Articles by Brian Tolentino
Argumentative Writing: Argue with Yourself!
Here is an activity to get students “arguing with themselves.” The goal is to build critical thinkers who represent opposing arguments fairly. First, play the video for students. Then discuss as a class. After that, play the video one more time. Once students have a firm understanding of the task, pass out the worksheet provided. It works like a charm in my classes! Worksheets:
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Think-Write-Pass! (Class Writing Activity)
For this task, students need to write a creative story with classmates. Check it out!
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Writing Prompt: Lost in the Woods
Here is my latest story prompt. Students need to watch the video and read the beginning of the story. Then they need to finish writing the story with 150 words or more.
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Simon Biles Article and Comprehension Questions
Here is another “5-minute reading activity.” The goal is simple: get students reading and answering text-based comprehension questions. That’s it. I use these activities with my reluctant readers. Students watch the video, read the text, and answer the questions. These activities have been great for building “psychological momentum” for my students. When students are not used to reading, they resist. They fake read, cheat, copy, etc. This activity is set up for students to succeed […]
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What is Your Greatest Strength and Weakness?
Here are two common interview questions that I like to use as writing prompts. I have students write 150 words or more for each prompt, and I assign them together. Prompt 1: What is Your Greatest Strength? Prompt 2: What is your Greatest Weakness?
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