt from a
classical reading selection and student re-tells a summary of the story back
to the teacher or a peer.
Dictation of Bible verses, hymns, and poetry
Review of 5 paragraph essays
Require the use of more advanced starter and transition words.
REVIEW body paragraphs are connected with connecting sentences using
transition words.
Independently write a thesis statement using starter words.
Use starter words, transition words and conclusion words throughout all
writing.
3 independently completed 5 paragraph essays by the end of the year
1 teacher-guided 7 paragraph research paper completed by end of year
Letter Writing: Friendly/Business letters
Creative Writing
Use two column note taking
Write using the 4 different types of paragraphs
Hierarchical outlining
Editing written work focusing on students using the correct grammar in their
writing.
Write multiscene stories (Chapel Chum books)
(Known writing projects: Country Report, Creative story for chapel chum,
Teacher writing notebooks:
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Rubrics for grading and student guidelines. Posters for each class included
Editing checklists (laminated per student for daily use)
Laminated starter, transition, and conclusion words to be put on student’s
desk
Sample pieces of sentence and paragraph structure, writing, and outlining
Expectations and guidelines for different types of writing
Red/ Yellow and green flow chart for guiding students in their process of
writing
New book report format