I love the creativity of writing a narrative. Too often, this seems to fall by the wayside, taking backseat to more formal options. But there are ways to keep the creativity alive and here are my top 3 ways to do just that: 1. Combine the fun of the season with learning! Every year, I incorpor…
When I say "Narrative writing", my students just stare at me. They aren't sure what I really mean by that. In 8th grade, we work on the Hero's Journey and after we learn about it using diagrams and examples, then we ask the students to write their own Hero's Journey. In 6t…
Once upon a time, I convinced my team that mentor sentences are an amazing tool to teach grammar, writing conventions, and even review reading skills. My first exposure to mentor sentences was with using picture books but I knew I had to be creative and find grade-level texts to use. I had …
If you love grammar, then this post may not be for you. I am not a grammar lover at.all. To me, it's something that when taught is about as fun as watching grass grow or paint dry. So you can imagine that it has been hard for me to teach grammar too. Until I found Mentor Sentences. When I…