$5 - $10 6th Grade ELA Test Prep Activities

Looking for a high-engagement, standards-aligned resource to teach argumentative writing? This Thanksgiving Argument Writing Unit is perfect for middle school (grades 6-8) and provides four unique Thanksgiving-themed writing prompts that help students practice developing claims, providing evidence, and addressing counterarguments and rebuttals.
This resource includes:

• A full lesson plan designed for a 75-minute class, guiding students through argument writing with structured slides and engaging activities.

• Four thought-provoking Thanksgiving debate topics, including:

• "Should Black Friday be banned due to its impact on society?"

• "Is it ethical to celebrate Thanksgiving given the historical conflicts with Native Americans?"

• "Should Thanksgiving Day parades be canceled due to their environmental impact?"

• "Should Thanksgiving football games be banned on the holiday?"

• Slides and Guided Notes: Step-by-step instruction on writing an argumentative essay using claims, evidence, counterarguments, and rebuttals.

• Practice Activities: Hands-on exercises to help students identify and write each part of an argument.

• Templates for Writing: Easy-to-use templates for students to organize their essays and develop their writing.

This unit is ideal for teaching the basics of argumentative writing in a fun, seasonal way, with relevant and engaging Thanksgiving topics that students care about. It's also perfect for debate prewriting, essay interventions, or building towards state assessments like STAAR.
What’s Included:

• Complete 60-minute lesson plan
• 4 Thanksgiving-themed argument writing prompts
• Guided notes and practice passages
• Slide deck covering key writing components (claim, evidence, counterargument, rebuttal)

Help your students develop strong, clear arguments while engaging with Thanksgiving traditions in a meaningful way. Perfect for teaching argumentative writing and improving students' ability to express their ideas logically and persuasively!

To come

Looking for a fun way to get your students talking, moving, and collaborating? Look no further!

The focus of this breakout is figurative language. Includes simile, metaphor, personification, allusion, alliteration, oxymoron, idiom, hyperbole, imagery, and onomatopoeia. A great review game before a test or quiz. Comes complete with answer key.

THIS IS A PDF FILE

Why teach word meaning through nonsense words?

• Students must use critical thinking to solve
• Students must read the whole passage for context clues
• Students must problem solve to find the best word that makes the most sense.
• They can't find the answer except through problem solving.

All of these are things we want every student to do! This is something that is already adapted for high and low learners.

Starting with three nonsense words gets students going so they can work in groups or independently to decode the meaning of 7 REAL words (selected from the SAT vocabulary list).

This is a perfect activity for group problem solving and critical thinking!

Make reviewing author's purpose fun with this engaging, collaborative game show! This author's purpose game show includes examples from high interest categories of video games, sports, candy, history, and dinosaurs. Quick and easy setup, plus clear directions makes this game perfect for centers or substitute days, too!

Lead your students to practice the different types of author's purpose by exploring it through interesting topics. Students will love exploring author's purpose while working in teams with friendly competition, and won't even realize how much they're learning!

Here's what you'll get:

• 25 questions
• student recording sheet
• teacher directions

Your students will love practicing author's purpose concepts with their teammates. They'll be engaged in discussions, and having friendly competition while reviewing their learning.

Prep is quick and easy... Just copy student recording sheets, display the game on the board, and you're ready for a fun and engaging class!

IMPORTANT!

You must have PowerPoint installed on your computer. Also, this file is not editable.

___________________________________

Copyright © That One Cheerful Classroom.

Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.

Are you looking to make reviewing figurative language fun? Do you want your students to be engaged and motivated to learn? Then download this BUNDLE Similes Onomatopoeia and Alliteration a Figurative Language Activity! Well suited for the Language Arts or ELL classroom, your students will be having so much fun they will forget they are learning!

Students roll a die and find the corresponding instructions to create their own sentences using figurative language! The first one to complete a row or column wins the game! Can be played virtually or in-class - Virtual dice included! This activity can be played repeatedly as each game is unique. Laminate your gameboards and they can be used for years.

