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TEKS ELA Standard: 3.11.B

develop drafts into a focused, structured, and coherent piece of writing by:

Any Shape With Just One Cut
Mechanical Dinosaur Costume
from a single piece of paper
Apple Harvesting Machine
Backdraft in Slow Motion
hot coffee as ice cubes are added
carves the most delicate patterns
creating faux-shadows on street
one piece of rolled-up paper
working Lego car
toss leftover tea in -40°C
Wood Bending Machine
Making a Chain Link From a Red-Hot Rod
Writing Compound Sentences
Writing Compound Sentences
Students work with subjects, predicates, and conjunctions to write compound sentences.
Gr 1-7
Halloween Problems and Solutions
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.
Gr 1-8
Improving Shakespeare’s Repetition
Improving Shakespeare’s Repetition
Let’s help William Shakespeare with his use of repetition.
Gr 1-8
Rainclouds – Mixed Up Paragraph
Rainclouds – Mixed Up Paragraph
Can you use the context clues to get these sentences about rain clouds back into the correct order?
Gr 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
A Halloween Costume Gone Wrong
A Halloween Costume Gone Wrong
Let’s go roller skating in a Halloween costume! What could possibly go wrong?
Gr 1-8
Super Specific Similes: Quick Baby
Super Specific Similes: Quick Baby
Let’s make this simile about a quick baby even more specific.
Gr 1-8
Super Specific Similes: Stinky Seaweed
Super Specific Similes: Stinky Seaweed
Start with a basic simile. Now make it more specific. Now even more. Watch how much better writing gets with each round.
Gr 1-8
What If… Unreliable Water?
What If… Unreliable Water?
What would the consequences be if a town’s tap water became… unreliable?
Gr 3-8
What If… No Sleep?
What If… No Sleep?
What would the consequences be if no one had to sleep anymore?
Gr 1-8
Holiday Writing: Packing Crates
Holiday Writing: Packing Crates
An old photograph. A holiday scene. Pick one object in the picture and write from its point of view.
Gr 1-8
Writing About Art: Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons
Writing About Art: Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons
Look closely at Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons. What do you notice? Now turn those details into a poem you didn’t know you could write.
Gr 1-8
Writing About Art: Chōshi in Shimosha
Writing About Art: Chōshi in Shimosha
Get your students writing some pretty darn impressive poetry based on Japan’s most famous artist.
Gr 1-8
Writing About Art: Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Writing About Art: Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Look closely at Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog. What do you notice? Now turn those details into a poem you didn’t know you could write.
Gr 1-8
Changing Coordinating Conjunctions
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?
Gr 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Writing Technique: Triple Anadiplosis!
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!
Gr 1-8
Doubling Up Writing: Anadiplosis
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!)
Gr 1-8
Writing Sample: A Christmas Carol (Cold)
Writing Sample: A Christmas Carol (Cold)
A passage from White Fang to use as a mentor text, discussion starter, or writing prompt.
Gr 1-8
Writing Technique: 3 Dependent Clauses
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.
Gr 1-8
Paragraphs: Systems of Sentences
Paragraphs: Systems of Sentences
Blow up a paragraph into individual sentences. Now reassemble it. The clues hiding in each sentence will surprise you.
Gr 1-8
Pronouns With Too Many Antecedents
Pronouns With Too Many Antecedents
What happens when a pronoun could refer to more than one noun? Big problems!
Gr 1-8
Upgrading Compare and Contrast Writing
Upgrading Compare and Contrast Writing
Upgrade compare and contrast writing with just a couple of key words.
Gr 1-8
Improving Presentations 3: The Storyboard and Slides
Improving Presentations 3: The Storyboard and Slides
It’s time to turn that outline into a storyboard and then some actual slides.
Gr 1-8
Writing Clear Directions
Writing Clear Directions
Can you write directions so clear that a group of kids can put a toy together with no illustrations?
Gr 1-8