ABSTRACT

Teachers are always looking for activities that not only enhance the mechanics of writing—grammar, spelling, and syntax—but also allow students to express themselves in creative and personal ways. Creating Strong Kids Through Writing is the perfect resource for teachers seeking quick, ready-to-use writing lessons that encourage social and emotional growth, personal development, introspection, and innovative thinking in students. Each of the 20 lessons has been classroom-tested with students of all ability levels in grades 4-8, and each lesson contains one or more samples of student work to help guide and inspire student writers. Creating Strong Kids Through Writing is a resource teachers will turn to again and again when they seek writing lessons that, although short in duration, are lasting in their personal impact on student growth.

Grades 4-8

chapter |7 pages

Introduction

part I|37 pages

Lessons for the Beginning of the Year

chapter Lesson 1|8 pages

Getting to Know Students From the Inside Out

chapter Lesson 2|4 pages

Who Knew?

chapter Lesson 3|6 pages

Visual Enigmas

chapter Lesson 4|5 pages

That's Just Like Me!

chapter Lesson 5|7 pages

The Pyramid of Personal Qualities

chapter Lesson 6|5 pages

Quotes From the Ages, Quotes From the Sages

part II|61 pages

Lessons for Any Time of the Year

chapter Lesson 7|9 pages

Six Words Can Make a Difference

chapter Lesson 8|6 pages

A Case of Vowel Play

chapter Lesson 9|7 pages

The ABC's of Life

chapter Lesson 10|6 pages

Nanofiction

chapter Lesson 11|8 pages

Fascinating Fibonacci

chapter Lesson 12|6 pages

The Lingo of Language

chapter Lesson 13|6 pages

Tabula Rasa

chapter Lesson 14|7 pages

Two Sides of the Same Coin

chapter Lesson 15|5 pages

Science Fact and Fiction

part III|30 pages

Lessons for the End of the Year

chapter Lesson 16|5 pages

The Book of Really Big Questions

chapter Lesson 17|7 pages

The Last Time

chapter Lesson 18|6 pages

Just a Little Bit of Awesome

chapter Lesson 19|4 pages

If We Were in Charge of the World

chapter Lesson 20|7 pages

It Gives Me …