Linda Ferrara’s Web Link Bibliography

I have compiled a list of web pages that will help both teachers and students with the writing process. For K-12 teachers, there are many ideas for lesson planning and teaching tips. In particular, there are several sites dedicated to the Six +1 Writing Program. For students, there are sites that provide references, as well as interactive sites for use to hone their writing skills.

Writing Resources for Teachers and Students:

Ace Writing Home Page – This web site give students plenty of opportunities to learn how to get an “A” in a variety of writing styles. It also provides teachers with many links to lesson plans and teaching tips aligned with California and other states’ standards. This web page is helpful for intermediate grades. Date visited - 2/9/2005. http://www.geocities.com/fifth_grade_tpes/index.html

Creative Writing for Teens – Here is a site that includes loads of essential information for becoming a solid writer, along with advice for writing in many specific genres, including poetry, script-writing, and novel writing. Its target audience is teenagers. Date visited 2/16/2005. http://teenwriting.about.com/

Keys to Writing Success - Author Deborah Morris gives advice to young writers about how to turn their ideas into reader-worthy, publishable material. Her biography is informative. The section on authors who got their starts as kids is inspiring! There is information on writing contests, too. This is relevant for intermediate and higher grades. Date visited 2/17/2005.

http://www.realkids.com/keys.shtml

100 Ideas for Writing – At a loss for yet another writing prompt? Here are 100 handy ideas for student writing topics! It is a sample page from a book called, 1000 Quick Writing Ideas by Steve Krajnjan; the first 100 of 1000 ideas from the book. The ideas are useful for students from primary to high school creative writing students. Date visited 2/14/2005. http://www.timesaversforteachers.com/index_page0010.htm

ReadWriteThink – Along with the International Reading Association (IRA), the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and the MarcoPolo Education Foundation, ReadWriteThink is a place for educators and students to find resources for writing and language arts lesson plans and interactive learning experiences. It has useful information for K-12. Date visited – 2/10/2005. http://www.readwritethink.org/index.asp

Time for Kids Homework Helper – Kids in intermediate grades can find help with the writing process and many writing forms at this site. In addition, teachers and students can explore this site for many writing ideas, curriculum connections, current events, and reproducibles. Parents can find kid-friendly versions of current events reporting, as well as interactive, wholesome fun. I love TFK website for its information-rich content, aesthetic appeal, and multicultural outreach! Date viited 2/16/2005. http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/hh/rapidresearch/0,19469,73271,00.html

20 Common Writing Errors – Writing conventions can be difficult for students at any academic level. This site will help clarify and/or explain the most common punctuation, grammar, usage problems. While put together as a tool for students at community college students, the information provided is useful for intermediate and above students. Date viewed 2/14/2005. http://www.bcc.ctc.edu/writinglab/errors.htm

Words-N-Motion – This site is actually a directory for 10 sites related to elementary student workshop writing. It provides numerous helpful links for students and/or teachers that will facilitate student writing; many of which then provide further links! It is a gold mine for the writing instructor of students grades 4 and up. Date visited 2/15/2005.

http://www.words-n-motion.com/writing/elementary-student-workshop-writing.html

Write On! – This is the web site for Write Source who publishes wonderful writing handbooks for grades K-12. On this page, students and teachers will find writing topic ideas, terrific student writing samples from kids in grades 1-12 which demonstrate several styles of writing, and the opportunity for students to submit their own writing for publication in a Writing Source handbook. There is also a lot of information to help with research, judging sources, understanding MLA and APA style, and more! Date visited 2/15/05. http://www.thewritesource.com/index2.htm

Teachers only:

A to Z Teacher Stuff – This site helps teachers find online resources for lesson plans, downloadable teaching materials, eBooks, worksheets, and more. The writing section is most developed and useful for grades 3-5. Date visited 2/17/2005. http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Lesson_Plans/Language_Arts/_Grades_3-5/Writing/index.shtml

CanTeach – This Canadian website has several interesting writing lesson plans/ideas for K-5. The topics range from the most basic beginning writing skills to more developed composition skills. Though it does not have an extensive choices, it is a good site to visit for some new and fresh ideas. Date visited 2/17/2005. http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/englangarts.html

Education World – The Educator’s Best Friend – This is one of my very favorite websites for educators. Writing is only one of the academic areas you will find here. It is chockfull of useful lesson plans, teaching tips, articles, worksheets, and more for educators, K-12. Date visited 2/10/2005. http://www.educationworld.com/lang_lit/

How to Teach Writing Using the Internet – This journal article from The One Stop Magazine, The Magazine for English Language Teachers, from the publisher MacMillan, has some terrific ideas and links to engage students, particularly ESOL students, in writing. It is relevant for use with any age ESOL student. Date reviewed, 2/13/2005. http://www.onestopenglish.com/News/Magazine/Archive/teachingwriting_internet.htm

