Student Writing
Ongoing
At a Glance Students write every day in Wit & Wisdom to deepen comprehension and grow as writers. The four Craft Stages—Examine, Experiment, Execute, Excel—scaffold that growth across every module.
Daily Writing in Action: Students write throughout each module—recording evidence, taking notes, responding to questions, summarizing, analyzing vocabulary, and drafting and revising their writing. Each lesson’s At a Glance overview shows when and how writing is integrated. Writing practice occurs throughout lessons. Writing instruction primarily occurs in the Learn section and in Style and Conventions Deep Dives.
The Four Craft Stages
Students grow as writers through four stages. Your role shifts at each one:
1. Examine: Students analyze an exemplar to see what makes writing work. Your move: Guide students through a strong exemplar to read it like writers, not just readers.
2. Experiment: Students practice the skill in a small, scaffolded task. Your move: Keep the scope tight and give specific feedback.
3. Execute: Students draft a full piece applying the skill. Your move: Be clear about the task and use what you know about your students to decide on scaffolds.
4. Excel: Students revise, edit, and reflect. Your move: Use a checklist or peer review structure, so feedback is actionable, not overwhelming.
Key Actions
Read: Writing to Learn and Learning to Write
Explore: Grade-level Writing Models in the final section of the Implementation Guide, starting on page 134
Find: K–5 MLL Resources for the Sentence Construction and Sentence Deconstruction Protocols
Listen: Melissa & Lori Love Literacy® on classroom strategies that build confident student writers