The RAFT strategy (Santa, 1988) helps to guide students’ writing. Often times when we give our students a writing assignment, we give them a vague topic such as “My Biggest Accomplishment,” and some students have trouble knowing where to begin. A RAFT breaks down the writing activity to make it more manageable for students. It can be used in any subject area and is a great way to incorporate writing across the curriculum.

Here’s how it works:
R stands for “Role” – What is the writer’s role? (Ex: news reporter)
A stands for “Audience” - Who is the writer’s audience? (Ex: people in the community)
F stands for “Format” - How should the writer present the information? (Ex: newspaper article)
T stands for “Topic” - What is the author writing about? (Ex: recent election)

Here is a fun creative writing activity that incorporates the RAFT Writing Strategy!

Have 4 containers, each labeled for one of the 4 letters in RAFT. Fill the containers with various roles, audiences, formats, and topics. Have individual students or groups choose randomly from each container to come up with a creative writing activity.

Here are some examples of roles, audiences, formats, and topics to mix and match for your students– ready to be cut out!
CREATIVE WRITING RAFT ACTIVITY

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Literacy Skill Focus: Writing across the curriculum, Summarizing
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Grades
Subject(s): ALL

This classroom newsletter template can be used in any classroom, no matter what subject you teach– Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, or even extra-curricular subjects such as Art or PE. It can also be used at all grade levels.

This newsletter is a great way to incorporate writing across the curriculum, parent contact/involvement, and a review of what was learned in your classroom all in one place. This student-centered activity helps students put learning in their own words, similar to a learning response journal.

Download a PDF version of Classroom Newsletter

GRADE LEVEL(S): Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade

This is a short Mother’s Day writing activity for young students. They write a short, personalized description for each Mother’s Day coupon: “Cleaning Coupon,” “Hugs and Kisses Coupon,” “Breakfast in Bed Coupon,” and “Helping Around the House Coupon.” This activity can easily be adapted for each grade level.

Click here to download the Mother’s Day Coupons for free

This FREE Mother’s Day Math activity is for younger students and incorporates simple addition, subtraction, and money. It is important for students to read and write across all subject areas, including Math!

Click here to download this free Mother’s Day Math activity!

1,2,3 Summary Activity: A 1,2,3 activity can be used in any classroom for almost any subject. This activity helps kids make their own personal connections to what they are learning. It also gives them an opportunity to distinguish main ideas from details. Students can partner up and ask each other the 3 questions they came up with. Check it out at http://literacyteacher.com/teaching-literacy/123-summary-activity/

What I Learned Today: This activity can be done by simply folding a piece of paper in half “hamburger” AND “hotdog” style. This creates 4 areas for writing: “What we learned about today,”  “This is important because,” a picture or diagram that shows their understanding, and a place for students to write any questions they have. Check it out at http://literacyteacher.com/teaching-literacy/what-i-learned-today-quad-fold-activity/

Use your Vocabulary: Write down the vocabulary words associated with the day’s lesson on the board. Students write a short summary of what they learned using each or most of the vocabulary words.

Answer EQ/Ticket out the Door: There should be a culminating question that is answered during the day’s lesson. Some school districts call these questions EQs, or “essential questions.” Have students answer this question on a scrap sheet of paper to demonstrate their understanding. They must have this question answered correctly to leave the classroom or transition to the next activity.

Learning Log: Have students keep a “learning log” journal where they write down what they are learning and their response to their learning. They can include questions they have, misunderstandings, or areas of weakness. This gives students the opportunity to explain, in their own words, what they have learned. It also gives them a safe avenue to ask questions.

