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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Colored Animal Game for Kids

For Students Pre-K - 1st Standards
How did this zebra turn green? Do the other zebras like him still? Young writers click on the animal button and the color button until they find a combination they want to write about. Then they write a story about the animal including...
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Memory Game for Kids

For Students 1st - 5th Standards
Young writers brainstorm three sensory details about a personal memory before writing about it. If they need help with a memory, they can click the magic button to help spark their memory. Their writing should include sensory details.
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Top Three Game for Kids

For Students Pre-K - 1st Standards
In this word game, young writers brainstorm three relevant details before writing. It they are having trouble finding ideas, they can click the magic button for "top three" ideas.
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Setting Game for Kids

For Students K - 1st Standards
In this game, young writers are asked to describe a place with memorable details. The main focus is to describe a setting -- time and place. If they need help with ideas, they can click the when and where buttons until they have...
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Wacky Word Game for Kids

For Students Pre-K - 1st Standards
In this game, young writers click on the three word buttons producing nouns and verb until they find a combination they like for a creative writing. Students can launch a VERY creative story when some wacky nouns and verbs come together.
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Interactive
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Opposite Game for Kids

For Students K - 1st Standards
In this word game, young writers explore antonyms (and prepositions), then create an original story about them. For ideas they can click the nouns and opposites buttons until they find a topic they want to write about.
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Color Game for Kids

For Students Pre-K - 1st
In this game, young writers select three colors by clicking the color buttons until they find a combination they want to write about. Then they let the carefully-chosen colors inspire an original story.
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Activity
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: A Word Game for Kids: The Idea Game for Kids

For Students 1st - 5th Standards
How can using your five senses help you tell a better story? Young writers brainstorm three sensory details about a personal topic before writing a story about it. If they need help with ideas, they can click the magic button for story...
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Summarizing 5 K With Poetry

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Using Poetry with Young Writers: This flipchart is a poetry unit for the Early Childhood classroom that reviews the 5K year. Students are introduced to writing poetry, both from the heart and through...
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Website
Other

Elizabeth Winthrop

For Students 3rd - 5th
The children's author Elizabeth Winthrop and her books are profiled in this resource. The features include an interview with the author, her newsletter, and advice for young writers, as well.
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Website
The Book Report

Teen reads.com: Reviews: Takeoffs and Landings

For Students 9th - 10th
A review of "Takeoffs and Landings," a book for young adults written by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
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Website
Virginia Tech

The Alan Review: An Interview With Will Hobbs

For Students 3rd - 8th
This interview with author Will Hobbs was conducted in 1994. Although not recent, it gives interesting and thoughtful views on the art of writing fiction. If you're thinking of being a writer, or just wonder how a writer works, this is...
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Website
Other

Charlotte Zolotow: Paul Zindel Becomes an Author

For Students 9th - 10th
Editor Charlotte Zolotow's large site offers this page about Paul Zindel, how they met, and how she influenced his creative life. Especially interesting is Zindel's description of all she brought to his life and craft as a writer.
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eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: "Ozma and the Little Wizard" by L. Frank Baum

For Students 3rd - 5th
Text of a short story for young people by L. Frank Baum called "Ozma and the Little Wizard." (Free site registration offers some additional features, e.g., the ability to insert annotations.)
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Primary
Yad Vashem, The World Holocaust Remembrance Center

Yad Vashem: On the Edge of the Volcano

For Students 9th - 10th
"I am writing this letter before my death," wrote a young Jewish girl in a letter to her sister and brother in 1942. These last letters from the Holocaust can only be described as heart-wrenching. Letters written to parents and loved...
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Graphic
Curated OER

Photo of E. L. Konigsburg

For Students 3rd - 8th
This is a brief biography of E.L. Konigsburg that includes a valuable piece of advice to young writers.
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Unit Plan
University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska, Lincoln: Willa Cather Archive

For Students 9th - 10th
The Willa Cather Archive is a vast collection of material that allows for the study of Cather's life and writings. Included are writings, letters, biographical information, images, audio and movie clips, teacher resources, and digital...
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Handout
Alabama Humanities Foundation

Encyclopedia of Alabama: Homer Hickam, Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about this prolific author and his passion for aerospace science.
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Professional Doc
AdLit

Ad lit.org: Engaging Family & Community in Afterschool and Summer Programs

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Informal literacy experiences often serve to shape young people's identity as readers and writers as much as or more than formal schooling.Community and family support can emphasize the importance of reading and writing, build...
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Article
AdLit

Ad lit.org: Organizations That Promote Adolescent Literacy

For Teachers 9th - 10th
From lesson plans and classroom tools to free books and opportunities to publish students' work, nonprofit organizations have a lot to offer parents, teachers, and struggling readers themselves. Learn about some nonprofits with a...
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Article
University of Houston

University of Houston: Engines of Our Ingenuity: Ray Dolby

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the story behind on of the most famous name in music today, Ray Dolby, as told by Forbes writer Jeffrey Young.
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Activity
Harold D. Underdown

Self Editing Your Middle Grade Book

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
An excellent resource for writers who have completed a young adult novel or book. Includes links to helpful websites and "tried and true self-editing secrets."
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Writing Reports in Kindergarten

For Teachers K - 1st Standards
Lesson which provides three types of reports for early elementary students to share. These allow young students to see themselves as writers with something useful to contribute from an early age.
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Apollo and Hyacinthus by Thomas Bulfinch

For Students 7th - 8th
Thomas Bulfinch (1796-1867) was an American writer best known for his book Bulfinch's Mythology, a compilation of his earlier works. In this short story, Bulfinch retells the classic myth about Apollo, the god of music, and his affection...