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CraftPlus ® Writing Pacing Chart
Week One —Seventh Grade Descriptive Skills
4 CraftPlus® Daily Writing Lessons
Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Target Skill: Composing – word choice
(strong verbs)
Mini-lesson: (10-15 minutes)
Review the concept that strong verbs help
readers visualize text. Offer examples, and have
students differentiate between strong and weak
verbs (ate vs. munched, nibbled, devoured). As
you read aloud the first chapter of Feathers by
Jacqueline Woodson, have students jot down
examples of strong verbs they hear (shrugged,
tapped, float). After reading, compile a master list
and clarify misconceptions.
Workshop: (10-15 minutes)
Divide students into small groups. Give each
group a few age-appropriate novels and nonfiction
books. Students search through books
and look for examples of strong verbs. Each
group should designate a recorder to list the
strong verbs.
Response: (10-15 minutes)
Groups read their strong verb lists. As they read,
add to the class list of strong verbs.
Teacher Tip
Target Skill: Composing – word choice
(strong verbs)
Mini-lesson: (10-15 minutes)
Review the concept of strong verbs. Read
examples from the class list. Ask students what
they picture when reading different verbs.
Read from “Soaring with Books” in Listen to This
by Marcia S. Freeman. Have students jot down
strong verbs that help them visualize the text
(pocketed, stashed, slung). After reading, have
students share the verbs and visual images they
prompted.
Workshop: (10-15 minutes)
Display a picture prompt depicting action and
have students list strong verbs associated with
the action in the picture. Students list at least five
strong verbs, then write a descriptive paragraph
about the picture using those strong verbs.
Response: (10-15 minutes)
Students read their pieces to the class. Repeat
and identify strong verbs after they have read.
Clarify misconceptions.
Modeling is a key writing best practice. Thinking out loud as you create your teacher models helps students understand
the thought process behind applying the skill. Remember to use student models in a positive way. When you need a
“non-example,” create your own model.
Target Skill: Organizational –
pre-writing (list and clump details)
Mini-lesson: (10-15 minutes)
Have each student list details about himself
or herself and link related details by pieces
should be dense with details. Discuss character
description and begin listing details about
yourself. Have students add details. Color-code
to link related details. Save for the lesson that
follows.
Workshop: (10-15 minutes)
Offer another general topic or current topic
of study. Have each student list details about
himself or herself and link related details by
color-coding with highlighters, markers, or color
pencils. Circulate and assist as needed.
Response: (10-15 minutes)
Allow volunteers share their lists with the class
and explain their grouping strategies.

Thursday Friday Instructional Notes
Target Skill: Organizational – thesis
statement (generalize with details)
Mini-lesson: (10-15 minutes)
Review the importance of details in the body of
a writing piece. Reread the descriptions of Trevor
from the last long paragraph of the first chapter
of Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson. Discuss the
way the last sentence of the paragraph forms a
general conclusion thesis statement about Trevor
(others are afraid of him). Reread each group of
related details from your personal description
model created during the previous lesson. Work
with students to write a thesis statement that
draws generalizations about each group of
related details.
Workshop: (10-15 minutes)
Students will write a general-conclusion thesis
statement about each group of details, based on
the color-coded groups of related details from
personal description lists created during the
previous lesson.
Response: (10-15 minutes)
Allow volunteers to share their thesis
statements with the class. Identify thorough lists
and logical linking of details.
Crosswalk
CD: Handouts-Boring paragraph 1, Peer conferencing;
High-Frequency Word List.
Assessment: word choice (strong verbs),
pre-writing, thesis statement
Mini-lesson: (5-10 minutes)
Review strong verbs and thesis statements.
Review the first few steps to writing a descriptive
piece about yourself (list details then clump
them, form thesis statements). Verbally model
how you would use your details and thesis
statements to write a descriptive piece about
yourself, being sure to add strong verbs.
Workshop: (20-25 minutes)
Students write a descriptive piece about
themselves using their groups of related details
and thesis statements. Students should include
at least five strong verbs in their pieces.
Response: (5 minutes)
Collect and score pieces using a multiple-skills
rubric.
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Have partners interview each other, then use
the information to write descriptive pieces
about each other.
Give students categories to use in listing
details about themselves (appearance, talents,
interests) and have them list details and write a
thesis statement for each.
Conventions
Capitalization (first word in sentence, dialogue,
proper noun, date, the word “I”)
End marks (exclamation mark, period, question
mark)
Name/date on paper (continue throughout year)
Noun (common, proper)
Sentence structure (simple, compound,
complex)
Subject/predicate review
• Verbs (strong; linking + strong and -ing)
• Usage: it’s/its; they’re/their/there
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Write complete sentences (fragment vs.
sentence; run-on)
Alternative literature model suggestion: Over the course of this week, read the first two
chapters of The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. Identify strong verbs (skip, construct,
perished) and thesis statements. (Of course, it didn’t make things any easier that they had lost
their home as well, and all of their possessions; Their home destroyed, the Baudelaires had to
recuperate from their terrible loss in the Poe household, which was not at all agreeable.) Point
out that the details following thesis statements presented at the beginnings of paragraphs
support the generalization made by the thesis statements. Review the details used to
describe Count Olaf and have students construct a thesis statement about this character.
Seventh Grade / Week One 5