Writer's Choice Grade 6Web ResourcesWriter's Choice Online provides you with many outside resources.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Internet sites referenced here are not under the control of Glencoe/McGraw-Hill; therefore Glencoe makes no representation concerning the content of these sites, their ongoing availability, or links their hosts and/or sponsors may choose to add or delete. We encourage teachers to preview the sites before students access them. COMPOSITION
ABC's
of the Writing Process
This site guides you through each of the five stages of composition:
prewriting, writing, revising, editing, and publishing. With tips and
checklists, this site coaches you on how to approach any writing challenge.
Creative
Writing for Teens
This huge collection of online writing resources covers everything that young
writers may need to know. Just click on a topic listed in the left column—such
as Writer's Block, Story Development, or Editing/Revising—and you're on your
way to better writing.
St.
Cloud State University Literacy Education Online
Having trouble with a writing assignment? This site is loaded with solutions to
common writing problems. Whether you have a question about commas or clarifying
ideas, the suggestions offered here will help you feel more confident about
your writing skills.
Writing
with Writers
Visit this site and you'll find an online writing seminar staffed by acclaimed
authors. The writers featured here offer specific writing strategies and
exercises. Whether you're writing a poem, a mystery, or even a book review,
you'll find great ideas for revising and improving your work.
GRAMMAR Big Dog's Grammar
Take a bite out of bad grammar! Your tour through various parts of speech
provides background information, rules, examples, and interactive self-tests to
confirm your understanding. Extend your knowledge of research paper dos and
don'ts with the MLA Quick Guide.
English-Zone.com
If practice makes perfect, then here's your chance to perfect your grammar
skills with easy, intermediate, or advanced levels of study. Spend some time
reviewing the study skills page, and learn how to become a better student.
Grammar
Bytes
Are you looking for an interrupter, a collective noun, an appositive, or a
gerund phrase? You'll find them here, along with a study of irregular verbs,
four ways to correct comma splices and fused sentences, and a host of other
grammar rules, definitions, and explanations. Test your grammar knowledge with
fun, interactive exercises!
Grammar
Rock
This site celebrates the wildly popular Schoolhouse Rock series, which
aired in the 1970s on ABC television and enjoyed a revival in the 1990s. Review
what you know about the various parts of speech by reading the text of songs
such as "Conjunction Junction" and "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get
Your Adverbs Here".
PUBLICATIONS Arts & Letters
Daily
This site includes an abundance of links to important newspapers, magazines,
journals, news services, book reviews, columnists, search engines, utilities,
and amusements. Lead- ins to articles of note, new books, essays and
opinions—with links to the online source page—are updated daily. This is an
invaluable source for keeping up with what is happening in the world of
language, literature, the arts, criticism, and culture.
Stone
Soup Magazine
For over a quarter of a century, Stone Soup magazine has been publishing
stories and poems by young writers like you. Now you can read portions of this
magazine online. Be sure to check out the stories and writing activities in the
Projects section.
LITERATURE A & E Book Club
At this site, you can read about and discuss classic and contemporary fiction.
This Month contains online discussions of the monthly reading selection, What
People Are Reading reveals what certain stars are reading, and Name That Book
challenges you to identify books on the basis of quotations provided.
Poetry Center
At this site, you can read poetry by both classic and contemporary poets, read
essays and advice from the poets themselves, discuss your favorite writers and
poems, and share your own writing with other students from all over the world.
University
of Virginia's Modern English Collection
This site gives you access to a collection of over 51,000 works of fiction,
nonfiction, poetry, drama, letters, newspapers, manuscripts, and illustrations
from the year 1500 to the present. You can search through the texts by subject
area, such as Women Writers and African American or Native American literature.
LIBRARY AND REFERENCE SITES Bartleby.com
Through this site, you can access a wide variety of novels, plays, poetry, and
nonfiction essays. You can also find the ninth edition of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations and
other reference books, such as The American Heritage Book of English Usage,
Strunk's The Elements of Style, and Oxford Shakespeare.Britannica.com
This is an invaluable site for internet research. Through this site, you can
access the entire Encycloæpdia Britannica, read articles selected from
more than seventy of the world's top magazines as well as daily news postings
from the Washington Post, and link to thousands of the Web's best sites.
