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By Beth Hammett
Teach plagiarism in fun, interactive ways! Includes:
Group or individual activities with critical thinking component
YouTube videos
Discussion examples
Plagiarism game
Plenty of Extra resources
Defines plagiarism
Famous people and plagiarism
Citations
Examples of famous people who plagiarized
Myths of Plagiarism
Make a KWL chart of plagiarism
Time for Students' examples
and more...
Uses social interaction to understand proper citations. Great research tool! Easy-to-use, educational, and enjoyable. Guided instruction only is needed.
Character Analysis Lifeboat Game
By Beth Hammett
Students create avatars with this 22 page handout is based on character traits and character flaws. Students debate for a seat on a lifeboat to survive a luxury cruise shipwreck. Uses social skills combined with ELA skills to practice compare and contrast, fact-based arguments and persuasion. Includes:
Directions
Character Trait List with Definition
Character Flaw List with Definition
12 Male Avatars
12 Female Avatars
Lifeboat Scenario
Group Chart with Note Taking section
Character Reflection Sheet
Extra Resources
Optional Writing, Project, and Video Assignments
Excellent for small/whole group, whether at-risk/GT/AP, that uses character traits and fact-based evidence/proof to practice decision making processes and expository writings.
By Beth Hammett
Homographs can be confusing, so try this interactive 26 slide presentation that comes with:
Introduction to homographs
Definition
Examples
32 homograph sentences with visuals for group learning activities
30 Homograph Bingo sheets with Definitions sheet and Sentences
Homograph passage practice
Writing activity
Peer Workshopping component
Media Resources
Meets ELA CCSS and state guidelines. Great fun for ELL/ESL, introduction or assessment, mini-lesson, flipped classrooms, and active learning, project based classes.
Fact-Based Discussion & Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
15 World War posters with ELA/SS/History writing activities or discussion starters for secondary students. Use as individual assignments or with small/whole group settings. Excellent graphics with 3 thought provoking prompts per each page.Includes: use: Propaganda (Definitions, Activity for defining, and application of) Critical thinking skills Analysis Explanation Illustrating Inferencing Designing Problem Solving Segregation and much more! Excellent for teaching fact-based, textual evidence with inferencing and critical thinking, as well as for standardized testing practice.
Analyzing Images Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Do your students need help with analysis? Use these ten graphic organizers with images for analysis practice and writing a thesis. These exercises and graphic organizers help students springboard to analyzing more complex illustrations and essays for future coursework.
This easy to implement, step-by-step analysis guide for individual, small/whole group practice includes:
Full picture slides for whole group discussion and preview
10 Analysis Graphic Organizers with images
One Blank Analysis Graphic Organizer
Analysis categories include: Assumptions/Inferences, Year, Time, Season, Setting, Stereotypes, Characterization, Genre, Emotions, and Others
Writing a Thesis Statement
This step-by-step guide is simple to follow, great for test prep, and helps students uncover the process of analysis.
By Beth Hammett
Are commas alien to your students? Are there not enough or too many commas? This 31 slide presentation uses a color-coded approach combined with peer workshopping and comprehension checks. The mini-lesson presentation addresses and includes: Research slide Extra Resources with practices Comma Comprehension Checks Commas in a List and Series FANBOYS Appositives Directly Speaking to a Person Dependent Clauses Adverbs and Transitions Parenthetical Expressions Adjectives Dates Cities/States Can be used as individual mini-lessons or as review. Provides peer workshopping component and comprehension checks to increase comma skills and usage. Interactive approach is easy to follow and is self-explanatory. Meets Common Core Standards.
By Beth Hammett
What is multigenre writing, and how can you use it in your classroom? This Common Core, across-curriculum, interactive presentation includes: Fact-based/non-fiction or fictional Defining: "Multi" and "Genre" Student examples of multigenre projects Interactive small group activity for introducing multigenre Research and extra resources on multigenres 2 levels of assignments: lower and upper Brainstorming Topics chart Find Your Topic graphic organizer Multigenre list for choosing types of writings Peer Workshopping guide Supplemental Resources Works Cited Ready to use with students, and a great way to re-visit an old topic or to revive research essays, whether using non-fiction or fiction. Can be used to introduce topics or as assessment for unit or research for any discipline.. Multigenre activities are engaging, educational, meaningful, and fun.
