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Developing a Topic for Writing Using an Idea Web
Teach your upper graders how to use an idea web to develop a topic for writing. After reading a variety of stories about friendship (a list of stories with the theme of friendship is included), model using an idea web. Class members...
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Fishing For F's
Students discriminate initial sounds of words and categorize words based on the initial sound. They generate ideas and topics for writing and use prewriting and drafting strategies to formulate text.
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Picture the Process
Students read Chasing Vermeer and relate the book to the author . In this writing process lesson, students view Blue's Photo Album and see how the author writes and revises her work. Students discuss the process that all good...
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Expository Writing
Fourth graders create Inspirations webs with graphics, and write five paragraph essays.
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Upside-Down Books
Young scholars read various examples of literature. In groups, they brainstorm a list of views that go against what was in one of the stories. They illustrate the opposite ideas and compile them into a class book. They use each other...
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Kalahari Explorations
Students explore world geography by completing graphic organizers and researching the Internet. In this Kalahari desert instructional activity, students identify the geographic location, weather and creation of the Kalahari desert....
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Story Mapping
Students prewrite a story using graphic organizers. In this prewriting lesson plan, students create a story map before they start their writing.
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Historical Travel Brochure
Fourth graders answer the question, Where in America did history take place? Through investigation as a travel agent, they discover that history is not an isolated event. They use a wide variety of technological resources to create their...
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Accordion-Book Summary
Introduce your young readers to the book review. Groups of writers practice the basic steps of writing a book report and complete an Accordion-Book Summary activity. The lesson includes book report basics and directions to make...
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The Unofficial Guide to Middle School
Sixth graders use Inspiration, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, digital camera, scanners, and video camera
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Writing Descriptive Paragraphs
Show a Powerpoint presentation about descriptive writing. Fourth graders brainstorm a list of writing topics and place them in graphic organizers. Then they write their own paragraphs describing topics of their choice and create...
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How Do I Get There? Planning a Safe Route to School
One much-needed skill for young learners is direction giving. Have your class plan and draw a safe route for them to travel from home to school. They will also draw places and items that are in between home and school in order to build a...
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Picture the Process!
Pupils read "Chasing Vermeer," and then study the author's writing process. They make connections between the book and the author's real life experiences. They then write an original mystery story, following the writing process.
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Five Paragraph Essay
Eighth graders are introduced to the mechanics of writing a standard-form essay. They draft, edit and polish a five-paragraph essay about spending the day as an animal of their choice.