Cornell
Theory Center Arts & Social Sciences Gateway
This language arts page provides links to a variety of online reference works,
including dictionaries, biographical encyclopedias, thesauri, and Virtual Facts
on File. Also included are links to excellent elementary, middle, and high
school literature book lists.
Infoplease.com
Kids' Almanac
The almanacs, dictionary, encyclopedia, and atlas available at this site
provide access to thousands of facts sorted into easy-to-navigate categories.
If you have trouble finding the information you need, the Homework Helpers in
the Homework Center may be able to help.
The Internet Public Library
With an extensive selection of reference tools, online exhibits, and online
texts, this site is a great starting point for any research or writing project.
Through this site, you can access newspapers from every state and many
countries as well.
Library
Spot
Browse the stacks of the world's libraries at this Web site. In addition,
you'll find links to school libraries, presidential libraries, and specialized
libraries, as well as a nicely stocked Reference Desk.
The New York
Times Learning Network
Here you can reflect on the past with daily historical facts, stay current with
news summaries, and test your knowledge with current events quizzes.
Refdesk.com
With hundreds of sources of information, this award-winning Web site claims
that it's the "single best source for facts on the Net"—and you just
may agree. Links to newspapers and magazines from all over the world give
research a worldwide perspective. And if you can't find what you're looking for
on this page, Refdesk.com provides links to the Top 10 Search Engines.
Research-It!
Use the language, library, and geographical tools on this site to find a
variety of information—from a rhyming word for your poem to a map of another
country. Links to a variety of online reference works, such as the CIA Factbook,
Biographical Dictionary, and Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, make this site a great resource for
research assignments.
Word
Central
Take a virtual walk through the halls of Word Central where you'll find the
Science Lab (English Experiments), the Music Room (Rhyming Dictionary), the
Computer Lab (Coding Chamber), and more. You'll find a different word game to
play within each room. If you prefer, you can simply search the dictionary for
word meanings and spellings. Be sure to visit the Cafeteria where you can feed
your brain with the definition, origin, and uses of the Daily Buzzword.
VOCABULARY SKILLS The
Language Center at Merriam-Webster Online
You'll find more than just word definitions, synonyms, idioms, and related words
using this online dictionary and thesaurus. Have some fun while improving your
vocabulary, spelling skills, and knowledge of the English language with Word
Games, Word of the Day, and transcripts of the daily radio broadcast Word for
the Wise.
Vocabulary
University
Earn your diploma from the Vocabulary University by playing SAT-type word puzzles.
This site aims to blend fun and learning into vocabulary-building exercises. Visit Word City, a "city" of root-word buildings, or travel
to the Championship Playoffs for some challenging word puzzles.
STUDY SKILLS The CalREN Project Study Tips
The CalREN Project Study Tips Web site is loaded with advice on how to make the
most of your study time. Here you'll learn ways to conquer procrastination,
enhance your listening, and improve your test-taking skills. If you think your
study skills could use improvement, this site can help you detect the habits
you need to change.
Help
With Your Studies
This site can help you develop great study skills, prepare for tests, improve
classroom concentration, and improve your memory. If English is your second
language, there's even a section of study tips especially for you.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS The
History Channel Speech Archive
At this site you can "hear the words that changed the world." The
History Channel's Speech Archive includes recordings of some of the most famous
speeches of the twentieth century. As you listen, try to determine how
effective speakers use their voice to emphasize main points and to set the mood
of their presentations. As these recordings demonstrate, delivery makes a
speech memorable.
International Listening
Association
Sponsored by the International Listening Association, the site is dedicated to
the study, development, and teaching of listening skills and techniques.
Practice your listening skills with exercises and learn ways to identify and
improve poor listening habits.
