Paragraphs: Systems of Sentences
Want students to understand how a paragraph fits together? Explode one and make them reassemble it using the clues in each sentence! I even wrote a little app to bust a paragraph up for you.
Showing A Character’s Trait
We tell students to “show, not tell” in their writing, but this advice isn’t effective until they experience the difference. In this video, we’ll put a famous character (of students’ choosing) into a mundane situation and develop a fun scene to show off their main traits.
Ways to Start a Sentence – Level 1
“Add more variety!” I’d say to my class. But I never really knew what this actually meant. Suprise! This bad advice never improved students’ writing. In these videos, students learn nine specific ways to add variety just by changing the beginning of their sentences. This was easily one of my students’ favorite writing tools – because it actually helped them.
Fancier Figurative Language: Start with a Cliche
We’ll start with the cliché “as cold as ice” and go somewhere much more interesting.
Holiday vs Holiday (from a Mascot’s Perspective)
Want something to do during the holiday season that is both fun and involves thinking? Get students writing about what a snowman would think about Halloween or what a ghost would think about Thanksgiving.
Building Creative Analogies
We’ll take two seemingly unrelated pieces of content (say volcanoes and the human body) and then build analogies to connect the two ideas. In the end, students can create a skit, comic, or story relating the two concepts.
Jabberwocky and Context Clues
Context clues lessons can be a disaster. Here, we expose students to a delightful classic packed with nonsense words (“Jabberwocky”) and ask them to decipher the meanings and parts of speech. Then, it’s only natural for students to write their own nonsense poems.
Upgrade Research Questions With Depth and Complexity
Ever ask students to create research questions? Were their ideas a bit… blah? My own students had a very hard time writing questions they didn’t already know the answer to! This video is how I solved that problem: upgrade research questions with depth and complexity.
Writing About Art: The Scream
Your students will turn the iconic painting The Scream into a vivid, sensory poem.
Writing A Thanksgiving Letter
What if an inanimate object could express thanks for a special person in your life? What would it write?
Better Stories Part 4: Character Archetypes
Are students’ characters a bit flat? Archetypes give them a strong foundation on which to build their own characters as well as a tool to analyze existing stories.
Writing Seuss Style Poetry
Sure, Dr. Seuss wrote for young students, but can older students analyze his writing and learn to mimic his style? THEN, they can produce Seuss-style poetry about any topic: Ancient China, the electromagnetic spectrum, Pride and Prejudice, and (yes) fraction division!
Punctuation Power
In a sentence, punctuation may seem meek when compared to those mighty words, but punctuation has incredible power over the meaning of a sentence. Students will try re-punctuating sentences to find new meanings – without changing a single word!
Writing Summaries in Haiku
Let’s write a summary. A very short summary. With VERY strict rules.
Better Stories Part 1: The Big Idea
We open our unit on narrative writing with a big idea: “structure increases creativity.” I show how this is true by bringing in examples from across all disciplines.
Remixing A Holiday Poem
Let’s take a classic Christmas poem and remix it to work with another holiday!
Writing in Pilish
Pi can go beyond circles! What if you wrote using the digits of pi as your guide?
Identifying Author’s Voice
What if… Edgar Allen Poe wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
Back to School: Rewriting The Beatles’ “Help!”
Can your students come up with a one-syllable word to sum up their time away from school? And then rewrite The Beatles’ song Help!?
Better Stories Part 3: Literary Themes
A typical student narrative includes plot and characters but lacks a larger idea to hold it all together. This is where a lesson on themes comes in…
Better Stories Part 5: Plot Structure
Ever read a student’s story that was just event after event after event and then a very sudden ending? They lack an understanding of a plot’s structure. With the help of Finding Nemo, I break down how to set up a well-structured plot.
A Halloween Costume Gone Wrong
Let’s go roller skating in a Halloween costume! What could possibly go wrong?
Propaganda and Logical Fallacies
Let’s see how propaganda techniques can make even something great seem bad.
Lipogram: Rewrite “Twinkle, Twinkle”
What if we rewrote a piece of writing without using certain letters?
Academic Love Letters
What if Kylo Ren wrote a love letter to Abe Lincoln or the Sahara Desert wrote one to the Moon?
Upgrading Compare and Contrast Writing
Upgrade compare and contrast writing with just a couple of key words.
Changing Coordinating Conjunctions
What happens when we switch out a “but” with a “so”? An “and” with a “for”? How can such tiny words make such big differences?
Thanksgiving Photo Writing
Starting with an old-timey photo, students will write from a particular item’s point of view.
Looking Closely at Holiday Photos
Let’s write from multiple perspectives using an old timey holiday photo!
Better Stories Part 2: Types of Conflict
If your students’ stories are packed with endless ninja fights or arguments between frenemies, it’s time to expose them to a wider range of conflicts.
Bobbing for Apples
What is bobbing for apples like… for an apple?
Teach Non-Fiction Writing Structure With Fractals
Did you ever notice that the structure of an essay is very similar to the structure of a paragraph? Hmm…
Ways to Start a Sentence – Level 2
We’ll show students how to add more variety to their writing by starting sentences with a reason, a prepositional phrase, and a simile.