KWL Chart: (What do you Know? What do you Want to know? What did you Learn?) At the beginning of a lesson, introduce students to a concept such as fractions or adverbs by asking them what they already know about it and what they want to learn. Then, as the closing activity, have students fill out the “What did you learn?” column. Check out a printable PDF at http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/l/lessonplans_graphicorg_pdfs_kwl.pdf

Finish the Sentences: This quick and easy activity helps students make connections to their learning and summarize what they learned in a way that is meaningful to them. It also incorporates writing across the curriculum. Check it out at http://literacyteacher.com/teaching-literacy/finish-the-sentences-writingsummary-activity/

Write a Quiz: Have students write a simple multiple choice or true/false quiz with about 5 questions about what they learned during the lesson. It can serve as a warm-up for the next day– just pass them out randonly.

This quick and easy activity helps students make connections to their learning and summarize what they learned in a way that is meaningful to them. It also incorporates writing across the curriculum.

I learned _________________.
It was interesting that _________________.
I understand _________________.
I don’t understand _________________.
It is important to remember _________________.

This activity is a fun and easy way to introduce young students to the concepts of main idea and supporting details.  Students should be led through this process the first few times before doing it independently.

After reading a selection, have each student trace his/her hand on paper. Have them pick out the main idea of the passage and write it in the palm. Then, have them pick out the 5 most important supporting details to write on each finger. You can also use this idea for a paragraph of text with 1 main idea sentence and supporting details. This is a great strategy to teach young students to use when they are learning to determine the most important information from a piece of writing.

1. “Who am I?” Have your students each write a paragraph about an important figure from Black History in first person without mentioning his/her name. Print out a picture of each of them and have the students cut out their silhouettes. Then have them trace the silhouettes onto black construction paper and cut those out too. Place the black silhouette on top of the picture and put one staple on the top. On the bulletin board, put each silhouette with its paragraph. Then, people that walk by can read the paragraphs to guess who each person is before they lift the flap and find out!
2. “A Look Back at Black History!” Turn your bulletin board into a timeline of important events in Black History. You can put your students in groups to research and write paragraphs about each event. Then, have them draw an illustration to represents their event.
3. “African Americans In…” Incorporate the subject you teach into the bulletin board. If you teach Language Arts, place book covers of books by famous African American writers on the bulletin board. If you teach science, put pictures and information about various African American scientists and inventors. Your students can write about these people for you. If you teach PE, art, music, or another exploratory class, find information about African American athletes, musicians, artists, etc.
4. “Extra, Extra, Read All About It!” Turn your bulletin board into a “newspaper.” Break it up into sections like: Politics, Sports, Entertainment, and Education. Then, have students write “articles” about famous African Americans in these fields. They can find quotes from these people to incorporate into their stories.
5. “Black History Wall of Fame!” There are countless African Americans that have set world records, won various awards, and changed the world. Honor these people on your bulletin board. Students can write about their achievements to go along with a picture. You can even glam it up Hollywood style!

Each student will choose a “star” of Black History Month to research. Then, using the downloadable template below or a large star cut-out, students will fill out each of the 5 points of the star with different information:

For older students:
1) Who is your Black History STAR?
2) What did he/she contribute?
3) What area of science did he/she contribute to?
4) How does his/her contribution relate to this area of science?
5) How did he/she make a difference in the world?

This is a FREE download.

Download The Stars of Black History Month Science Activity Here

***IF YOU HAVE YOUNGER STUDENTS, TRY THESE QUESTIONS***

For younger students:
1) Who is your Black History STAR?
2) What did he/she do?
3) How did he/she use science?
4) What kind of science tools do you think they used?
5) How did he/she make a difference in the world?

