Excellence in Writing Goals
Unit I: Note Making and Outlines
 Goals
1. For children to develop the ability to choose and record key words, which will
help them remember a complete idea, and to use a basic outline format.
2. For children to learn to communicate the main ideas from something they have
read by using their own Key Word Outlines.
3. For children to be able to choose selections, read them, create key word
outlines independently, and verbally retell the basic ideas to another person
using only the outline. (Also an effective introduction to public speaking.)
Grades 4 and up
- Students may use synonyms for key words if they desire.
- Use slightly more challenging text, both narrative and factual (1-3
paragraphs.)
Unit II: Summarizing from Notes
 Goals
1. For children to write summaries from short stories or articles by using only their
own key word outlines.
2. To provide content for children to use while learning the writing and rewriting
process.
3. To begin teaching the syllabus in style, starting with “dress-ups.”
4. For children to become independent in the processes of
- Choosing a source and making a key word outline.
- Summarizing from their own notes (without copying from the source.)
- “dressing-up” their summaries and rewriting a final draft.
Grades 5 & up
- Work quickly towards independence.
- Introduce dress-ups and openers as they are absorbed and utilized by the
children.
- Have students underline dress-ups and write sentence numbers in the
margin.
- Integrate writing assignments with content areas (i.e. history or science.)
The Syllabus in Style
 Goals
1. To introduce style techniques gradually, as children are able to understand and
utilize them, to improve creative expression, and to motivate them to write and
rewrite.
2. To give children an assortment of tools that will help them add variety and
interest to their writing for the rest of their lives.
3. To provide grammar instruction in the context of use.
4. To help children become aware of how style is used in what they read.
Unit III: Summarizing Narrative Stories
 Goals
1. For children to learn to identify the story sequence in a narrative story.
2. For children to learn to make outlines based on the story sequence chart.
3. For children to summarize stories from their own outlines and consequently
internalize the components of a well-constructed story.
4. To introduce the idea that each paragraph has a purpose.
Grades 5 & up
- Start with very short stories, then move to longer ones.
- Introduce the critique model (see Unit IX) to give structure to book reports.
The critique model can be used for plays and films as well as novels.
- Basic narrative summarizing skills also prepare students for free creative
writing.
Unit VI: Library Research Reports
 Goals
1. For children to learn to use the classroom (or home) library and ultimately the
main library, find reading material on a topic, take notes, and write a summary.
2. To introduce the Topic Sentence and Paragraph Clincher.
3. For children to be able to use one, two, three, or more references, taking
outline notes on a specific topic from each reference, and if using multiple
sources, to be able to “fuse” and write a summary from the fused outline.
4. For children to document their reference and report orally or in writing on what
they found and where they found it.
Grades 6 & up
- Use prepared sets of materials to teach the process of fusing outlines.
Teach how to record bibliographical information.
- Integrate writing with content areas.
Unit V: Writing from Pictures
 Goals
1. For children to write three-paragraph stories from a series of three pictures.
2. To introduce/reinforce the topic—clincher relationship, with final clinchers
reflecting both the topic of the last paragraph and the title.
3. To exercise imagination and creativity. The pictures themselves say little. All
details, setting, characterization, motives, effects, etc. must be developed.
4. For children to write three-paragraph stories from one or two pictures.
5. To consciously introduce the use of past participle verb forms.
Unit VII: Creative Writing
 Goals
1. To give children a structure to use when writing about virtually anything,
including their personal experiences.
2. To teach the use of an Introduction and Conclusion in a five-paragraph
composition.
3. To reinforce the idea of “Think three themes.”
Unit VIII: Essay Writing
 Goals
1. To teach the proper structure for formal essays of five, seven or more
paragraphs.
2. To continue the proper use of an Introduction and Conclusion in a fiveparagraph composition.
3. To use proper essay format in all research reports for other subjects.
4. To provide a foundation for high school and university writing and research
assignments.
Unit IX: Critiques
 Goals
1. To teach a solid structure for book reports, reviews, and critiques.
2. To develop a “critique” vocabulary which aids in literary analysis.
3. To use a five-paragraph format by combining the basic story sequence chart
with introduction and conclusion paragraphs.