Happy Birthday, Ray Bradbury!

Ray Bradbury, author of Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, was born August 22, 1920.

Though he’s been gone for a few years, we still celebrate this man who helped make science-fiction the respected genre it is today.

Many years ago, Ray Bradbury wrote the short story “The Veldt” with an intriguing kids’ bedroom in it. Before these were even invented in the real world, flat-screen TVs were embedded in the four walls of this bedroom so the children could have experiences and feel what was going on.

When the dad, George Hadley, steps into his children’s room one day, he sees two people on the screens. This is what he encounters in the walls’ African plains.

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 . . .

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 . . .

“I Am Sorry for Your Loss” Tutorial

How to Write a Letter of Condolence

How many times have you had to write a letter of condolence? Unfortunately, your teens and students will have to write some in their lifetimes.

Your teens will have friends or family members who experience losses in their lives. Maybe their friends will be in an accident or will have to leave all of their friends behind to move to another city. Perhaps someone close to their friends will die, and your teens will want to make a connection to acknowledge the loss.

But how do they begin? How do they know what to say?

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Writing Prompts Bundle

SHARON’S BLOG

Help your students gain a perspective on history with our bundle of writing prompts for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

What does he share with Apostle Paul? Did he advocate the use of violence? And what was his original name?

Use these five prompts on Martin Luther King Jr. to spark an interest in this important historical figure and his life.

Suitable for students in grades 5 – 12.

Use This Evaluation Form for Your Student’s How-to Essay

SHARON’S BLOG

In this week’s post, you’ll find a mini lesson explaining what goes into a how-to or process essay, and you can download a printable evaluation form you can use to grade your 7th-12th graders.

Give the Gift of Yourself This Christmas

SHARON’S BLOG
Do your children and teens wish they could communicate better with the special people in their lives? Sometimes it’s hard to talk or to come up with something brilliant to say. Other times they may have trouble connecting with family members.

At this time of year, they may be wondering what to give that special family member or friend. But do they know that once in a while, the family member doesn’t want a new item? What they really would value is something personal from your child.

The following pages allow your children and teens to jot down their thoughts and ideas and then share them with others. Their gift now becomes personal and meaningful.

Each prompt comes with a free, colorful page you can print out for them and they can write on. Collect them all and begin a journal, if you wish. If your children plan to give them as gifts, they can give certain pages as presents or gather all the pages into one gift.

These prompts are suitable for people in grades 5 – 12.

Ready? Let’s do this . . .

Thanksgiving Prompts—Good for the Soul

SHARON’S BLOG

We want our students and our children to develop attitudes of gratefulness, to say thank you without being prompted, and to appreciate any worldly goods and advantages they have.

Use these four Thanksgiving prompts to get them thinking about their blessings and how they can bless others.

Intro to Writing, Parts 1 and 2

SHARON’S BLOG

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.

3 Prompts to Celebrate the Olympics

SHARON’S BLOG

Celebrate the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics with us, happening in 2021. Here are three prompts and one BONUS prompt for your 5th-12th graders to enjoy as the festivities get underway! Some are light and fun. Others involve controversies and get your students thinking. Be sure to download the colorful worksheet in #1.

On your mark . . . get set . . .

*****

1. Let’s Pack

You’re packing to go to Tokyo, Japan, for the 2020 Summer Olympics (that are taking place in 2021), but you can pack only 26 things. It’s a good thing there are 26 letters in the alphabet because you are going to pack one item for every letter in it. What will you pack that begins with “A”? With “B”? With “Z”???

Download this colorful worksheet to help you pack. >>