Notes on the Wonders Writing/Grammar/Spelling Block

● 90 minutes of ELA instruction are required, ideally the writing/grammar/spelling block would make up
30 of the 90 minutes. 120 minutes are required at grades K-2, but 30 minutes should still be devoted to
writing/grammar/spelling.
● It will lead to the most cohesive instruction if ​whole group​ writing, spelling, and grammar are done
during the same block of classroom instruction. The three go hand in hand and will be done at the
same time in the special ed classroom.
● Writing Lessons
○ “Respond to Reading” should be completed during the reading block since it’s text-based
(literary analysis). It also causes instructional problems with special education students who
have not read the “Respond to Reading” text but are part of a regular ed writing classroom.
○ Writing lessons should be genre specific, not text specific. The “Review an Expert Model”
lesson incorporates the literature anthology, but this is teacher led and only used to teach the
writing genre. Students do not need to have access to this text as long as the text is able to be
viewed as a whole group (SmartBoard). The remainder of the writing lessons focus on the
writing process, not analyzing a text.
● Grammar Lessons
○ The lessons with the series are very basic and worksheet based. Feel free to continue to add
games, activities, and other resources to your grammar instruction.
○ Wonders covers many grammar skills that are not necessarily Illinois Learning Standards.
○ The grammar lesson pattern/routine is below.
■ Day 1 is introduces the skill
■ Day 2 is a review of the skill
■ Day 3 is a mechanics skill
■ Day 4 is proofread and write (optional)
● You could build these into morning work or independent work stations. These
activities involve proofreading sentences (think daily oral language) and finding
errors in student writing.
■ Day 5 is assessment (optional)
● Mechanics and conventions will be assessed through the writing task.
● Spelling Lessons
○ Spelling as an independent workstation or homework practice is acceptable.
○ The spelling lesson pattern/routine is below.
■ Day 1 is assess prior knowledge
■ Day 2 is a review of the skill (optional)
■ Day 3 is word meanings (optional)
■ Day 4 is proofread and write (optional)
■ Day 5 is assessment
● Sample ​Schedules Below
○ Overview of how this MIGHT look over 20 days and with estimated times
○ Only includes the required spelling and grammar lessons (according to Wonders)
○ Option 4 is a sample for the special education classroom
○ Option 5 mirrors the first grade writing scope and sequence.
 Option 1- 30 Minute Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Block
(grammar and writing taught on separate days)
Day Grammar Spelling Writing

1 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Know. (Day 1) 15

2 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 2 & 3) 30

3 Introduce (Day 6) 30

4 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 7 & 8) 30

5 Assess (Day 5) 10 Review Model 20

6 Assess Prior Know. (Day 6) 15 Plan 15

7 Plan 30

8 Draft 30

9 Draft 30

10 Assess (Day 10) 10 Draft 20

11 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Know. (Day 1) 15

12 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 2 & 3) 30

13 Introduce (Day 6) 30

14 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 7 & 8) 30

15 Assess (Day 5) 10 Revise 20

16 Assess Prior Know. (Day 6) 15 Revise 15

17 Peer Conferencing 30

18 Edit and Proofread 30

19 Edit and Proofread 30

20 Assess (Day 10) 10 Publish, Present, & Eval. 20

 Option 2- 30 Minute Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Block
(grammar and writing taught on the same days)
Day Grammar Spelling Writing

1 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 1) 15

2 Review Skill (Day 2) 30

3 Mechanics (Day 3) 30

5 Assess (Day 5) 10 Review Model 20

6 Introduce (Day 6) 5 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 6) 15 Plan 10

7 Review Skill (Day 7) 15 Plan 15

8 Mechanics (Day 8) 10 Draft 20

9 Draft 30

10 Assess (Day 10) 10 Draft 20

11 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 1) 15

12 Review Skill (Day 2) 30

13 Mechanics (Day 3) 30

14

15 Assess (Day 5) 10 Revise 20

16 Introduce (Day 6) 5 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 6) 15 Revise 10

17 Review Skill (Day 7) 15 Peer Conferencing 15

18 Mechanics (Day 8) 10 Edit and Proofread 20

19 Edit and Proofread 30

20 Assess (Day 10) 10 Publish, Present, and Eval. 20

 Option 3- 30 Minute Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Block
(similar to option 1, but with extended writing for optional presentations at the end of project)
Day Grammar Spelling Writing

1 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Know. (Day 1) 15

2 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 2 & 3) 30

3 Introduce (Day 6) 30

4 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 7 & 8) 30

5 Assess (Day 5) 10 Review Model 20

6 Assess Prior Know. (Day 6) 15 Plan 15

7 Plan 30

8 Draft 30

9 Draft 30

10 Assess (Day 10) 10 Draft 20

11 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Know. (Day 1) 15 Revise

12 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 2 & 3) 30 Revise

13 Introduce (Day 6) 30 Peer Conferencing

14 Review Skill & Mechanics (Day 7 & 8) 30 Peer Conferencing

15 Assess (Day 5) 10 Edit and Proofread 20

16 Assess Prior Know. (Day 6) 15 Edit and Proofread 15

17 Publish and Present 30

18 Publish and Present 30

19 Publish and Present 30

20 Assess (Day 10) 10 Publish, Present, & Eval. 20

 Option 4- 30 Minute Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Block
(special education classroom)
Day Grammar Spelling Writing

1 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 1) 15

2 Review Skill (Day 2) 15 Foundational Skills Practice 15

3 Mechanics (Day 3) 15 Foundational Skills Practice 15

4 Foundational Skills Practice 30

5 Assess (Day 5) 10 Review Model 20

6 Introduce (Day 6) 5 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 6) 15 Plan 10

7 Review Skill (Day 7) 15 Plan 15

8 Mechanics (Day 8) 10 Draft 20

9 Foundational Skills Practice 10 Draft 20

10 Assess (Day 10) 10 Draft 20

11 Introduce (Day 1) 15 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 1) 15

12 Review Skill (Day 2) 15 Foundational Skills Practice 15

13 Mechanics (Day 3) 15 Foundational Skills Practice 15

14 Foundational Skills Practice 30

15 Assess (Day 5) 10 Revise 20

16 Introduce (Day 6) 5 Assess Prior Knowledge (Day 6) 15 Revise 10

17 Review Skill (Day 7) 15 Peer Conferencing 15

18 Mechanics (Day 8) 10 Edit and Proofread 20

19 Foundational Skills Practice 10 Edit and Proofread 20

20 Assess (Day 10) 10 Publish, Present, and Eval. 20

 Option 5- 30 Minute Writing, Grammar, and Spelling Block
(first grade classroom)
Weeks 1-5

Day Grammar Spelling (with phonics instruction) Writing

1 Grammar (Day 1) 15 Shared Writing (Day 1) 15

2 Grammar (Day 2) 15 Shared Writing (Day 2) 15

3 Grammar (Day 3) 15 Independent Writing (Day 3) 15

4 Grammar (Day 4) 15 Independent Writing (Day 4) 15

5 Independent Writing (Day 5) 30

Week 6

1 Writing Process-Student Model 30

2 Writing Process-Plan 30

3 Writing Process-Draft 30

4 Writing Process-Revise & Edit 30

5 Writing Process-Publish 30