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Paragraph a Week - One Stop Teacher Shop
Grades
4 to 7
11 Favorites
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Paragraph a Week is designed as a yearly writing program for fifth and sixth graders. It could easily be adapted to other grades or writing levels. The site provides a ...more
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Paragraph a Week is designed as a yearly writing program for fifth and sixth graders. It could easily be adapted to other grades or writing levels. The site provides a writing prompt for each week of the school year as well as set criterion for each topic. The prompts offer opportunities for students to write in various styles and in paragraph form. Rubrics, instructions, and parent letters are included. Simply print out the topic of the week and students can get busy!
tag(s): writing (310)
In the Classroom
Have students publish their completed writings on the computer. Select a few students each week to share their ideas and successes! The program includes parent participation. Include the Prompt-of-the-Week link on your class webpage and save some trees! Or use the prompts on a class blog, asking students to respond there. Students and parents will love looking back over their progress through the year in this paper-free "portfolio" of progress.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Literature Board Games - Gary Brooks
Grades
7 to 12
1 Favorites
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This site is a practical explanation of how to create board games based on literature students have read. It gives the list of supplies needed and suggestions on how to ...more
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This site is a practical explanation of how to create board games based on literature students have read. It gives the list of supplies needed and suggestions on how to encourage students to be original.
tag(s): literature (215)
In the Classroom
Using this idea as a "final" evaluation of text is a good way for students to remember. A more technologically advanced idea is for students to create a PowerPoint game or other multimedia presentation. Have the students share their projects on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Board games are also a more innovative way to have students do individual book reports, particularly if several students in the class are reading the same book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Meg Cabot - Meggin Cabot
Grades
6 to 12
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This official website for author Meg Cabot is a tool to encourage journal writing. It has journal writing tips, downloadable journal pages, a bibliography of other journal selections,...more
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This official website for author Meg Cabot is a tool to encourage journal writing. It has journal writing tips, downloadable journal pages, a bibliography of other journal selections, an opportunity to journal with the author, and more. This website requires Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
tag(s): writing (310)
In the Classroom
Use this site to encourage daily writing. Help students improve their sentence structure and use grammar painlessly through frequent personal writing. ESL and ELL students will enjoy journal-writing as a safe place to practice without corrections. Some journal-writing can also take place on classroom blogs, though you may want to keep uncorrected student blogs behind passwords until students are comfortable with the more public setting.
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NaNoWriMo's Young Writers' Program - NaNoWriMo.org
Grades
6 to 12
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Give students the chance to write a novel, either individually or as a group, by participating in this annual event. Register for a free account, fill in your profile, go ...more
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Give students the chance to write a novel, either individually or as a group, by participating in this annual event. Register for a free account, fill in your profile, go to your dashboard, and start creating your classes; yes, you can have more than one class! Give your students the unique code for their class (the site also provides a Website Permission Form for districts requiring consent from student families). Click the "How it Works" tab at the top and slide down to "For Educators" to get complete instructions for the challenges and more. By its own admission, this is about quantity, not quality, but the idea is to get words on paper. Be sure to check out all of the tabs at the top; there is a wealth of information and resources for teachers, students, and families. All of the novel work students do remain the author's property, so there's no problem with ownership. You do have to register for an account (student or teacher), but it is free.
tag(s): creative writing (126), novels (34), writing (310)
In the Classroom
Engage your students with the free classroom kits, workbooks, and Common Core-aligned K-12 lesson plans. Teachers can use this challenge and the resources to get their kids writing. It also offers the chance to be published online. Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to get your students started filling in their profiles. Show students that they are to click "yes" whether or not there is a current challenge (they can still get started writing). Then have them click the link for detailed instructions for getting started.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Self-study Grammar Quizzes - Internet TESL Journal/ teacher contrbutors
Grades
6 to 9
1 Favorites
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This website offers various interactive quizzes all related to grammar. Although written for ESL/ELL students, this is a good practice site for middle school students who have trouble...more
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This website offers various interactive quizzes all related to grammar. Although written for ESL/ELL students, this is a good practice site for middle school students who have trouble remembering grammar basics. All of the quizzes are interactive, with the answers underneath each question for immediate feedback. It encompasses a wide range of grammar-related rules, everything from "a or an" to "active-passive voice." This would make a good review or independent study site.
tag(s): grammar (143), punctuation (23)
In the Classroom
Choose which of these quizzes would most benefit your students and make the links available from your teacher web page for them to access the quizzes quickly. As students work independently on them, you can do individual support and final testing with them as they finish each section. The "Other Quizzes" section offers some challenging quizzes that ask students to identify sentence problems and various other questions.Why not use an interactive whiteboard or projector to share the more challenging quizzes with your class. Divide the class into teams, project the questions on the screen, and see which team can answer the most questions correctly. This is great review before standardized testing.
