English Language Arts

Teaching Persuasive Writing – Organize, Elaborate, Improve!

January 3, 2021

Teaching persuasive writing to third or fourth graders? Begin with a simple graphic organizer. Then elaborate, improve word choice, add transitions, and vary sentences. Before you know it, kids writing…

Writing Constructed Response with Text Evidence – Hamburger Style!

December 28, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Learn

fifth grade, finding main idea, fourth grade, informational text, summarizing, summarizing nonfiction, summarizing nonfiction text, third grade

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Constructed response is easy to teach with this hamburger craft. First, kids find text evidence. Second, they write it as detail sentences. Then they answer the question and write a…

Mystery Elements | Genre Study Vocabulary for Kids

December 14, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts

elements of mystery, mystery elements, mystery genre stufy

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As with other genres, mystery elements include characters, setting, and plot. Let’s take a look at the vocabulary kids need to know. (more…)

Fingerprinting Activities for Kids – Detective Work & Art Projects

November 29, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Science

fingerprinting, fingerprinting activities, fingerprints for kids, fun fingerprint projects

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Fingerprinting activities bring fun to the classroom! Kids love studying dactyloscopy, or the science of identifying fingerprints. Recording their own prints, analyzing others, and even some creative art projects will…

Invisible Ink Recipes for Kids | Classroom Detective Activities

November 22, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Science

detective activities, invisible ink, mystery activities, spy activities for kids

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Add invisible ink to your mystery or detective unit. Kids love it! These tested recipes are fun and easy. (more…)

Cryptograms, Ciphers, and Secret Codes for Kids

November 15, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts

ciphers, cryptograms, detective activities for kids, mystery, secret codes, spy codes for kids

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Secret codes make kids think like detectives. Add some cryptograms and ciphers to your mystery unit. (Or just do some for fun!) Your upper elementary students will love it. (more…)

Power of Observation Activities Improve Kids’ Attention to Detail

November 8, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Learn, Plan, Science

observation activities, observation games, power of observation

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Observation activities help kids tune in. Try memory games, sensory activities, hidden pictures, and drawing to heighten awareness. Then apply these skills in classroom instruction. (more…)

Teacher Talk: Strategies for Teaching Incidental Vocabulary

October 25, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Dive In, English Language Arts, Learn, Plan

teacher talk, teaching incidental vocabulary

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Are you purposely teaching incidental vocabulary? Improve your teacher talk. Simply weave definitions and pictures into daily lessons. From this, kids’ vocabularies grow. Furthermore, they learn how to determine meanings…

4 Ways to Teach Kids to Find Word Meaning in Context

October 20, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Plan

determining meaning of unknown words, finding word meaning, teaching kids to find word meaning, teaching vocabulary

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When kids find word meaning in a text, comprehension improves. How can you facilitate this? First, use direct instruction to teach kids the strategies they need. Second, ask them to…

Teaching Elements of Poetry for Kids

August 9, 2020

Brenda Kovich

Engage, English Language Arts, Plan

elements of poetry, poetry for kids, teaching poetry

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Elements of poetry are fun and easy to teach. Start with key vocabulary. Then analyze some kid-friendly poems. Finally, ask students to memorize with poetry blackout and write some poems…

English Language Arts

Teaching Persuasive Writing – Organize, Elaborate, Improve!

Writing Constructed Response with Text Evidence – Hamburger Style!

Mystery Elements | Genre Study Vocabulary for Kids

Fingerprinting Activities for Kids – Detective Work & Art Projects

Invisible Ink Recipes for Kids | Classroom Detective Activities

Cryptograms, Ciphers, and Secret Codes for Kids

Power of Observation Activities Improve Kids’ Attention to Detail

Teacher Talk: Strategies for Teaching Incidental Vocabulary

4 Ways to Teach Kids to Find Word Meaning in Context

Teaching Elements of Poetry for Kids

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Brenda Kovich

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