EngageNY
Blending Informative and Narrative Writing: Transforming Research Notes into Field Journal Entries
The fabulous four. Scholars learn the four key components for creating an excellent journal entry. They then work to create a journal entry rubric and participate in a mini lesson about organizing and outlining journal entries.
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Dr. Seuss Author Study
Students listen to a story, then use the same format to write a class book.
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Lesson: I Am the Wall
The Maya created amazing stone carvings and sculptures, but what were they for? Kids analyze the significance and purpose of a Maya stela and then write a creative piece. They imagine they are the stela, and write a story about what life...
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Writing Out Loud: Poems for Two Voices
Helpful ways for poetry to reinforce your lesson - for any subject.
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Lesson Plan: Breaking the Rules
Breaking the rules isn't always a bad thing, sometimes it pushes the boundaries of the imagination. Young art enthusiasts examine the Kevin Red Star piece, Knows Her Medicine Crow Indian. They analyze how the artist broke rules during...
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Imaginative Winter Stories
Third graders write, type, and print imaginative stories about any phase of winter.
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August Writing Prompts
In this writing prompt worksheet, students are given a set of prompts for each day of August. The worksheet is a set of prompts for the teacher to cut out and distribute to students, and included 2 blank decorated templates for original...
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One Hundred Dollars-Writing Prompt
In this writing prompt worksheet, students fill mini-organizers to help brainstorm a writing prompt about finding 100 dollars from the tooth fairy. Students are given multiple pages for brainstorming and writing.
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April 23rd Writing Prompt
In this daily writing prompt instructional activity, students learn that April 23rd is Home Run Day. Students imagine what a day to honor themselves would be called and what event it would honor.
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Inspiring Students With the Right Writing Prompts
With the right writing prompts, you can help students produce creative and imaginative work.
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Flight of the Imagination
Students study the success of video games by reading an online article. They work in groups to design settings, storylines, characters and technical features for their own fantasy video games. Finally, they write scripts for previews of...
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Writing Lesson Plans... That Don't Rush The Writing
Slow Down! Teachers can help their students take the writing process more seriously with the right lesson plans.
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Controlled Narrative Writing
Young scholars add details to their narratives. In this narrative writing instructional activity, students look at a simple four sentence narrative and add adjectives and adverbs to make it more descriptive. They do this activity whole...
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Yakety-Yak
Do talk back! The transcript of one side of a telephone conversation launches a study of dialogue. Class members imagine the response of the speaker on the other side of the conversation and record these responses on the provided...
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Information from Posters
Budding journalists examine and evaluate an informative poster advertising a public meeting to discuss city park issues. They write a paragraph explaining what they found to be effective and ineffective about the poster, then imagine...
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Blogging To Create A Community of Writers # 5 of 7
Here is instructional activity 5 from a 7 instructional activity unit on using blogging to create a community of writers. The aim of this instructional activity is to get students writing about what Archaeologists do and how they use...
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Living The Life of a Scribe
Students write a descriptive letter about life in ancient Mesopotamia. Through video streaming, students discover the history of Mesopotamia. They assume the role of a scribe and compose a three paragraph essay using main ideas and...
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Vivid Verbs
Spice up your writing! Your amateur writers will benefit from concentrating on understanding and improving verb use in writing. An introductory activity addresses weak verbs. A second exercise helps them see the importance of strong...
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"I Spy": Using Adjectives and Descriptive Phrases
Students define adjectives and use adjectives and descriptive phrases to write a descriptive paragraph. They write a description of a sensory item, and read and discuss a five senses chart. Students then complete a chart using adjectives...
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Reading Study Guide: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Meant for use with Maya Angelou's first autobiographical volume I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the materials here are designed for a homeschool setting, but they'd suit any classroom or text. Graphic organizers, chapter summary guides,...
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Take the Mystery Out of Building Suspense in a Narrative
Good thing, bad thing; a fun technique for building suspense in a narrative.
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Responding to Literature: James and the Giant Peach
Fifth grade reader/writers create an alternate ending to an episode in Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach in which our protagonist "loses" the chance to magically solve all his problems. Prompts students not only to write creatively...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: My Robot and Me
Robots and their interactions with their human counterparts are the catalyst for a fun writing lesson. First, the class brainstorms what they'd like to have their personal robot do or be capable of. Then, they each write a humorous story...
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Creature From The Deep
Students become familiar with oceanography terms by writing an oceanography horror story.