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Writing Workouts

Whole group, Tier 1, explicit teaching tools for the writing process, built for the SmartBoard. Answers may not be wrong, but our job is to find answers that are strong!

*Clarifying statement: The following whole group, Tier 1 instructional tools are guides and springboards for new writers of all ages. Many variations beyond the ones featured within the Writing Workouts are acceptable, appreciated, and admired.

Purpose

Each workout builds one part of strong writing together as a class, using the real passages and prompts from our Teacher Lesson Plans and Student Workbooks.

How it works

The class talks, the teacher types, and the tool shows the thinking level and the next best move. Tap Activate support now any time for a worked example.

The goal

Climb the five thinking levels, from Foundational to Reflective, and finish with CHECKMATE.

Check MATE: Thesis Next MoveBuild a thesis (central idea) for a real prompt. Red, Yellow, or Green, with the next best move and up to three tries.Open → OnRAMP: Main Idea and ThemeChoose the strongest main idea or theme from five thinking levels, climb one level higher, then write a global or reflective statement.Open → Evidence Detective: CSI EvidenceRead a prompt and a thesis (central idea), then choose evidence from five thinking levels. See each CSI score and find the one piece that Connects, Supports, and lets us Infer more ideas.Open → Explanation Station: DEEP FACTSChoose explanations that show how the evidence proves the thesis (central idea) and name each DEEP FACTS type, then write our own and find out which type we used.Open →