Writing Extension: The Acrostic Poem

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Writing Extension: The Acrostic Poem

Are there times when you wonder, “what is my child thinking?” Well, let me clarify. Are there times when you wonder, “what are my child’s thoughts on a particular topic?” (Yes, that’s better phrasing.)

I find that this question usually hits me around the holidays. While the pageantry, hustle, and bustle of the holiday season surrounds us, I have a desire to know, "what are you thinking?!?" I have found a great way to “tune in” with acrostic poems.

In an acrostic poem, the letters that

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Extend the Lesson: Thanksgiving fun with Grammar Printables

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Extend the Lesson: Thanksgiving fun with Grammar Printables

Have you ever asked your students to use a newspaper or magazine to highlight adjectives or adverbs? You may have had the same results as me. I tried this with 3rd-5th graders, and I admit the results were underwhelming. A more effective and interactive way to help your students practice this same skill is to have a little fun with a Mad Libs-inspired worksheet! These sheets can easily be turned into a game or into a story-writing activity in your classroom.

Take a look at this free holiday printable I found online. It can be used in your classroom by following a few easy steps!

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Boost Your Mood With Gratitude

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Boost Your Mood With Gratitude

Every year, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends on the first Sunday in November, when clocks are moved back an hour at 2 a.m. local daylight time. When this happens, It takes our minds and bodies several weeks to adjust to the time change. On top of that, the early evening darkness can wreak havoc on our overall mood due to a reduction in the amount of sunlight we receive.

Research tells us that 4-6% of the American population will experience the effects of

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Writing Extension: A Thanksgiving Keepsake

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Writing Extension: A Thanksgiving Keepsake

The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to help your students show appreciation for someone special in their lives by creating a special, handmade memento.

I’ve got a great activity that will take your students through the entire writing process to create a heartwarming essay to share with their loved ones. Here are the details…

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Writing Extension: Veterans Day Comparison-Contrast Essay

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Writing Extension: Veterans Day Comparison-Contrast Essay

When was the last time you had your students write a Comparison-Contrast Essay? Personally, it is one of my favorite forms of writing. With this type of essay, you must use factual details to analyze the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. I think the wanna-be researcher in me LOVES this! I get to scour sources for facts and data. I get to learn new information. That’s my jam, and you may be surprised by how many of your students will love this type of writing too!

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The Right Tools for Writing Success

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The Right Tools for Writing Success

The Shurley English Writing Folder will help your students move through the writing process with ease. This foldout, four-pocket folder keeps students organized with a dedicated space for their prewriting, rough draft, revised draft, and edited paper. It is packed with handy references, checklists, and tips to ensure students have exactly what they need to produce a polished piece of writing. The Writing Folder…

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The Importance of Practice

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The Importance of Practice

I have never taken a class in martial arts, but I have certainly enjoyed watching Bruce Lee’s moves in his action-packed films! Let’s face it! The guy was physically amazing, but more than that, he had a way with words!

Lee was more than just a famous martial artist! He was also an actor and a philosopher with a long list of inspirational quotes tagged to his name. Many of his famous quotes are still being used today to trigger personal growth, and one of my favorites says:

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A Guide to Verb Tenses

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A Guide to Verb Tenses

Verb tenses can be challenging for students and adults! In an effort to reinforce correct verb tense usage, why not play a little game? Let’s get started with a quick review of verb tenses.

Tense means time. So, that means that the verb in the sentence actually lets the reader know the time of the action.

There are three basic verb tenses that show when an action takes place:

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360˚ Thinking: A Halloween Lesson

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360˚ Thinking: A Halloween Lesson

It’s that time of year when all things Halloween are tripping about, including thematic lessons like the one I’d like to share with you today. Since it can be exhausting to come up with new, exciting ideas to engage kids during the holidays, hopefully, you will appreciate the idea. I think it’s important to embrace and even outdo students’ excitement because kids long to have adults who can embrace fun!

A favorite lesson plan of mine requires 360˚ thinking—a process where you consider a lesson theme and use it to branch into as many academic areas as possible—sort of like the spokes on a wheel. I like to call it 360˚ Thinking because you actually do look at the possibilities from every aspect where it can apply. Since Halloween is coming up,

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Vocabulary Enrichment: Strategies to improve and increase your students' vocabulary

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Vocabulary Enrichment: Strategies to improve and increase your students' vocabulary

Vocabulary development is an important part of a child’s education! Since language is the system of words and the methods of combining them that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other, it makes sense that a large vocabulary improves communication.

Writers most definitely need a large vocabulary to have the words they need to express themselves in an interesting way. That’s why Shurley English establishes a routine early on to teach students to incorporate new and unfamiliar words. It’s called a Vocabulary Check, and it includes proven strategies to increase vocabulary. Here’s how it works:

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