1. Thank You Notes:  Have students design and write thank you letters to various African American leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Frederick Douglass that fought for equality and justice. (Writing) (All Grades)
2. Commercial: Gather information about African-American inventors such as George T. Sampson, Nathaniel Alexander, and Madame CJ Walker for your students to look through. Many of these people invented items we use all the time. Have the students write and perform a commercial for the different inventions. (Writing, Fluency) (Grades 3-8)
3. Interview: Have students work in pairs and research various African-American figures such as Barack Obama, Colin Powell, and Jerome A. Holmes. One will be the interviewer and one the interviewee. Have them think of questions and answers then conduct the interview for the class. (Writing, Fluency) (Grades 3-8)
4. Newspaper Article: Provide students information about important events in black history or have them research these events. Examples are: Brown vs. Board of Education, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, or the assassination of Dr. King. Have them create newspaper articles that describe these events as if they are breaking news. (Writing) (Grades 3-8)
5. Reading Circles: Put students in groups of 3. Based on their strengths, give each of them one of the following “jobs”– reader, summarizer, writer. If you have to have a group of 4, have 2 readers. Give each group a short book or report about a famous black history figure. The reader will read a paragraph. Then, the summarizer will summarize what was read out loud to the group. The writer will jot down important words and phrases that are mentioned. This will continue until the reading is finished. Then, students will use these words and phrases to do a “quick write” on what they read and share with the class. (Reading, Writing) (Grades 3-8)
6. Speech: Have students imagine they were leaders in the Civil Rights Movement and write motivational speeches to influence changes in society. Give them excerpts of speeches such as “I Have a Dream” for guidance. Then, have them give the speech to the class. (Writing, Fluency) (Grades 3-8)
7. Skit: Provide students with reading materials about important events from Black History such as: Rosa Parks’s story or stories from the Underground Railroad. Have them write and perform skits about these events. (Writing, Fluency) (Grades 3-8)
8. Read a Book: Here are some great titles of books that educate students about black history: 
   Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack and Jerry Pinkney (Grades K-3)
   The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson (Grades K-4)
   Through my Eyes by Ruby Bridges (Grades 3-6)
   The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis (Grades 6-8)
   (Reading)
9. Bulletin Board/Door Decoration: Have students help you create a bulletin board or door decoration called “What Black History Month Means to Me.”  Have students choose 10 words that summarize what it means to them. You might want to give them an example such as “unity,” “equality,” or “harmony.” Students can write their words on the bulletin board or door, write them on a sheet of construction paper, or cut the letters out. (Writing) (Grades K-3)
10. “This Makes me Feel…”: Print out various Jim Crow laws and also some motivational quotes from various African American leaders. Give each student one. Have them write down the feelings they get when reading them. Students can rotate these until they have had about 10. Then, go through some or all of these with the class and have students share their feelings about them. (Writing, Fluency) (Grades 3-8)

Literacy Skill Focus

Subject: Language Arts, Social Studies, Reading, Writing

Grade Level: 3-8

Length: 5 pages

This is a FREE download!

Click Here To Download The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lesson Plan and Activity

Short summary

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Summary

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Short summary

Genre: SPORTS
Number of Readers: 9
Length: 7-10 minutes; 7 pages
Grade Level(s): 4-8
Characters: Narrator 1, Narrator 2, Eli, Nate, Coach Moore, Tom, Gavin, Chad, Ms. Davis

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Example Topic: World War I

ABC Summaries can be used in any subject area. For difficult letters such a Q, X, and Z, you can bend the rules a little bit for your students. Their ABC Summaries can be in order (like the example below) or not.

Alliances, nationalism, and militarism each played a part in causing World War I.
But the spark that started the war happened when a Serbian nationalist shot and killed the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Consequently, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in 1914.
Declaration of war caused each country’s allies to join the conflict.
Even though Italy was part of the Triple Alliance, it began the war as a neutral country.
France, Great Britain, Russia, and other countries made up the Allied Powers.
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria, and other countries made up the Central Powers.
However, Italy remained neutral until 1915 then joined the Allied Powers.
In spite of the fact that Germany thought the war would be quick and easy to win, neither side was having much luck advancing against the other.
Just as 1915 began, the sides dug trenches separated by a thin strip of land called “no-man’s land.”
Kept in these trenches with rats, flooding, and death all around them proved grueling for the soldiers.
Lord Kitchener, the British field marshal, said of trench warfare, “I don’t know what is to be done; this isn’t war.”
Most battles began with heavy artillery fire then one side storming the other’s trenches.
New weapons such as machine guns, tanks, and poison gas made the war even more horrifying.
Over a million casualties resulted from the Battle of the Somme alone.
President Wilson declared the United States’ neutrality, but that all changed in 1917.
Quite upset by u-boat activity and the Zimmerman Note, the United States entered the war.
Requiring men ages 21-30 to register with the draft board, the Selective Service Act brought fresh soldiers to the Allies’ army.
Suddenly, the Allies began dominating the war with the help of the U.S. and forced the Central Powers to agree to an armistice.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 and included harsh provisions for Germany.
Understanding that the treaty’s provisions may cause Germany to later retaliate, President Wilson opposed some of the more harsh demands.
Victory was bittersweet for the Allies.
When the war was over, about 37 million were left killed and wounded.
EXpecting future conflicts, the League of Nations was formed to try and prevent war.
Years after the war proved difficult for many.
Zeal replaced despair as the roaring 20s began, the automobile was introduced, and we entered the “Jazz Age.”

