Cover Story is a middle school writing curriculum from Clear Water Press where students create their own magazine over one school year, learning to write poems, short stories, articles, and more through video-based instruction.
What is Cover Story?
Cover Story is a creative writing curriculum published by Clear Water Press, designed for grades 6-9. Created by award-winning author Daniel Schwabauer, the program takes a unique project-based approach: students spend an entire school year creating content for their own magazine. Along the way, they learn to write poetry, short stories, non-fiction articles, editorials, personal narratives, and advice columns. Video-based instruction means minimal prep for parents—Schwabauer teaches directly through engaging video lessons while students work through accompanying workbooks.
Key Takeaways
- Designed for grades 6-9 (ages 11-15); can count as high school English credit if used in 9th grade
- Video-taught by author Daniel Schwabauer with 7-12 minute lessons
- Project-based: students choose their magazine theme and write from personal interest
- Includes daily journaling component using "The Remarkable Journal of Professor Gunther Von Steuben"
How the Program Works
Cover Story runs 24 weeks with students working three to five days weekly. Three days involve watching video lessons and completing workbook assignments; daily journaling happens all five days. The curriculum divides into six units, each with twelve lessons, progressing from grammar foundations through poetry, interviewing, editorials, short stories, personal narratives, and finally magazine layout and publishing. Students choose their own magazine theme—anything from sports to fantasy worlds to cooking—which means every assignment connects to something they actually care about. This interest-led approach often transforms reluctant writers.
What's Included
Complete packages include video lessons (DVD or streaming), a student workbook (consumable), teacher guide, the guided journal, and twelve additional optional grammar lessons. The DVD set costs $149; streaming access is $129. For multiple children, you'll need additional student books ($55 each) but can reuse the video lessons. Parents report spending minimal time on grading—about an hour per month—since the video instruction carries the teaching load. Most students work independently after initial setup.
Who It's Best For
Cover Story shines with creative, independent middle schoolers who need motivation more than rigid structure. The magazine project gives reluctant writers a purpose for their work, while the variety of genres prevents boredom. Veteran curriculum reviewer Cathy Duffy notes that even reluctant writers often enjoy the process because the delivery and methods differ so dramatically from typical composition programs. That said, older or more advanced students sometimes find it insufficiently challenging. And parents should preview materials—the curriculum includes some violent historical references that upset sensitive students in at least one family's experience.
The Bottom Line
Cover Story reimagines middle school writing instruction through creative project-based learning. Rather than disconnected assignments, students build something personally meaningful while mastering multiple genres. The video-based format works beautifully for independent learners and busy homeschool parents. If your middle schooler resists writing or needs motivation beyond grades, Cover Story's magazine project might be exactly the hook they need. Just ensure the content matches your family's comfort level before purchasing.
