Writing

=**WRITING**=
 * Nonfiction Charts--Something to think about.**
 * We are working on writing personal narratives. Here is a song that ties into our unit!**
 * [|Story of My Life]**
 * One of the strategies we are focusing on is thinking like a writer. Notice your world and write about it! Here are some examples of people doing that and changing others' lives.**
 * [|Dairy Queen Employee Becomes a Hero]**

[|Police Officer Gives Homeless Man Shoes]

[|Ms. A's Photos and Thoughts]

Here is an [|educator guide] for the 39 Clues DECODING WRITING video. Here are some [|worksheets] for kids to try!
 * To Improve our writing, we can learn from the masters. Check out this video, [|DECODING WRITING WITH THE 39 CLUES] featuring the different authors of 39 Clues, along with Ruth Culam, the author of The Six Traits!**

[|Argument Writing Tutorial]

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 * We are working on ways to improve our writing. One is by using interesting word choice. Check out this way to rethink an all too familiar word:**

=**FICTION WRITING**= This year, we'll work on a realistic fiction story as we dive into our Lucy Calkins Unit of Study on Fiction Writing.
 * [|Writng Game]--This will help you create more detailed sentences. Check it out!**

One thing I noticed was that student stories improve tremendously when they take time to plan. We have worked with planning boxes for our narratives. Another way to organize stories is by using a Story Mountain. Click on the link here: **[|Story Mountain]** = = =**CREATIVE WRITING PROMPT**=

We are busy with a creative writing assignment about a special mouse. Use this checklist to help you improve your own writing. [|PBL Writing Checklist]

[|WRITING CHECKLIST]

toc We will begin the year with a few writing assessments, then start our poetry unit. One of our first writing assignments will be to write a letter to one of our World War II Veterans. These will be presented to Veterans taking part in an Honor Flight to Washington, DC, in which they will see their World War II Memorial. These men and women range in ages from 81-93. To help bring some meaning as to what these Veterans did for us, here are a few video clips to learn a bit more about World War II.

[|Myth and Legend Creator]

[|Skydiving--LIVE IT!]

CREATIVE WRITING

[|MEGAMIND STARTERS]

=CHECK YOUR WORK FOR ACCURACY (COPPS)= ==

=[|Grammar Gold Game]= Need some help with grammar? Here are some fun games and quizzes to test your skills!

=Type with Me=

= www.typewith.me/3VVZLMSKx5 = \

=[|Recycling Aluminum Facts from Earth 911]= [|Recycling Facts from Recycling Revolution] [|Aluminum Can Recycling Fun Facts] [|Kids Aluminum Page] [|Aluminum Facts from Lehigh County]

Honor Flight in November = =

=[|Honor Flight Network]=

=[|World War II Veterans Meet by Accident]= = = =[|The NPS Interactive World War II Memorial]= media type="custom" key="6879739" [|PBS World War II History Detectives]

We will also be working on some personal narratives. Each day we can write the stories of our lives, as everyday is an adventure, if we only pay attention! The small moments of daily living can be precious memories. The band, Bon Jovi, has a great song entitled, The Story of My Life. Listen to the message of these [|lyrics] as you check out this video clip!

Story of My Life
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=[|Letter Generator]= It is very important to know how to communicate effectively in writing. Letter writing is a skill you will use your entire life and thus we will focus on it. Together, we will review the parts that go into a friendly letter. Here is a site from Read, Write, And Think that can help!