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Alphabet Book After students have learned vocabulary and information about a topic, instruct students to make an alphabet book about the concepts. Students may illustrate the book. Ex: Geometry A is for acute angle. Benefits: Build vocabulary, summarize information, synthesize ideas, make connections

Artifact Box After completing a unit of student, each student creates an artifact box. Students select items that reflect key concepts or vocabulary from the unit. All artifacts are numbered. Students write a brief description of the item on an index card, like what one would see when visiting a museum. Students display their boxes for the class. Students must browse their classmates’ artifact and identify the importance of each item. Students write their predictions on post-it notes and predictions are placed near the item. Original authors return to their artifact boxes and read their classmates observations. All students give a brief description to the class. Example: After a unit study of the American Revolution, a student might choose to bring in:  Old fashioned letter addressed from West Point, a spy glass, American flag, British Flag  Benedict Arnold

Concept Map Teacher selects key vocabulary from a unit. Students cut out vocabulary words and sort them into groups. Students must paste words together, forming a meaningful paragraph. The only words students may add are connecting words like: the, and, are, of, which, etc Ex: (Show volcano example)

Dialogue Journal As students learn a unit, they write about information learned, questions, and wondering. Each week students exchange journals. They read the writing and then respond to their classmates. This could be done within one classroom or across classrooms. Benefits: Identify main idea and details, summarize, synthesize information, make generalizations, make connections, build vocabulary, draw conclusions, activate prior knowledge

Double-Entry Journal Students draw a vertical line down their paper. New ideas, information, and concepts are recorded in the left column. Connections, questions, and wonderings are recorded on the other side. Benefits: Identify main ideas, support details, summarize, synthesize information, make generalizations, make connections

Imaginative Letter Students write letters pretending to be a citizen of the area you are currently studying. They address their letter to a friend “back home.

RAFT Role of the Writer Who are you as the writer? Are you Abraham Lincoln? A warrior? A homeless person? An auto mechanic? The endangered snail darter? Audience To whom are you writing? Is your audience the American people? A friend? Your teacher? Readers of a newspaper? A local bank? Format What form will the writing take? Is it a letter? A classified ad? A speech? A poem? Topic What's the subject or the point of this piece? Is it to persuade a goddess to spare your life? To plead for a re-test? To call for stricter regulations on logging?

Examples : Ballad : Did you know Davy Crockett? He fought with Texas against Mexico. He was a Tennessee volunteer. He died in the Alamo Riddle: I wore small glasses. I was a patriot in the American Revolution. I discovered electricity while flying a kite. Who am I? Rhymes and Riddles Students enjoy using content information to create these

Characters in Content: Situate a character in the selected genre to interact with information from your unit. Emphasize the importance of using correct facts and details. CharacterAttributesTimeFeelingsPlaceCompanion Old ManTallLong AgoScaredBeachFriend Young LadyShortNowAngryMallDog ToddlerAdventurousLaterSadParkTeenager BabyHappyTomorrowAfraidWoodsLion Young boySadYesterdaySleepyCavePartner TeenagerSneakyEarlierHappyTentSister Character Created: Young lady tall yesterday angry park friend Content: Equivalent Fractions Placing the character in the content scene: Yesterday I saw a tall young lady walking in the park with a friend. They stopped to rest and share a nutritious snack bar. As they broke it in half, an angry teenaged girl ran up to them to ask for directions to the exit. She was lost. They offered her a portion of their snack bar. Each friend broke her half of the bar into thirds, making a total of 6 pieces and gave the jogger 2 pieces. Each person had 2/6 or 1/3 of the snack.

Eyewitness Accounts An eyewitness account is a report prepared by a person “on the scene”. Have students write the information as a reporter for a live newscast. Examples: TopicReporter Pollination* Bee A historical battle*Soldier Oceanography * Shark Moon* Astronaut Measurement* Yardstick Sports*Volleyball Computer Technology* Mouse

Community Connections: Write possible solutions to environmental concerns. Write about the cultures of the people in the community to honor diversity Write a biography for an important individual or role model. * Write a letter to a local government official and invite him/her to come and share how they use writing in their jobs.