Writing Clear Directions
Can you write directions so clear that a group of kids can put a toy together with no illustrations?
Pronouns With Too Many Antecedents
What happens when a pronoun could refer to more than one noun? Big problems!
Studying and Remixing “The Raven”
Ready to push kids beyond the boring, old ABAB rhyme scheme and into something a bit more complex?
Advanced Alliteration and Consonance
When students learn about alliteration, it’s hard to steer them away from goofy tongue-twisters. Certainly, there must be more powerful and practical ways of using alliteration. In this lesson, I draw on delicious examples from Shakespeare to show how a very advanced writer used alliteration. Then, I break those ideas down so students can try them out.
Robot Writing: The Bridge
One painting of a bridge. Three robots. Who wrote it best?
Holiday Shuffle – Day vs Date
Wouldn’t some holidays be better on a certain day of the week? Should Thanksgiving have a set date?
Ways to Start a Sentence – Part 3
We’ll show students how to add more variety to their writing by starting sentences with gerunds, participle phrases, and absolute phrases.
Literary Technique: Juxtaposition
Put a grumpy character next to a joyful one and they make each other stand out even more. Opposites are powerful!
Halloween Problems and Solutions
When we try to solve a problem, sometimes we end up creating new problems. Which lead to new solutions. Which lead to new problems.
Fancier Figurative Language: Use the Opposite
Let’s start with “As cold as fire.”
Ambiguous Sentences
Rather than just demand that students “write clearly,” we’ll explore the hazards of poorly written sentences… and maybe create one of our own!
Analyze Paragraphs: Baseball
Students will read three paragraphs about the same topic, decide what makes each one different, and then create a super-paragraph!
Fancier Figurative Language: Move the Simile
What if we started a sentence with the simile?
Passive to Active Voice
In this lesson, students will not just fix passive sentences, but break active sentences as they learn to put the star of the sentence first.
Order, Chaos, and the Holiday Season
Let’s write a holiday song about order and chaos!
What Would Poetry Think About Prose?
Imagine that Poetry and Prose meet for the first time at a party? What would they say to each other? How would they feel? In this video, I guide kids through the process of writing a script in which these two forms of writing interact.
Elements of The Fantasy Genre
Dig into the common elements of the fantasy genre.
Fixing Shakespearean Run-Ons
Can your students help The Bard? We’ll fix five Shakespearean run-ons in three different ways.
Writing Technique: Contrast With Synonyms
A specific technique to help students add some spice to their writing. We’ll be contrasting two ideas using synonyms.
Mother’s Day Cards
Let’s write the cleverest Mother’s Day cards you’ve ever seen!
Robot Writing: Volcano
Read three pieces of writing from three different robots about the same beautiful painting of a volcano. Who wrote it best?
Writing About Art: Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Students will look closely at a piece of art and then write a structured poem about it.
Two Animals Switch Biomes
What if a capybara and a kangaroo rat switched homes? Would their adaptations be helpful at all?
Writing About Art: Chōshi in Shimosha
Get your students writing some pretty darn impressive poetry based on Japan’s most famous artist.
Writing About Art: Impression, Sunrise
Students will create a surprisingly good poem based on Monet’s Impression, Sunrise.
Analyze Paragraphs: Cucumbers
Students will read three paragraphs about the same topic, decide what makes each one different, and then create a super-paragraph!
Lipogram: Rewrite “Mary Had A Little Lamb”
What if we rewrote a piece of writing without using certain letters?
Change A Story’s Genre
What if we rewrote a story’s climax into a totally different genre?
Writing About Art: Twilight in the Wilderness
Students will write about a beautiful painting from Frederic Edwin Church.
Holiday Writing: Packing Crates
Students will look closely at this old image and write a short, structured poem.
Writing Technique: 3 Dependent Clauses
A specific technique to help students add some spice to their writing. We’ll be writing sentences with three dependent clauses.
Halloween Emoji Story 🎃
Students will create a story about 🎃🕯️📖💥👻.
Analyze Paragraphs: Wolverines
Students will read three paragraphs about the same topic, decide what makes each one different, and then create a super-paragraph!
Fancier Figurative Language: Advanced Repetition
Is your students’ use of repetition limited to, “The girl was very, very, very fast.”? Let’s borrow some ideas from Shakespeare!
Getting Specific With St. Patrick’s Day Writing
Let’s take a starting phrase about St. Patrick’s Day and get specific. No, even more specific!
Holiday Emoji Story 🚚
Students will create a story about 🚚🎁🤔🐶🫣
Writing Technique: Opposite Adjectives
A specific technique to help students add some spice to their writing. We’ll be using antonyms to describe the same topic!
Doubling Up Writing: Anadiplosis
Repeating words can be what you want, if what you want is an interesting effect. (Psst, that’s an example of anadiplosis!)
Super Specific Similes: Quick Baby
Let’s make this simile about a quick baby even more specific.
St. Patrick and Other Legends
How would real people feel about the legends that have been created about them?
Earthquakes – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about earthquakes back into the correct order?
