How Do We Make On-Level Writers Into Advanced Writers? I knew how to help my below-level writers become on-level. But how the heck do you make the next step?
Garden Path Sentences Garden Path Sentences seem to begin one way, but quickly fall apart, forcing the reader to start over and interpret words in a new way. A simple example is: "The old man the boat."
A Holiday-Themed Shakespearean Sonnet Now we're going to create our own holiday-themed Shakespearean Sonnet. To add complexity (and help our students get started!), we'll write from the point of view of a specific holiday decoration, tradition, or character.
Don’t just list examples of writing techniques. Let’s improve Shakespeare! I stopped and started with "What 👄 special writing techniques does the author use? List examples."
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Book Study Ideas Here's how I'd wrap a big idea around our study of "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler". We'd investigate the paradox that people want to both fit in and be unique! A quote from the author, E. L. Konigsburg, will be our entry point.
Using Art to Practice Reading When you're teaching a reading skill, can you replace some of those dull sample texts with glorious artwork?
Symbolism and Pixel Art Symbolism, a mainstay of literature discussion, seems too abstract and ephemeral to teach to younger students. However, with a well-constructed lesson, students will quickly get the hang of symbolic representation. We'll finish this unit up with some great pixel-art and computer painting.
Writing Mother’s Day Similes Mother's Day is coming up, and it's the perfect chance to practice figurative language. Help your students create thoughtful cards, packed with rich similes and metaphors that relate directly to their mothers.
