“I use Byrdseed TV to differentiate for my clustered students. I LOVE all the ideas!” ~ a teacher in Washington

TEKS ELA Standard: 4.12.A

compose literary texts such as personal narratives and poetry using genre characteristics and craft

Hot Dog Built With Construction Equipment
Writing Haiku in Primary
Writing Haiku in Primary
Your youngest students will learn to write Japanese Haiku poetry.
Gr 1-2
Characters’ Faults Can Also Be Strengths
Characters’ Faults Can Also Be Strengths
Strength and weakness are often two sides of the same coin. Students will explore how a character’s flaw can be a benefit.
Gr 2-8
St. Patrick and Other Legends
St. Patrick and Other Legends
How would real people feel about the legends that have been created about them?
Gr 1-8
Comparing Characters’ Bedrooms
Comparing Characters’ Bedrooms
What item’s in a character’s bedroom would reflect their deepest desires? And what if they toured a similar character’s room?
Gr 2-8
Change A Story’s Genre
Change A Story’s Genre
What if we rewrote a story’s climax into a totally different genre?
Gr 2-8
Order, Chaos, and the Holiday Season
Order, Chaos, and the Holiday Season
Let’s write a holiday song about order and chaos!
Gr 2-8
Holiday Emoji Story 🍪
Holiday Emoji Story 🍪
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Emoji Stories 🐌
Emoji Stories 🐌
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Emoji Stories 🐻
Emoji Stories 🐻
Five emoji. One story. Where will your imagination take you?
Gr 2-8
Lipogram: Rewrite “Mary Had A Little Lamb”
Lipogram: Rewrite “Mary Had A Little Lamb”
What if we rewrote a piece of writing without using certain letters?
Gr 2-8
Lipogram: Rewrite “Twinkle, Twinkle”
Lipogram: Rewrite “Twinkle, Twinkle”
What if we rewrote a piece of writing without using certain letters?
Gr 2-8
Looking Closely at Holiday Photos
Looking Closely at Holiday Photos
Let’s write from multiple perspectives using an old timey holiday photo!
Gr 2-8
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 2-8
Thanksgiving Photo Writing
Thanksgiving Photo Writing
Starting with an old-timey photo, students will write from a particular item’s point of view.
Gr 2-8
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 2-8
Writing About Art: Impression, Sunrise
Writing About Art: Impression, Sunrise
Look closely at Impression, Sunrise. What do you notice? Now turn those details into a poem you didn’t know you could write.
Gr 2-8
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 2-8
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 2-8
Writing About Art: Twilight in the Wilderness
Writing About Art: Twilight in the Wilderness
Look closely at Twilight in the Wilderness. What do you notice? Now turn those details into a poem you didn’t know you could write.
Gr 2-8
Writing About Art: The Scream
Writing About Art: The Scream
Your students will turn the iconic painting The Scream into a vivid, sensory poem.
Gr 2-8
Self Portraits: Text Art
Self Portraits: Text Art
What if a students’ self-portrait was made of words that describe the student!?
Gr 1-8
Remixing A Holiday Poem
Remixing A Holiday Poem
Let’s take a classic Christmas poem and remix it to work with another holiday!
Gr 2-8
Writing Seuss Style Poetry
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!
Gr 3-6
Identifying Author’s Voice
Identifying Author’s Voice
What if… Edgar Allen Poe wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?
Gr 2-8
Literary Technique: Juxtaposition
Literary Technique: Juxtaposition
Put a grumpy character next to a joyful one and they make each other stand out even more. Opposites are powerful!
Gr 2-8
Writing Summaries in Haiku
Writing Summaries in Haiku
Let’s write a summary. A very short summary. With VERY strict rules.
Gr 2-8
Better Stories Part 2: Types of Conflict
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.
Gr 2-8