Halloween Emoji Story 🕷️
Students will create a story about 🕷️🕸️📩🔑🚪.
Writing Technique: Triple Anadiplosis!
Have students mastered the art of anadiplosis: ending one sentence with the beginning of the next? Now it’s time to take it to the next level!
Story Starter: Out To Eat
Students pick from 12 random phrases to create a story about an incident in a restaurant.
Analyze Paragraphs: Empire State Building
Students will read three paragraphs about the same topic, decide what makes each one different, and then create a super-paragraph!
Super Specific Similes – Slimy Broccoli
Students will make this slimy broccoli simile seriously specific.
Emoji Stories 🏰
Students will create a story about 🏰📚🔍🔐🚪.
Story Starter: Amusement Park
Students use 12 random phrases to write a story that takes place in at an amusement park.
Holiday Emoji Story ⛷️
Students will create a story about ⛷️🌨️🌲🐻🤝
Think Like An Author: Hemingway vs Dickens
What if your students rewrote Dickens in the style of Hemingway and vice versa?
Writing About Art: Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons
Students will create a pretty darn interesting poem about Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons.
Analyze Paragraphs: Tomatoes
Students will read three paragraphs about the same topic, decide what makes each one different, and then create a super-paragraph!
Robot Writing: Acropolis
One painting of ruins. Three robots. Three pieces of writing. Who wrote it best?
Super Specific Similes – Strong Uncle
Let’s make this simile about a strong uncle even more specific.
Super Specific Similes: Loud Class
Let’s make this simile about a loud class super specific!
Story Starter: A Magical School
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place in at a magical school.
Story Starter: A Day At School
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place at school.
Writing Sample: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Falling)
A passage from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
The Moon – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about The Moon back into the correct order?
Coral Reef – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about the coral reef back into the correct order?
Super Specific Similes: Stinky Seaweed
Students will make this simile about stinky seaweed super specific.
Holiday Emoji Story 🎅
Students will create a story about 🎅🛷🌀🚀🌍
Robot Writing: Orchestra
Read three pieces of writing from three different robots based on a beautiful painting and decide who wins!
Halloween Emoji Story 🌕
Students will create a story about 🌕🌲👣😱💨.
The Great Sphinx – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about The Great Sphinx back into the correct order?
Emoji Stories 🚗
Students will write a story about 🚗🗺️🌋🐉🌉
Holiday Emoji Story ☃️
Students will create a story about ☃️👑🏔️🔭✨
Holiday Emoji Story 🍪
Students will create a story about 🍪🥛🔍🐾🦌
Writing Sample: A Christmas Carol (Cold)
A classic bit of writing to explore with your students.
12 Phrases: The Zoo
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place at the zoo.
Writing Sample: The Wind in the Willows
A passage from The Wind in the Willows to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Writing Sample: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Shrinking)
A passage from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Emoji Stories 🦁
Students will create a story about 🦁👑🐗🎶🌄
Writing Sample: The Velveteen Rabbit (The Toys)
A passage from The Velveteen Rabbit to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Story Starter: Somewhere In Space
Students use 12 random phrases to create a story that takes place in space!
Writing Sample: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
A passage from “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Writing Sample: Peter Pan
A passage from “Peter Pan” to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Great Sloths – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about great sloths back into the correct order?
Rainclouds – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about rain clouds back into the correct order?
Automobiles – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about automobiles back into the correct order?
Emoji Stories 🤖
Students will create a story about 🤖💃🎵🕺🐔.
Emoji Stories 🐻
Students will create a story about 🐻🎩🎙️🐰🤣.
Emoji Stories 🐌
Students will create a story about 🐌📬✈️🏛️ 📜
Writing Sample: Anne of Green Gables
An intriguing passage from Anne of Green Gables to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Writing Sample: White Fang (The Wild)
A passage from White Fang to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Washington, DC – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about Washington, DC back into the correct order?
Trains – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about trains back into the correct order?
Emoji Stories 🏟️
Students will create a story about 🏟️🏹🍞🐦🔥
Pluto – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about Pluto back into the correct order?
That Quote’s Not Quite Right: Albert Einstein
When I see a quote, I often think, “That’s not quite right!”
Writing Sample: Moby Dick
A passage from Moby Dick to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Writing Sample: The Jungle Book (Bagheera)
A passage from The Jungle Book to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Improving Shakespeare’s Repetition
Let’s help William Shakespeare with his use of repetition.
Emoji Stories 🕰️
Students will create a story about 🕰️🎩🐀💎🕺
Emoji Stories 🛥️
Students will write a story about 🛥️🏊🌊🐙🤝 .
Writing Sample: The Fall of the House of Usher
A passage from “The Fall of the House of Usher” to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Emoji Stories 👁️
Students will create a story about 👁️🔮🌩️🚷🌲
Emoji Stories 🚚
Students will create a story about 🚚🤖📻🛸🌌
Writing Compound Sentences
Students work with subjects, predicates, and conjunctions to write compound sentences.
Writing Haiku in Primary
Your youngest students will learn to write Japanese Haiku poetry.