Adult Education Tools for Common Core Centers

Help student writers understand and read their essays from readers' perspectives with this nine page presentation. The analogy of learning to drive is used to help writers understand that reading punctuation is like obeying road signs. Includes: Many roles of a writer Visually stimulating graphics Defining Writer as Reader Practicing Writer as Reader slides (indiividual/group activity) Peer Workshopping Following the steps of reading, listening, and correcting Excellent for introducing writers' roles, peer workshopping, and understanding punctuation.

Have you ever wondered how fake news makes such big headlines? Circular reporting, or false confirmation, is the term used to show how information spreads and becomes truth. This active learning, critical thinking, visual lesson plan and presentation introduces students to how we believe, and how false news spreads, as well as introduces how to define research sources. Students learn about primary, secondary, and tertiary sources for research and writing. Contains upper level current events content; use with appropriate ages and grades. Activities and Lesson Plan Includes: Teacher Lesson Plans with Step-by-Step Discussion Guide Evaluating Valid Information (Dr. Jeremy Dean) Class Poll: Gullible or Skeptical? False Advertisement by April Uno about Phillip Morris (Marijuana) Descartes and Spinoza 17th Century Debate on How We Believe Daniel Gilbert's 1993 Robbery Study Define: Circular Reporting and False Confirmation How False Information is Circulated 1994 Microsoft Hoax Benghazi and False Reporting Examples of False Information Reported as Truth How to Avoid Circular Reporting Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources (with labeling activity) Re-evaluating Beliefs and Class Poll Discussion Questions on Citing Sources and Social Media Optional Activities: Classic Telephone Game, Class Debate and Jury Trial, Evaluating Websites Excellent for teaching fact-based information, citing sources, propaganda in the news, journalism reporting, beliefs/ethics/morals, AP courses, Dual Credit, Philosophy. Lots of engaging, critical thinking activities for debates and discussions. Meets CCSS ELA.

Revised to include social media rules along with academic, creative, journalism. Help students categorize essays to determine what kind of guidelines to use. The 10 slide handout/presentation includes: Breakdown of 4 kinds of writing: academic, creative, journalism, and Texting When and How to use specific guidelines Easy Categorizing of essays Comparison of rules Printable Handout of Categories and Rules Activities Peer Workshopping Component Easy to understand and follow, great for standardized assessment strategies, and perfect for upper level/college bound students.

A 15 page resource for student publishing of essays and written works includes: Guideline checklist Author Tips Cover Sheet/Query Letter Publishing Tips Where to Send Work: Online, local, regional, national... Books for Publishing Help Blogging Self-Publishing Publishing Checklist to Guide Students through the Process Publishing Summary List (Keep up with correspondence) Can be used individually, small/whole group, with flipped classrooms, homework, assessment of writing processes, for peer workshopping, grammar reinforcements, and as real life writing assignment. Easy to follow and implement in ELA/Journalism classrooms.

Do your students need help defining,understanding, and identifying academic, scholarly research sources? This 16 page easy-to-follow lesson includes:

Discussion/Reflection on where students search for sources

What is scholarly research? (An Overview)

Table of Other Kinds of Sources: Popular, Trade, News & Opinion

Activity for Kinds of Resources

Types of Research Resources: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Activity for Types of Research Resources

Where to Locate Scholarly Research

How to Know if Your Research can be Used

Using Wikipedia--Yes or No?

Evaluating Wikipedia Bibliographies

Research Sources Checklist

Great for learning how to categorize and define scholarly research sources! Use with upper level, AP, dual credit, homeschool, college level students, and flipped classrooms.

A simple introduction to parallelism and how to use it in writing. Includes: Explanation Color-coded slides Why writers use parallelism Three activities: Define "parallel" and how it is used in writing, Finding Parallelism, Using Parallelism Peer workshopping component Excellent for mini-lessons, assessment writing, learning basic skills, enhancing writing, and progression of skills. Can be used individually or small/whole group.

Reinforce word origins by having students come up with their own made-up words! Use compound words, foreign words, prefixes/suffixes, shortened words, sound words, rhyming words, etc...for this fun, visual activity. Includes: Directions Definition Example from Classic Poem Student Examples Application Activity Publishing Activities Meets CCSS, improves vocabulary, uses decoding skills, and visualization. Use for individual or group activity.

Simple, to the point 5 slide presentation that walks students through using For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (FANBOYS) in their writings. Includes: Rules Tips Practice Exercises Peer Workshopping Component Meets Common Core Standards for grammar usage.

Make learning prepositions and prepositional phrases fun and easy with this visual writing presentation. 13 pages/slides of active learning strategies for understanding and using prepositions and prepositional phrases along with commas. Includes: Definitions Poem Preposition List Preposition Chair Activity Preposition Walk around the School Campus Easy to use tips Prepositional Phrases Commas and Prepositions Lots of color coded, visual writing examples Practice activities for individual/small/whole group Peer Workshopping Easy for students to follow and use. Great for fllipped classrooms and homeschools. Activities can be used individually or in small or whole group settings. A stimulating visual learning approach to help students understand prepositions and phrases.

