Creating language and learning resources for more than 40 years…
Find free online writing instruction, from units to teacher’s guides!
Award-winning resources offered by Thoughtful Learning
- Books
- Units
- Minilessons
- Student Models
- Writing Topics
- Writing Assessment
- Infographics
- FAQ
- Blog
- State Standards
- Video
Books
Do you need classroom curricula for teaching English language arts, 21st century skills, or social-emotional learning? Check out these high-quality books created by the team that brought you Writers INC and Write Source!
Units
Are you looking for online, interactive curricula for writing and thinking? You’ve come to the right place. Each writing unit leads students step by step through the process of creating a specific form, with models, examples, activities, assignments, videos, and much more! All units are optimized for viewing on any device, from smartphone to whiteboard.
Minilessons
Do you want quick lessons that teach concepts or skills? Each 10-15 minute minilesson presents a concept and engages students in an activity. Minilessons are optimized to display on your interactive whiteboard, smart phone, or anything in between.
Student Models
When you need an example written by a student, check out our vast collection of free student models. Scroll through the list, or search for a mode of writing such as “explanatory” or “persuasive.”
Writing Topics
Do you want to inspire your students to write great narratives, essays, and reports? Check out these grade-specific writing topics organized by mode (explanatory, creative, and so on). Or search for writing topics that relate to a theme, such as “life” or “animals” or “family.”
Writing Assessment
When you want students to understand how writing is graded, turn to our vast selection of assessment examples. You'll find elementary and middle school models in all of the major modes of writing, along with rubrics that assess each example as "Strong," "Good," "Okay," or "Poor."
Infographics
Check out our growing storehouse of free infographics that teach English language arts, 21st century skills, and social-emotional intelligence. Search by content area, theme, or title.
FAQ
Do you have questions about teaching English language arts, 21st century skills, or social-emotional learning? Click a link to find a whole page that answers one of your frequently asked questions.
Blog
The Thoughtful Learning blog features articles about English language arts, 21st century skills, and social-emotional learning. Insights come from the teachers, writers, and developers at Thoughtful Learning, who have been creating top-notch instructional materials for more than 40 years.
State Standards
The materials on ThoughtfulLearning.com are correlated to the Common Core Standards. These standards result from a state-led effort to prepare students for success in school, college, career, and life. Forty-eight states participated in creating the standards. Governors and commissioners of education started with the best standards in existence and folded in best practices from top-performing countries. Teachers and thinkers shaped the result, as did public feedback.
Video
Would you like to learn more about English language arts, 21st century skills, and social-emotional intelligence? You’ll find loads of videos for you and your students.
Writers Express
A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers, and Learners
The new Writers Express is the perfect resource to help 4th and 5th grade students become better writers, readers, test takers, and learners. This student handbook overflows with writing guidelines, models, checklists, tips, and much more. The 2016 edition includes updated student models and follows the latest state standards.
Learn more about the new Writers Express.
“I am a teacher of students in grades 4–5, and all of my students love your handbook. When I asked them why, they said, ‘It’s colorful, easy to use, and full of great stuff .’”
—Searfoss Elementary
Johnstown, Ohio
Write for Business
A Guide to Writing and Communicating in the Workplace
Whether you are preparing students for college and career or are a workplace writer yourself, you need Write for Business! Check out the free, online Write for Business Guide. Optimized for viewing on any screen from smartboard to smartphone, this business-writing handbook is perfect for classroom instruction as well as for guidance throughout your workday.
Inquire
A Student Handbook for 21st Century Learning
The Inquire student handbook and teacher’s guide teach 21st century skills, traditional study skills, the inquiry process, and project-based instruction. Students gain skills that help them in all classes and make them ready for college and career.
Learn more about Inquire Elementary, Inquire Middle School, and Inquire High School.
“Learn skills that are real. Inquire changed my perspective on education.”
Oliver Schinkten
Oshkosh North High School
In Focus
Improving Social and Emotional Intelligence One Day at a Time
These teaching resources contain hundreds of 10-15 minute lessons that help your students develop their social and emotional intelligence.
Learn more about In Focus (Grades K-2), In Focus (Grades 3-5), and In Focus (Grades 6-8).
Developing educational resources for more than 40 years
1976-2021
Thoughtful Learning is a team of teachers, writers, and designers committed to bringing you high-quality teaching materials. You may know us by one of our other names—Write Source or UpWrite Press. By whatever name, we’re the same core team that has been working for 40 years to help you and your students. Check out our time line:
2015
The authors of Writers Express revise and update their classic 4-5 handbook and skillsbooks, aligning them to the new standards.
2014
A set of 2-12 products helps teachers Shift to the Common Core.
2013
The K-8 In Focus series presents hundreds of 10-minute activities to improve social and emotional intelligence.
2012
The Inquire 4-12 handbooks help students gain 21st century skills.
2011
The work text Write for Work teaches students workplace writing skills.
2011
The second edition of the Write for Business handbook helps workplace and government writers.
2010
The authors start work on COMP, Write 1 and 2, and Fusion, which guide college writers.
2010
The middle-school writing handbook Write on Course replaces best-selling Write Source 2000.
2009
The best-selling handbook The College Writer reaches its 3rd edition. (It’s now in its 5th edition.)
2009
The authors complete their K-12 Write Source series.
2006
The Writing Spot and Write One complete the handbook line, K-college.
2006
A revision of Writers INC updates the classic high school writing handbook.
2002
The authors create Write Away for second-grade writers.
2000
The previous edition of the Writers Express 4th grade handbook is published.
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1995
The authors celebrate a new millennium with Write Source 2000, a handbook for middle school.
1995
Houghton Mifflin creates Great Source to handle the whole line of Write Source materials.
1990
The classic yellow-covered Writers INC launches a new revolution in writing handbooks.
1976
The authors begin with Basic English Revisited, a handbook for high school writers.