Starting August 1st, Kindergarten & 1st Grade lessons will be available on the Mystery Writing website. Sign in (or sign up), then select Kindergarten or 1st Grade from the grade dropdown in the top right corner.

*If you're outside the U.S., select the age range or year that matches your class.

No. The lessons are designed to work as short, standalone activities, so you can choose the ones that best fit your students and schedule.

We do recommend starting with the Beginning of the Year concepts because they are the foundations for later lessons.

All activities are designed for pre-readers and early writers. Students learn through drawing, discussion, oral rehearsal, and short guided writing.

Kindergarten and 1st grade writing lessons will be released in phases throughout the 2026–2027 school year. The first release will include foundational writing lessons, and later in the year more lessons will be released to build on those skills.

Mystery Writing is designed to fit alongside any ELA curriculum. You can use these lessons to:

• introduce or reinforce early writing skills,
• add a quick, engaging writing block,
• or supplement your core writing program.

No changes to your existing curriculum are required, and teachers can pick the lessons that best support their students' needs.

Each lesson takes about 20 minutes and has two parts:

• Part 1: An engaging video with interactive discussion questions.
• Part 2: A step-by-step activity that guides students through the writing process, with the teacher facilitating the lesson and controlling the pace.

Worksheets are included in the list of supplies for each lesson.

Yes. Standards are listed on each lesson page along with learning outcomes.