Curated OER
Dead Word Wall Kills Overused Words
Have your class attend a funeral for the words they overuse in their writing. They develop a list of alternate words for those overused words, and make an effort to employ alternatives whenever possible. This is a great way to improve...
Curated OER
Guide Word Game
In pairs, learners describe and use guide words to locate words in a dictionary. This is a timed activity, where points can be earned by completing the goal first. Tip: Have kids look up weird words in the dictionary, and then come up...
Curated OER
Guide Word Sentences
Learners write sentences using dictionary guide words, putting two guide words from the same page in the same sentence. They demonstrate creative-writing and vocabulary skills to write sentences using dictionary guide words.
Denver Art Museum
Descriptive Haiku
Even though this is technically an art lesson, haiku poetry is actually the main focus! Learners view photographs of Japanese tea caddies. They list five descriptive words for the caddies, then write haiku poems using the caddies as...
Curated OER
"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...
Curated OER
Writing Strategies
Young writers complete a unit of activities to learn and use writing strategies. They will complete 8 activities to prewrite, use descriptive words, asking and telling sentences, and correct spelling within their writing. Then they watch...
Curated OER
Compound Words ESL 1 Beginners
Bring vocabulary to life with this SMARTboard activity! With a list of (linked) compound words, learners combine each part of the word to complete the compound word. They then read a narrative and identify the compound words. The last...
Curated OER
Spelling List 7: Sight Words, "Shun" words, and Academic Vocabulary
In this spelling list worksheet, students practice spelling words that are sight words, shun words, and vocabulary. Students practice spelling 21 words total.
Wordoful.com
List of Idioms and Phrases
Good idioms are a dime a dozen. A 19-page list is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to figurative language and idiomatic phrases. So don't get a chip on your shoulder and dive in; learning what idioms really mean is a piece of cake!
Curated OER
Greek and Latin Roots Lesson Plan: Create a Super Hero!
Students create a new super hero based on their knowledge of root words. In this word roots and origins lesson, students choose a Latin or Green root word to use as part of their super here name, then create a drawing and description of...
Curated OER
Writing Classroom Agreements using Inspiration & Word to Go
How can you foster a thoughtful learning community for your class? First, the class brainstorms a list of behaviors that will help make the classroom a great place to learn. Then learners group similar ideas together and come up with...
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing
Have your class practice using descriptive language in their writing. This resource provides learners with a list of terms and adjectives. For example, one slide shows a picture of a wolf, and then lists descriptions, such as moon howler...
Curated OER
Whittling Out Haiku
Inspired by magazine photos, your young writers hone word choices to create a meaningful haiku. Charged with brainstorming 100 words associated with a photo of their choosing, they whittle their list to the top 10%, make three sentences...
Curated OER
Changing Seasons
Explore expository writing and using precise language in this descriptive paragraph writing lesson plan. Learners brainstorm prior knowledge about the changing seasons in Ohio. They describe seasonal items, view seasonal pictures from...
Curated OER
Musical Mystery Words
Students study the letter names for the treble clef and create words using the letters that represent the lines and spaces on the staff.
Curated OER
How to Make Plurals of Words That End In "f" or "fe": A "F"able
Identify nouns that end in "f" or "fe." Review how to make words plural and the specific rules for words that end in "f" or "fe." Complete the fable activity sheet and find and write the plurals for words they find that end in "f" or...
Curated OER
Descriptive Verbs
Students read a piece of literature and locate the descriptive verbs in the piece. In this descriptive verbs instructional activity, students understand the value of using descriptive verbs. Students rewrite a story they've written with...
Curated OER
Details, Details, Details
Writing can become one-dimensional if authors don't involve all their senses. First, scholars observe a strange object which, ideally, they can touch and even smell. Without using certain words (you can create a list or have the class...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Introduction to the Universe
Fifth graders write descriptive imagery and identify facts about various components of the universe. They listen to the book "The Magic School Bus, Lost in the Solar System," develop a list of descriptive words from the story, compose a...
Curated OER
Weather Words
Students brainstorm and define five terms for precipitation, discuss reasons why English language includes various terms for wet weather, and create word games such as jumbles, word searches, or crossword puzzles with weather terms.
Curated OER
Painting with Words
Fifth graders discuss words that are over used in their writing such as good, nice, happy, glad sad, etc. they complete a survey about word choice then hear a story and discuss descriptive phrases used in the story and how they help to...
Curated OER
"Knot" the Whole Truth: Writing a Modern-Day Story with a Tall Tale's Voice
Beyond Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, tall tales can be a great way to teach young writers about word choice and voice in their writing. Using Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and the Six-Trait Writing process, they begin to write their own...
Curated OER
Picture This
Elementary writers practice writing descriptive paragraphs by adding adjectives and sensory words to their writing. They use a picture of a monster for their descriptive paragraph. This 12-page instructional activity should increase your...
Curated OER
What's The Word?
Students define vocabulary words using print or online dictionaries; create crossword puzzles with those words and definitions; and share their puzzles with peers for review.