K - 5 

Produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors.

Discuss proofreading, grammar checker and spelling checker functions. Why can't we rely on the computer to show us all our mistakes? 

Share the poem My New Spell Checker [Child_lit, February, 1999,: spell check...] 

Issue a reading challenge to another class on same grade level. Students can write questions about "Book of the Week" and send them. 

Write invitations to parents for upcoming classroom events.

Make signs and posters for classroom and bulletin boards. 

Write directions to games and centers in the classroom.

Write directions for software. Keep in notebook by computer for new students
to read.

Document work and assignments for absent students.

Write thank-you notes to staff members during recognition weeks (School Nurse Week, Custodian Appreciation, Bosses' Day).

Write a serial/installment story. Each student contributes a paragraph.

Write articles about school activities for classroom, school, or community
newspaper. 

Web Picks:
ECOT Portal
Rice University is running an electronic magazine ("e-zine") for
teachers as part of its Electronic Community of Teachers (ECOT) program. Check out "Selected Sites", or read one of many indexed articles concerning technology and teaching. You can also log on as a guest and cruise through public folders of different participants, checking out projects, handouts, discussions, resources, and links to on-line courses.

Buddy's Bearded Collie Literacy Notebook 
On-line literacy project for elementary, especially 2nd grade.

Little Explorers   
Picture dictionary, also translates English words to French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

WordCentral.Com   Daily Buzz Word, part of speech, meaning, use in sentence, language extension, and a subscription service if you want the words e-mailed to you daily.