✔ Figurative Language covered in this activity: onomatopoeia, alliteration, similes, and metaphors.

✔ Each resource includes:

• Instructions
• Google docs digital/online gameboard (with a link to a digital single die roller on Youtube)
• Printable in-class game board (you will need an individual die for each group)
• 27 unique questions (and 3 “Take A Break” spots)
• ‘Answer Sheet’ for students to write their sentences
• Terms of Use

✔Examples:

• Write a simile using a color
• Write a metaphor about the weather
• Finish this metaphor: “Today, school was….”
• Finish this simile: “The test was…..”

✈️ Click here to follow A World to Explore Store and be the first to know about brand-new games and activities!

❤ Other Resources You'll LOVE:

Dice Games Figurative Language Similes & Metaphors

Dice Games Figurative Language Alliteration Onomatopoeia Simile Metaphor

Dice Games Onomatopoeia Oxymoron Personification Alliteration Hyperbole

BUNDLE Dice Games Figurative Language onomatopoeia oxymoron personification

SIMILES Choice Board, Student Checklist, Rubric, 48 Similes w/ definitions

METAPHORS Choice Board, Checklist, Rubric, Metaphors w definition

Homophones Choice Board 

Digital Grammar Practice - ALL ABOUT ANIMALS - Walruses

Digital Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Practice - ALL ABOUT ANIMALS - Gorillas

Grammar:

VIRTUAL Grammar Scategories - Making Grammar FUN! by A World to Explore Store

BUNDLE Grammar Games! Parts of Speech Scategories 2 KaBOOM Irregular Verbs

KaBOOM Grammar Games - Irregular Plural Nouns by A World to Explore Store

KaBOOM! Virtual GRAMMAR Game #1 - Irregular Past Tense Verbs

KaBOOM! Virtual GRAMMAR Game #2 - Irregular Past Tense Verbs

Rock, Paper, Scissors - Grammar Games! Irregular Past Tense Verbs

Rock, Paper, Scissors Grammar Games Irregular Plural Nouns

Engage 3rd, 4th, or 5th graders with tools to master Short Constructed Responses (SCR) and Extended Constructed Responses (ECR) practice using 35 student opportunities for RACE in a creative way. Ideal for ESL, ELA STAAR, RTI, stations, review, bell ringers, or differentiated independent work.

This No Prep roadmap will help students craft clear, structured, and thoughtful writing responses.

➡️ Why You Will Love

⭐35 student practice opportunities planned and prepped so you get your planning time back!

⭐Science of reading-aligned strategies for students to apply to their reading and writing.

⭐Leverages the UPS framework to help students combine visuals, analogies, and hands-on practice, emphasizing Understanding, Processing, and Sharing knowledge.

⭐Flexible Format to integrate into any curriculum.

⭐Embedded support to help reach all learners.

➡️ What’s Included

• Structured Writing Frameworks:
  *RACE Method
  *UPS Framework
• Mini Quizzes
• 35 Practice Opportunities
• Scaffolding and Differentiation Tools Embedded
• 5 Quick Checks

➡️ How to Use

• Workbook
• Daily Warm-Ups
• Test Prep Stations
• Whole-Class Lessons
• Small-Group Lessons
• Differentiated Resource
• Accommodations

Bring STEP UPS to life with this incredible resource today!

➡️ LET’S CONNECT

Follow ELA Vibes

➡️ Additional Supports

Mini-Lessons

Activity Packs

STAAR Prep

Short and Extended Constructed Responses

➡️Receive TeachShare Store Credits

• You can receive TeachShare store credits to use on future purchases by leaving feedback on any products you buy! Click on "My Purchases" to access the feedback link. I really appreciate your support, please leave feedback on my products. Your feedback will ensure I make the very best products for you and your students!

Transform STAAR writing preparation into an exhilarating adventure with our "ECR Relay Race" resource! Designed specifically for grades 6-8, this product turns the daunting task of essay writing into a collaborative, fun, and competitive experience. Dive into high-engaging topics while practicing informational, argumentative, and correspondence writing skills critical for STAAR success.

