The free young authors unit
Lesson plans and printables for a picture-book unit where every student writes and illustrates their own book. Free to download, no sign-up, and they work with or without our app.
Lesson plans
Six lessons over two to four weeks, from reading like an author to the publishing party. Each lesson lists its class periods, materials and the Common Core standards it meets.
Six-lesson plan for K-2
Plan, draw, write, share and publish, in 8 to 12 periods of 30 to 45 minutes. Drawing comes first, and kindergartners can dictate their words.
Download (PDF)Six-lesson plan for grades 3-5
The same six lessons for older writers: story arc, dialogue, pacing across the pages, workshop revision, and buddy books for a younger class.
Download (PDF)For your students
Drawing sheets
Two book pages on each letter sheet, at the book’s exact shape. Fold them into a booklet. The corner marks let the app straighten every page exactly.
Download (PDF)Story planner
Beginning, problem, ending, in three big boxes a five-year-old can fill with drawings before writing a word.
Download (PDF)For families and your principal
Parent letter, in English and Spanish
A one-page letter home with the pages: what the unit is, the optional hardcover, a blank for your class code, and how families keep control of their child’s data.
Privacy summary for your principal
One page on what the app collects about a child and who sees it: no student accounts, first names only, no ads or tracking, and parents’ consent.
Download (PDF)Publishing-party kit
Author certificate
A “Published Author” certificate for every student at your publishing party.
Download (PDF)Author’s chair sign
A big sign for the reading chair, with a line for today’s author and a reminder for the audience.
Download (PDF)Party invitation
Two invitations per page, with lines for the date, time and place. Send them home a week before the party.
Download (PDF)How to run it
- Read like an author, then plan. Start with the lesson plan for your grades. Each student fills in the story planner with drawings: who, what goes wrong, how it ends.
- Draw the pages. One drawing per drawing-sheet page, 8 to 20 pages over two to four weeks. Kids add their words on each page or tell them to you.
- Fold the booklet. Stack the sheets, fold them in the middle, and staple the fold. That paper booklet is a finished book on its own.
- Send the pages home with the parent letter and your class code, if you have one. Families who want a hardcover scan the pages at home with the I Wrote That Book app and order. You never handle student data.
- Hold a publishing party. Send the invitations, hang the author’s chair sign, hand out certificates, and fill a shelf with books by your class.
The unit fits the narrative writing standards you already teach: W.K.3, W.1.3 and W.2.3 (narrate events in order; in kindergarten, using drawing, dictating and writing) and W.K.6, W.1.6 and W.2.6 (use digital tools to produce and publish writing). These are Common Core codes; many states use their own versions, so the lesson plans note where to find yours.
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Ideas for using the printables: 10 I Love to Write Day activities for K-2 and how to use the drawing sheets.
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We’ll email you when classrooms can start, with how to get a class code for your families.
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