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5th Grade ELA Google Drive Folder

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5th Grade ELA Google Drive Folder

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5th Grade ELA Google Drive Folder

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Drive file

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Student's Guide to Writer's Notebook Free Write Section

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Google Drive file

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Writer's Notebook Description - 5th Grade (April 2018)

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What about modern day pen pals?

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I decided to create this project because of my wonderful experience exchanging letters with pen pals in another state. My class had two pen pals, one in California, and one in New Jersey. In...

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Perhaps...

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While I'm preparing to record my next album in Nashville this fall, I've been writing songs and thinking a lot about the process of song writing.

I grew up in a home where everything was turned into a song. We'd sing while doing mundane tasks like washing the dishes and for big events like birthdays and family road trips. We constantly made up songs and it was so much fun.

The inspiration for making up songs with kids is all around you.

This creative and communal activity had a major impact on my life and my career as a children's musician. Not only do I get to write, record and perform songs for kids, but I also get to write songs with kids-with students, through artist-in-residencies in schools, and with my own daughters.

Wondering how you can share this incredibly rewarding creative process your kids? It's pretty simple-even if you don't have formal musical training.

You just need five easy ingredients and you and your kids will be whipping up songs before you know it!

You Will Need:

1. A Topic

What is your song going to be about? Where can you and your kids find inspiration? Everywhere!

What are your kids' interests? Dinosaurs, dolls, colouring...

What time of year is it? Halloween, spring break, Christmas...

What are they learning about in school or preschool? Outer space, colours, parts of the body, photo day...

What tasks are you trying to inspire them to do on their own? Getting dressed, making their bed, brushing their teeth....

The inspiration for making up songs with kids is all around you-just take your pick and you're ready for the next step.

2. A Melody

When writing with young kids, I recommend using melodies of songs you already know. Some classics like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, When the Saints Go Marching In, Oh Susanna ​and Jingle Bells are great easy melodies.

It can even be a melody from a current pop song or your favourite Will's Jams song! Basically, you can use whatever you and your kids are listening to. All you need to do is use the melody as a guide and replace the lyrics to suit your song topic.

Before I get into the next two steps, please note that a chorus and verses are not entirely necessary-with kids, this can be considered a more advanced step. If you are using a melody like Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star, you won't have to worry about the distinction between chorus and verses.

You'll Also Love: 6 Ways To Encourage A Love Of Music In Kids

3. A Chorus

This is the part of the songs that you keep coming back to.

When I'm writing, I like to think of the chorus as the part that speaks to the heart of the song. When you come up with the chorus with your kids, make sure you write about the theme of your song.

The other very important and fun part is the rhyming scheme. Writing songs is a great way for kids to learn rhymes and this is where they can really contribute to the song.

4. Some Verses

The verses are where you can elaborate on the topic of the song or start to tell the story. You can write as many of these as you want.

If you are on a long road trip with the family (possibly the best place to make up songs with kids), I recommend making up as many verses as you can before kids lose interest.

When Jimi Hendrix wrote Purple Haze, he had 10 pages of lyrics even though only three verses made it on the record!

You can do what you like with the verses-just make sure you are sticking to your melody and be sure to maintain a rhyming scheme. The more verses you come up with, the more your kids will get the idea and run with it.

5. A Purpose

What are you writing this song for? You may simply be writing for fun, or to learn something new, share your knowledge or make mundane tasks more interesting.

My favourite reason to write songs with kids is for a special occasion. My family has a long history of writing songs for big events like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and holidays. Nothing makes a special event even more special than a song!

Nothing makes a special event even more special than a song!

If there is a purpose for the song, kids will be more motivated to write it and sing along.

One final thing to consider when writing songs with kids is what you'd like to do with the song when you're done.

Of course, the process of writing a song is fun and worthwhile, but it's now so easy to record kids singing their compositions that you may want to save your songs to listen to later. Personally, I use the voice memo recorder right on my phone or Garage Band.

It doesn't matter whether the song is a masterpiece or just a fun little ditty-I guarantee both you and your kids will get a kick out of listening to it again and again.

I'll finish with a short anecdote. Recently, I've been recording my daughter, Ella, and me singing little songs we've written. The first time I did this, Ella was surprised by how high her voice sounded. After hearing her voice, she looked at me and, drawing on some vocabulary she recently learned at her piano class, she commented in her high little voice, "Daddy, my voice is pretty treble cleffy isn't it?"

Will Stroet is preparing to record his next kids' music album, called WoRdPlAy, this fall in Nashville, Tennessee. To learn more and how you can get involved with this project, visit willmusic.ca.

