Aliens

This activity requires the book Earthlets and pompom critters ordered from a supplier such as Oriental Trading Co.

Students in this activity should start thinking about describing things with writing. They should use writing to explain what their aliens look like, where they live, what they eat, and information about things they do. This is a great activity for any level because students can take the story to any level of complexity they wish.

Anticipatory set

Read Earthlets: As Explained By Professor Xargle By Jeanne Willis

Students love to think about and discuss what the author is referring to. Great for inference and reading between the lines.

Prewriting

Have students name and share information about their alien. They can share where they are going to have their alien coming from and what they do at that planet. Food is always the funnest part of this because aliens can eat anything, in any way.

Draft

Have students start writing their story. Students can help with one ali9en if you want to do a group writing activity or work on their won. This is a good time to reemphasize the use of implicit information.

Edit

Have students edit their work or assist students with remembering capitals or periods. This is a great place for a rubric to evaluate the originality as well as conventions.

Publish

Students love to read each otherís work and see what interesting ideas other students put in their story.