The new Up the Ladder units are designed for children in grades 3–6 who may not yet have had many opportunities to practice writing narrative, information, and opinion pieces, or might not have had those experiences in workshop-style classrooms. The units give these children opportunities to engage in repeated successful practice and to move rapidly along a gradually increasing progression of challenges. Frequent checkpoints channel kids to double-check that their work has gotten substantially better. At each of these checkpoints, they—and you—will see that their growth has been dramatic.
The Up the Ladder Units:
- give novice writers intense writing practice within a short timeframe
- teach foundational strategies through content, topics, and mentor texts that are appropriate for grades 3–6
- include concise, accessible student checklists and guidelines for daily assessment
- support teachers with an introduction to the workshop framework and writing process, along with tips and strategies for classroom management
- include video demonstrations of the minilessons by Lucy Calkins and TCRWP staff developers to support teacher preparation
- offer teachers specific ways to support English learners
- engage young people in work that is demanding yet attainable
- ensure that students make rapid and dramatic progress toward grade-level writing work.
While the Up the Ladder units are designed to be precursors to the grade-level Units of Study in Opinion, Information, and Narrative Writing, 3–6, they also can be helpful in a variety of instructional settings, including summer school.
Components
- Three Up the Ladder Units: Narrative, Information, Opinion
- A Guide to the Up the Ladder Units
- Online Resources including video demonstrations for every minilesson
- Large-format Anchor-Chart Sticky Notes