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6+1 Trait Writing Lesson Plans - Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Grades
1 to 12
1 Favorites
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This site provides several professional learning resources related to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model. Scroll down past the "Services" to find the resources offered. Some options, such...more
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This site provides several professional learning resources related to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model. Scroll down past the "Services" to find the resources offered. Some options, such as the rubrics, require users to complete a free registration form to access the information. Rubrics are available in two versions - one for grades K-2 the other for grades 3-12. Next, follow the link to the Trait Definitions to view a summary of each of the six traits. An additional resource includes a 45-minute video of a training session on using text sets to increase student writing skills.
tag(s): fluency (31), rubrics (40), six traits of writing (3), writing (310)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a starting point to understand the 6+1 Writing Traits Model or as a refresher on your previous understanding. For more in-depth knowledge, be sure to visit the FAQ section on this site to find answers to many common questions related to implementing and understanding this writing model. As you introduce this writing model to students, share curated examples using the column features of Wakelet, or Padlet. Create a column for each of the seven traits and share highlighted examples of the use of the featured trait. As students create text to share, use the same method to share their work in each category. Ask students to share their work in a writing portfolio created with Seesaw. Include a self-reflection work of writing for students to reflect and share their growth in writing.
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Kidlink - Kidlink
Grades
3 to 12
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To investigate Kidlink, click Teachers Room, and follow the directions on that page to register for free and see what the site has to offer. This website provides an online ...more
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To investigate Kidlink, click Teachers Room, and follow the directions on that page to register for free and see what the site has to offer. This website provides an online connection to students from various areas of the world. There are links provided for students, families, and teachers. The website is available in various languages - English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese. Students can share stories, artwork, and more. The educational content includes life planning skills (careers), social studies (geography, government, history, etc.), writing, and many other academic areas. Free registration is required for each student and teacher. All content is monitored by volunteer moderators. What a fabulous resource to use in geography or language arts class. This website doesn't just teach students about countries throughout the world, but also allows students to interact with students of various cultures as they write and respond to each other in this safe environment.
tag(s): careers (184), communication (125), cultures (298)
In the Classroom
Students need not have their own email to use this site. Kidlink explains that they are permitted to use the teacher's email address (which allows you to monitor their activities, as well). You might want to use your "extra" email account. Set up accounts for your students to communicate in your world language class or as part of your study of other continents. With younger students, you may want to communicate as a whole-class activity, composing on a projector or interactive whiteboard.If your school policies limit your ability to use such a site, see the FAQ information and ready-to-go presentation explaining Kidlink. Share it with your principal and parents. ALWAYS get written parent permission when sharing student work/ideas online.
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Six Traits of Writing - Education Northwest
Grades
1 to 12
3 Favorites
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This website offers information about the Six Traits of Writing. The site provides links to rubrics, writing examples for grade levels (text sets), and detailed information about each...more
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This website offers information about the Six Traits of Writing. The site provides links to rubrics, writing examples for grade levels (text sets), and detailed information about each of the six traits. Although this website tends to be geared towards elementary and/or middle school grades, all teachers could glean something from this extensive, no-frills site.
tag(s): rubrics (40), six traits of writing (3), writing (310)
In the Classroom
Be sure you mention this site in your blog, class website, and class newsletter for easy explanation of the Six Traits model. Use this free website to help your students prepare for standardized writing tests. Team up with the science or social studies teacher and have students use the Six Trait Writing "across the curriculum" as they write essays or stories for other content areas.
