Using NoRedInk with Common Classroom Routines

Overview

NoRedInk is designed to save teachers time at every stage of the instructional process — from lesson planning to giving meaningful, timely feedback on student writing. Learn how our writing, practice, and assessment tools integrate seamlessly into the routines you’ve already established in your classroom.

Engage students at the beginning of class

Common routines: do-now, bell-ringer, free write, daily grammar instruction, hook, engagement

Whether you call them do-nows or bell-ringers, NoRedInk can support your beginning-of-class routines.

Instructional Goal	Try this!
Access prior knowledge, reflect on recent learning, and set learning goals.	Assign a Bell-ringer Quick Write.
Build writing stamina with journal entries and free writes.	Utilize Picture Prompts and Fluency and Fun Quick Writes.
Spark academic conversation during a class novel study.	Assign our Novel Analysis Quick Writes.
Lead an inquiry-based introduction to a concept.	Project a Practice question on the board as the focus of inquiry.
Pre-assess students’ knowledge of a grammar or writing skill.	Create a 5-question Unit Diagnostic.

Teacher Tip: Many teachers follow do-nows or bell-ringers with direct instruction. Use NoRedInk’s pre-teaching resources to introduce a concept or review a mini-lesson.

 

Provide opportunities to develop skills

Common routines: guided practice, independent practice, workshop, drafting, stations

For many teachers, the majority of a class period is spent supporting students’ guided or independent practice. Sometimes, students may be working on extended responses, like an essay; other times, students may be working in stations.

Instructional Goal	Try this!
Develop competency in grade-level writing and language standards.	Assign Practice from Standards and Tests in the assignment library.
Differentiate learning based on student need.	Create differentiated Practice assignments.
Apply new grammar, conventions, and composition skills in writing.	Use a Skill Building Quick Write aligned to the topic you’re teaching.
Facilitate reader response and text-based discussion.	Assign pre-made text-based Quick Writes, which include an engaging text and response questions, or create your own.
Facilitate and differentiate process writing of any genre.	Assign an entire Guided Draft, or assign specific parts of an essay.
Incorporate feedback to make revisions.	Use the "Send back for revision” option when grading a Guided Draft.

Teacher Tip: Use NoRedInk’s pre-writing materials to scaffold the writing process before students enter a Guided Draft.

 

Assess student learning and close the lesson

Common routines: exit ticket, short quiz, reflection on daily objectives, check for understanding

At the end of a class period, many teachers seek a snapshot of students’ understanding and use this information to determine next steps. Here are a few ways NoRedInk can support your closure routines.

Instructional Goal	Try this!
Have students recap what they learned in a few sentences.	Use a pre-made Exit Ticket prompt, or create your own.
Formatively assess student mastery of a writing skill.	Assign a Skill Building Quick Write.
Quickly check for understanding after students practice a new skill.	Create a 5-question Quiz. Review commonly-missed questions in the next day’s bell-ringer.

Intervention and remediation

Common routines: small groups, differentiated instruction, re-teaching

NoRedInk works well for personalized learning, especially in classrooms that utilize flexible student groupings to provide differentiated assignments. 

Instructional Goal	Try this!
Reteach to reinforce learning.	Use lessons and tutorials to build a mini-lesson.
Offer additional opportunities to develop skills after a reteach or remediation lesson.	Assign Practice on foundational skills. Alternatively, assign a Skill Building Quick Write, or return the original Quick Write for revision.
Reassess mastery after reteaching.	Create a 5-question Quiz, or allow students to return to a Practice topic they struggled with.
Create scaffolded writing prompts including supports like sentence stems and key vocabulary.	Customize the prompt in any Quick Write assignment.
Track students’ writing goal progress.	Customize the rubric in any Quick Write assignment to reflect students’ goals.

Teacher Tip: Looking to support virtual or asynchronous instruction? Check out our distance learning recommendations!