This writing tweets activity has kids read a bird feeder how-to text and answer fun prompt cards. Made for 3rd to 5th grade, with an answer key included for the practice page.
This take note writing activity has 3rd to 5th grade students sort print and digital sources, research a state with question cards, and take notes in their own words. Answer key included.
Students hunt for U.S. government facts with this digital dilemma research activity for 3rd to 5th grade, checking each answer in a website and a book. An answer key is included.
Using this Help From Other Author's Activity helps, students collect story elements from literary or informational texts to write their own story.
This write all about it newspaper writing activity turns 3rd to 5th grade students into reporters with topic cards, a planner, and a front page template. Answer key included.
Use this explain it all informative explanatory writing activity to help 3rd to 5th grade students plan and write clear fact-based pieces. Answer key included for easy checking.
Use this get ready to write activity with 3rd to 5th grade writers. Kids pick a topic card, plan with a simple planner, and write; an answer key is included.
This Now Presenting - Report on a Topic Activity is a fun way for students to learn about Summarizing and presentations!
Using this Look in the Text Activity, students ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Using this Get to the Point PowerPoint Activity, students learn to include multimedia components such as graphics, sounds, and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
Using Enhancing My Presentation Activity, students add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations to enhance the development of main ideas.
This Author At Work Writing Checklist Activity lets 3rd to 5th grade students sort writing cards by type and check their own writing with clear checklists. Answer key included for easy review.
Using W.5.7 Common Core Activity, students conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Strong claims, solid evidence
Fifth graders write essays that prove a point. In opinion essays, they state a clear claim, give reasons in a logical order and back each reason with facts or details. In informative essays, they group information into paragraphs, use precise words and quote or paraphrase sources. They link ideas with stronger transitions like consequently, specifically and in contrast, and they revise for clarity. The click moment is when a student says, "Wait, that reason doesn't actually support my claim," and fixes it alone.
Fifth graders are ready for real argument and research. These moves build both.
Kids write their claim on top of a planning sheet, then list three reasons and the evidence for each. If a reason has no evidence, they go find some or drop it. A solid plan makes drafting quick.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withGet Ready to Write ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Read a strong mentor essay together and highlight the claim, reasons and transitions in different colors. Kids then color-code their own draft the same way to spot what's missing.
Why it works: handing over the work step by step, from teacher to student, is one of the most widely used teaching frameworks (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).
Try it withHelp From Other Author's ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Use one writing checklist for every essay all year. By spring, kids check for a clear claim, evidence and transitions without being asked. Familiar tools build independent writers.
Why it works: spreading practice out over days is one of the two most effective study methods in a major research review (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).
Try it withAuthor At Work Writing Checklist ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Essays get more exciting with a real audience. Try these.
ActivitiesCan you state your whole argument in one short post? It's harder than it looks!
Open Writing Tweets Activity →
ActivitiesTurn an essay into a short slide show with one key point per slide.
Open Get to the Point PowerPoint Activity →
ActivitiesSearch a text for proof that supports a claim, then share the strongest line you found.
Open Find It In The Text Activity →Teacher favorites right now: Writing Tweets Activity, Take Note Writing Activity and Digital Dilemma Research Activity.
Opinion essays that support a claim with reasons and evidence, informative essays that explain a topic, and narratives that tell a story. Many also write short research reports.
Usually five paragraphs or more: an introduction with a claim, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Strong evidence and clear organization matter more than length.
Teach kids to follow every reason with "For example" or "According to," then a fact or quote from a source. Finally, they explain in one sentence how that evidence supports their point.
For example, in addition, consequently, however, in contrast, specifically and as a result. They show how ideas connect, not just what comes next.
Have them read the essay aloud. Ask, "Where does this prove your point?" and "Where could a reader get confused?" Reading aloud catches most problems.
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