Have your students find real world connections to what they learned in class. This is a great homework activity for students of any age. It is incredibly important for students to make these connections; however, we are often so busy covering the curriculum that we don’t find time during the day to help them with these connections. Ask students to find 3 examples of how they will use the information they learned in the “real world.”

Example topic(s): Multiplying & Dividing with Decimals

DECIMALS
1. You have $20 to buy gas, and gas is $2.49/gallon. How many gallons can you buy?
2. You have 7 people coming over for Thanksgiving dinner, and each person will eat about 1.5 pounds of turkey. How many pounds of turkey do you need?
3. Your groceries will cost you $35.55 before tax. Sales tax is $0.07. What will your total be?

Give your students a list of words. I would suggest at least 5 words but no more than 15. Then, have them create a word web that connects the words by their relationships to one another. You can have them write a paragraph as an extension activity to explain their thought process. You can also have them write words on the lines that connect the words (ex: “is an example of…”). This activity demonstrates student understanding, helps them create relevant connections, and reviews vocabulary.

Example Topic(s): Decimal Place Value

This activity can be done by simply folding a piece of paper in half “hamburger” AND “hotdog” style. This creates 4 areas for writing. The top left area is called “What we learned about today.” Here, students can write anything from 1 sentence to a paragraph that summarizes what they learned that day. The top right area is called “This is important because.” Here, students will make real world connections by explaining why it is important that they learned this information. The bottom left area is to draw a picture or diagram that shows their understanding. This can be anything from a diagram of photosynthesis to a fraction with the numerator and denominator labeled. Lastly, the bottom right area allows students to write any questions they have. These questions can address misunderstandings or allow them to ask questions to satisfy their curiosity.

Example Topic: Proper Nouns

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A 1,2,3 activity can be used in any classroom for almost any subject. This activity helps kids make their own personal connections to what they are learning. It also gives them an opportunity to distinguish main ideas from details. Students can partner up and ask each other the 3 questions they came up with.

Example Topics: Volcanoes & Circumference

VOLCANOES
1 sentence that summarizes the main idea of what we learned:
- A volcano is an opening in the earth’s crust where magma and gas can escape.

2 of the most important details:
- There are over 500 active volcanoes.
- Magma that has already erupted is called lava.

3 questions to quiz your classmates:
- What is magma?
- How are volcanoes formed?
- How do volcanoes affect us?

CIRCUMFERENCE
1 sentence that summarizes the main idea of what we learned:
- Circumference is the measurement of the distance around a circle.

2 of the most important details:
- C=pi X d
- C=2 X pi X r

3 questions to quiz your classmates:
- Find the circumference of a circle whose radius is 36cm.
- Find the circumference of a circle whose diameter is 36cm.
- Find the circumference of a coke can.

