by Matthew Baganz In the second part of his Arts of Speech lesson plan, Matthew Baganz shows students how words can create and communicate visual images. Read Part 1 of the lesson plan here. Grade: 3–5 Genre: Descriptive prose Download: The Arts of Speech Part 2: Recreating Pictures with Words Common Core Standard: ELA-Literacy.W.3-5.3 Write narratives…
by Matthew Baganz In Part 1 of The Arts of Speech, Matthew Baganz uses movement and imagery to help children learn the purpose of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. See Part 2 of the lesson plan here. Grade: 3–5 Download: The Arts of Speech Part 1: Unifying Meaning with Parts of Speech Common Core State…
Nice Poetry by Isabella C. (3rd grade) I am a small child with a big imagination. I am a beautiful black horse hiding in the night. I am a dolphin jumping out of the ocean in a sunset of fire. I am a beautiful aroma soaring through the sky, making the world follow me. I…
By Matthew Daddona Marty Skoble, who, for the last 42 years has been the recognizable, cheery face of Saint Ann’s School, climbs the stairs two at a time to arrive at his first class of the morning. He’s 77 years old, and not an ounce of time is wasted on recounting his glory days. On…
By Olaya Barr Magical Realism has become the gateway of Latin American texts for most North American students. I can’t praise enough the serpentine works of Julio Cortázar and the uncanny humor of Gabriel García Márquez—these have influenced hundreds of authors and inspired literary movements across the world—but I suggest offering students some alternatives. Below,…
Light by Cerentha (3rd grade) I am the glittering pool of light forged by the full moon in the lake on a dark, dark night. I am the twinkling stars in the sky, glowing so bright, though I’m not sure why. I am the sparkling gems underground, some of them pointy and some of them…
by Matthew Burgess This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned Eugene. I remember exactly where he sat, second row back, in the seventh-grade class as PS 187. I remember his laser-beam smirk as I read aloud from Joe Brainard’s book, and before I could send the students into their own lists of “I remembers,” Eugene…