Both picture book and teaching tool, AlphaBest includes a handy guide to creating your own comparatives and superlatives.
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Monkey is making a banana cream pie and needs help. Aunt Ant is busy going to visit her niece. Bee has too many things to do; the next shipment of honey is due. Monkey yells himself hoarse until Horse arrives, but Horse neighs and says nay. Lucky for Monkey, the friends finally pitch in by cleaning up banana peels and get some pie after all. Ages 4-7

• Word Study: systematically planned and applied experiences focusing on the elements of letters and words.
• Writing: includes how children use phonics, word patterns and principles to develop spelling abilty.
• Reading: teaching children how to solve words with the use of phonics and visual analysis skills as they read for meaning.

Learn to brainstorm for ideas, do research. Shows how to plan your own book with loads of tips for coming up with good characters and settings, finding the perfect title, making revisions, choosing art supplies, and binding your own original book. (2004)

Also by Loreen Leedy, Crazy Like a Fox: A Simile Story(Ages 5-8) (2008) - Similes set off an exciting chase scene in an adventure in language arts. Rufus the fox is up to something. He runs across the meadow as fast as lightning, sneaks up to Babette like a thief in the night, and roars like a lion. Babette, mad as a hornet, chases Rufus all over town. But is Rufus being chased or is he actually leading Babette to a surprise destination? Rufus sure is crazy--crazy like a fox! Sure to make the reader as happy as a clam, this bright simile story also includes a clear explanation of similes and shows how to include similes in a story.

Ages 8-12 (and every age)
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"This is the story of Jack
who finds his voice
with the help of
paper
pencil
teacher
and
dog."

Sharon Creech takes the spirit of poetry to a high level in her inspiring novel, LOVE THAT DOG. The reader will feel the child's self esteem grow as he begins to understand, enjoy, and be inspired by, the poetry of William Carlos Williams, Robert Frost, Walter Dean Meyers. As the child's journal progresses, his poetry becomes an expression of beauty. This book is a treasure. Excellent for home or classroom to explore the aspect and quality of poetry. Read the reviews.
Don't miss HATE THAT CAT (September 2008)

Remember those candies with words on them? Here's a book for beginning readers featuring:
Sight Words, Question Marks, Contractions, Compound Words, Rhyming Words, Opposites, and lots more.

Tuesday is Vocabulary Day at Webster School. Sage has been sick and calls her friend Starr for the week's list. Starr hurriedly spells all but the last word, which is unfamiliar to Sage. She scribbles Miss Alaineus.

Instead of using the dictionary, she writes her own creative definition for the last word. She thought it had something to do with the kitchen because the Miss Alaineus drawer held everything that didn't go in the other drawers or it could be a person, like the woman on the spaghetti box.
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Excellent for home and classroom. Highly recommend. [Lesson Plan]

Play with Language - tongue twisters, poems, rhymes, word puzzles, spelling, punctuation and fun!

This will be a frequently requested read.

Also by Robin Pulver, SILENT LETTERS LOUD AND CLEAR (Grades 1-3) (2008) - Wretched...dumb...a pain! Nr, Wright's class is tired of silent letters. The students can't hear them. They make spelling too tricky. Should silent letters be banned forever?

Ages 9-12
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Author Ralph Fletcher encourages young writers by showing them how writers work, how they become writers and how to find a process that works for them. He also lets you in on a big secret. Writers are ordinary people, not special creatures or word sorcerers possessing some magic hidden knowledge. They each find what works best for them. "Good writing happens when humans beings follow particular steps to take control of their sentences -to make their words do what they want them to do."

Several authors contribute what works for them: Kristine George, Gordon Korman, Drew Lamm, Ben Mikaelsen, and Jeridine Nolan.

Topics included: Finding an Idea; Brainstorming; Breaking the Ice: Getting Started; Rereading; Revision, Proofreading.

A daily journal for young writers everywhere, packed with inspiration and ideas!

To be a writer, you have to practice--according to award-winning author Susie Morgenstern. As part of her mission to encourage young people to become writers (because, as she says, "the more writers, the merrier!"), she created The Aspiring Writer's Journal, filled with daily suggestions for writing activities. With quotes about writing and creative-writing topics on every page, this journal will help each young writer to hone his or her skills every day of the year.

Topics included: The Power of Poetry, An Emotional X-ray, What to Write About, Wordplay, Form, Going Public, and recommended poetry books.

Ages 8-12
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Ana Rosa is a 12 year old growing up in the Dominican Republic, a country where words are feared, silence is self-defense and freedom of expression is denied. Her Passion for writing, community and love teach her the power of words and their worthlessness in the face of brute force. "Gradually she learns that her words have the power to transform the world around her celebrating what is most beautiful on her island and transcending even the most unthinkable of tragedies."

An inspiring novel.

From sonnets to double dactyls, Odes to limericks -- Raschka and Janeczko (and a frisky mule) Make learning the rules of poetry So much fun!

Presented in this splendid and playful volume are lively examples of twenty-nine poetic forms, demonstrating not only the (sometimes bendable) rules of poetry, but also the spirit that brings these forms so wonderfully to life.

Also by Marvin Terban, The Dove Dove: Funny Homograph Riddles

Activities to Reinforce and Teach Sight Words
Reading/Writing, level: Elementary K-2 - Games and activities

The Enormous Egg
by Oliver Butterworth

Egg Reading Adventure - K-5
Objectives and Goals: Practice Creative writing skills, measuring skills, working together; activity helps children to enjoy reading.

Jump to Spell: Learning the Keyboard - Grade Levels 2-5
Major Objective: To spell words by jumping on a teacher-made computer keyboard

100 WORDS EVERY HIGH SCHOOL GRAUDATE SHOULD KNOW - download or print available.
ORDER: The American Heritage® College Dictionary, Fourth Edition

Language Dictionaries - Over 30 Multi-lingual Dictionaries, Translation, Grammars, Language Identifiers

Online Dictionary Query

Visit the Language Arts Section of ETC for additional resources.

Visit the Baby/PreK Section of ETC for Word Books

Interactive Word Wall Activity [Elementary]- A word wall is a systematically organized collection of words displayed in large letters on a wall or other large display place in the classroom. It is a tool to use, not just display.
Word Wall & On the Back Activities - Reading/Writing, level: Elementary - Word Wall Lesson Plans

Word Race - Grades 1, 2
Objective: Students will practice examining, copying out, and reading words that are written in the classroom.

The Missing Word - Objectives: Students will be able to predict possible missing words from a short story (picture book)by using context clues and graphophonic clues.

Word Command - Word of the Day -
To subscribe, visit http://www.wordcommand.com/wordoftheday.htm

Metaphor Project: The English Teachers' Tool Bag

Distinguish Between Analogy vs Metaphor

Phrase Finder - a professional writers' resource for generating ideas for headlines, advertising copy, song lyrics etc.&

Cliché Finder - and Just what IS a cliche'
The Book of Clichés - Words to Say in Time of Trouble

The Word Wizard - Join a group. Ask a question.

Library Spot - vast resource - libraries, references and reading rooms.