Step-by-Step How-To for complete film writing analysis. This 36 page guide has two parts: Getting Started and Writing Your Essay. This easy-to-follow guide includes: What is film analysis? Literary Analysis and Film Concepts Getting Started How to Watch and Take Notes Audience Theme Emotions Writing Your Essay Introduction Plot Summary Body Paragraphs Setting Mood Characters Film Techniques Sound Lighting Symbolism Foreshadowing, Directors and Writers Using Film Quotes Conclusion Peer Workshopping Activity slides for: planning, writing theme and subject, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion Excellent for flipped classrooms, homeschooling, online learners, literacy centers, individual and group learning.

16 page presentation to help students define and understand what a ballad is, how it changed over time, its historical importance, Dand how to write a ballad. Includes: Definition with individual/group activity Examples of ballads throughout time periods Patterns/Rhyme scheme with example Critical thinking & fact based Individual/group activities Write your own ballad individual/group activity Research project with scoring rubric Extra Resources Complete interactive unit for defining, recognizing, teaching and writing ballads. Meets Common Core State Standards.

Help students understand literary criticism and what it is and is not. Includes: group/individual activity to define literary criticism examples of literary criticism journals compare and contract of "critic" definitions links to literary criticism journals where not to find literary criticism types and definitions of literary criticism Simple overview of literary criticism and where to find proper information for academic essays.

Introduce Semi-Colons, Colons, Dashes, and Hyphens with this 14 slide presentation. Includes: definitions examples practice sentences peer workshopping component comprehension checkpoint & answers extra resources This PowerPoint gives students everything they need to successfully use each of the "Other Punctuation Marks" within their essays! Easy to read and follow with color-coded examples. Can be used for ELL/GT/AP and flipped classrooms. Meets CCSS guidelines.

Students learn to write a thesis statement with this interactive presentation. Comes with: Handouts Examples Individual and group writing activities Peer Workshopping Answer Key Supplemental Resources Easy to understand, implement, and use as introduction, reinforcement, or assessment. Meets CCSS.

Interactive, peer workshopping approach to teaching Descriptive Writing. The PowerPoint has 21 slides and includes: Includes: Interactive Activities Descriptive Assignments Frequent checks for comprehension Crossword Puzzle Examples Figurative Language/Senses Peer Workshopping Resources Slide It defines, explains, introduces, and encourages descriptive writing through figurative language, five senses, tone, mood, show not tell, and visualization. Writing activities and handouts for scaffodling, assessment and comprehension of descriptive writing are included.

Are commas alien to your students? Are there not enough or too many commas? This 31 slide presentation uses a color-coded approach combined with peer workshopping and comprehension checks. The mini-lesson presentation addresses and includes: Research slide Extra Resources with practices Comma Comprehension Checks Commas in a List and Series FANBOYS Appositives Directly Speaking to a Person Dependent Clauses Adverbs and Transitions Parenthetical Expressions Adjectives Dates Cities/States Can be used as individual mini-lessons or as review. Provides peer workshopping component and comprehension checks to increase comma skills and usage. Interactive approach is easy to follow and is self-explanatory. Meets Common Core Standards.

Students are headed to college, but do they understand what college level writing is and how it is different from middle/high school writing? This 20 page presentation is just what is needed to reinforce what teachers have been explaining to college bound students--that expectations for college level writing are high! Includes: Activities for interactive learning throughout the presentation List of college level writing expectations Chart of middle/high school writing vs. college level writing Example of thesis from middle to high school to college level Compare/contrast of middle/high school vs. college writing Fill-in-the-blank format for analysis college level writing Tips from professors and students on how to be successful Where to find help with college level writing on campus Activities include: Individual/group define college level writing Compare/contrast middle/high school writing vs. college level writing Writing thesis for different levels of writers Fill-in-the-blank analysis template Give a writer's tip

An easy to understand presentation to help students with mood and tone. Includes: Definitions Quotes Examples Group/Individual Activities with word banks Whole class reviews (Poetry and Prose) Great for literature classes and writing reviews! Meets CCSS.

Students produce personal narratives from memories with this 21 page guide that used the writing process. Includes: Attributes/Characteristics of Narrative Essay Overview of Writing Process Creating life maps (with student examples) Narrowing topics--prewriting stage with examples Narrative writing examples Online Reading: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge Peer workshopping with guided questions: Revision and Editing Final Essay Stage Publishing/Sharing Scoring Rubric Extra Resources The 21 page guide is self-explanatory. It includes interactive writing activities along with using the writing process and peer workshopping strategies to teach narrative writing. Weblink to the online narrative book Gordon Wilfred McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (by Screen Actors Guild) is excellent! Engaging and fun lesson that meets CCSS.

High interest, critical thinking, on-demand writing prompts that include research based facts and references for citations. Great for college and career rigor standards with fact-based, textual evidence writings. Use as individual handouts or for whole group prompts. Includes: Aliens Bigfoot Chupacabra Ghosts Lochness Monster Mermaids Mothman Vampires Werewolves Zombies Fun, on-demand expository, informational, or persuasive prompts that stimulate creative, critical thinking writings! Great for discussions and debates, too. Meets CCSS.