English Language Arts Grade 5
Educational Links

Writing Standard 4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)

• Can You Haiku?
  Haiku show us the world in a water drop, providing a tiny lens through which to glimpse the miracle and mystery of life. Combining close observation with a moment of reflection, this simple yet highly sophisticated form of poetry can help sharpen students' response to language and enhance their powers of self-expression. In this lesson, students learn the rules and conventions of haiku, study examples by Japanese masters, and create haiku of their own.
• Diamante Poems
  A diamante poem is a poem in the shape of a diamond. It doesn't have to rhyme but each line uses specific types of words like adjectives or -ing words. You and the computer can make a diamante poem together.
• Leading to Great Places
  The lead of a story is the beginning, and yet it can be the end if the reader is not entranced immediately. This lesson from ReadWriteThink examines types of leads in promininent children's literature and asks students to try their own hand at writing leads.
• Learning to Learn with Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster
  After a read-aloud of the picture book Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster, students combine vocabulary exploration with word play by planning their own vocabulary parade, modeled on the activities in the text. Students brainstorm a list of vocabulary terms from a recent unit of study and then design concrete ways to illustrate the terms. The presentation of terms can be in the form of a parade (an appropriate substitute for Halloween activities), or a video, which might play during parent conferences or open house.
• Making Students into Better Writers
  This Teaching Channel video shows one educator using a one-on-one conference to give specific writing feedback and instruction. (5 minutes)
• Poetry for Kids - The Funny Forty
  The collection of 40 poems by Kenn Nesbitt. The site also links to an interview with Mr. Nesbitt and additional poetry and resources. Lessons for writing funny poetry.
• Seasonal Haiku: Writing Poems to Celebrate Seasons
  In this lesson from ReadWriteThink, students listen to a sample of haiku read aloud. Then, using seasonal descriptive words, they write their own haiku following the traditional syllable and line format. Finally, they publish their poems by mounting them on illustrated backgrounds that support the images depicted in the poems.
• Shape Poems
  A shape poem is a poem about an object or thing. It is written in the shape of the object. Make a poem in the shape of a star, a leaf, heart, fish or other shape.
• Shape Poems: Writing Extraordinary Poems About Ordinary Objects
  Students will recognize the characteristics and format of a shape poem; compile a list of content area terms and sensory images (collaboratively as a class and also independently) that relate to a shape or object, as part of the process of brainstorming a word bank for their shape poem; apply spelling knowledge and strategies when brainstorming words for the word bank and writing and revising their shape poem.
• The Five Paragraph Essay
  Step by step instructions for completing a five-paragraph essay.
• The Letter Generator
  This online tool is designed to help students learn to identify all the essential parts of a business or friendly letter, and then generate letters by typing information into letter templates.
• Time for Kids
  A student version of this popular news magazine. Includes current news articles, homework tips, games, surveys and polls, and links to other magazines.
• Write a Gem of a Poem
  Students learn about diamante poems, consider the idea of cause and effect, and work it into the poem format.
• Writing with Writers
  This sites provides a variety of workshops created by popular authors. Some of the workshops covered include biographies, journal writing, fairy tales, myths, etc. The workshops explain the writing process and some provide opportunities for submission.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Sara  Wiebke and see the Language Arts - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.