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How to Make Your Own Nature Notebook - PBS
Grades
K to 4
1 Favorites
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This website provides a brief description on how to create a nature journal for recording nature walks. There are page examples showing specimen samples collected and students' drawings....more
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This website provides a brief description on how to create a nature journal for recording nature walks. There are page examples showing specimen samples collected and students' drawings. A list of materials needed allows even younger students to create their own Nature Notebook. This is an engaging, hands-on activity for various times of the year. Students, some may need a bit of support, can add to their notebook throughout the year showing the changes in a given environment.
tag(s): habitats (108)
In the Classroom
Take your students outside to learn about nature and find examples of the adaptations and habitats they have been studying. Have students take digital pictures on the walk. Then have students work in pairs to create nature notebooks together, including their photos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English literature: Lord of the Flies - BBC
Grades
9 to 12
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Though this site is archived, the links still work. This site gives us context, plot, characters, themes, and a model essay question and answer for the novel Lord of the ...more
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Though this site is archived, the links still work. This site gives us context, plot, characters, themes, and a model essay question and answer for the novel Lord of the Flies. While the context is quite short (Golding's biography is all of 4 sentences!), it gives insight into some of the meaning that Golding himself took from war and his own time as a teacher. The brief plot summaries are just enough to remind students of what each chapter is about-- all the detail is in the novel. Characters and themes are presented with interactive questions and self-quizzes that students can use to review or quiz themselves. One language note: to "revise" material in the UK is the same as to "review" it in the U.S. One "revises" before a test.
tag(s): literature (215)
In the Classroom
This is a great supplementary site for pre-reading or for reviewing. An especially nice extra is the inclusion of a sample essay question and answer. It sets up the question to be answered in a five-paragraph theme and offers possible topic sentences as an outline for writing that theme. Using the sample on a projector or interactive whiteboard is a good way to help students learn how to structure their own essay answers. Have students share and critique essays on the projector or interactive whiteboard.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Literature: Jane Eyre - BBC
Grades
10 to 12
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Though this site is archived, the links still work. This site excels at giving background to the novel, as well as reviewing plot, characters, and themes of Jane Eyre. It ...more
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Though this site is archived, the links still work. This site excels at giving background to the novel, as well as reviewing plot, characters, and themes of Jane Eyre. It discusses the time period, the Gothic novel genre, and the background to the novel itself. Each section offers review for students then interactive quizzes to test themselves. Since this is a British site, the word "revise" is used in place of what Americans call "review."
tag(s): literature (215)
In the Classroom
A great review before a test, this site is also good for pre-reading activities to build understanding of 18th century times and novels, particularly the views of women. The sample question takes students through a step-by-step writing of an outline for an essay. On a projector or interactive whiteboard, students might write their own collaborative answers to the sample outline and then compare it with the finished model given.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English literature: Of Mice and Men - BBC
Grades
8 to 10
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Although, this site is archived, the links still work. This is a good site to introduce the Of Mice and Men or to review and quiz student knowledge as they ...more
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Although, this site is archived, the links still work. This is a good site to introduce the Of Mice and Men or to review and quiz student knowledge as they read. It offers very general, but valuable information on context, including a brief Steinbeck biography, background on the depression, information on migrant workers (complete with Woody Guthrie song accompaniment), and a picture of housing. Print these brief sources or use the menus for plot, character, or theme to locate some explanations and interactive quizzes. Note to American students: "Revise" in the U.K. is the same as "Review" in the U.S. Check out the section called "Sample Question." This section helps students think about answering thoughtful questions about this novel. It provides "preparation," a sample question, and a model answer -- complete with commentary on that answer.
tag(s): novels (34)
In the Classroom
The "sample question" is a great lesson to go over with on an interactive whiteboard or projector in class or have students work through individually or include in student blogs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Wolf Quest - Minnesota Zoo
Grades
4 to 12
2 Favorites
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This fabulous website about wolves and habitats in Yellowstone allows participants to "live" as a wolf, raise their young, explore the wilderness, go hunting, and survive. Students...more
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This fabulous website about wolves and habitats in Yellowstone allows participants to "live" as a wolf, raise their young, explore the wilderness, go hunting, and survive. Students can work alone or with partners, as they learn about wolves in the wild. Students can consult biologists, write original stories, create drawings, and more. This is the first episode; future installments are expected in late 2008. Students and/or teachers must register (free)to use the program. We recommend using a single class/teacher registration or parent/student written agreements for student registrations in order to prevent inappropriate postings "clever" students might make on the community discussion boards. There are also detailed lesson plans (click on Wolf Info > classroom activities). The lesson plans include national science standards.
