Two ants, along with others from their nest, set out to gather crystals for their queen. Initially staying and keeping crystals for themselves, the two ants eventually learn to be happy in their familiar nest.

"If you want to learn about the Six Traits of Writing, you’ve come to the right place! For more than a decade, we’ve been helping educators build stronger writers with the Six Traits. In this guide, you’ll find a comprehensive overview of the Six Traits of Writing with suggestions for implementation in your own classroom."

*Learn about the 6 Traits
*Get Started
*Spiral through lessons & units
*Provide feedback
*Build Rubrics
*Research behind the traits
*Implement school-wide

Despite obstacles in his life such as a family illness and the Great Depression, Uncle Jed achieved his dream of opening a barbershop at age 79.

One of the hardest things about writing is—getting started! For many of our students, drawing and talking about their drawings is just what they need to cross the barrier from a blank page to a page filled with their words.

Watch how Jennifer Serravallo works with these young writers in a strategy group to build the bridge between pictures and the language they need to get words on the page.

'Students explore a variety of jobs and professions in today’s world, their aptitudes, the consequences of choosing a job or profession, and the importance of bilingualism in the choice of a job or profession ... students ... research a job or profession and to make a presentation to the class. In addition, students will explore possible careers and examine steps to follow to obtain employment.'

*All instructions are in French.*

This lesson provides teachers with support for using text-dependent questions and Common Core literacy strategies to help students derive big ideas and key understandings while developing vocabulary using the text, "A Very Important Day." In this story, several different families from other countries prepare to become US citizens. Characters from different cultures share one exciting and important event.

An amazing collection of video writing prompts!

Prompts for:
Creative thinking
Informational Text
Narrative/Story
Persuasion
& more!

This lesson for English Language Learners (ELLs) introduces the modern phenomenon of viral videos. In this lesson, learners will practice reading, listening, speaking and writing. All activities are automatically graded with feedback provided to the learner upon submission.

Geared towards students in grade 3-5, this virtual field trip from the American Museum of Natural History explores how animals adapt to their environments in order to survive.

This field trip includes a teachers guide, student worksheets and extension activities.

Volcanoes show us how the earth changes. Volcanoes can be made of lava, gases, hot steam, ground-up rocks and melted rock called lava. Scientists study volcanoes and the earths movement and try to understand how they erupt.

Have your students share their burning political concerns with their local MLA, Premier,
or Prime Minister in a letter writing activity that addresses both Social Studies and
English Language Arts outcomes. Listen to their animated conversations as they await a
reply!

A boy on a family backpacking adventure discovers an amazing waterfall and decides he wants to climb to the top. The boy becomes a leader and the family bonds when the boy challenges them all to climb it

Reading 101 is a self-paced professional development course for K-3 teachers, developed by Reading Rockets. The program provides teachers with an in-depth knowledge of reading and writing so they are prepared to guide their students into becoming skilled and enthusiastic readers and writers.
Course Modules include:
- Print Awareness
- Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
- Phonics
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Spelling
- Comprehension
- Writing
- Assessment

This fable is about a boys search for knowledge. To achieve his goal, the boy barters with characters ranging from a carpet maker to a merchant. At the end of the fable, the Grand Master offers two moral lessons and helps the young man realize that he already has knowledge.

This video explores...
"When educators take on the challenge of improving achievement in writing, a common starting point is to search for a robust writing curriculum. While an investment in a boxed curriculum may offer important guidance on what to teach, the curriculum alone will not improve writers.

A better starting point is to focus on how writing is being taught.

Regardless of the curriculum used, the real learning occurs during a daily writer’s workshop, where teachers commit to providing three components: direct instruction, writing time, and differentiated feedback. By focusing on how writing is being taught, educators create an optimal teaching environment for students to learn essential writing skills and standards."

This lesson for English Language Learners (ELLs) teaches us how to ask for directions. In this lesson, learners will practice reading, listening, speaking and writing. All activities are automatically graded with feedback provided to the learner upon submission.

This thematic unit from Comox Valley Schools (SD71) in B.C. is aimed at Grade 5 Core French students, but is suitable for younger grades and would be easily adaptable for older ones. It is focused on oral practice and participation and would also be useful in French Immersion classes!Content Authors: Comox Valley Schools, Learn71

A wildlife photographer describes her love for animals and how she took some of her favorite up-close photos of them.

This lesson provides teachers with support for using text-dependent questions and Common Core literacy strategies to help students derive big ideas and key understandings while developing vocabulary using the nonfiction informational text, Wildfires. Wildfires can cause damage but also play a critical role in the renewal of forests and grasslands. Through the example of the 1988 Yellowstone fire, Wildfires highlights the effects and cycles of fires and shows the reader how critical fire is to regenerating forests and grasslands.

In the story Wings, Ikarus Jackson is shunned and tormented by his peers, as well as community members because of his unique physical appearance.