The
Peanuts Homepage
In the Viewing and Representing unit in Writer's Choice, you learn how
various media messages—from cartoons to advertisements to films—use elements of
humor and design to make comments about a person or event. This site features
more than one hundred cartoons that pay tribute to Charles Schulz, creator of
the Peanuts cartoon strip. Compare and contrast the different ways in
which the cartoonists use the voices of their own characters to say
"goodbye" to Snoopy and the gang.
Seven
Keys to Listening
This site contains an outline of seven techniques to improve your ability to
listen well and wisely; anecdotes and stories reinforce the suggestions.
Speaker's Anxiety
Making a presentation before an audience can be intimidating, but using
specific strategies can alleviate the nervousness associated with speaker's
anxiety. Go to this Web site to learn more about these techniques, and turn
apprehension into confidence.
The
Write Site
Journalists write stories about events by answering the questions what, who,
when, where, how, and why. Understanding the role of the journalist
and how a story is written can help you evaluate news statements more
completely. The Write Site describes how reporters develop personal writing
styles, conduct research, and use the Internet to uncover data. Visit this site
to learn how journalists deliver the news.
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS About the Internet
This guide from the Boston Public Library can help every student learn to use
the Internet confidently and safely. Introductory Internet information and
definitions can help the novice surfer, while the seasoned navigator will find
tips on evaluating Internet sources and providing citations in school reports.
Interactive
Demonstrations of Electronic Research
This interactive Web site hosted by Colorado State University offers tutorials on locating resources on the Internet. Topics include
tips for refining searches, evaluating sources, and searching online databases.
You'll also find links to selected library catalogs available online.
Learn
the Net
This Web site teaches Internet basics in everyday language. From plugging in a
modem to designing a Web page, you'll find help on just about every Internet
topic. Access resources, articles, and tutorials about the Internet; a helpful
Net Glossary is just a click away if you run across an unfamiliar term.
CAREER AND COLLEGE PLANNING CampusTours
This site allows visitors to take virtual tours of college and university
campuses using Live College WebCams. Sites for Students provides links to a
number of Web sites and services for students, and at the College Admissions
Message Board, you can read others' comments and share your own experiences about
college admissions and campus tours. This site also has helpful links to Other
College Resources.
The College Board
There's no question about it—the more you know about college board tests, the better
prepared you will be to take them. This site's SAT Learning Center allows you to practice for the SAT with real test questions and
tutorials. Click on For Students to begin your search for information on the
AP, SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and CLEP exams.
CollegePrep-
101
If you're starting to think about college, be sure to spend some time at this
site. It's packed with information on a wide range of topics, including
admission standards, financial aid, and the application process. Click on the
Standardized Tests link for answers to frequently asked questions about the SAT
and ACT tests. The discussion includes information about how to prepare for the
tests and what to expect on test day.
Colleges and Universities
Narrow the field of choices for a college or university by reviewing the
resources available at this site. Schools are ranked in a variety of orders,
including academically by subject, best value, and location. You can also find
information on community colleges as well as tips on identifying interests and
skills, obtaining financial aid, and finding internships.
The Employment Guide's CareerWeb
This site offers a job database as well as career advice on everything from
choosing a career path to writing a résumé, interviewing, and conducting a job
search.
Job Corps
Visit this site to learn more about Job Corps, the nation's largest education
and job training program for at- risk youth, ages 16 through 24. Find out
whether Job Corps' academic programs—sometimes leading to a GED - and
vocational training are right for you.
Military Career Guide
Online
With the offer of free training and the experience that follows, the United
States Military is one post- graduate option to consider. At this Web site,
you'll find descriptions of 152 enlisted and officer occupations and the
training, advancement, and educational opportunities that come with each job
type. Click on the links to go directly to the home page of each branch of the
military.
Student Financial
Assistance
At this site, the U.S. Department of Education provides information about how
to secure financial aid for college. You may even complete an application
online.
Virtual
Interviewing Assistant
Learn about strategies for taking part in different types of interviews, read
articles about interviewing from a variety of respected publications, and link
to a number of job- related Web sites.
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