tag(s): animal homes (54), animals (284), zoology (18)
In the Classroom
Introduce this free resource on interactive whiteboard or projector. The lesson plans and interactive activity are both perfect tools to drum up enthusiasm in biology class. The Game Info provides excellent descriptors and instructions for using this program. Be sure to check back for updated episodes. Include this website on your teacher web site (and the activities) as one of a set of activities on animals and their habitats to be done in class or outside. Then challenge your students to work together in documenting local animals and habitats in a class wiki or group science fair project.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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On-Line Stories and Resources - Babbooks
Grades
1 to 3
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Children will enjoy these short interactive stories on a variety of high-interest subjects such as animals, magic, holidays, princesses etc. Some stories rhyme and some have lovely,...more
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Children will enjoy these short interactive stories on a variety of high-interest subjects such as animals, magic, holidays, princesses etc. Some stories rhyme and some have lovely, hand-made illustrations. To encourage children to write, a story tool called Adlib is available with hints about what the required parts of speech mean. Children who write using Adlib can see their stories instantly appear on the computer! Ignore the repeated mentions of "Kids Voyager" unless you want to pay for this read-aloud service. Unfortunately, the stories do not include reading levels. If you cannot tell, check them by simply copying the pasting the URL for the first page into this online reading level checker.
tag(s): digital reading (18), writing (310)
In the Classroom
ESL students and emergent readers will enjoy seeing the words of the stories as they hear the words read by a big buddy or other helper. Beginning readers would benefit from hearing slightly more advanced readers voice the stories; try a collaborative project with another grade. Try recording students as they read, as well. Make this story site a classroom center or computer cluster option for reluctant readers. Another option: share a story on an interactive whiteboard so students can highlight words with certain consonant clusters, etc.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thoughtful Learning - Write Source: Writing Topics - Houghton Mifflin Co.
Grades
K to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
The authors of Write Source have moved their materials to Thoughtful Learning. Explore this great site to find free minilessons, student writing topics, and models of good writing....more
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The authors of Write Source have moved their materials to Thoughtful Learning. Explore this great site to find free minilessons, student writing topics, and models of good writing. The writing topics are divided by grade level in elementary and intermediate, then grouped as 9-12 for high school. Each section includes many writing prompts --enough to whet the appetite of almost any student. The minilessons are a treasure! Many have a short video explanation and some have templates to print! The student models are shown by type (creative writing, persuasive, research, response to literature, business, etc.) and level. As for writing assessments see the elementary and middle school models in all of the major modes of writing, and rubrics that assess each example as "Strong," "Good," "Okay," or "Poor." Download blank rubrics to use with your students. The upper levels of this site, such as persuasive writing or literary analysis, open the door to higher level thinking. There are free curricula Teaching Guides for K-3, however, the other levels of curricula books have a cost. Though the videos display on this site, they reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, the videos may not be viewable.
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tag(s): blogs (82), essays (17), writing (310), writing prompts (55)
In the Classroom
Have the students choose their own prompt from the list and then share their writing within a small group, with the class, or on their own blogs. Replace paper and pencil and have your younger students create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here., while older students can use Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or X (formerly Twitter) links. This blog creator requires no registration. Use the models and anonymous sharing on an interactive whiteboard to create a "safe" way for students to share writing as process and hear how others do it. Take this a step further and enhance student learning by having them use a collaborative writing tool like Google Docs. There is also the option of altering student learning and PUBLISHING student models with Book Creator, reviewed here, or Ourboox, reviewed here, as a motivator. Be sure to get parent permission!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Timeless Ideas for Teaching - Concord Monitor Publishing
Grades
6 to 12
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Posted by the New Hampshire Concord Monitor Newspaper in the Classroom program, this website offers many interactive ideas that students can use either with a physical newspaper...more
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Posted by the New Hampshire Concord Monitor Newspaper in the Classroom program, this website offers many interactive ideas that students can use either with a physical newspaper in front of them, with an online news service such as CNN, or with online editions of newspapers that you find here. The examples used all refer to the New Hampshire newspaper, but are easily adaptable to whatever topic you want the students to deal with. This site includes such varied activities as creating a database and writing recipes. It covers every section of a newspaper. Students could create their own classroom newspaper using some of these activities or simply create journalistic articles based on whatever topic you are currently teaching. This is adaptable to almost any grade level and subject area.