Cause and Effect Practice Handouts Grades 7-12
By Beth Hammett
Complete set of 7 graphic organizers for cause and effect writings. Easy to use and follow, and comes with: Cause and Effect Relationship Word Chart Cause and Effect Topics Sheet Categories: Arts, Humanities, Music, Education, STEM 7 different Graphic Organizers to Xerox Writing Tips Writing Challenges Reinforces fact based writing, cause and effect relationship words, planning stage, working with writing process, and peer workshopping. Critical thinking skills needed! Great for ELA and STEM connections, AP, charter, ESL, GT, dual credit, and homeschool students.
Readability Levels (Writing and Testing)
By Beth Hammett
What are readability levels, how do you turn on the function in MS Word, and how can knowing the information help student writers? These questions are answered in this interactive presentation that uses screenshots and step-by-step directions to turn on readability and check sentences and passages. Benefits of knowing and using readability levels include: Understanding Audience Understanding Computerized Testing Scoring Understanding and Using Types of Sentences Understanding and Using Syllable Counts Building and Using Higher Level Vocabulary Objectives are: Build vocabulary through synonyms Identify and use sentence clarity Identify and use sentence variety in writing Understand audience and their reading levels Understand computerized essay tests grading Understand syllable counts within words Easy to follow and assessment included! Excellent for anyone about to take a computerized standardized graded essay or who will be focused on addressing and writing to specific target audience grade levels. Great for AP students, flipped classes, GT, homeschool, Pre-Ap, and college level students.
Presidents Day and Presidents Fact-Based Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Get students thinking about presidential elections and political campaign promises with 16 handouts that generate higher level learning.The journal-like prompts include historical facts that will have students wondering, "What if.I was president..?" Social issues to write about include:
family issues
government growth
importing goods
internet issues
laws and rules
leadership style
national debt
national security
social security
space exploration
succession
transportation problems
war
world peace
There are sixteen famous presidents, with their greatest accomplishments. Included are: Adams, Bush, Clinton, Cleveland, Coolidge, Eisenhower, Jackson, Johnson, Kennedy, Lincoln, Nixon, Reagan, Roosevelt,Washington
Includes Extra Resources (videos, web-links) and Ideas for Use in the classroom.
Can be used with English, Government, History classes.
Semi-Colons, Colons, Dashes, Hyphens (Writing)
By Beth Hammett
Introduce Semi-Colons, Colons, Dashes, and Hyphens with this 14 slide presentation. Includes: definitions examples practice sentences peer workshopping component comprehension checkpoint & answers extra resources This PowerPoint gives students everything they need to successfully use each of the "Other Punctuation Marks" within their essays! Easy to read and follow with color-coded examples. Can be used for ELL/GT/AP and flipped classrooms. Meets CCSS guidelines.
Inferencing and Journalism Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Become a news reporter and write your own daily column with these 22 inferencing, journalism writing activities. Newspaper format and great graphics are easy for students to work with. Uses writing process and peer workshopping strategies. Comes with two blank templates for creative fun and one lined page for extra writing space. Includes optional media and technology projects for differentiated classrooms. Excellent for use with relationship words, time order, fact vs. opinion, and more...Meets CCSS.
Spelling Confused Words A-I Game and Puzzles with Activities
By Beth Hammett
15 Commonly Confused Words A-I with engaging activities for students to learn. Includes:
A-I game with fill-in-the-blank, definitions, make your own
sentences/slides (individual/groups & competitive play)
2 Crossword puzzles with Commonly Confused Words
2 Word Searches with Commonly Confused Words
All answer sheets included
Directions and Suggestions with Extensions
Words used are:
1. accept except
2. aloud allowed
3. bare bear4. brake break
5. coarse course6. council counsel
7. desert dessert
8. dose doze
9. envelope envelop
10. forbear forebear
11. grisly grizzly
12. glance glimpse
13. hair hare
14. hole whole
15. ingenious ingenuous
Students will have fun learning these Commonly Confused Words.
Write a Halloween Story with Word Bank/Coloring Images (Gr. 3 and up)
By Beth Hammett
16 Halloween coloring images with holiday word banks that include: Cats Bats Dracula Frankenstein Ghosts Pirate Pumpkins Trick or Treat Witches Zombies and more... Includes Suggestions For Use sheet and template to create your own vocabulary word bank. Upper levels can use for poetry and contest writing. Fun way to assess writing skills in an ELA classroom. Grab a blanket and flashlight, turn on the lighted pumpkin, and have a classroom read-around of Halloween stories!
