Writing Resources Pack

Wow! I can't believe how crazy this summer has been.  This unit has been about 90% done since the beginning of summer, but things kept coming up and I just got it done this week.  This Writing Resources Pack helps support Common Core Standards for Text Types and Purposes for Kindergarten, 1^st, and 2^nd grade.  I'm really excited about this one and can't wait to use all of the things I've added this summer.  I made the Picture Dictionary and Writing Folder Labels LAST summer and loved how they worked out in my class.  That was before I started my blog and little Tpt store.  I've changed a few things since then and now they are better than ever. 
     My favorite part of the unit is the Picture Dictionary.  I made it because I never really found a student dictionary that I liked, or didn't cost an arm and a leg (buying a class set of premade student dictionaries year after year adds up!).  One of the things that always bugged me about student dictionaries is that while there were plenty of spaces to add words, my struggling readers/spellers could never remember what many of the words were - GRRRRR.  So my Picture Dictionary has a space to write the word as well as a space for the student to draw an illustration of the word to help them remember it.  The first week I used them in class I thought "WHY didn't I make this years ago?!"  They are a great tool for students and is a great time saver for me. One of the problems I had had with students is them always asking "How do you spell ____?" My frequent responses were "Think about the sounds in the word, and the letters that represent those sounds to help you spell it out." or "Have you used your good researcher skills? I bet you know where you could find the word in our classroom because it sounds like it has the spelling pattern we're working on this week."  Some students take those prompts and do fine, others..... not so much.  I can see their faces now - staring at me with a blank expression, waiting for me to "help" them - AKA "tell them". With the Picture Dictionaries that hardly happens anymore - thank goodness!  It helps students who get stuck on their spelling become so much more independent. 
      My second favorite part is the writing folder labels.  I made labels for the folders that worked for me in my classroom.  Again, they ended up being a big time saver and kept students organized in their writing process.  I made 5 different pocket labels for the unit but my writing folders only have 4 pockets, so I'll just be using the 4 that work in my classroom. 
     But there is more than the Picture Dictionary and the Writing Folder Labels.  Here is a list of everything included:

-How to Write an Opinion Piece Poster

-How to Write an Informative Text Poster

-How to Write a Narrative Poster

-Writing Paper - Portrait and Landscape(5 choices)

-Graphic Organizers (5 choices)

-Writing Planners/Rough Drafts (3)

-“I Can” Common Core Standard Posters (Text Type and Purposes) for K, 1, 2.

-Examples of Picture Dictionary and Writing Folder

-Picture Dictionary

-Writing Folder Labels  

For more pics of what is included in the unit you can download a free preview of the unit at my Tpt store.  Please feel free to email me with any questions!