✅ Engaging Topics for Every Genre:

• Informational ECRs: Explore Texas Rodeo, Texas State Fair, and NASA's monumental contributions.
• Argumentative ECRs: Delve into captivating debates like Selena vs. Beyonce, Roblox vs. Minecraft, and Messi vs. Ronaldo.
• Correspondence ECR: Address real-world issues in letters concerning Ocean pollution, VR headsets in education, and Sports accessibility for students with disabilities.

✅ Collaborative Learning: Encourage teamwork with relay races that make writing a shared journey. Students can work together or individually, pushing them to think critically and write effectively.

✅ Interactive Progress Tracking: Watch as students advance their stick figure characters across the board with each completed paragraph, igniting a sense of accomplishment and urgency.

✅ Comprehensive ECR Refresher: Kickstart your classes with 15 slides designed to refresh students on ECR essentials, providing a solid foundation for success.

✅ Inclusive Support Materials: Includes sentence stems for each writing genre, aiding students in structuring their thoughts and arguments clearly and cohesively.

✅ Fun, Engaging, and Educational: Our resource is not just about STAAR prep; it's about creating memorable learning experiences that foster creativity, critical thinking, and a love for writing.

Prepare your students for STAAR writing with a resource that’s as educational as it is exhilarating. Make test preparation something students look forward to with our ECR Relay Race. Perfect for teachers seeking innovative, engaging ways to enhance writing skills and STAAR readiness.

Looking for a fun way to get your students talking, moving, and collaborating? Look no further!

The focus of this breakout is Literary Devices. The activities in this breakout game are designed to help students review. The Escape Room is Halloween themed and includes some spooky examples. A great review game before a test or quiz. Includes Metaphor, Simile, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Imagery, Alliteration, and Euphemism Comes complete with answer key.

Elevate your students' short response writing skills and prepare them for success on the STAAR test with this comprehensive Extended Constructed Response (ECR) lesson designed for middle and high school classrooms. This engaging PowerPoint lesson offers educators a valuable tool to assess and guide student learning effectively.

Key Features:

1. Sample Response Evaluation: Dive into three sample extended constructed responses and guide your students through the process of critically analyzing and scoring each one. This lesson provides detailed criteria and rubrics to help teachers accurately assess student work.
2. STAAR Test Practice: Prepare your students for the rigor of the STAAR test with targeted practice exercises. This lesson includes a variety of short stories and prompts that mirror the format and style of STAAR test questions, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the expectations and requirements of the exam.
3. Interactive Learning: Engage your students with interactive activities and discussions that encourage active participation and deeper understanding.
4. Teacher Resources: Empower educators with comprehensive teacher guides, answer keys, and additional resources to support lesson implementation and facilitate classroom instruction. These lesson materials are user-friendly and adaptable, making it easy for teachers to integrate them into their existing curriculum.
5. Skill Development: Foster critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing proficiency in your students as they practice crafting concise and well-supported extended constructed responses. This lesson emphasizes essential skills such as citing evidence, structuring responses, and addressing prompt requirements effectively.

Why Choose This Lesson:

• Rigorous and standards-aligned content designed to meet the needs of middle and high school students.

• Engaging and interactive activities that promote student engagement and academic growth.

• Easy-to-use resources and materials for seamless lesson implementation and classroom management.

• Comprehensive preparation for the STAAR test, ensuring that students feel confident and capable on exam day.

Empower your students to excel in short response writing and conquer the challenges of the STAAR test with this dynamic and comprehensive lesson. Elevate your teaching and ignite a passion for learning with these innovative instructional materials. Download this lesson today and watch your students thrive!

What's Included:

• Student lesson with 42 PowerPoint slides
• Checklists for 3 sample ECRs
• Scaffolded response template
• Templates for in-class scoring (stars)
• 2 Texts to read & write about
• Multiple opportunities for students to speaking, listening, thinking, creating, and evaluating
• Included in Word and PDF

Are you looking to make reviewing similes and metaphors fun? Do your students struggle to create descriptive figurative language? Then download this no prep Onomatopoeia, Oxymoron, Similes and MORE Activity BUNDLE!

