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A simple, student-friendly system for teaching introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions “Graphic Organizer” is a general term that can mean almost anything. Even when it comes to writing graphic organizers specifically, there are so many options it can feel overwhelming. That’s why I wanted to make this post exclusively about the graphic organizers I use, […]

The First Essay of the Year Every year when I announce it’s time to write our first essay, students act like it’s the longest, hardest thing they’ve ever done—and every year I laugh, because they have no idea just how many they’re about to write. In all seriousness, the first essay of the school year

Teaching Middle School Essay Writing While elementary and middle school writing share a lot of the same key characteristics—proper conventions, grammar, organization, focus, and purpose—middle school is where we see a pretty big leap in our expectations, and students feel it. When students begin writing essays in early elementary school, they are filled with simple