A seven-line poetry form with a diamond shape that contrasts two opposite topics. It can be used in all content areas.

A type of poetry used to represent a particular topic and includes nine specific descriptors.

A poetry form which has five lines, and focuses on a word and its synonyms. It can be useful for representing ideas in content areas.

A poetry form in which students write, vertically on a page, a word or phrase that is central to their poem and then use each letter to begin a line of the poem that describes or refers to the topic.

A long-term inquiry-based activity in which teachers and students select an intriguing story from a news source to use as the basis for inquiry and examination.

An inquiry-based research method in content area study that encourages students to go further in their research beyond general knowledge about a person, event, invention, discovery, or topic.

An informal writing activity in which students communicate their reflections with peers. A student selects an “I wonder” section from his or her Investigative Journals and shares it with another student in writing. The latter reacts to what was shared and continues the correspondence by raising any questions.

Within the multiple stages in the writing process, students do not simply move from one step to the next; rather, they revisit each step to complete their writing.

An informal writing technique which can help ascertain students’ prior knowledge of specific topics, monitor comprehension, or summarize newly acquired knowledge. Students write what they know about a specific topic, which can then be used to determine a starting point for teaching, to evaluate student learning, and to plan future

A step in the writing process, before submission to the teacher for evaluation, in which students review their written work, proofread, and make final edits.