Top 10 debating topics for students

We are just about to get into some class debating.  Here are a few suggestions that you might like to use with your students.

Are social networking sites harmful?

Is it acceptable for society to put someone to death?

Should animal testing be legal or illegal?

Is protesting a justified behaviour to break the law?

Should we stop space exploration?

Does beauty or brains get you ahead in life?

Should there be any zoos in the world?

Is peer pressure beneficial or harmful?

Should students be required to wear uniforms at school?

Television is better than books?

Which came first? Chicken or Egg?

I'd Love to hear your ideas?

The 8 Elements of Effective Writing for Teachers & Students

I have created a poster based on the 8 elements of effective writing model we use at my school.  Students find them very easy to understand and really help them remain focussed on creating quality pieces of writing.  The poster can be downloaded in A3 format here.  Pop it up in your classroom and introduce it to your students.

Weekly Quick Writes for your Students

I have just introduced the weekly quick write for my students as it offers them some freedom in selecting their own weekly writing topics but still ensures that they are working to a plan.

The idea of the quick write is that out of a one hour block the teacher discusses a ten minute focus for writing such as linking sentences or using figurative language.  Next students write for a dedicated 40 minutes and then finally spend 10 minutes highlighting areas of their text and reflecting upon the focus that started the lesson. 

The planner I have put together lasts for a term and You can download it here.

Science and Literacy Task: Paper Helicopters

If you are looking for something fun to spice up your writing sessions that you can do with students of all ages then look no further.  Simply Download this template pack I found on Paper Helicopters from Primary Science and you can choose to fo as little or as  far as you like with the science elements from the planner.

Then get you students to create a procedural text explaining how the paper helicopter works.  If you are looking for somewhere to start with procedural texts then look no further than here.

you kids will find this a fun writing activity and really enjoy the opportunity to do something different.  I hope you enjoy it.

The Ultimate Guide to Writing Information Reports

Teachers and students will hopefully find this set of lessons included in the PowerPoint below really useful in teaching students about writing information reports.  It is suitable for students of all ages.  You Can Simply Download the PowerPoint Here.