Irrefutable evidence derived from observations, years of experience, case studies, and statistics show that students consistently fall short in the very foundations of writing. While it is every writing teacher’s dream for students to be able to write with control over the basics such as conventions, grammar, sentence fluency, organization, topic development, and the use of explicit vocabulary, the truth is the majority of students are not exhibiting independence with accurate use of these devices. In order to close the gap, instruction at the very basic level must be provided.The Write Up a Storm! Writing Curriculum program recommends starting with Lesson Plans and Activities to Increase Writing Proficiency. As you review the following information, keep in mind that the order in which the professional development is presented, is typically the order in which you would want to plan your implementation.