How Empowering Writers addresses the Common Core State Standards in Writing
Empowering Writers has always been driven by the needs of real teachers, in the real world of the classroom. Now, more than ever, with the advent of the Common Core State Standards, teachers are looking for practical solutions on how to ‘do it all’ in regard to writing instruction. And Empowering Writers has, once again, met their needs through high-powered, effective training options and a new line of comprehensive new grade-level resource books that educators are raving about. Whether your district is looking for an all-inclusive writing solution to the demands of the CC, or if you’re in the throes of creating new curriculum, our workshops and new Essential Guides to Writing for grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 will inform your instruction and planning, and more than meet your needs.
CCSS Alignment – Grade 2 CCSS Alignment – Grade 3 CCSS Alignment – Grade 4 CCSS Alignment – Grade 5
Here’s What’s New
Resources Professional Development
A terrific complement to our traditional, genre-based, multi-grade Comprehensive Guides to Narrative and Expository Writing, our new Essential Guides to Writing address all of the Common Core State Standards in writing for grades 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The Essential Guides to Writing provide breadth and depth by delivering comprehensive background and lessons in every genre, woven thematically throughout the year. Each month the Essential Guides to Writing include:
- detailed lesson plans with clear objectives
- foundational lessons in all genres (narrative, expository, opinion, persuasive)
- research, revision and process writing activities
- tools for building the reading-writing connection
- mentor texts
- student writing samples
- literature connections
These Essential Guides also give teachers the power to “make it their own” by dropping their own content material into their lesson prototypes. 
More information on the Essential Guides to Writing
Grade 2 Preview Grade 3 Preview Grade 4 Preview Grade 5 Preview
In addition to the traditional genre-specific workshops, Empowering Writers has developed a new workshop for the CCSS.
Powerful Models for the Common Core Workshop
Details: Full Day, 5.5 hour Common Core Workshop for Grades 2 – 5
Resource Options: The Essential Guides to Writing plus “Powerful Models” handout
This workshop will provide a powerful overview of the key components of narrative, expository, and persuasive writing as required by the Common Core – organizational frameworks, salient characteristics, author’s purpose, with a strong reading/writing connection. This background will then be applied to the implementation of age-appropriate Common Core writing lessons in all genres, along with related skills such as research, note-taking, and response to text. Teachers will come away with everything they need to address the writing demands of the CCSS.
Powerful Models for the Common Core Workshop Schedule
Expository Writing with Introduction to Opinion/Persuasive (for Grades 2-5)
Details: Full Day, 5.5 hour
Resource Options: Comprehensive Expository Guide and Opinion Cards
This workshop is geared for any teacher responsible for teaching expository writing with a focus on
grades 2-8. Participants will:
- explore opportunities for analyzing the organizational structure of the expository essay
- learn specific strategies for crafting strong introductions with attention grabbing leads
- create clear concise thesis statements, generate a number of broad yet distinct main ideas
- write a variety of powerful supporting details
- construct conclusions in which main ideas are creatively restated
- address the compare/contrast essay.
- explore the skills of the persuasive pillar
Expository Writing Workshop Schedule
Half-day Options
For schools and districts with limited professional development time, Empowering Writers has a half-day workshop option.
Using the Essential Guides to Writing for Grades 2-5 Workshop
Details: 2 0r 3-hour Common Core Workshop for Grades 2 – 5
Resource Options: The Essential Guides to Writing, Comprehensive Guides, “Powerful Models” handout
This workshop involves developing a group experience for teachers during which they would apply their respective grade level topics and themes to the “Make it Your Own” suggestions, study the grade level grids, and examine the Power Sample Lessons for their grade level. Comprehensive Guides are used for reteaching, review, reinforcement, and differentiation.
Overview of Narrative and Expository Writing for Grades 2-5
Details: 2 0r 3-hour Common Core Workshop for Grades 2 – 5
Resource Options: The Essential Guides to Writing and “Powerful Models” handout
This workshop provides an overview of Empowering Writers models of Narrative and Expository writing, proven methodology, and effective modeling.
Click here for more information on the Common Core State Standards
