Home
Mission
Blog
Professional Development
Launchpad
Plans
Community
Help
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.
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.
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.
By Beth Hammett
45 pages of critical thinking activities and lesson plans for ELA or history classes that focus on Benjamin Franklin's life and accomplishments. Includes: Directions for all projects Franklin's Life: Early, Middle, Late Years Quick Facts Timeline Project (Prior Knowledge) Quotable Quotes and Analysis Activity Activities (Analysis) A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words Newspaper Activity(Description) How Franklin Changed (Compare/Contrast with Venn Diagram) Franklin's Inventions (Persuasive with format) Franklin's World (Research/Poetry) Eulogy (writing) Epitaph Word Search Crossword Puzzle with Answers Maze Acrostic Poem Writing a Ballad Writing a Myth Party Invitation Creation with Guest List & Menu Decorate a Birthday Cake Matching Activity Phases of Life (Symbolism) Links to more resources: videos, handouts, vocabulary, etc... Links to free public domain works to download/preview Uses CCSS and NWP guidelines for fiction and non-fiction writing. Can be used for introducing Franklin and time period, for comprehension, and as assessment. Great for GT, Pre-AP, homeschool, literacy centers, ELA, ELL/ESL, social studies, and history.
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.
Introductions and Conclusions Writing
By Beth Hammett
An interactive introduction to writing beginnings/endings and conclusions/introductions. The presentation uses a peer workshopping approach to writing beginnings and endings. Includes: Techniques to "hook" readers: Action Description Dialog Emotion Quotation Setting Examples of each Techniques to write successful conclusions. Ambiguous Circular Humor Moral Quote Restate thesis: Examples of all techniques Word Search that includes all terminologies (project and solve as a group or use as individual handouts) Uses peer workshopping and group read-arounds to complete the activites. Easy for students to follow and easy to implement in the classroom.
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.
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.
Scholarly Research Sources (Research and Writing)
By Beth Hammett
Do your students need help defining,understanding, and identifying academic, scholarly research sources? This 16 page easy-to-follow lesson includes:
Discussion/Reflection on where students search for sources
What is scholarly research? (An Overview)
Table of Other Kinds of Sources: Popular, Trade, News & Opinion
Activity for Kinds of Resources
Types of Research Resources: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
Activity for Types of Research Resources
Where to Locate Scholarly Research
How to Know if Your Research can be Used
Using Wikipedia--Yes or No?
Evaluating Wikipedia Bibliographies
Research Sources Checklist
Great for learning how to categorize and define scholarly research sources! Use with upper level, AP, dual credit, homeschool, college level students, and flipped classrooms.
Writing: Academic, Creative, & Journalism
By Beth Hammett
Revised to include social media rules along with academic, creative, journalism. Help students categorize essays to determine what kind of guidelines to use. The 10 slide handout/presentation includes: Breakdown of 4 kinds of writing: academic, creative, journalism, and Texting When and How to use specific guidelines Easy Categorizing of essays Comparison of rules Printable Handout of Categories and Rules Activities Peer Workshopping Component Easy to understand and follow, great for standardized assessment strategies, and perfect for upper level/college bound students.
Symbolism Writing and History Activity
By Beth Hammett
Make using and working with symbolism collaborative, fun and educational (Meets CCSS) with this interactive writing project that focuses on 850 B.C. and the discovery of the Snake Circle: Includes: 1. KWL Chart 2. Extra Resources: Take a tour of Ancient Greece, learn about the lives of adults and children, and watch videos to understand the time period of 850 B.C. 3. Uncover its origin: The Snake Circle object came from the days of Homer, so explore its meaning with the use of two symbolism sheets. 4. Discuss and interpret the Snake Circle shield handout. 5. Write stories: choose a genre; then Peer Workshop essays 6. Color the shields--review students' colorful examples 7. Display for all to enjoy! Comes with: handouts to complete writings, students' samples, and class project photos. Everything needed for writing fun! Excellent for teaching how to interpret and use symbolism, reinforce concepts and skills, and working with multigenres. Combination of historical technology resources with writing and using literal concepts.
By Beth Hammett
Interactive, peer workshopping approach to teaching Descriptive Writing. The PowerPoint has 21 slides and includes: Includes: Interactive Activities Descriptive Assignments Frequent checks for comprehension Crossword Puzzle Examples Figurative Language/Senses Peer Workshopping Resources Slide It defines, explains, introduces, and encourages descriptive writing through figurative language, five senses, tone, mood, show not tell, and visualization. Writing activities and handouts for scaffodling, assessment and comprehension of descriptive writing are included.
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.
End Punctuation Marks and Writing Activities
By Beth Hammett
Make end mark punctuation easy to use for students! 13 slide pdf has student examples, peer workshopping activities, tips for writer as reader, reading with emotion, clarity, and meaning, as well as dangling and misplaced modifiers.Includes "Dear Jack" letter as a fun punctuation piece and "That Is" to get students to think about how punctuation affects meaning.Also, comes with Peer Workshopping End Punctuation Mark Check List handout.Great for introducing basic skills for emergent writers or for reviewing basic skills for test prep. Meets CCSS ELA.
Publishing How-To Guide (Writing)
By Beth Hammett
A 15 page resource for student publishing of essays and written works includes: Guideline checklist Author Tips Cover Sheet/Query Letter Publishing Tips Where to Send Work: Online, local, regional, national... Books for Publishing Help Blogging Self-Publishing Publishing Checklist to Guide Students through the Process Publishing Summary List (Keep up with correspondence) Can be used individually, small/whole group, with flipped classrooms, homework, assessment of writing processes, for peer workshopping, grammar reinforcements, and as real life writing assignment. Easy to follow and implement in ELA/Journalism classrooms.