"Cold Read" Test Prep resource for students

“Cold reads” may sound like a strange term, but to any reading teacher that is focused on test prep, the expression makes perfect sense.  While it is important for students to read and discuss passages in a classroom setting, they must also be able to read, analyze, and comprehend text on their own.  This is exactly what a cold read is. 

            “The Black Hills of South Dakota” is a passage that is appropriate for fifth through eighth grade students.  After reading, they are presented with fifteen multiple choice questions that relate to their ability to interpret and understand the information provided in the nonfiction passage. 

This test prep resource relates specifically to the ELA Common Core Standards and the ability to determine main ideas, make inferences, use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, as well as recall supporting details that are stated directly in the passage. 

Click here to download the free resource.

Argumentative On Demand Practice Prompt

With the new ELA Common Core Standards in place, teachers and students alike are preparing for on-demand writing.  This form of real-world writing requires that students display their proficient writing skills for narrative, informational, and argumentative purposes.  These purposes are developed using a variety of genres that are appropriate for the intended audience and purpose. 

            One proven way to assist students in developing their writing skills is to WRITE!  When students are provided practice prompts to compose and reflect on, they are provided with opportunities for growth.  Their skills improve as they become aware of their strengths and weaknesses as writers. 

            A stand-alone argumentative prompt is provided, along with a scoring guide and sample response.  These resources should serve as an invaluable tool in assisting students in recognizing their current abilities and areas for improvement.

 Click here to download these tools.

Lesson plan to improve student vocabulary skills

Word choice is a component of writing that all writing and language arts teachers should strive to continually emphasize.  When students use simplistic and imprecise words, their writing takes on an elementary tone that may make important issues seem less important to readers.  On the other hand, use rich, precise language can create strong connections between an author’s words and the ideas that they are trying to convey.  

A comparison between writers that uses strong words and those that use weaker words can be found in salsa and rice cakes. Just as salsa is spicy and varied, one’s word choice should be too!  On the other hand, rice cakes tend to be bland and boring; this is the word choice that authors should seek to eliminate from their writing.

Click here to download the free lesson

Writing Skills 101 - Form, Audience and Purpose

The ELA Common Core Standards place an emphasis on on-demand writing and writing for real-world, authentic audiences.  For students to be successful in doing this, they must understand that “One Size Doesn’t Fit All”. 

In other words, writing a friendly letter at one time may be totally inappropriate for a required purpose and intended audience at a later time.  This creates the dilemma of insuring that students understand Form, Audience, & Purpose and how these relate to on-demand writing.  This mini lesson is a wonderful language arts test prep tool because it allows students to analyse writing prompts.  

Click here to download the free mini lesson.

Transition Words Worksheet

This practice worksheet will provide students with a quick, but helpful review of how transitions enhance one’s writing.  Given that sometimes students get so caught up in expressing themselves that they forget to include these key linking words, frequent and deliberate practice should be provided for students to review the importance of transition words.  Without transition words, even the most brilliant “wordsmiths” loses fluency and organization in their writing

Click here to download the free worksheet here.

Lesson Plan: Making cultural connections through writing tasks

After students have been exposed to informational writing, this cultural connections” activity provides an authentic way for students to use their interview skills to compose relevant questions and complete an interview with a guest that has travelled to another country.

Students will interview the guest, write an informational piece that discusses their findings, and then write an appropriate thank you letter to the person they interviewed.  This activity is real-world and is cross-curricular, since it embodies social studies/history and writing content

Click here to download the free lesson plan

Teach your students how to write a personal narrative correctly

This activity will allow students to explore their own memories for potential topics for a personal narrative. 

A personal narrative is an authentic piece of writing that details the events of a life changing memory.  With the implementation of the new Common Core ELA Standards, the ability “to narrate” for an audience is a key component that all students need to master.  Allowing them to write about their own experiences provided motivation, insight, and an authentic audience (their family) to share their writing with. 

Click here to download the free lesson plan

Teach your students how to punctuate dialogue correctly

Punctuating dialogue can be confusing.  Writers are encouraged to quote exact words in fictional writing, personal writing, and other genres too. 

Nonetheless, that does not mean that the rule for when to use a capital letter and other punctuation marks is clear. 

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This PowerPoint provides a number of examples relevant to the punctuation of dialogue.  The simple explanations combined with the examples will get students on the right track to having characters conversing on paper to evoke emotional responses from their readers. 

After all, stating someone’s exact words is a lot more meaningful than just casually telling what was said.

Click here to download the presentation

Punctuating dialogue from Kevin Cummins