Intro to Writing, Parts 1 and 2

Intro to Writing

Do your students get stuck when they have to write a paragraph or an essay?

I have a secret I’d like to share with you.

Your students do not have to write a paragraph or a whole essay every time they put pencil to paper. One of the best ways to unplug the fear of writing is to do some of the prepare-for-writing tasks but never write the whole paragraph or essay.

It’s called practice, as when members of a basketball team practice dribbling or passing. The team does not play a game every time they get together. They practice pieces of the game.

So let’s practice brainstorming and organizing ideas.

Practical Writing Schedules for Your Students

In a writing class, students can be frustrated with how to break down the assignment into smaller, achievable tasks. When they hear, “Write an essay,” they don’t know where to begin. Sometimes they start writing without a plan, and the resulting essay shows how scattered their thoughts were. And sometimes there are weepy tears.

Use These Handy Writing Schedules

Put away the tissues and use our handy, practical, workable writing schedules.

The first schedule is for students who are writing papers that need no research.

The second is for those who are doing some research for their paper.

Let’s have a successful year in writing!

My End-of-School “Whew!” Moment

SHARON’S BLOG

The end of the school year is upon us, and many of us are exhausted. Others might be graduating students this year and are hit with feelings of pride and grief. I want to share an end-of-school-year “whew!” moment that I experienced. Has this been your experience as well?

Here’s what I wrote when my daughter was finishing her junior year:

2 Fresh Summertime Ideas for Writing and Literature

SHARON’S BLOG

Happy summertime hello to you!

Since we’re deep into vacations, cook-outs, swimming, gardening, swatting mosquitoes, and avoiding school, I wanted to keep this post light and share some fun stuff that doesn’t take a lot of energy.

Writing in summer?

1. Want some fun writing activities for your kids this summer?

Snowflakes in Summer?

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS

Hot, sweaty, summer days are filled with things you can’t do other times of the year, things like going on a beach vacation, weeding and harvesting, canning, swimming outdoors, catching fireflies, going camping, spending time with friends, and so on.

So perhaps it makes no logical sense that this prompt is really about winter.

Summertime Bundle 1

SHARON’S BLOG

Take a break from grading and give your 5th-12th grade students some fun, summer-themed topics to write about.

There are five for your students and one article for you. It’s all about practical, real-life experiences you can turn into writing events.

Here goes . . .

Summertime Bundle 2

Summertime! The key word here is “enjoy.” Enjoy these fun and thought-provoking prompts and writing ideas. Enjoy their summery-ness. And enjoy that your 5th – 12th graders are writing but you are not grading!

There are six prompts and prompt bundles waiting for your children and one article for you.

Ready? Let’s go . . .

Free Grammar Lesson from “Let’s Eat Fifi”

Grammar Lesson 16: When to use “I” and “Me”

Song lyrics are notorious for misusing I and me. Here’s what I mean:

I gaze into the starry sky
And dream each night of you and I.

This corny yet grammatical travesty happens so often that it barely scratches our ears any more.

You already know when to use I and me in simple sentences:

I went to the movie and spilled my drink all over me.

The problem occurs when you are not alone, when you spill your drink on yourself and your friend. Do you use I? Do you use me?

3 Types of Poems for Poetry Month

SHARON’S BLOG

Let’s give your students some practice in writing poetry!

With these guided prompts, your students do not have to “sit down and write a poem” but will surprise you by creating something fun and maybe even memorable. Here goes . . .

Symbols of Easter

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS

Eggs have long been symbols of spring and of Easter. They represent new life and new beginnings.

So does Jesus’ resurrection. Death has been conquered! There is new life in Jesus.

You are hiding Easter eggs of various sizes for young children to find.

Inside each plastic egg is a jelly bean and a little object that represents part of the Last Supper, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. In other words, each object stands for a different part of the Easter account, like these: events, people, food, places where the events took place, truths, and so on.

Intro to Writing

Use These Handy Writing Schedules

Writing in summer?

Grammar Lesson 16: When to use “I” and “Me”

You are hiding Easter eggs of various sizes for young children to find.

Looking for something?

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