The Write to Understand™ Library is here: every passage and lesson plan, K–5 Take a peek →

Before

A student's one-sentence answer on the Write to Understand response page

Tell me more!

After Write to Understand™ The same question answered with a full RACES paragraph

Hi, I’m Courtney! Former 3rd–5th grade teacher, forever ELA nerd

FREE FOR TEACHERS, HOMESCHOOLERS & PARENTS

Try Write to Understand™ free

Tired of one-sentence answers? Pick your grade and get a free Write to Understand™ lesson made for your class. Grades 2–5 get five days of lessons that take students from one line to a real, evidence-based paragraph. K and 1st get a lesson built for little writers.

Made for your grade, K–5
Scripted lessons you can teach tomorrow
Print and go: everything you need is included

Get my free lesson →

READING COMPREHENSION WRITING SMALL GROUPS BOOK CLUBS SEASONAL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

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Meet Write to Understand™

Write to Understand™ is my complete K–5 reading and writing system, and it grows with your students. Kindergartners hunt for evidence and draw before they write. 1st graders start building RACE answers. By 2nd–5th grade, students write full evidence-based paragraphs with RACES. Every grade comes with passages, organizers, sentence stems, rubrics and answer keys, and the Write to Understand™ Library adds a ready-to-teach lesson plan for every passage.

See how it works →

A Write to Understand passage with a student's handwritten RACES paragraph

Shop by grade

Complete Write to Understand™ bundles, ready to print and teach all year.

Write to Understand™ Kindergarten bundle cover

Kindergarten Shop now →

Write to Understand™ 1st grade bundle cover

The Write to Understand™ Library Every K–5 passage, plus lesson plans, pacing guides and more, in one membership. EXPLORE THE LIBRARY

Write to Understand print workbook cover

Print Workbooks Writing workbooks on Amazon for class sets or practice at home. SEE THE WORKBOOKS

Whether you teach a class of 25, homeschool, or help with homework at the kitchen table, I want to help you teach reading and writing with confidence, without spending your weekends planning.

60,000+ classrooms teaching with my resources

11,000+ five-star reviews from teachers

595 ready-to-teach passages, K–5

FROM THE BLOG

Ideas for your reading & writing block

Simple, practical ideas you can try in your classroom tomorrow.

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Get a free Write to Understand™ lesson

Pick your grade and it lands in your inbox. Grades 2–5 get five days of lessons. K and 1st get a lesson built for little writers. You’ll also get my weekly email with teaching ideas.

What grade do you teach?

K1st2–5

2nd–5th grade: send me the free lessons

MEET COURTNEY

My students understood what they read. They just couldn’t explain it.

I taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in South Florida for ten years, and I have a master’s degree in educational psychology. Write to Understand™ started as my fix for students who understood the text but froze when it was time to write about it.

Today I create reading and writing resources for K–5 teachers and share what works on the blog. Off the clock, I’m chasing my 2 young kiddos, at the beach or hunting for great sushi.

Read my story →