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20 Sentence Starters…

1. If I could visit anywhere…
2. The color blue reminds me of…
3. My biggest fear is…
4. Once, I had a dream…
5. I have a pet named…
6. If I could fly…
7. If I could be invisible for a day…
8. My favorite thing to do is…
9. When I grow up…
10. The best day of my life was…
11. The worst day of my life was…
12. My favorite book is…
13. My favorite movie is…
14. The best kind of ice cream is…
15. I am really good at…
16. I wish I was better at…
17. My favorite type of music is…
18. The best invention is…
19. If I were president…
20. Today, I am going to…

20 Questions…

1. What is most important to you?
2. What does it mean to be brave?
3. If you had to make your own TV show, what would it be about?
4. What would you do if you won the lottery?
5. What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
6. What is your favorite pair of shoes?
7. What is your most prized possession?
8. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
9. If you could invent anything, what would it be?
10. What is your favorite season?
11. What does “freedom” mean to you?
12. Who is your hero?
13. If you could change anything about the world, what would it be?
14. If you had a time machine, where would you go?
15. What is your most vivid memory?
16. What does happiness feel like?
17. What happened on your first day of school?
18. What did you learn about in school today?
19. If you could change anything about your school, what would it be?
20. What is your favorite day of the week?

20 Story Starters…

1. This morning I woke up and was 2 inches tall!
2. Once upon a time there was a giant named Harry Hubble.
3. The tornado had destroyed the entire neighborhood but left my house untouched.
4. There is a dinosaur in my backyard.
5. Today is the day of the big race!
6. After last night, nothing will ever be the same in the town of Rocky Grove.
7. I think I’m in love.
8. I have been waiting here for four hours.
9. Every kid in town was scared of Old Man Willis.
10. Oliver didn’t know which door to open.
11. Lisa and I were sitting under the willow tree when we heard a big BANG!
12. Today I got a very unexpected letter in the mail.
13. This morning I woke up and was 40 years old.
14. I have a key that can open any door.
15. Reggie Fisher wears all of his clothes backwards and inside out!
16. Tom Trimble is the new town hero!
17. My sister has an imaginary friend named Izzy.
18. Timmy wanted to climb a mountain but was scared of heights.
19. Wes fell out of a 10 story building and lived to tell the story.
20. Last Wednesday, aliens took over the town of Trumble Hill.

20 Story Titles…

1. “The Bee that Couldn’t Buzz”
2. “The Color of Anger”
3. “Kiki the Giraffe’s Big Adventure”
4. “Where Thunder Comes From”
5. “The Woman With 100 Purses”
6. “The Very Cranky Crocodile”
7. “Gladys Grady, the Cat Lady”
8. “The 83 Year Old 5th Grader”
9. “The Wolfman”
10. “The Tiny Giant”
11. “The Very Fashionable Fruit Fly”
12. “The Magic Raincoat”
13. “Nelly the Nosey Neighbor”
14. “The Never-Ending Rainstorm”
15. “The Ocean is Furious Today”
16. “Where the Sky Ends”
17. “Aunt Birdy’s Birdies”
18. “Henry Baker, the Candlestick Maker”
19. “Year 3001”
20. “The Other World Inside My Closet” 

20 Random Ideas…

1. Find a picture and write a story about it.
2. Think of a color and describe it using all 5 senses.
3. Find 10 random words in the dictionary, and write a story using all of them.
4. Write the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” from Baby Bear’s point of view.
5. Change the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” so that she is bad and the wolf is good.
6. Take the last line of a poem and make it the first line in a new poem.
7. Find a random sentence in a book and use it as the first sentence of your story.
8. Write from the point of view of an object in the classroom.
9. Write a sequel to a book you have read.
10. Write instructions for how to do something.
11. Write a newspaper article with the headline: “Midway Students Saves the Day!”
12. Write a letter to your future self.
13. Take a song and turn it into a story.
14. Write a story that rhymes the whole way through.
15. Think of two characters from two different stories or books. Write a story with these two characters as the main characters.
16. Write a story about your favorite character from a movie or TV show.
17. Write a story about an experience that someone else has told you about.
18. Write an entire story only using dialogue.
19. Write about this quote: “We must be the change we wish to see.” –Gandhi
20. Write about this quote: “When you shoot for the moon and you come up short, you still end up among the stars.” –Les Brown

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