Fantastic strategies for getting high school students excited about writing This book offers 50 creative writing lesson plans from the imaginative and highly acclaimed 826 National writing labs. Created as a resource to reach all students (even those most resistant to creative writing), the off-beat and attention-grabbing lessons include such gems as "Literary Facebooks," where students create a mock Facebook profile based on their favorite literary character, as well as highly practical lessons like the "College Application Essay Boot Camp." These writing lessons are written by experts—and favorite novelists, actors, and other entertainers pitched in too. Road-tested lessons from a stellar national writing lab Inventive and unique lessons that will appeal to even the most difficult-to-reach students Includes a chart linking lessons to the Common Core State Standards 826 National is an organization committed to supporting teachers, publishing student work, and offering services for English language learners.

'Dad walked determinedly down the path, joined by two neighbours with five children between them. As we reached the corner of Kent Avenue, I looked back for one last wave. But Mum had buried her head in her pinny and it was a year before I saw her again.' In June 1940, 10-year-old Pam Hobbs and her sister Iris took the long journey from their council home in Leigh-on-Sea to faraway rural Derbyshire. Living away from Mum and Dad for two long years, Pam was moved between four foster homes. In some she and Iris found a second family, with babies to look after, car rides and picnics, and even a pet pig. But other billets took a more sinister turn, as the adults found it easy to exploit the children in their care. Returning to Essex, things would never be the same again, and the war was far from over. Making do with rations, dodging bombs and helping with the war effort, Pam and her family struggled to get by. In Don't Forget to Write, with warmth and vivid detail, Pam describes a time that was full of overwhelming hardship and devastation; yet also of kindness and humour, resilience and courage.

Creative strategies for getting young students excited about writing Don't Forget to Write for the Elementary Grades offers 50 creative writing lesson plans from the imaginative and highly acclaimed 826 National writing labs. Created as a resource to reach all students (even those most resistant to creative writing), the lessons range from goofy fun (like "The Other Toy Story: Make Your Toys Come to Life") to practical, from sports to science, music to mysteries. These lessons are written by experts, and favorite novelists, actors, and other celebrities pitched in too. Lessons are linked to the Common Core State Standards. A treasure trove of proven, field-tested lessons to teach writing skills Inventive and unique lessons will appeal to even the most difficult-to-reach students 826 National has locations in eight cities: San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Ann Arbor, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, and Washington DC 826 National is a nonprofit organization, founded by Dave Eggers, and committed to supporting teachers, publishing student work, and offering services for English language learners.

I'm certain that you'll feel excited to try out the different kinds of share sessions that Leah discusses...and that she will give you the know-how and confidence you'll need to be successful. - Carl Anderson Author of Assessing Writers Traditionally, the writing workshop is a three-part framework: a minilesson, writing time, and a share session. Because much attention has been given to lessons and conferencing, the share session has sometimes seemed like an afterthought rather than an opportunity for children to look closely at their writing process and discuss it with others. No more. With Don't Forget to Share, Leah Mermelstein helps you recognize the importance of this aspect of the workshop and shows you ways to get maximum instructional impact from it. Don't Forget to Share is the first book to take on the share session in depth, revealing why it's essential to the success of writing workshop. Mermelstein presents insight and smart ideas for conducting share sessions that honor and reinforce individual kids' accomplishments, while at the same time offering them a safe way to get input from other writers. From setting up share sessions to facilitating them, she presents shares that promote rich conversations that support students' improvement in four specific areas of writing: content craft process progress. With in-action transcripts of teachers and students, helpful tips for working with English language learners and struggling writers, suggestions for matching children to share activities, and samples of effective teaching language, Don't Forget to Share has everything you need to not only invest your teaching time in share sessions but to make them work for you and your students. So if you're looking for a new way to ramp up the power of your writing workshop, take the advice of Leah Mermelstein, and Don't Forget to Share.

Between 1916 and 1918, Lance-Corporal George Timmins, a British-born soldier who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote faithfully to his wife and children. Sixty-three letters and four fragments survived. These letters tell the compelling story of a man who, while helping his fellow Canadians make history, used letters home to remain a presence in the lives of his wife and children, and who drew strength from his family to appreciate life's simple pleasures. Timmins's letters offer a rare glimpse into the experiences relationships, and quiet heroism, of ordinary soldiers on the Western Front.

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me: 1. I’m in a coma. 2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore. 3. Sometimes I lie. Amber wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from twenty years ago, this brilliant psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it's the truth?