Definition of Ideas

Ideas are what the writer has to say, a message. The ideas should be fresh and original. The ideas should also come from the writer's experience. The paper should be interesting and hold the reader's attention all the way through. The paper should contain supporting details that enrich the main idea. The main ideas should stand out from the supporting details. The writer should show how people respond to life and to each other.

Rubric...Ideas - Interesting Things to Say

Instructions:

• Read the paper all the way through.

• Read the criteria item and enter Y for Yes, N for No, and S for Sort of.

• Mark your score in the space provided.

• Give 1 point for each Y, 1/2 point for each S and 0 points for each N
  
  ___ ___ It all makes sense.
  
  ___ ___ I seem like an expert on this topic.
  
  ___ ___ I have included interesting details not everyone would think of.
  
  ___ ___ I would be able to answer the reader's questions about this topic.
  
  ___ ___ Once you start reading, you won't want to stop.

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans

The Big Book of Ready-to-Go Writing Lessons 50 Engaging Activities with Graphic Organizers That Teach Kids How to Tell a Story, Convey Information, Describe, Persuade & More!, Marcia Miller and Martin Lee, Grades 3-6, ISBN: GLA -07747-8 $14.95

Seeing With New Eyes

Literature to Illustrate Ideas and Content

Please click on the underlined, linked author's name to pursue an author study.

Book Title	Author
Everybody Needs a Rock	Byrd Baylor
Anancy and Mr. Dry Bone	Fiona French
The Old Ladies Who Liked Cats	Carol Greene
The Doorbell Rang	Pat Hutchins
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse	Leo Lionni
Miss Nelson is Back	James Marshall
Make Way for Ducklings	Robert McCloskey
If the Dinosaurs Came Back	Bernard Most
Sam Bangs and Moonshine	Evaline Ness
Chicken Sunday	Patricia Polacco
Jumanji	Chris Van Allsburg
Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport	Marjorie Sharmat
The Day that Henry Cleaned His Room	Sarah Wilson
A Child's Portrait of Shakespeare	Lois Burdett
The Armadillo from Amarillo	Lynne Cherry
The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks	Joanna Cole
On the Day You Were Born	Debra Frasier
Great Crystal Bear	Carolyn Lesser
The Always Prayer Shawl	Sheldon Oberman
Roxaboxen	Alice McLerran

Samples

Samples, Grades 1 - 3

Samples, Grades 4 - 5

My favret dog
Grandma's Dog
What You Can Do On a Rainy Day
dinosaurs
Airplans
What If?
My Trip to Disneyland
Horses
Ruder
The special people in orgon

Web Resources on Ideas

Descriptors for Ideas
Examples 1
Examples 2