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A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Songs With Your Kids | CBC Parents

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While I'm preparing to record my next album in Nashville this fall, I've been writing songs and thinking a lot about the process of song writing. I grew up in a home where everything was turned into a song. We'd sing while doing mundane tasks like washing the dishes and for big events like birthdays and family road trips.

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10 ideas...

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Scroll down to upper elementary school ideas

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It's natural for young children to bubble over with ideas, schemes, and jokes. Unfortunately, capturing those ideas on paper does not always come as easily. Here's how you can help your child get in the flow.

Help Your Reluctant Writer at Home

If your child struggles with writing, practicing at home will help, but you don't want to make it seem like another school chore. The answer is to sneak writing into play - and vice versa.

As Joseph Pearce says in The Magical Child, "The child can never learn to play without the parent playing with the child. Play ... is a huge creative potential built within the child, which never develops unless it is stimulated by the adult model, the parent."

Remember that your role as a home writing coach is to have fun and to honor your child's imagination. You don't have to be the drill sergeant in charge of spelling. In fact, research shows us that in the long run, it's far more important to encourage the communication of ideas than to hamper a child's style for the sake of correct spelling.

The root of the word "communication" is "to commune" - in other words, to coax the ideas in your child's brain down through the paper and up into your brain. You can help by:

Saying, "Let's play a game." There's no need to mention "writing game" if your child is a reluctant writer.

Choosing subjects your child loves, like brontosauruses or monster movies or soccer or shoes.

Talking through ideas, asking questions, and listening carefully to answers.

Making drawings, notes, and story maps together, if your child can't remember ideas.

Taking dictation or having your child use a computer.

Praising honestly and liberally.

Keeping games short.

Posting written work on the wall or refrigerator, or sending it to family members and friends. Writing is meant to be shared.

Quitting if it isn't fun for your child or for you.

Try These Games for Grades K-2

Eat Your Words

The reluctant writer of any age often needs to return to the word level. Make it fun by baking dinner rolls or cookies in the shape of words that mean something to your child. For example, if she loves comic books, bend purchased dough into "Pow!" or "Shazam!" If it's her birthday, bake her wish, like "Gameboy II." (And if all this is too messy, use PlayDough or craft clay for words - but don't eat it.)

Survival

Pretend you are stranded on an island somewhere in your apartment, house, garage, or local park. You need to write "Help!" so you will be rescued by planes that are searching for you. You don't have a pencil or paper (and if you did, the writing would be too tiny to be read from the air). Tie towels around your head and take water (it's hot on the island). You and your child must survey your surroundings and invent non-pencil ways to write HELP! If you're in the bathroom, you might make giant letters out of toilet paper (and hope there's no wind). If you're in the garage, you might find paint and brushes. If you're in the park, you can always write with your toe in the playbox sand. Suggest as little as possible, unless your child needs prompting. This game allows the child who balks at writing to experience the power of a single word when it is used for a reason. And if your child's imagination is fertile, don't stop at the first idea. Find as many ways as possible in each room or location.

Flying Messages

You'll need a ball or Frisbee, some tape, and paper cut into six 1-1/2 - 2″- wide strips the long way. Both you and your child should write three commands, one on each strip of paper, that tell the other person to do something physical. For example, you might write, "Hop on your left foot six times" or "Squeak like a mouse." Try not to see each other's commands. Go outside and stand as far apart as your child can toss the ball or Frisbee. You start the game by taping your first strip to the ball or Frisbee. Toss it to your child. He reads the message and follows the instructions. Then he tapes his first strip to the ball or Frisbee and returns a flying message. If you don't have a place to play outside or the weather won't cooperate, you can stuff the message in a sock, ball it up, and toss it inside. (Hint: Don't play this game on a day when you're pooped.) In school, a child with learning problems may not connect why ideas in his head need to land on paper and be read. But when messages fly through the air, affect the other person's behavior (and especially make her look silly), writing makes sense to the child.

