Powerful Writing Structures: Brain Pocket Strategies for Supporting a Year-Long Writing Program

This timely book uses thinking structures to deepen student writing. Powerful Writing Structures revolves around “brain pockets” to help students become familiar with the qualities of different writing forms. They learn to access memory pockets for personal writing, fact pockets for writing nonfiction, and imagination pockets for story writing. Based on extensive classroom testing, this comprehensive approach to developing a balanced year-long writing program includes tips for implementing weekly writing practice, effective mini lessons, and using different forms of writing in the content areas. From writing goals to writing joy, Powerful Writing Structures helps teachers guide students through the skills, the structures, the language, and the beauty of effective writing.

This valuable resource shows teachers how to set up an effective writing program that focuses on process rather than product. This book includes:

• lessons to introduce different forms of writing, including six types of nonfiction, personal narrative and story
• mini lessons on writing structure, language, and writer’s craft so that students can carry skills forward into writing practice
• book lists of the best children’s books to anchor, support, and extend lessons
• student examples that illustrate how strategies work in real classrooms.