LA_goldrush

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ The Purdue OWL is the premier website for finding all kinds of advice about writing.
 * Purdue Online Writing Lab**

http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=36 This site, developed by NCTE has a variety of plans for a variety of reading/writing assignments targeted at a variety of grade levels.
 * Read Write Think**

WOW, I love this site! I have spent so much time checking out the resources. Hundreds of teachers have posted lesson plans and activities by grade level. This is the kind of resource that is extremely helpful for busy educators. Theory and abstract curriculum ideas are great, but easy to access databases like this one are the best. For example, I looked in the 6-8 grade grouping and found ideas for poetry (the newspaper alliteration headline) and activities for vocabulary. Once you click on lesson plans though, it's like you've opened another world! I went into the lesson plan for writing and reading mysteries and I immediately started printing off linked short stories and story maps and mystery vocabulary. I finally had to pull myself away so I could get back to grading. So, needless to say, I'll be going back there when we study mysteries and for just about everything else. The only problem with this website is there's so much information, it's a little overwhelming and addictive accessing all of it. -QUINN BALDWIN

I agree there is so much information on this website. I really like the create a classroom newspaper. I think that this would really work well for social studies and could create a positive community in the classroom depending how you use it. Awsome site. (Trent Murner)

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ The grammar and punctuation on this site are a little higher level, but easily adaptable. The quizzes are good with explanations.
 * Grammar Site**

http://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/ This site gives examples for citation styles.
 * Citation Sources**

http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/ http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/disciplines/engineering_assignments.htm http://www.ecf.utoronto.ca/~writing/handbook.html Various sites that deal with engineering writing.
 * Engineering Writing**


 * Name:** [|Power Proofreading]
 * URL:** http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/proofread
 * Who It's For:** Grades 2-8
 * What It Costs:** Free
 * Description:** Improve students' proofing skills and knowledge of grammar with this fun and easy-to-use site. After a short animated video introduces Power Proofreading, students click the folder for their grade level and select a passage to proof. Each passage's errors focus on a specific skill, so why not preview the passages before class, and pick out the ones you want your class to practice based on your current grammar unit? Then, students simply click to delete, add, or edit as needed to correct grammatical and spelling mistakes. Unlike sites that have students correct grammar in a sentence or by question and answer format, this is one of the few at which students work within a paragraph, a valuable skill for success in standardized testing. Kids need more practice? Try some of Education World's [|Every-Day Edits].

Students will design a Tri-fold brochure presenting a plan to manage the crowds of people that will come to the area once the gold discovery is announced. Make sure you include facts, a convincing plan using persuasive language with both an emotional and logical appeal, photo or graphics, and a slogan. Working in small groups: Do a mock interview of the man who was fishing and discovered the gold nuggets. Write a headline news story for a national newspaper. Write a persuasive letter explaining how your town can manage transportation, housing, food, and goods for arriving minors.
 * Gold Rush (Jana Shelton) **

I like a lot of your ideas that you have. I have done the mock interview before and the students have loved it. I like the headline activity. I think that can be a great assignment or activity for the students on any level, subject or assignment. Good Ideas! (Trenton Murner)