Writing Activities

Students find writing projects much more meaningful when they have an audience for their efforts. Get students involved with writing letters and email to real people. Use simple websites to gather information for projects rather than complex pages.

Activity 1: Ask An Expert
Go to Teacher Tap: Ask An Expert. Develop an activity that uses an online expert:
  • What's the topic/standard addressed?
  • Will this activity be done once or regularly?
  • How will the questions be selected?
  • What information will be sent?
    • school, name, grade, topic, question, thank you
  • Who will type and email the questions?
Use one of the following expert sites for ideas:
42eXplore
Problem Solving w/ WebQuests
Information Processing
Collaboration
Authentic Activities
Visual Communication
Text Communication
Writing Activities
Book-Internet Connections
Integrating Technology
Return to Eduscapes
Activity 2: Reference Resources
Go to Teacher Tap: Reference Resources. Sometimes reference tools are a better use of time than searching for websites on a particular topic. Can online references really help students answer questions? Or, will they just make students more frustrated? Think like a student and complete the following activity:
  • Create a list of three questions that might be asked at your grade level. Choose three different topics.
  • Use websites to answer the questions, then address the following questions:
  • Were you able to answer the questions? What three words best describe your experience using online resources to answer specific questions?
  • What strategies could be used to make the experience more meaningful or successful?
  • What types of topics and questions would work best using these tools?
K-5 Resources

6-12 Resources
 
Activity 3: Writing with a Purpose - Thank You Notes
Develop an activity the involves locating an email or surface mail address and sending an electronic or KidPix postcard or word processed letter. Learn more about postcard activities at Postcards from America.
 
Electronic Postcards

Finding Addresses
Return to Technology Butterflies

Go on to Book - Internet Connections
Created by Annette Lamb, 1/00. Updated 01/02.