Writing Guides: The Gift That Keeps Giving Year After Year  

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Christmas is my favorite season. I love this time of year because I pride myself on being a great gift giver. There is no greater satisfaction in life than watching my loved one open their gift and the look of surprise, mixed with confusion wash over their face as they look up at me and ask, “How did you know?” (And yes, I have been watching a lot of Hallmark movies – if you know, you know.) 

As this post due date crept closer, nothing was stirring – not even my brain. I just kept thinking, “I’ve got nothing.” It wasn’t until yesterday when someone asked me, “Is there anything I can do to help?”, and the lights on my mental Christmas tree lit up! I do have something… and it might just be the perfect gift for you and your students!   

Throughout this semester, my team and I were noticing how naughty, er needy our 10th grade students became when we asked them to write…anything. I mean, it was like we were asking them to write a best-selling novel series or something. I literally had one of my students demand that I stand right next to her the whole class period because she just knew that she would need help (insert eye roll). So, after much discussion and talking with students, we came up with a way to keep our students on our “nice” list AND keep them engaged, accountable writers throughout the writing process: The Writing Guide (cue the hallelujah chorus)!!          

Here’s what it looks like in my classroom (the wrapping, ribbons, and bows):

• We gave each writing structure a week and a half (you could make this time frame shorter or longer depending on your students). 

• Students started each week by looking at multiple mentor texts (a gallery walk is how we did this) and making noticings of the things the authors were doing. Students would share their findings with their small group, and then as a class, we created an anchor chart with the most common noticings. 

• Students then used the planning outline/writing guides (which were created based on the anchor charts) to help them brainstorm and draft their writing pieces. 

• Each writing week ended with a final draft being submitted. 

Here are the materials (the gifts for you to open):

Here are the mentor texts and the writing guides that my team created and used this past month:

	Mentor Text – How to Make the Most Perfect Breakfast Taco Ever  How-To Writing Guide
	Mentor Text – The Best YA Books of 2023  Gallery Walk Activity Form – Field Guide   Field Guide Writing Guide
	Unit Plan – “I’m Really Into” – this is Rebekah’s whole unit plan from the Moving Writer’s Blog  Mentor Texts w/ a noticings page – My Mom Passed Down Her Love…Roller skating feels a lot like Love… “I’m Really Into” planning outline “I’m Really Into” writing guide

After each of these writing assignments, students completed a Google form reflection. We wanted to know if these writing guides were helpful. Majority of students said that not only were they helpful, but they also understood how to use the mentor texts better. Real talk: these writing guides put most of our students back on the “nice” list… and just in time for Christmas.  

I truly hope that these resources are a gift. The kind that gives you peace (of mind), love (even for the neediest of students), and joy (that you have something to try next semester or even this week).

Merry Swiftmas to you and yours!

Just another teacher in the classroom (and fellow Swiftie), Ashley Anderson

What other outlines or guides do you use to help your students get started with their writing? You can connect with me on Twitter @Teaching_IsLife or on Facebook at facebook.com/movingwriters.

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Ashley Anderson is a 10th grade English teacher at Dickinson High School in Dickinson, TX. She is in her eighth year of teaching. Before entering education, Ashley was a Captain in the United States Air Force and managed marketing and communications for several private aviation companies. She loves cold coffee, doing sudoku, and cheering on her Gators (students) at all of their extracurricular activities. She lives with her husband, Chad (who is also a 10 grade English teacher and on her team at DHS), and her two daughters Avery (#AveryMonster) and Audrey (#BabyBop). Ashley feels blessed every day to be part of a profession with so much passion and commitment. She is excited and humbled to be part of the MovingWriters team.