Kindergartners Write Every Day – It is never to early to starting writing instruction in the public schools! Here is a very helpful site that spells out the rationale and suggestions for teaching kindergartners to write. You’ll get monthly writing activities for a school year’s worth of writing instruction for beginning writers! Date reviewed 2/14/2005.

http://ali.apple.com/ali_sites/deli/exhibits/1000666/The_Lesson.html

Let’s Write a Newspaper Story! – This is an excellent web site for both teachers and students. The teachers’ section includes four days worth of in-depth, well-developed lesson plans for students writing authentic newspaper stories. The lessons are supportive of Maryland State Performance Standards and the Howard County Essential Curriculum. The students’ section includes advice, graphic organizers, tips for writing to inform and editing, and references for newspaper layout information. It is best for intermediate elementary school students. Date visited 2/17/05. http://www.jhuapl.edu/education/elementary/newspapercourse/index.htm

Powerpoint Collection – Jefferson County Schools – Language Arts powerpoint presentations are teacher-provided and in the public domain, available for all to use. Each presentation may be viewed and/or downloaded. There are also presentations in a wide variety of topics, including all academic subjects, as well as teacher presentations for parents. The collection is appropriate for grades K-12. Date visited 2/10/2005. http://jc-schools.net/PPTs-la.html

Six + 1 Writing Traits resources:

Kim’s Korner for Teacher Talk – This is a terrific place to find ideas for teaching strategies and student materials that complement Six +1 Writing Traits. In addition, Kim, a high school teacher, covers many other classroom topics, ranging from reading/language arts/grammar to classroom management and bulletin boards! The information is geared for grades 5-12. This site has received many awards. Date visited 2/13/2005. http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/

Make Six Traits Writing Fun – This has more fun ideas/strategies for using Six Traits + 1 for writing instruction using picture books. It is aimed at elementary school Art teachers or those who like to integrate art into their classroom instruction. Date visited 2/13/2005. http://www.geocities.com/oberry1790/writingart.html

Six Traits’ Ideas/Content – This link will immediately provide you with a valuable downloaded 24-page packet that includes an explanation of the Ideas trait of writing, rubrics, writing samples, teaching strategies, and mini-lessons. It is useful for K-12. Date visited 2/13/2005. www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/langarts/pdf/6traits/ideas.pdf

6-Trait Writing by Linda Jancola – This is yet another 6+1 trait writing ideas/explanations site for teachers and kids. The teachers’ sections are more detailed, while the kids’ corner includes students’ writing samples and affords kids the opportunity to submit their writing samples. It is recommended for students K-5. Date visited 2/16/2005.

http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/LindaJancola/6Trait/6-trait.html

Six Traits Writing Assessment – A Site for Teachers Using Six Traits in the Classroom – Although this site is mostly for primary grades teachers, there are ideas for teaching the six traits + 1 that would be useful through the intermediate grades. It has many useful teaching strategies that support the six areas of writing, as well as kid-friendly rubrics. Date visited 2/13/2005. http://www.6traits.cyberspaces.net/6traits/index.html

The Six Traits Writing Process – Conn McQuinn, the creator of this website, has likened the writing process to creating a “magnifique pizza”! Click on the pizza to understand the different parts/slices of the writing process. It is a clever tutorial for students or teachers with links to information about the Six + 1 writing traits. Appropriate for intermediate grades and above. http://www.psesd.org/technology/writeprocess/default.html

Web English Teacher – Educators can find links to sites about any topic for teaching language arts, both reading and writing. The Writing section includes several types of writing, graphic organizers, writing about literature, and six + 1 traits writing. It is useful for K-12. Date visited 2/10/2005. http://www.webenglishteacher.com/writing.html

Wiredinstructor: Six Traits Links – This is a resource for great sites dedicated to the six traits of writing. There are lesson plans, bibliographies, student samples, and more. It is a useful site for anyone interested in teaching and learning more about using the 6+1 writing traits for teaching writing in all grades. Date visited 2/17/2005. http://www.wiredinstructor.net/TraitsLinks.html

WritingFix – This is a non-profit site for writers (students) and teachers. It is loaded with interactive writing games, lots of story starters, grammar help, and more. WritingFix has separated its writing ideas/games/help for those that are “left-brained” and those that are “right-brained,” as well as an entire section for using the 6+1 writing traits. It is appropriate for all ages. Date visited 2/15/2005. http://writingfix.com/index.htm

Hard Rock English – This site is Ms. Jeana Rock’s sophomore English class’ website from Timpview High School, Provo, Utah. I have provided a link to its Writing Traits section that includes explanations of each trait very clearly and cleverly and in a relevant manner for high school students. Do not use all of these sites for students in grades K-8, as some of them include material that may not be age-appropriate. http://158.91.55.1/~jeanar/Rock_files/writing.htm