Persuasive Writing Prompt and Task with Standards Based Rubric. Writing an argument. Practice for students in middle school or beyond. Includes writing prompt and the standards-based rubric. Suggested lesson, Give out the rubric first and discuss, so students will know what is expected and strive for excellence. Then give them the writing prompt and let them work on the writing process. Supports common core standards. - HappyEdugator CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1d Establish and maintain a formal style. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Halloween Poems and Fun Halloween Poem Writing Activities. Includes seven of my original Halloween poems for reading aloud and just for fun, in color and black and white. Each poem has an activity associated with it. Two craftivites. Includes a figurative language sheet and activity, and two Halloween poetry writing activities to complete after you are all in the mood to create! Stimulate imaginations! You can project the colorized poems on a whiteboard to practice choral reading. You can also print them out and use in literacy centers or for student copies to read along. Examples of various types of sound devices and figurative language found in the poems, such as alliteration, simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia, and imagery. - HappyEdugator

St. Patrick's Day Writing with Sentence Writing Checklist. 5 different writing prompts with drawing boxes and a simple writing checklist for students to use when writing basic sentences. Students evaluate their writing by checking neatness, capitalization, punctuation, completeness, and ideas. Includes 4 steps to the writng process. The clover graphic organizer makes it a useful checklist for around St. Patrick's Day! - HappyEdugator

ne Hundred Essential Questions for Language Arts TEST. Back to school...It can be used at the beginning of the year as a pre-test for Language Arts knowledge. It can also be used at the end of the year as a final exam. My students knew those essential questions were really "essential." 10 pages plus key included. This multiple choice scantron ready test goes with my One Hundered Essential Questions for Language Arts which can be used as a study guide, - HappyEdugator

Punctuation Using Commas PowerPoint. Supports Common Core! PowerPoint presentation on comma rules and using comma punctuation correctly in writing elements and sentence structure. The presentation covers using commas with lists, dates, addresses, titles, joining independent and subordinate clauses in compound and complex sentences, nonessential clauses, phrases and words, introductory clauses, and separating adjectives. Animated clips. Use in small chunks as there is a lot of information here! There is a short 10 question multiple choice quiz at the end, with questions similar to what students would see on a standardized test. Recently revised and updated. Common Core Language Standards L 4.2b, L4.2c,,L.5.2c

Show Not Tell PowerPoint. How to use the "Show Not Tell" strategy in creative writing. Imagery and sensory language create mental pictures. Strong verbs replace dead verbs. Helps student write with more descriptive words and vivid language. Animated graphics. Practice slides included. - HappyEdugator

Shades of Meaning Verb Cards - RUN. Cut out and laminate these 16 different cards illustrating different synonyms of the verb "run." Helps students understand connotation. With guidance and support from adults, students acquire new vocabulary by defining word relationships and nuances in word meanings, sorting words into categories, choosing and acting out the different meanings. Aligns to Common Core Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.5d Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.5b Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5c Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered). Additionally, words can be used for spelling practice, writing practice, and word walls. Includes definitions for the teacher. - HappyEdugator

Biography Poster Person Project with Rubric. This biography project gives students a choice of making a poster person, poster, or diarama. Rubric provides students a guideline for expectations. Students must summarize in at least 4-6 paragraphs what they find out about their person, and the information on the poster should be legible and neat. They must also include the sources where they found the information on the back page the biography. Good project to do around President's Day, but the project doesn't have to be limited to Presidents. Editable format for you to make adjustments for your class. - HappyEdugator

Myth Writing Lesson for Middle School. Fun for your mythology unit or writing lesson. Includes lesson plan details, assignment handout, and rubric. Students will learn the elements of myth, research a mythological hero, and write their own narrative on how the hero they chose can solve one of a list of problems that face middle school kids today. - HappyEdugator

Homophone Match Worksheet. This is a challenging homophone matching activity for upper grades. Have students work in individually or in groups with a dictionary to look up unknown words. Words and definitions are chunked into groups of six. - HappyEdugator

Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars Language Arts Review PowerPoint. Interactive. Animated with themed music. A review game for Language Arts mechanics and usage set up like the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Students have to get the right answers to move up and win more money. There are questions on verb tenses, subject and predicate, sentence type and sentence structure, capitalization, etc. Good review for standardized test preparation, and the kids will have fun, too! Updated March 2014 with additional sounds and graphics! - HappyEdugator

Drama Play Knowledge Extensions Menu. Great for differentiated instruction. Differentiation means no more bored students! Students who have already read a play that you are teaching in class can choose one (or more) activities from the menu and extend their learning, reporting back to the class to enrich everyone's experience. Excellent for gifted learners or students who need independent study or an alternative assignment. . - HappyEdugator

Reading Strategies - Active Reading Strategies Concept Map. Graphic organizer can be blown up into a poster, used as a transparency, or projected on your LCD. The six active reading strategies on the map are Connect, Predict, Visualize, Question, Clarify, and Evaluate. Students learn what active reading strategies good readers use. Based on a beetle or bug theme. Includes a motivational poster with a BEETLE theme. Color and black and white versions. Here is my BEETLE acronym - BE EDUCATED EXPECT TO LEARN EAGERLY! :) - HappyEdugator

TEST PREP Reading Test Strategies PowerPoint. Standardized Test Strategies for Reading Comprehension. Test prep on how to pass the CRCT for reading (or any state standardized reading test) using 6 essential steps. Students are given six basic strategies, and three slides of basic terms that they should be familiar with in order to be successful on a reading test. There is another slide on test-taking tips that can also be used for any test. 17 slides. Aligns with common core. - HappyEdugator

Adjective and Adverb Clauses Test or Worksheet. This grammar test has 20 questions on identifying adverb and adjective clauses in sentences. There are four parts to each question. Students will underline the clause, identify it as adjective or adverb, identify the relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction, and show the word that is modified. This can also be used as a worksheet for practice and test prep. Key included. - HappyEdugator Common Core Standards L.7.1a, L.7.1c

Context Clues Word Study Worksheet. This context clues sheet can be used as students read. They can chart the unknown word, the sentence in which it appears, make a prediction on the meaning, and record the actual meaning of the new word. Supports common core! - HappyEdugator CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.4a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Poetry Characteristics - Notes and Poetry Writing Activity. Poetry notes can be projected or printed as a handout. Several different characteristics of poetry writing are explained. Students will then write a poem using the form for a poem sheet. Students practice their writing skills and review parts of speech as well. - HappyEdugator

Author's Purpose PowerPoint. Author's purpose- To Persuade, To Inform, To Entertain - in easy to understand and engaging slides. It's as easy as pie! Students will learn what to look for when determining author's purpose, and then practice with the last slide. 13 slides. - HappyEdugator

Egypt - Ancient Egypt Game Show PowerPoint. Covers Egyptian topics of Gods and Goddesses, Tombs, Egyptian Life, Nile River, and Symbols. Fun review game for your Egypt unit! Give the question to the answer, like on Jeopardy. - HappyEdugator

The Hobbit Writing Activities Based on Common Core Standards. Seven standards based writing activities for The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Includes essay questions on Argument, Expository, Narrative, Research, and Character Analysis. Includes graphic organizers for characters and setting. Pages can be printed out as handouts for writing assignments. Written for Common Core Standards in Writing for Grade 7, but can be used for Grades 6-8 as well, since the standards are the same and only the level of complexity changes. - HappyEdugator