tag(s): local history (12), news (223), newspapers (87)
In the Classroom
Whether you use hard-copy papers or electronic editions, many of these ideas will work even better using technology: word processing, wikis, blogs (for editorials), graphic organizer tools, digital cameras, etc. Use today's tools to study this powerful medium as it goes through transition into an electronic world. Consider asking students to compare electronic vs. hard-copy newspapers and their pros/cons, as well.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fridge Magnet Poetry Board - Nitric Interactive
Grades
3 to 8
2 Favorites
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Introducing fridge magnets on the web! This interesting site could provide great creative writing entertainment and engaging grammar for students. The site provides a variety of words,...more
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Introducing fridge magnets on the web! This interesting site could provide great creative writing entertainment and engaging grammar for students. The site provides a variety of words, on magnet-looking pieces, that the students can manipulate to create their own stories or poems. Younger students may need assistance with some of the more difficult vocabulary words. The actual "magnets" appear in a new window and require Java. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..
tag(s): writing (310)
In the Classroom
This site would be great on individual classroom computers or a cluster or as a whole class grammar or figures of speech lesson on interactive whiteboard. Another idea: Have students create a story related to a current classroom topic or skill. Have students submit their creations to share on the site by submitting a screen "dump" (also known as a screen shot). Use the PrtSc key to "copy" your screen and PASTE it into a document for submission. We recommend making the submission anonymous or using the class as the name.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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BBC-GCSE Bitesize English - The BBC
Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites
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This great, interactive site was actually developed to assist students in the UK prepare for exams in that country. However, it is a fantastic site for any teacher anywhere who ...more
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This great, interactive site was actually developed to assist students in the UK prepare for exams in that country. However, it is a fantastic site for any teacher anywhere who teaches writing. It addresses writing to persuade, inform, advise, or explain. It offers a variety of methods usuable by students independently or in a class. It offers interactive tests, mock exams, and audio recordings on each topic -- available as mp3, RealAudio, or downloadable pdf acripts. A wonderful addition is a set of audio recordings of poetry critiques (good models for poetry podcasts your students could create). One language note: to "revise" material in the UK is the same as to "review" it in the U.S. One "revises" before a test.
tag(s): poetry (196), process writing (35), writing (310)
In the Classroom
This is a gold mine to delve into again and again for both students and teachers. It offers simple techniques for remembering what's important such as GAP (genre, audience, purpose) and allows individuality for student needs. One idea might be to assign a different genre of essay (inform, describe, explain, advise, etc.) to different students in the same class. Using the tools on the site to improve their writing, students could then share their finished products with the rest of the class, explaining their methods and revision techniques. ESL students and poor reasders will benefit from the audio recordings. Be sure to make this site available from your teacher web pages as a reference, as well.
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Letter Writing Generator - Read Write Think (Iron Monkey Interactive)
Grades
3 to 8
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Despite text messaging, the formal letter still has its place in our world. Students write either a business or friendly letter through the prompts of this interactive tool. ...more
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Despite text messaging, the formal letter still has its place in our world. Students write either a business or friendly letter through the prompts of this interactive tool. While generating their letter, they also learn the five parts of the letter and punctuation clues. Along the process, prompts ask for the needed information. When finished, print a well-formed letter. The online tool supplies the format; the student still must supply the words.
tag(s): business (51), letter writing (18), writing (310)
In the Classroom
Note: the tool does NOT save letters, so allow enough time to complete the activity and print before closing the site. Teachers, you may want to print out the 'addressing an envelope' tip sheet. This activity would work well in a letter writing computer center on a single classroom computer or cluster, or as a whole class activity in the computer lab. High school teachers, don't be shy to use this online tool for a refresher course on the rudiments of letter writing, perhaps to thank teachers for recommendation letters! Even though it may be geared for upper elementary use, your students will benefit from generating letters through prompts.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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A+ Research & Writing Step-by-Step - Kathryn L. Schwartz
Grades
9 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Do you want to appeal to those students who are afraid of the whole research and writing process? How about those who just don't know how to pick a topic, ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Do you want to appeal to those students who are afraid of the whole research and writing process? How about those who just don't know how to pick a topic, or narrow the focus? Are you dreading walking your students through the citation part? This site enables students to go through the process of writing a research paper from choosing a topic through writing the paper, revising, proofreading, and final submission. What makes this site appealing is the use of great graphics and the very simple, one-step-at-a-time approach that makes paper writing less daunting. Links take students to college-specific sites for interactive organizational tools such as mapping and outlining.
In the Classroom
This site helps you help your students and them students to work at their own pace through the pieces that are difficult for them. Use the entire site as a guide for you research process or select different pieces of this site as models when you teach research papers so students can practice right then and there "how to do it." Be sure to include the link on your teacher web page so parents can support students as they approach deadline-panic (and you know some will procrastinate, no matter what you do).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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