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Read, Write, Think

I first found this site through my sons English teacher. He had to do the plot diagram online. At first I wondered how this was possible. But as he linked up with the site, I saw how good it really was. When my son had any questions, as to the various parts of the plot diagram, the web site conveniently had pop up menus to explain each part.

Its easy for teachers to find other online tools to get a job done-such as the plot diagram. Sometimes children are more interested in completing a job at a computer rather than the standard pencil and paper. And here is one way they can do that. In addition:

• The Read, Write, Think site offers lessons and resources developed by the International Reading Association and The National Council of Teachers of English.

• The site makes good use of color, spacing, and graphics to make it attractive and user-friendly.

• The site is easily navigated with links to all the major areas clearly identified on the main page. Internal pages have a top menu bar and are fully searchable.

• The lessons make the connection between theory and classroom practice while providing assessments, correlations to national standards and interactive tools to assist students with a reading or writing activity.

• Each lesson is research based, and includes a detailed instructional plan and such student materials as worksheets, interactives, and Web resources.

• Lessons can be sorted by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) and by three areas of literacy practice: learning language, learning about language, learning through language.

Check out the Plot Diagram:

Students simply fill in the blanks, and drag the events over to the positionable plot diagram.
There is a Help button, and a Tips tap that gives instructions and definitions of the various elements that make up the plot.
When students are finished, they can print this up for credit.

They also have about 20 other resources just on plot diagram and structure. Here is some clips from a down-loadable Power Point Presentation.



This graphic organizer matches the way stories are constructed: The climax is the high point, and it's surrounded by rising and falling action,



They also have downloadable practice sheets.

This introduces the concept of text structure to elementary students. This tool can be used as a prewriting graphic organizer for students writing original stories with this circular plot structure, as well as a post reading organizer used to explore the text structures in a book. Students can use the interactive web version, or teacher can print this out to be filled in by students. When students insert main examples of a story's plot directly onto the diagram, the concepts of structure and plot are reinforce each time the tool is used.

They also have many learning tools available to enhance a students learning through fun games.
Abc match is a game that has students practice letter recognition fluency. Students match initial letters with pictures.

Eye on Idioms, teaches students what idioms are .

I especially like the persuasion map which is really a graphic organizer your students can use to write opinion paragraphs or essays. Students could fill it in right on the computer or you could print a blank one to be used in the more traditional way.

This site was originally launched in June 2007, by the International Reading Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. The activites on the site provide a fun twist to literacy fundamental concepts.



http://www.reuters.com/article/pressrelease
ReadWriteThink.org Launches Enhanced Summer Literacy Site

http://www.readwritethink.org