By Beth Hammett
16 page presentation to help students define and understand what a ballad is, how it changed over time, its historical importance, Dand how to write a ballad. Includes: Definition with individual/group activity Examples of ballads throughout time periods Patterns/Rhyme scheme with example Critical thinking & fact based Individual/group activities Write your own ballad individual/group activity Research project with scoring rubric Extra Resources Complete interactive unit for defining, recognizing, teaching and writing ballads. Meets Common Core State Standards.
Fake News (Circular Reporting: How False News Spreads)
By Beth Hammett
Have you ever wondered how fake news makes such big headlines? Circular reporting, or false confirmation, is the term used to show how information spreads and becomes truth. This active learning, critical thinking, visual lesson plan and presentation introduces students to how we believe, and how false news spreads, as well as introduces how to define research sources. Students learn about primary, secondary, and tertiary sources for research and writing. Contains upper level current events content; use with appropriate ages and grades. Activities and Lesson Plan Includes: Teacher Lesson Plans with Step-by-Step Discussion Guide Evaluating Valid Information (Dr. Jeremy Dean) Class Poll: Gullible or Skeptical? False Advertisement by April Uno about Phillip Morris (Marijuana) Descartes and Spinoza 17th Century Debate on How We Believe Daniel Gilbert's 1993 Robbery Study Define: Circular Reporting and False Confirmation How False Information is Circulated 1994 Microsoft Hoax Benghazi and False Reporting Examples of False Information Reported as Truth How to Avoid Circular Reporting Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources (with labeling activity) Re-evaluating Beliefs and Class Poll Discussion Questions on Citing Sources and Social Media Optional Activities: Classic Telephone Game, Class Debate and Jury Trial, Evaluating Websites Excellent for teaching fact-based information, citing sources, propaganda in the news, journalism reporting, beliefs/ethics/morals, AP courses, Dual Credit, Philosophy. Lots of engaging, critical thinking activities for debates and discussions. Meets CCSS ELA.
Monsters On-Demand Writing Prompts
By Beth Hammett
High interest, critical thinking, on-demand writing prompts that include research based facts and references for citations. Great for college and career rigor standards with fact-based, textual evidence writings. Use as individual handouts or for whole group prompts. Includes: Aliens Bigfoot Chupacabra Ghosts Lochness Monster Mermaids Mothman Vampires Werewolves Zombies Fun, on-demand expository, informational, or persuasive prompts that stimulate creative, critical thinking writings! Great for discussions and debates, too. Meets CCSS.
By Beth Hammett
Students produce personal narratives from memories with this 21 page guide that used the writing process. Includes: Attributes/Characteristics of Narrative Essay Overview of Writing Process Creating life maps (with student examples) Narrowing topics--prewriting stage with examples Narrative writing examples Online Reading: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge Peer workshopping with guided questions: Revision and Editing Final Essay Stage Publishing/Sharing Scoring Rubric Extra Resources The 21 page guide is self-explanatory. It includes interactive writing activities along with using the writing process and peer workshopping strategies to teach narrative writing. Weblink to the online narrative book Gordon Wilfred McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (by Screen Actors Guild) is excellent! Engaging and fun lesson that meets CCSS.
By Beth Hammett
Common Core approach to Persuasive writing using step-by-step instructions for students. Includes 20 pages of: Definition Persuasive vs. Argumentative Whole/small group and individual activities Ethical Writers Examples of Thesis/Topic Sentences/Details/Facts... Using Figurative Language Outlines Peer Workshopping Persuasive Scoring Rubric (Revision friendly to master skills) Extra Resources: video presentations, handouts, and ESL links Easy to follow and use with students in grades 4 and up. Meets CCSS Opinion and Argument Writing requirements.
Author's Background and Text Connections Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Why do authors' write specific texts? This 12 slide interactive presentation helps students make connections between authors' personal lives, historical contexts, and written works.
Includes:
Examples (Emily Dickinson, Abe Lincoln, Jamaica Kincaid, Ray Bradbury, Harper Lee, Stephanie Meyer, Stephen King, James Patterson and Ann Rule)
How To Guide
Worksheets for Building Connections
Activities: Text and Author Passages; Build an Author and Text Connections
Great for understanding why authors' use specific elements when writing for readers. Provides practice and guided research elements. Can be used for assessment of concepts and skills. Meets CCSS.