Try These Games for Grades 3-5

Fortunately/Unfortunately

The writer Remy Charlip wrote a classic children's book called Fortunately, in which one good event happens, followed by its unfortunate opposite. The book opens with, "Fortunately one day, Ned got a letter that said, 'Please Come to a Surprise Party.' But unfortunately the party was in Florida and he was in New York." You do not need the book to play this game, but it's more fun if you first read it together. (If your local public library doesn't have the book, they can find it for you through interlibrary loan.) Each person playing the game receives one sheet of paper. Write in large letters at the top of a sheet of paper "Fortunately." On the reverse side, write "Unfortunately." Talk with your child about a trip he or she has always wanted to take. To Disney World? Across the United States by bicycle? To the moon? Help your child think of a first sentence about the trip, starting with something like "Fortunately, we won the lottery. Our whole family decided to buy bicycles and ride across the United States. Mother quit her job." Write the "Fortunately" sentences. Then pass each paper to the other player. Turn it over and write the "Unfortunately" part. For example, "Unfortunately, it rained every day, and our bicycles rusted." If your child wants to play more, you can either make new Fortunately/Unfortunately sheets or you can draw a line under the first part and continue the story. Number each part on the front and back, so you can read the finished stories out loud more easily. Remember, this is not the time to fuss about spelling. If it's easier for your child with LD, let her dictate to you. Your role is to help your reluctant writer communicate her ideas to the world.

A Day in the Life

Photographer Rick Smolan has published a series of books called A Day in the Life... showing 24 hours in the life of an astronaut, a country, a state. Now it's your child's turn to create a similar book. Buy your child a disposable camera. Show her one of the Smolan books and explain the concept. Then talk about documenting one day in your child's life (or her pet's or sister's or friend's or whomever she wants). Start the day by photographing your child asleep just before you wake her. Then let her take a photo every hour of the entire day. (Mom, a timer set to an hour will help you remember.) Finish by taking a last shot of her, asleep. When the photos come back from the developer, paste each one on construction paper. Help your child write the details that explain each picture - why she picked the subject, why it is important to her day, and who was nearby but not shown. Make a title page by writing "A Day in the Life of [your child]," with the date she photographed. Punch three holes in the left margin and tie the pages together with yarn or dental floss. Keep the book forever, and show it to everyone. Talking about your child's ideas is a crucial part of writing. It helps your reluctant writer capture those elusive details that sometimes scramble in his brain.

Family Time Capsule

Start by gathering a shoebox, paper and writing tools, and an envelope for each person in the family. Tell the family that you will be making a Family Time Capsule, to be opened in one or five or ten years (or for whatever length of time you and the family vote). It is to be a record of who you were, who you are today, and who you want to be. Have each member of the family write a private letter, telling the world about his or her life. Where were you born? How old are you today? What do you look like? What are your favorite activities? Foods? Books? Movies? Colors? Vacations? What's going on in the world today? Where do you want to be in one or five or ten years? If you have pets in the family, have the children write letters for the pets and take pawprints. When each person is finished, seal the letter in the envelope and write the person's name and date on it. Then add more items to the Family Time Capsule, like baby and current photos, tapes of children singing and talking, postcards from vacations, and drawings. Also include the front page of today's newspaper. Have everyone help seal the box with tape. Then write on the outside "Do NOT open until [date]!" Stash the box somewhere and forget it until Opening Day.

If I Ruled the World

Your child has been elected to rule the world. He will need to give an acceptance speech on TV to his adoring subjects, but must supply the text of his speech to the person (you) who types it for the TelePrompTer. Other members of the campaign (i.e., the family) can also help with all steps leading to the final speech - proper costumes for his Sibling Subjects, setting up the TV studio, and typing the speech. First, choose the props. What hat or crown should the Ruler of the World wear? What outfit? Does he have a personal symbol of greatness, such as a favorite stuffed toy, blanket, item of clothing, or sports equipment? Set up the TV studio. You will need something to function as a camera (it can be pretend), lights turned on the Ruler, a microphone-like object, and something to serve as a podium. If you actually have a camcorder, use it. Otherwise, have your child invent the rest of the props. Now plan the speech. If your child has trouble with handwriting or sequencing, talk first about his ideas for ruling the world. What needs to be changed in the world? What would make it fun for his subjects to live in his world? Is there anybody he wants to thank for helping him reach this important position? What are his plans for the future? If his learning difficulties prevent him from handwriting comfortably, you can audiotape his brainstorming, jot down the key ideas, or take dictation. Then enter it into a computer or print by hand, using (that was 48 point). Tape the papers together so that they form one long sheet. Have another child or friend hold up the paper next to the "camera" and let the Ruler deliver his speech. If you are able to videotape the speech, show it at all family gatherings for the rest of your kid's life.

Make Writing a Game, Not a Chore

Writing has many stages before it reaches paper - generating ideas, noticing likenesses, deciding on one main idea, eliminating others, choosing appropriate words, and putting them in an order that readers can follow - not to mention problems with the physical act of writing.

Your child may not always love to sit down and write. But if he or she can learn to write for a reason and an audience, half the battle is won. Incorporate writing naturally into play and it need not be a chore for your child or for you. Let those ideas flow into print and sparkle.

