Informational Writing Mini‑Lessons: Your Go‑To Guide for Flexible, High‑Impact Instruction is more than just a book—it’s a movement toward learner-centered, justice-driven literacy. Designed for K–5 educators, this powerful resource includes over 170 research-aligned mini-lessons that help students use writing as a tool for meaning-making, knowledge sharing, expression, and advocacy.
Whether you’re focused on idea development, elaboration, grammar, or publishing, these lessons are intentionally crafted to meet students where they are—supporting whole-class, small-group, and individual learning. Every move is grounded in the latest reading and writing science and is designed to cultivate student agency.
A Systemic Approach to Writer Empowerment
This book integrates seamlessly with MTSS and any existing curriculum, offering teachers a practical framework for delivering equitable, responsive instruction because it offers a wide range of strategies to meet the levels of all learners throughout all stages of the writing process. It’s not just about building strong writers—it’s about equipping every learner with the tools to think critically, communicate clearly, and contribute confidently.
Meet the Authors: Visionaries in Literacy, Justice, and Systems Change
Erik Lepis – A former Columbia University staff developer and classroom teacher, Erik designs and supports literacy systems that are rooted in clarity, consistency, and ownership, anchored in the Science of Reading-Writing and MTSS.
Michelle Stone – With over 20 years of experience in diverse school communities, Michelle specializes in rigorous, inclusive Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction. Her coaching honors both the research and the identities of every learner.
Kirsten Widmer – A district and school-level partner, Kirsten helps leaders and teachers align curriculum, instruction, and assessment to build agency-rich systems that support literacy as a gateway to equity.
Leaders for Learner‑Centered Literacy
Erik, Michelle, and Kirsten are leaders on The Core Collaborative’s Learner-Centered Literacy Team, offering job-embedded professional learning and coaching that equips educators to implement evidence-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading, structured literacy, and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Their coaching helps schools design coherent, agency-centered literacy systems that are inclusive of multilingual learners, culturally and linguistically responsive, and built to advance student agency. Their work bridges the latest literacy science with human-centered design—ensuring classrooms are data-informed, learner-driven, and rooted in justice and clarity.
As trusted coaches and national thought partners, they:
- Support instructional clarity through aligned success criteria, learning intentions, and assessment for learning practices.
- Embed Science of Reading principles into Tier 1 core instruction and Tier 2–3 targeted interventions, using progress monitoring to inform instruction.
- Facilitate collaborative inquiry through Impact Teams, accelerating improvement cycles and student growth.
- Design inclusive literacy ecosystems that strengthen teacher efficacy, amplify multilingual learners’ voices, and build students’ confidence as readers and writers.
Why This Book Belongs in Every Literacy Block
- Honors writing as a process of meaning-making, identity expression, and advocacy
- Promotes student agency and feedback-informed instruction
- Aligns with MTSS to strengthen both Tier 1 and Tier 2 practices
- Offers flexible, classroom-tested strategies that empower all learners
- Written by nationally recognized educators and coaches committed to justice through literacy
Final Take: Literacy as a Tool for Justice
If you’re ready to shift from compliance-based writing instruction to a vision that honors identity, fosters metacognitive growth, and builds power through language—this book is your next best move.
With Lepis, Stone, and Widmer at the helm, you’re not just teaching writing. You’re developing change-makers who use words to transform the world.
Ready to deepen your impact?
Explore how you can join the Literacy and Justice for All Movement and connect with our team for customized professional learning: https://go.thecorecollaborative.com/literacy-and-justice-for-all
