This post may contain affiliate links. Affiliate links use cookies to track clicks and qualifying purchases for earnings. Please read my Disclosure Policy, Terms of Service, and Privacy policy for specific details.
Writing is one of the foundation educational content areas along with reading and math. I have searched through and tried several writing curricula before finding one that was a perfect fit for my family. Once I found Writing with Ease, I could honestly say my search for a writing curriculum is over (at least for the primary grades). I will start with reviewing my top writing pick and then cover some of the other elementary writing curricula I have tried in no particular order.
My Top Elementary Writing Curriculum Picks
1) Writing with Ease
Overview
Writing with Ease clearly explains the prerequisite skills for creating original writing and then explains how to develop those skills in children. Children are guided step-by-step in the process. The children are taught to summarize content, to hold dictated sentences in their mind long enough to record them, and eventually write their own responses.
Benefits
The lessons described are sequenced systematically and gradually increase in difficulty. The authors explain how to use the program with your own content. Additional open-and-go books are also available for purchase that have include the required passages and necessary content. I do use these “Complete Writer” workbooks and find them highly beneficial. The processes described in this book are the best explanation I have seen for developing writing skills. The lessons are short and I have not had to make any adaptations for my child with ADHD.
Limitations
Without the additional “Complete Writer Workbooks” the program may require more preparation time than other programs. With these workbooks, this writing program is easy to implement.
2) Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing Books
Overview
Daily 6-Trait Writing is available for 1st through 8th grade. I have used the first, second, and fourth grade daily writing books. The program covers writing conventions and traits. CLICK HERE to read my full review of Evan-Moor’s 6-Trait Daily Writing.
Benefits
The program provides age appropriate ways to practice writing. The books are systematic and provide a strong framework for learning and practicing writing conventions.
Limitation
This series does not teach summarization skills. Instead, it focuses on writing original content. As with any writing curriculum, we ran into some difficulty with some of the writing topics that were irrelevant to my reluctant writer. As needed, we simply change to topic to one that interests him. Problem solved. CLICK HERE to read 4 adaptations to help reluctant writers.
Review of Other Elementary Writing Curricula
4-Square Writing
Overview
I came across this program while teaching school. Our school scored lower on the writing portion of on some standardized tests, and so there was a school-wide training on using the Four Square Writing Method. This method starts with a topic, and then has 3 details and 1 feeling sentence. The sentences are organized visually within a square graphic organizer. The sentences can then be copied into a paragraph format.
Benefits
This system provides a visual basis for organizing paragraphs. A variety of topics can be used with this framework.
Limitations
This program is limited to paragraph organization. It does not incrementally teach summarization or the other skills taught in the Writing with Ease Program.
Write Shop
Overview
Write shop is a writing program that can begin in the early years. It teaches children to discuss and formulate sentences regarding topics. Children can dictate their essays for an adult to write and gradually work up to writing their own original content.
Benefits
Children can begin to create their own content before they have the necessary handwriting skills. The program is systematic and provides regular writing practice. Topics could be adjusted to fit within other content areas.
Limitations
We made it through level A with great success. Once we got to Level B, my son started to resist the writing activities. He was not interested in the presented topics. In addition, the required editing and rewriting were just not going to happen with him. We may revisit Write Shop once he has sufficient typing skills to make the required editing and publishing parts of this program less painful.
Michael Clay Thompson
Overview
Michael Clay Thompson (not an affiliate link) books are supposed to be a full language arts curriculum. The books cover grammar, vocabulary, poetry, and literature. They also claim to cover writing. I have used levels 1-3, so my review is limited to the levels I have used.
Benefits
This curriculum explains the content it does cover through interesting narrative. The program is written for gifted children. It may or may not be appropriate for children who are not gifted or for children who are twice exceptional children.
Limitations
For a curriculum that claims to cover writing, there is very limited writing practice. The only writing practice I found was related to the literature books. I was supposed to assign essays on certain topics. This is a huge jump from the information covered. The books do cover the parts of a sentence and the components of paragraphs; however, the books do not include systematic or even sequential exercises in creating original sentences and paragraphs.
Conclusion on Elementary Writing Curricula
I highly recommend using both the Writing with Ease program and Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing. Writing with Ease will teach your child important summarization and memory skills. 6-Trait Writing will teach your child how to organize and utilize grade-level writing traits in weekly writing projects. Depending on your child’s attention and interest in writing, Write Shop may also be good fit for your child. have seen a great benefit in using the Writing with Ease program and Daily 6-Trait Writing and would recommend using both programs to provide comprehensive writing skills. Other elementary writing curricula, such as write shop, could be also included as supplemental source for writing activities.
CLICK HERE to read my review of the Brave Writer’s book, “The Writer’s Jungle.”
CLICK HERE to read my article comparing the Brave Writer and Writing with Ease elementary level curricula.
CLICK HERE to read my review of the Sentence Composing for Elementary School worktext.
CLICK HERE to read my review of Daily 6-Trait Writing.