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7 great ways to encourage kids' writing | Parenting

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It's natural for young children to bubble over with ideas, schemes, and jokes. Unfortunately, capturing those ideas on paper does not always come as easily. Here's how you can help your child get in the flow. If your child struggles with writing, practicing at home will help, but you don't want to make it seem like another school chore.

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5th Grade Fun Writing Activities/ Motivation Ideas!!!!

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Love this for first couple days of writing.

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List of 72 from Journal Buddies Blog

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Fifth grade writing prompts and writing ideas for kids, te achers, and homeschoolers - Fresh journal prompts are always a great inspiration for students, whether they've been writing for years, or whether they're just starting out. Journaling helps students work out problems on paper, create new ideas, and work through feelings and emotions in a constructive way. It also provides an outlet for students to experiment creatively with their writing style, and to develop a process of healthy, daily reflections. For fifth-graders, journaling is also a great tool to encourage students to share thoughts and ideas with one another.

We've put together a list of seventy-two new 5th grade writing prompts. These prompts aim for imagination and the process of ideas, but also will encourage students to think about their outside world and what goes on in their communities. There are prompts that help students to think about their own interests and goals too.

No matter what their individual interests may be, these 5th-grade writing prompts are sure to be a positive addition to the day for every student! Sit back, relax, and watch as your students fall in love with the ideas and inspiration that only journaling can bring.

Seventy-Two 5th Grade Writing Prompts

1. My best day ever

2. Recycling is important because...

3. My greatest accomplishment

4. If I lived in a different country

5. What would it be like to be a foreign exchange student?

6. Once, I was worried about trying __________, but afterward _________

7. Something I'd be scared to try

8. If I could live in any different century...

9. I'm happy I'm an only child/older child/younger child because...

10. The best book I ever read

11. If I was the president, I would ______

12. I think high school will be like

13. If I could drive, I would go...

14. The science fair

15. An awesome invention

16. The homework machine

17. The best grade I ever got

18. My favorite thing on the Internet

19. People should...

20. Getting ready for middle school

21. What I like about my neighborhood

22. Getting lost in an invisible maze

23. Finding a cave inside a tree

24. The best thing to do on Halloween

25. Good sportsmanship

26. Traveling inside a volcano

27. A trip to the museum

28. A message in a bottle

29. Creating a new recipe

30. Living on a 5-star island resort

31. Building an underground base

32. If I had a radio talk show

33. Donating to charity is important because...

34. The benefits of a water-powered or an electric engine

35. Planting trees

36. Silly hats

37. Getting lost in the mall

38. Spinning in a tornado

39. Tightrope walking

40. If I could visit any historical landmark...

41. The time I was most scared

42. The funniest thing that ever happened to me

43. The best advice I ever received

44. The most influential person in my life

45. I was surprised when __________

46. Journaling is important because...

47. A month with no computers

48. My biggest goal

49. Trying out for a team

50. The best kind of weather is...

51. Something I could never lose

52. In ten years, I will ____________

53. My dream job

54. Who should win the election

55. My favorite way to learn

56. If they made a movie about my life, ______ would play me

57. Living in an underground city...

58. My favorite author

59. If I could do one thing to make the world a better place, I would...

60. Trying new things is...

61. Remembering dreams

62. When I need a quiet place, I go ______

63. If I had a day to spend doing anything I wanted, I would ________

64. If I was going on vacation, would I take a car, plane, train, boat, or _______?

65. Uniforms at school are good or bad because...

66. Could my family live without a car, and take bikes or walk places?

67. What would happen if I saw a friend cheating on a test?

68. If I was famous for something, it would be...

69. A good neighbor is someone who...

70. The best way to study is...

71. I can't wait until I'm old enough to...

72. If I could volunteer somewhere, I would _________

Hopefully, this listing of 5th-grade writing prompts is inspiring and useful to you and your students, children, and beloved kids.

Until next time, write on...
If you enjoyed these 5th Grade Writing Prompts,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

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Fifth grade writing prompts and writing ideas for kids, te achers, and homeschoolers - Fresh journal prompts are always a great inspiration for students, whether they've been writing for years, or whether they're just starting out. Journaling helps students work out problems on paper, create new ideas, and work through feelings and emotions in a constructive way.

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5th Grade Conundrums & Keepers for Writing

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5th Grade Conundrums & Keepers for Writing

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Think work from April 24, 2018 Writing Meeting (Vertical planning grades 3-5

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Crosswalk document for 2011 CCLS and 2017 NGLS - grade 5 ELA

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What writers do...