DownWRITE Funny: Using Students' Love of the Ridiculous to Build Serious Writing Skills (Grades 7-12)

This workbook is great fun for elementary and many middle school students with a sense of humor. It offers serious writing concepts and skills cleverly disguised as wacky writing activities. Many adults would benefit from this workbook if it were rephrased and hidden behind a serious dark green cover (although the entire fun factor would be totally erased). I like the kid-friendly definitions and the two-page format for each concept. Most students love fiction, so the ridiculous cartoons and scenarios provide them with an opportunity to master that skill while actually enjoying the process. Good writing must be nurtured over time. Let's meet them where they are at a young age, and maybe they'll learn to enjoy writing, not dread it.

I am a former teacher who now tutors students after school in writing. I used many of the lessons in this book. Even the 6th grade boys I tutor thought they were fun. This book teaches writing skills using silly stories and creative prompts. So different from the dry textbooks they're used to at school.

I ordered a handful of workbooks and resources for 5th and 6th grade grammar and writing to use after the holiday break. I'm a first year teacher with a limited curriculum. The resources I do have are somewhat dry, and I decided I had to have something better for the remainder of the year. It's hard to tell which book I will like the best when I'm ordering online. When I received my order, this one stood out as the best. This book puts the lessons in simple, relatable terms that the students will understand and enjoy. I will likely use this more for 5th grade since I have some gifted students in my 6th grade classes that are more advanced and need something higher level. I may also order Hot Fudge Monday since this author also wrote that book.

Excellent choice for catching and holding teen's attention. Good for reluctant, hard-to-motivate students. Lessons have sense of humor, easily explained with common sense, and good two page format. Answer key in back.

The BEST, BEST, BEST resource ever!! Hilarious and very challenging....that's what I always look for! This is a must!

I love it so much that it gave me more ideas.

Pay attention to the grade ranges on this teaching resource because it is definitely aimed for younger middle school and elementary students. Its format, illustrations, and humor play well with younger kids but fall flat with high school students who find it demeaning. Unfortunately, our department ordered it from an English resource catalog that advertised it as being for middle and high school students. Uh-uh.

Great!