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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.
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.
Writing Prompts for Grades 3-8
By Beth Hammett
40 prompts to help students with on-demand writing. Each handout has a black and white image to color that is non-fiction, real life related. Factual, lined page, story starters for critical thinking, assessment-style, standardized writing practice. Topics include: In my future, I see... Some people say I'm a dreamer... The road of life has many obstacles... The root system of a tree is as complicated as... Home represents... If I could soar like a bird... To walk a mile in another's shoes... The world's future is.... One of the biggest exaggerations I've heard or told was... I have a place in my heart for... Gossip spreads like wildfire. An example of this is... My friends are as unique as leaves on a tree... plus so many more fact-based prompts... Full page lined writing handout for 2 sided copying Copy and handout to students for on-demand, non-fiction writing practice, diagnostic testing, assessment practice, peer workshopping practice, and more. Meets Common Core and State ELA Standards for writing.
By Beth Hammett
Students are Hollywood stars in this movie-themed, narrative writing project. Differentiated writing project Includes: Brainstorming handouts Plot line for upper level students Lined essay paper Credits/playbill page Directions for use Narrative definition Project Extensions for GT/AP Supplemental Resources Fun, engaging format for working with narrative writing. Use as introduction to narratives or for assessment purposes. Meets CCSS.
Winter Holiday Figurative Language: Santa's Silly Sayings
By Beth Hammett
13 color-coded, figurative language Santa-themed activities that include definitions, examples, and writings. Fun for learning and using figurative language! Includes: Alliteration Hyperbole Idioms Imagery Internal Rhyme Metaphor Onomatopoeia Personification Simile Symbolism Writing Activity Word Search Activity Mix and Match Activity Answer Keys to Activities Use individually, small/whole group, as competitive activities and for Common Core Standards review or assessment of figurative language. Colorful Santa images to spark creativity!
By Beth Hammett
Ten individual and group interactive quizzes and scenarios for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students on plagiarism. Includes: Defining, working with, and understanding plagiarism Youtube presentation link Short answer traditional quiz Student Images with questions & short answers in speech bubbles Guilty of Plagiarism: You be the Judge Plagiarism Court: Defender; Prosecutor with Jury Guilty/Not Guilty Plagiarism Scenarios Age differentiated images and activities Great for introduction to plagiarism or as assessment tools.
Fall Thanksgiving Newspaper Writing Activity
By Beth Hammett
Have students write their own expository, fact-based newspaper articles and complete their own entertainment reviews with Talkin' Turkey Times. Plenty of templates for students to: draw pictures work on grammar skills work on spelling/vocabulary write themed articles paste related images (great for lower levels/extensions) practice main ideas write headings write titles form topic sentences work on paraphrasing/summarizing develop paragraphing skills work on proofreading/editing Easy to use, and great for bulletin board displays during Thanksgiving. Send home for students to complete with Thanksgiving memories while on holiday break. Great assessment tool and meets Common Core Standards.
By Beth Hammett
The 20 slide PowerPoint with peer workshopping activities introduces: Sentences: beginnings, dialogues Proper Nouns: people, I, my Specific Places and Dates: General vs. Specific, Days of Week/Month, Holidays Everyday Life: Organizations, Companies, Institutions, Specific Products, Aircrafts, Ships, Spaceships, Ethnic Names, Languages, Nationalizations, Religions Extra Resources Examples are given so students can follow authors' imitations. Easy explanations of color-coded rules and guidelines for using capital letters sentences and essays. Peer workshopping activities help reinforce capital letter rules.
Winter Holiday Santa's Holiday Headlines Stories & Headlines (Gr. 3-7)
By Beth Hammett
20 Christmas story starters with catchy headline title areas. Includes starters such as: 1. Santa gets stuck in chimney and is saved by... 2. “Party at Mr. and Mrs. Clause’s home was the highlight of the season!” said... 3. Naught and Nice list causes a stir at... 4. Interview with Santa reveals new information about... and 16 more fun prompts! Adorned with Christmas images to color. Great for grammer and writing practice, main ideas, titles, inferencing, peer workshopping, and on-demand assessment writing.
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.
By Beth Hammett
An easy-to-follow guide to using and writing effective titles: what to capitalize, what to italicize, plus includes examples of effective titles, and discussion slides of famous novels and their alternate titles: 1984 Gone With the Wind The Great Gatsby Treasure Island Vanity Fair Also, includes an activity slide for writing titles with articles, pictures, and essays. There are 12 slides.