Poets generally choose each word carefully, and Robinson Jeffers is no exception to this rule. Look closely at Jeffers' word choice in "Inscription for a Gravestone" and "The Deer Lay Down Their Bones" through discussion and writing....

In poetry, every word matters. Poets like Edgar Allan Poe make conscious choices when composing. Pupils take a close look at his poem "Romance," taking older word meanings into consideration during analysis and discussion. After a class...

There is more to descriptive writing that just adjectives. Try out this model to help your writers develop their work. The presentation is designed for teachers and provides student writing samples as well as an exercise to practice...

Dig deep into any piece of poetry with a set of analysis questions. Ponder the content, form, and language of poetry and provide some question for critique. The first two pages include general questions, and the remainder of the document...

No color, no images, no sound. Just words on paper. How then, do writers convey the tone of a piece? By carefully selecting the words they use to create an impression in the minds of readers. After all, "Don't come back, Jack" expresses...

While pupils often think that length is a mark of good writing, precision is often a more accurate indicator of sophisticated writing. Show them how to whittle down their phrases and have them practice on the eight sentence groups...

Getting tired of seeing went over and over again in student writing? Banish boring verbs with a list of 250 different substitutes for that mundane word went. Organized in alphabetical order, words such as bustled, inched, and tottered...

Encourage precise writing and the use of detail by banning there are from student work. You can put up this simple poster, which includes an image of there are crossed out and an example of how to avoid using the forbidden words.

Show your class the difference between which and that with this basic and straightforward learning exercise. Using the context of each sentence, learners circle the appropriate word choice. Assign this as a warm-up activity or a short...

Assign a paragraph a day! For the first four days, class members will need to focus in order to improve a paragraph and make it their own. Revision suggestions are given for each prompt. On the fifth day, give writers the chance...

Improve word choice and descriptive details with one resource. Colorful slides take middle schoolers through the process of writing with their five senses, and choosing the best adjectives and verbs for their writing. Use the...

Add some variety to your middle schoolers' writing! Kids watch a slide show about strong verbs and precise word choice. Why use ate when you can use devoured? The first two pages are a great reference tool for your class when they get...

Challenge your class to use their verbs wisely. Action verbs can add an extra dimension to writing, as this presentation demonstrates. Writers revise a paragraph with the teacher in order to improve the verb choice. For homework, they...

Feeling bored and unimpressed with word choice in your class? If so, consider this activity, which focuses on using specific and precise language. Pupils use highlighters, brainstorm independently and in small groups, and create a poster...

When pupils use precise vocabulary, their writing is stronger. Help them strengthen their writing by completing the basic activity here. Learners are asked to come up with more precise verbs for 12 different general verbs. Have your...

Explore vocabulary context clues with a prefix activity. Using the prefixes micro- and mega-, fourth graders complete sentence frames. They then make up their own word with the correct prefixes. Helpful as homework or during a writing...

“C u l8r @ skool.” As part of a study of formal and informal language, class members examine excerpts from Lil’ Boosie lyrics, the Emancipation Proclamation, a speech by Martin Luther King. Links to the resources not provided; however,...

In this grammar learning exercise, students complete a ten question multiple choice on-line interactive quiz about World Cup soccer. Students read the sentences and select the correct word or phrase that correctly fits in the blank.

Learning about antonyms can help learners build a diverse vocabulary and better understand word meaning and choice. They work through eight different sentences by determining which words are antonyms. This nicely designed presentation...

It's important that readers can identify the author's purpose in a piece of writing. Give them different examples and this graphic organizer to help them keep track of how the tone and word choice can give hints to the purpose. Complete...

Third graders consider pioneer life. In this pioneer activity, 3rd graders research the daily life of pioneers in Canada. Students read numerous selections on pioneer life and construct a found poem.

Sympathetic, sarcastic, insensitive. Clarify for your learners the ways that writers use language to reveal their purpose in writing and their attitude toward their subject. Expand upon the presentation by including additional specific...

A good author can craft a plot full of twists and unexpected turns. Your class will read a twist-filled short story, analyze the writing technique and word choice employed by the author, and then attempt to write a mystery of their own....

"When Should You Call a Professional?" an excerpt from a home repair handbook, provides the text for an exercise in learning how to read technical journals and workplace documents. Pupils are directed to examine the format, graphics, and...