Kids will be engaged and motivated to play this individual or team-building dice game. Well suited for the Language Arts or ELL classroom, your students will be having so much fun they will forget they are learning!

In this no prep activity, students roll a die find the corresponding instructions, and create their own sentences using onomatopoeia, oxymorons, personification, alliteration, hyperbole, similes, or metaphors! The first one to complete a row or column wins the game! Virtual dice included!

**You are receiving 3 different games but they can be played over and over again as each roll of the die provides students with new sentences to write! This truly is all you need to keep your students engaged and motivated to practice creating their own sentences using figurative language.

✔This resource includes:

• Instructions
• Google docs digital/online gameboard (with a link to a digital single die roller on Youtube)
• Printable in-class game board (you will need an individual die for each group)
• 79 unique questions (and 9 “Take A Break” spots) across 3 different game boards
• ‘Answer Sheet’ for students to write their sentences
• Terms of Use

✔Examples:

• Use onomatopoeia to describe an excited dog.
• Write an alliteration about the beach.
• Use hyperbole to describe someone’s looks.
• Use an oxymoron in a sentence about food.
• Use personification in a sentence about an animal.
• Write a simile using 'mad'.
• Finish this metaphor, "Today, school was....."

✈️ Click here to follow A World to Explore Store and be the first to know about brand-new games and activities!

❤ Other Resources You'll LOVE:

• Figurative Language EDITABLE List of Oxymoron Onomatopoeia Alliteration
• Dice Games Figurative Language Similes & Metaphors
• Dice Games Figurative Language Alliteration Onomatopoeia Simile Metaphor
• BUNDLE 2 Dice Games Figurative Language Alliteration Onomatopoeia Simile
• Dice Games Onomatopoeia Oxymoron Personification Alliteration Hyperbole
• SIMILES Choice Board, Student Checklist, Rubric, 48 Similes w/ definitions
• METAPHORS Choice Board, Checklist, Rubric, Metaphors w definition
• Homophones Choice Board 
• Digital Grammar Practice - ALL ABOUT ANIMALS - Walruses
• Digital Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary Practice - ALL ABOUT ANIMALS - Gorillas

FUN:

• Truth or Dare...the Classroom Party Game You Didn't Know You Needed!
• Truth or Dare 2nd Edition
• BUNDLE Truth or Dare Versions 1 & 2
• Virtual Scategories & Truth or Dare (All Ages!)
• Gifted and Talented Activity - Can you make a connection?

Shake up your classroom by playing this fun ELA matchmaker review game! As the testing season approaches, this comprehensive 81-page PDF resource offers a perfect blend of fun and education, ensuring a thorough review of essential literary concepts.

Our resource is thoughtfully crafted to cover five crucial categories: Synonyms, Antonyms, Figurative Language, Literary Elements, and Affixes & Roots. Each category is rich with 30 pairs, enabling full class participation and ensuring that every student is actively engaged in the learning process.

Our 'ELA Review Extravaganza' is designed to be flexible and adaptable to your classroom needs. Here are two effective ways to use this resource:

Option 1: Print and Cut

Prepare the Activity:

• Print out the pages of the resource
• Carefully cut out each pair from the categories

Distribute the Pieces:
Hand out one piece of the puzzle to each student.

• Activity Instructions for Students:
  Each student should first define or describe their term or concept.
• Then, allow students to get up and mingle in the classroom, searching for the student who holds the matching pair to their piece.

Finding Matches:

• As students find their pairs, they can sit together and discuss why they are a match, reinforcing their understanding of the concept.

Class Discussion:

• After everyone has found their pairs, have a class discussion or sharing session about the matches.

Option 2: Assign & Go (Digital Version)

Assign the Activity:

• Assign the digital version of the resource to students through your preferred educational platform.

