English Language Arts

Finding main idea of a nonfiction paragraph is easy with the hamburger analogy. First, teach kids to find the topic sentence and supporting detail sentences. Second, explain that paragraphs may…

Teaching Elements of Drama & Plays for Fourth Grade

August 7, 2022

drama, literature

Elements of drama include cast of characters, dialogue, and stage directions. Each play may also be broken into scenes and acts. When teaching, provide lots of examples – and let…

Teaching Elements of Prose in Fourth Grade

August 3, 2022

fourth grade, literature

Prose is ordinary language. Through it, we express complete thoughts in sentences. Then we group sentences into paragraphs. In longer works, we group paragraphs into chapters of a novel. Read…

Teaching Forms of Poetry with Examples from Famous Poets

July 31, 2022

Kids learn forms of poetry better with examples from famous poets. Read on for ideas for teaching rhyming, limerick, diamante, haiku, cinquain, concrete, and acrostic poems. (more…)

Types of Poetry – Teaching Poems to Kids

July 27, 2022

Types of poetry teach kids about the expressive side of writing. When you include a variety of genres, you can also hit different literature and language skills. My favorites include…

Teaching Acrostic Poetry – ABC Poems for Kids

July 24, 2022

Acrostic poetry spells one or more word vertically. While this usually occurs with the first letter of each verse, it can also happen in the middle or at the end.…

Teaching Concrete Poetry – Shape Poems for Kids

July 20, 2022

Concrete poetry takes the shape of the topic. Also known as shape poems, these simple word arrangements make easy projects for kids. Surprising, this type of literature has been around…

Teaching Haiku – Japanese Poetry for Kids

July 17, 2022

Haiku, traditional Japanese poetry, consists of three verses of seventeen syllables. It has a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. When teaching this type of poem to kids, focus on nature and imagery.…

Teaching Cinquain – Five-Line Poems for Kids

July 13, 2022

Cinquain is a five-verse poem with 22 syllables. Any poem with five lines can be called a cinquain. However, Americans often use the version popularized by Adelaide Crapsey. Its verses…

Teaching Diamante – Diamond-Shaped Poems for Kids

July 10, 2022