In this article, we’re going to break down the Explicit Writing Kickstarter Kit (EWKK), its contents, and how we’re going to fix writing instruction, together.
Explicit Writing Instruction uses a clear, structured approach that addresses the US’s dismal scores in writing instruction by providing ALL students with high-quality, step-by-step instruction that breaks writing down into a manageable, systematic process and builds confidence.
The most recent NAEP scores show that just 27% of our nation’s 8th graders can write at or above the proficient level.
If you’ve taught writing before using Writer’s Workshop or a big box writing program that came with your reading curriculum, Explicit Writing Instruction is going to feel different, but in a good way.
It’s nothing revolutionary though, so don’t worry about having to reinvent the wheel or learn something new. It’s just a combination of all of the instructional practices that work while being presented to students in a systematic way.
The Teacher Next Door has guided over 30,000 teachers in implementing better writing instruction across the globe, and it’s our goal to provide every teacher with the how for free.
During the 2025/2026 school year, we’re pledging to become a Writing Hub for teachers who need access to quality training on Explicit Writing Instruction.
Our first step? Launching the Explicit Writing Kickstarter Kit – a 100% free Kit that contains everything teachers need to restructure their writing instruction in a way that is research-based and makes sense for students.
Need access to the Explicit Writing Kickstarter Kit?
Now, let’s breakdown what’s inside and how to get started.
Start Here: The Three Steps to Get Up and Running
The EWKK is nearly 100 pages long, so we created a short Start Here section to guide you through it. Follow the three steps to print, plan, and preview what you’re teaching.
Everything in blue is clickable. If you’re working digitally, you won’t need to scroll around trying to find what you need.
Step 1: Print What You Need
Start with these:
The Year-at-a-Glance Roadmap
This gives you the full scope of instruction for the school year, from the first week of sentence writing to the final essay. Everything is broken down to the day. It’s color-coded for easy reference and the digital version is 100% editable if you want to customize it to meet your needs.
Tip: Even if you edit the digital version, it’s worth printing a hard copy of TTND’s original Year-at-a-Glance Roadmap as a reference.
Student Writing Expectations Across Grades
This document outlines what students in grades 3–5 should be able to do by the end of each year. There’s a black-and-white version, a color version, and a digital version.
Even if you teach outside of grades 3–5, don’t skip this. We’ve had teachers from 2nd grade GATE all the way through high school use these materials to backfill foundational skills. The expectations are realistic, developmentally appropriate, and clear.
You’ll have a great idea of what writing skill progression looks like at the foundational paragraph and essay writing level.
A Full Sentence Writing Lesson
We didn’t advertise this, but it’s in there. We included the full first-day lesson from the Sentence Writing Unit.
You get the posters, the whole group work, partner activities, and independent practice. It’s all done for you.
And yes, we highly recommend you start with sentence writing, even if it feels tedious. If you teach through that first gritty month of writing instruction, we promise you that the rest of the year will be easier than jumping headfirst into essay writing.
Plus, you can get a feeling for how we structure and create our resources to make them accessible to ALL writing students.
Nothing cutesy, no silly clipart or fonts, just exactly what you need to get the job done.
Step 2: Go Digital
You get full digital access to every single piece of the EWKK. Everything is editable through Google Drive, including:
- Yearlong pacing guide
- Rubrics
- Student checklists
- Writing expectations
If your school blocks Google Drive links or external links, try accessing it from home and sharing it with your school email. Once it’s in your drive, you can download, print, or share with students, co-teachers, and families.
Step 3: Glance Ahead
After sentence writing, you’ll move into paragraph construction and then essays. But this won’t look like the traditional writing progression.
Most writing programs start with a narrative essay unit to build buy-in and engagement from students. This is a well-intentioned process, but the NAEP says only 27% of students are proficient in writing. That means 8 out of 30 students in a classroom are meeting grade-level expectations…
We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done and expect that number to change.
Explicit Writing Instruction gives students a clear, scaffolded path to writing complete sentences, then paragraphs, and then essays across genres. It’s an equitable approach that ensures all students have access to foundational writing skills.
What Else Is Inside?
Here’s a quick look at what else you’ll find inside the EWKK:
Editable Rubrics
The Explicit Writing Kickstarter Kit includes editable rubrics for paragraph and essay writing, built on a 5-point scale.
Rubrics help clarify what good writing looks like, both for the teacher and the student. According to writing researchers like Dr. Steve Graham, providing clear goals and criteria leads to stronger writing outcomes.
When students are part of the process, using the rubric to self-assess or revise, they begin to internalize the standards of quality writing. That’s where growth happens.
In the EWKK, we’ve taken care of the rubric design so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. And because they’re editable, you can tweak them to match your voice, standards, or district language.
Teacher Checklists
The yearlong teaching checklist is broken down by standard so you can track what you’ve taught and when. It’s helpful for team planning, homeschool records, or reporting to admin.
Student Checklists
These are designed to increase student accountability and prop up the heavy cognitive processes that are required to produce quality writing. Every item on the checklist aligns with what has been explicitly taught. They can also be used for parent communication, IEP meetings, or RTI documentation.
Our Mission
Everything we create is designed to be usable, practical, and accessible. We’re happy to show you the how and explain the why. You’re welcome to take these ideas and adapt them to your school-provided curriculum, or create your own version.
We will always provide you with the how and the why for FREE because ALL teachers deserve and need quality writing-based professional development.
Again, you have our 100% permission to combine our ideas with your school provided curriculum or recreate our lessons in your classroom.
If you need the done-for-you resources because you’re short on time or just want every resource (digital and print) in one place, all of our units are linked inside the kit, including:
- The Comprehensive Sentence Writing Program
- The Complete Paragraph Program
- The Explicit Writing Essay Bundle
Let’s fix writing instruction together.
The Teacher Next Door Team