Independent or Pair Work:

• Students can work through the slides independently or with a partner. They will find the best match for each term or concept from the word bank provided in the slides.

Interactive Learning:

• The digital format allows for interactive learning, as students can easily navigate through the slides and select their answers.

Review and Feedback:

• After completion, you can review their answers and provide feedback, or students can share their answers with the class.

Embrace the Versatility

• Print & Digital Formats: Choose the print version for a hands-on classroom experience or the digital version for a seamless, tech-integrated lesson. The digital version is perfect for 1:1 device classrooms and offers an easy-to-assign-and-go option for busy teachers.
• Interactive Learning: Students can enjoy the interactive elements in the digital version or the physical engagement of the print version.
• Ideal for Centers & Independent Work: Set up as learning stations in your classroom or assign digitally for individual completion - adaptable to various teaching strategies.
• Hassle-Free Preparation: With the digital version, say goodbye to cutting and prepping. It's all ready to use at the click of a button!

Perfect Tool for Diverse Educational Needs

• Comprehensive Test Review: An engaging way to review and reinforce ELA concepts before exams.
• Builds Core Skills: Enhances vocabulary and understanding of literary terms in an interactive manner.
• Encourages Critical Thinking: Students analyze, match, and connect concepts, fostering deeper comprehension.
• Flexible and Convenient: Whether in a traditional classroom setting or a remote learning environment, this resource fits seamlessly into your lesson plan.

Transform your ELA review sessions into an 'Extravaganza' of learning and excitement. With our 'ELA Review Extravaganza,' education is not just about memorizing; it's about engaging, interacting, and understanding. Download now for an enriching educational experience that your students will love!

Elevate your students' short response writing skills and prepare them for success on the STAAR test with this comprehensive Short Constructed Response (SCR) lesson designed for middle and high school classrooms. This engaging PowerPoint lesson offers educators a valuable tool to assess and guide student learning effectively.

Key Features:

1. Sample Response Evaluation: Dive into three sample short constructed responses and guide your students through the process of critically analyzing and scoring each one. This lesson provides detailed criteria and rubrics to help teachers accurately assess student work.
2. STAAR Test Practice: Prepare your students for the rigor of the STAAR test with targeted practice exercises. This lesson includes a variety of short stories and prompts that mirror the format and style of STAAR test questions, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the expectations and requirements of the exam.
3. Interactive Learning: Engage your students with interactive activities and discussions that encourage active participation and deeper understanding.
4. Teacher Resources: Empower educators with comprehensive teacher guides, answer keys, and additional resources to support lesson implementation and facilitate classroom instruction. These lesson materials are user-friendly and adaptable, making it easy for teachers to integrate them into their existing curriculum.
5. Skill Development: Foster critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing proficiency in your students as they practice crafting concise and well-supported short constructed responses. This lesson emphasizes essential skills such as citing evidence, structuring responses, and addressing prompt requirements effectively.

Why Choose This Lesson:

• Rigorous and standards-aligned content designed to meet the needs of middle and high school students.

• Engaging and interactive activities that promote student engagement and academic growth.

• Easy-to-use resources and materials for seamless lesson implementation and classroom management.

• Comprehensive preparation for the STAAR test, ensuring that students feel confident and capable on exam day.

Empower your students to excel in short response writing and conquer the challenges of the STAAR test with this dynamic and comprehensive lesson. Elevate your teaching and ignite a passion for learning with these innovative instructional materials. Download this lesson today and watch your students thrive!

• Student lesson with 41 PowerPoint slides
• Checklists for 3 sample SCRs
• Scaffolded response template
• Templates for in-class scoring (stars)
• 2 Texts to read & write about
• Multiple opportunities for students to speaking, listening, thinking, creating, and evaluating
• Included in Word and PDF

This Sentence Auction Game is the perfect classroom activity to engage students while reinforcing essential grammar skills. In this interactive grammar game, students use fake money to bid on sentences. Some sentences are perfectly correct, while others contain common errors like missing commas, misplaced apostrophes, spelling mistakes, comma splices, subject-verb agreement errors, capitalization errors, and commonly confused words.

