Archive for the 'writing' Category

Fun Sites

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Go to these sites and create things. You must paste the url of your creation in the comments section of this post and write at least one sentence describing what it is and why you made it.
Make a Baby Talk
Create A Donut
Make Music
Make People Dance
Design A Snowflake
Create A Cartoon Story
Make Chocolates Dance
Make A Monster

What Is An Adjective?

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Please explore these links to learn more about adjectives:
Describing Words
Using Adjectives
Finding Adjectives
Practice With Adjectives
All About Adjectives
The Adjective Detective
Grammar Blast: Adjectives
Adjectives Quiz
People Adjectives
Choosing Adjectives
Identifying Adjectives
BBC Skillwise: Adjectives
Enchanted Learning: Adjectives

Plagiarism

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Please explore these activities and write in the comments two things that you’ve learned.
How to Avoid Plagiarism: A Complete Guide for ESL Learners
Plagiarism Quiz
Plagiarism Tutorial
Library: Plagiarism Tutorial
What Is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism Cartoons

Census Interactive

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Here’s an exceptional interactive on the Census.
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the hardest, how easy or hard were the questions for you?
Leave your answer on the comments section, and write a complete sentence.

Writing About Literature

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

These exercises will give you an introduction to what we will be studying next:
Learn about similes:
Starter activity
Main session part 1
Main session part 2
Plenary
You can learn about Literary Elements and then take the quiz at this Thinkquest site.
Try to create similes in this not-very-easy game from the British Council.
Name That Literary Element is [...]

Learning How To Type

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Please spend twenty minutes on Dance Mat Typing. You will need your headphones.
Then go to Typing Web. You have to register for it.
Please write in the comments section which one you like best and why:
I liked _____________________ best because _______________.

Which Is The Better Neighborhood?

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

First, type the first paragraph of your “Which Is The Better Neighborhood?” essay in a Word document.
Then, after you’re done, please copy and paste it in the comments section of this post.

Try This Writing Activity

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Please go to Proofreading: Spelling and Writing.
Pick your level of difficulty, and correct the paragraphs. See how well you can do!

Neighborhood Research

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Please go to these sites to find information for your neighborhood research sheet:
ZipSkinny
Hotpads
SacBee Homes
You can also look at apartments for rent in the area at:
My New Place
Rent Bits
My Apartment Map

How Would You Feel If You Were Forced To Return To Your Native Country?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Last week, 4,000 Hmong refugees were forced by the Thailand military to return to Laos.
Read more about what happened at these links:
Thailand Evicts Hmong Refugees is the title of a slideshow from The Wall Street Journal.
Reuters has an online video clip on the eviction.

After forced evacuation, local Hmong fear for their families in Laos is [...]

Send A Christmas Card!

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Create a holiday card for a friend (or teacher!). Create a card using one of these sites. Email it to yourself, and then copy and paste the link in the comments section of this blog. Be sure to write in the comment who the card is for!
Critter Carol
Dancing Santa Claus
Merry Message
Emoticarolers
The Gingerbread [...]

Create A Posterous Blog

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Go to your email and send an email message to post@posterous.com.
Write “This is my first blog post.”
You will immediately receive an email back from Posterous with a link to your new blog. Make sure you use a password that is easy to remember.
After you get the link to your new blog, please copy and [...]

Gangs

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

Please go to this site and look through the links to learn more about gangs and why people join them:
The Best Sites To Learn About Street Gangs

Learn More About Advertising

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Visit these sites and write down three things you learn about how advertisers persuade you to buy their products.  Write down your notes on a piece of paper.  If there is time, you can then write them in the comments section:
Don’t Buy It!
See How You Get Hooked Into Buying Now!
You Are Here
CoCo Adversmarts (this one [...]

Learn About Persuasive Essays

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Review these sites to help you learn about writing a persuasive essay.  Please write three things you’ve learned in the comments section.
Here’s a Fact and Opinion game.
Try another Fact and Opinion Game.
Here are lots of fact and opinion activities.
PBS’ Arthur has a simple Facts and Opinions game.
It’s A Fact!
Making Connections
Argument is an activity from the [...]

Turn Your Essay Into A Slideshow

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Go to Bookr and make a slideshow out of the first paragraph of your Problem/Solution Essay.
Email the link to yourself, and then copy and paste it in the comments section of this post.

Landlord Letters

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Please type your Landlord Letter using WORD. Name the file “landlord letter.”
After you are done, save it. Then go to File2.ws.
Next, upload your landlord letter to the Internet. Then, copy the url address and paste it in the comments section of this post. Remember to only use your first name in [...]

Writing Exercises And Games

Friday, September 4th, 2009

Try these writing activities and games. If the first ones are too easy, try the next one. Each one gets a little harder.
Five minutes before class ends, please leave a comment saying which activity you liked the best and why:
“I liked ______________ the best because ________________________.”
The New News
The New News 2
The New News [...]

What Are Your Favorite Learning Games?

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Later this year you will be creating your own learning games that other students can play.
Today, please play the games on this list. Vote for the three games you think are the best. In the comments section, please write which three you voted for and why you voted for them:
I voted for ______________ [...]

Write A Short Story With Images

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Today you are going to write a short story with images.
You can use either one of these sites:
Tell A Story, where you’ll pick a painting to use in your story, type it, and also record it.
Five Card Flickr Story, where you’ll pick five photos and then tell a story about them.
Please copy and paste the [...]

Problem/Solution Essays

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Look at these Problem/Solution essays.  After reading them, please write in the comments two things you learned about writing from them:
Neighborhood Wildscape
A Noble Solution
Fans Or Foes?

Add Lines To A Movie

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Pick one of the short movies at Bombay TV.
You can choose to either record what you want the actors to say, or write them as “subtitles.”
Here’s an example:
Mr. Ferlazzo’s Movie
Once you email it to yourself, the site will show you the link address to copy and paste in the comments section of this post.
If you [...]

Make A Comic Strip

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Got to the Bubblr site and make a comic strip of at least six frames showing a problem and a solution.

Make A Movie

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Use this Moviemaker to create a movie. You can work on your own, or two people can work together to make one film. Try your best!
You will have to email it to yourself once it’s done, and then copy and paste the link in the comments section of this post.
Here’s an example: [...]

Create A Talking Animal Or Potato

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Today, you will make at least one animal or potato that will “speak” a message that you type. In your message, please say:
1) your first name (not your last name)
2) why you picked the animal or potato
3) three things you like to do for fun.
4) your favorite food.
5) your favorite class and why it [...]