Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Habitat for a Wild "Pet"
After observing and naming elements of an animal's habitat, and reading The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer, students write fictional stories about finding and caring for a wild animal. A printable graphic organizer, a teacher example, and...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Writing Scientific "Recipes"
Adapted from a lesson in the book 51 Wacky We-Search Reports by Barry Lane, this lesson asks students to read several recipes to gain an understanding of how they are written and the types of words they use. Then students demonstrate...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Keeping the Writing Going
A list of seven writing ideas designed to inspire students to continue writing in Writers Workshop even after they have finished working on a specific piece.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Compare & Contrast as an Idea Springboard
In this Writers Workshop lesson, students read Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel to learn about writing that compares and contrasts to things. This format can be used to write about many different topics in curricular areas and...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Write About Something Real at School
In this Writers Workshop lesson, students look around themselves and think about their daily lives at school to find relevant writing topics.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Small Moment With an Important Person
A writer's workshop idea where students brainstorm a list of people who are important to them as well as one or two times they remember being with each person. Students then use these ideas to write about a small moment with someone who...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Flash Drafts
This lesson is a workshop for writers. This idea was taken from the Ralph Fletcher book: What a Writer Needs. Students create a character, either real or fictional, and place that character in a scene in order to write about their...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Great Lists Inspire Great Writing
A writer's workshop idea where students work together to brainstorm a list a possible writing topics to use throughout the year. Idea lists for primary and intermediate students are provided.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: The Power of Points of View
Students use alternate points of view to demonstrate their understanding of the Revolutionary War by writing one piece from the point of view of a Patriot, and another piece from the point of view of a Loyalist.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Involving Students in Grading
An explanation of how to involve students in the grading process by working together to create a rubric and evaluate the papers of classmates according to that rubric.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Guilty or Innocent
A writing lesson using the R.A.F.T. model and the short story "The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst. Students take on the role of attorneys and write persuasive speeches for the jury proclaiming the narrator's guilt or innocence.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Fortune and Mis Fortune
In this RAFTS lesson students read W. W. Jacobs' "The Monkey's Paw" and then complete a grammar activity, or use the interactive fortune creator, to develop a writing prompt for a short essay about the fate or luck involved with their...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Inventing Stories for Your Favorite Clothes
After reading several clothing descriptions and stories from the J. Peterman Clothing Catalogue, learners imitate the voice of the catalogue to write descriptions and stories of their own clothes. Teacher instructions, printable graphic...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Nash Ing the Animals
After reading several animal poems by Ogden Nash, students imitate Nash's writing style to write animal poems of their own. Teacher instructions, printable graphic organizers, student instructions, student writing samples, and an idea...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: A Literature Inspired Writing Lesson: I Never Knew That!
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem discover that their seemingly "feeble" father has an astonishing ability with a rifle. For this assignment, writers will compose a letter to a parent or loved one, asking for a return letter that...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Tallying Those Favorite Flavors
After reading Tim's Ice Cream Store by Rachel Griffiths and Margaret Clyne or Curious George Goes to the Ice Cream Shop by H. A. Rey, young scholars create an ice cream chart and learn to tally their favorite flavors.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Plan an Amazing Sleep Over!
After reading Anne Whitford Paul's book Everything to Spend the Night from A-Z, learners write about a real or imaginary sleepover and what things they should take to make it a wonderful night.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Unique Metaphor Collections
In this instructional activity, the first chapter of the novel Girl with a Pearl Earring is used as a mentor text. Students will identify metaphors and then create their own unique metaphorical descriptions that they will begin to...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Writing to Your Favorite Author
In this lesson, the book Dear Mr. Henshaw, written by Beverly Cleary, is used as a mentor text. Each student will generate a list of questions for his/her favorite author. Then each student will write a letter to the favorite author and...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Taking the "Un" Out of "Unwritten"
In this lesson, young scholars will use a the rap song about prefixes, suffixes and roots and the song "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. Students will be engaged as they are practice their understanding of prefixes, suffixes and roots....
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Snowball Note Making and Summarizing
In this lesson, students will engage in this post-reading strategy for a nonfiction or a fiction piece. Each student will take notes on a four-square square graphic organizer about something they already knew, something they found...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: The Wacky "I Will Not" Chalkboard
Students can use this writing idea from the book Wacky We-Search Reports by Barry Lane to demonstrate understanding in any content area. Students use the idea of writing "I will not " sentences to show their knowledge of various...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Season Mandala
In this lesson, Have You Seen Trees?, a book written by Joanne Oppenheim, and The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree, a book written by Gail Gibbons, are used as mentor texts. As a post-reading activity, students will record facts about the...
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Self Portraits: "I Come From" Poems
In this lesson, When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant Mentor and Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox are used as mentor texts to help students realize what are important in the characters' lives and in their own...