Students must identify and correct the mistakes to maximize the value of their sentences. The game ends with a winner declared based on the total value of the sentences they’ve collected.

This sentence editing game is an excellent tool for grammar practice, sentence correction, and peer learning. Ideal for middle school and high school classrooms, it’s a fun way to improve your students' writing and editing skills!

Elevate your students' short response writing skills and prepare them for success on the STAAR test with these comprehensive Extended Constructed Response (ECR) and Short Constructed Response (SCR) lessons designed for middle and high school classrooms. The engaging PowerPoint lessons offer educators a valuable tool to assess and guide student learning effectively.

Key Features:

1. Sample Response Evaluation: Dive into three samples per constructed responses (6 total) and guide your students through the process of critically analyzing and scoring each one. This lesson provides detailed criteria and rubrics to help teachers accurately assess student work.
2. STAAR Test Practice: Prepare your students for the rigor of the STAAR test with targeted practice exercises. This lesson includes a variety of short stories and prompts that mirror the format and style of STAAR test questions, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the expectations and requirements of the exam.
3. Interactive Learning: Engage your students with interactive activities and discussions that encourage active participation and deeper understanding.
4. Teacher Resources: Empower educators with comprehensive teacher guides, answer keys, and additional resources to support lesson implementation and facilitate classroom instruction. These lesson materials are user-friendly and adaptable, making it easy for teachers to integrate them into their existing curriculum.
5. Skill Development: Foster critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and writing proficiency in your students as they practice crafting concise and well-supported extended constructed responses. This lesson emphasizes essential skills such as citing evidence, structuring responses, and addressing prompt requirements effectively.

Why Choose This Lesson:

• Rigorous and standards-aligned content designed to meet the needs of middle and high school students.

• Engaging and interactive activities that promote student engagement and academic growth.

• Easy-to-use resources and materials for seamless lesson implementation and classroom management.

• Comprehensive preparation for the STAAR test, ensuring that students feel confident and capable on exam day.

Empower your students to excel in short response writing and conquer the challenges of the STAAR test with this dynamic and comprehensive lesson. Elevate your teaching and ignite a passion for learning with these innovative instructional materials. Download this lesson today and watch your students thrive!

What's Included:

• Student lesson with 83 PowerPoint slides
• Checklists for 6 sample ECRs
• Scaffolded response templates
• Templates for in-class scoring (stars)
• 4 Texts to read & write about
• Multiple opportunities for students to speaking, listening, thinking, creating, and evaluating
• Included in Word and PDF

Two products in one bundle for even more practice and test prep!

The first product gives you a class lesson with group practice, individual practice and a summative assessment over revising and combing sentences. Because these are closely connected skills that require similar skill sets, your students will have one lesson that can prep them for these areas in testing and writing.

Use the second product for reinforcement, practice or quizzes on combining sentences. This includes a refresher page that students can use for self-guided learning or reference.

*Isolated practice for Revising Sentences coming soon!

I spent two weeks teaching my students revising skills explicitly before it hit me... all the answer choices had SOMETHING to do with knowing how to use a comma!

It's an area where students feel the least confident and it can be fixed. Before your students go into a test or a state exam, make sure they know how to use a comma.

• A short "teach" page is included for self-guided learning.
• Re-teach page for struggling students
• All areas divided by comma usage

INCLUDED: 13 self-grading Google Form Quizzes, Word Doc, PDF!

BUNDLE and SAVE: ELA Test Prep, Study Guide & Activities Bundle

Check out these other resources!

• All Things English For Middle & High School Students (best seller)
• Once Upon A Crime
• Revising & Editing Workbook
• Revising & Editing for Group Lessons
• Bell Ringers for the Semester
• Everything Writing
• Intermediate Advanced ELL/EB Practice with 100s of Common Words
• ELL/EB Newcomer Essential Phrases & Vocabulary