Curriculum Material: Lucy Calkins Grade 5 Curriculum

My school utilizes the Lucy Calkins program as a supplemental approach to writing instruction.
Teachers utilize parts of the program as needed in their own individual instruction. The pros and
cons are written for teachers using the program as written on a daily basis. I think that the ability
to use the program supplemental alleviates many of the cons for this curriculum because it
gives teachers the freedom to not only adapt activities for their individual students, but their
classroom dynamic as well. Students can move quickly through strategies that their students
already know and more slowly through strategies that their students need more practice with at
will when using the curriculum supplementally. This freedom is not available to teachers who
need to use the curriculum daily, as is.

Pros Cons

- Includes a variety of rich mentor texts - Some mentor text might be

- Helps support students’ gradual
release of responsibility through a
variety of mini lessons
- Catch and release model of teaching
which allows students to practice the
strategy they are learning.
- Information is given to students in
smaller steps and helps them through
the writing process rather than front
loading all the information and having
them practice everything at once
- A variety of activities help to foster
both individual growth and social
interaction.
- Sets clear purposes for each day
- Give teachers a variety of tools and
questions to utilize to help guide their
individual classrooms rather than
follow one set program
- There are a multitude of summative
and formative assessments that help
teachers to gauge student
understanding.
inappropriate for specific classrooms.
Teachers must use discretion. (ex.
One mentor text narrates a detailed
depiction of a cat that ties. This might
not be appropriate for certain
classrooms)
- There is not a lot of specific
adaptations to meet diverse learning
needs. Although general teaching and
information is scaffolded, little is done
to support students who have extra
learning needs.
- There is a large area of growth in the
utilization of technology throughout
the curriculum.
- Assessment adaptations are not
written into the curriculum for students
with diverse learning needs.
- There is no specific response written
into the program for what teachers
might do if whole group data shows
students did not comprehend the
lesson. The teacher must adapt what
has already been written or create
offshoots of their own activities based
on the needs of their students.
Meeting Diverse Learning Needs:
The bulk of differentiation lies heavily on the teacher. This program gives the teacher a variety
of tools they can use to help scaffold instruction. However, it is the teachers job to utilize tools
and their own individual student supports. Students are supported through a variety of mini
lessons, small group lessons (which serve to need small group areas of growth), and individual
writers conferences.

Connection to best practices:

The Lucy Calkins program pulls from a variety of best practice theories:

Unfoldment Theory - Throughout the curriculum, students are asked to write about their own
personal interests and experiences. This allows them to really connect with what they are
writing and engage in a more in depth way.

Social Constructivist Theory - Throughout the program, there are a variety of activities in which
students engage with one another to help build a community understanding. They are not only
able to share ideas and praise with one another, but they are given open forums to express
difficulties and ask for suggestions.

Constructivist Theory - When students are asked to pull from their own schema in order to
write, they can make better connections with how they want to form their words and what they
experienced firsthand. Students can then think about how readers interpret their stories and ask
themselves if it is the same as the picture they see in their own minds.

Mental Discipline Theory - A lot of time is dedicated to giving students the time to write and
practice what they are learning. This works to build their stamina as writers and work towards
understanding themselves and their own writers process.
Timeline of Implementation (over the course of the year)

This program can be easily integrated into any established writing program. Teachers can pull
from parts of the curriculum that best suit their individual classroom needs as they get used to
the way the program is constructed. Throughout the implementation

1. Teachers are introduced to the program and are taught about the way Lucy Calkins
writers workshops are implemented. (Catch and release model) They might watch a
short example video about how the workshop might be run. Teachers can ask questions
about how the program works and concerns they have.
2. Teachers work together to draw parallels to their own practices and what Lucy Calkins
does.
3. Teachers come up with ways they can integrate the program in their own teaching.
4. Teachers are given their curriculum and asked to implement some of the strategies that
Lucy uses in their own classrooms.
5. (4 months later) Teachers reconvene and discuss how the program is going, its
strengths and areas of growth. They share what has worked in their classrooms and ask
for advice on their own personal areas of growth.
6. Teachers brainstorm new ways the program implementation could be improved.
7. Teachers continue to embed Lucy Calkins into their writing programs.
8. (4 months later) The goal at this point is to have Lucy Calkins embedded into practice on
a weekly bi-basis at least. Teachers meet once more to discuss the new strategies they
have been using.
9. Teachers continue to work using the new curriculum and strive to work the curriculum
into everyday practice.
10. (End of the year) Teachers reconvene to discuss how the implementation went. They
can chart what they might have done differently, what worked well, and what they plan to
change for next year.