Educational Songs with Free Worksheets
Sit Down & Write
An engaging rap song for teaching writing skills and written literacy to students. Includes fun worksheets and multiple versions of the song to assist with scaffolding.
"Sit Down & Write” demonstrates how to write and provides examples of activities and professions that require writing. The song is useful for teaching writing skills and reading comprehension, and includes writing strategies and an overview of the writing process. The lyrics include brainstorming and creating an outline, both crucial parts of the writing curriculum. The teaching materials including games and worksheets, help parents and teachers create lesson plans for the song topics. Students will become more adept in applying basic writing skills.
This language arts song is suitable for teaching writing to advanced elementary school (3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade), middle school, high school, and homeschool students or as part of any writing course.
Verse I
Are you the type of writer who uses words as a lighter
To ignite flames on fire as a means to inspire?
Or are you the type of write who writes for herself
For peace of mind, creativity, and mental health?
Are you the type of person who’s quite sure and certain
That you can’t stand writing, reciting, and rehearsing?
Or are you that hidden talent in the back of the class
Who loves to tell stories, but no one cared to ask
Are you a future journalist, playwright, or poet
Developing your skills and you might not even know it
Are you an emcee who’s listened to the greats
And writes rhymes with his ipod, records, and tapes?
Are you an essay writer? Or do you prefer fiction
Concrete, abstract, vivid descriptions
Let’s use these words to document real life
Collect your thoughts, grab a pen, sit down and write
Chorus
Sit down and write
Sit down and write
Sit down and write
Collect your thoughts, grab a pen, sit down and write
Verse II
First you need some focus and a plan
Figure out what you’re writing in the best way you can
Ask yourself questions that you think might be relevant
Access prior knowledge that will help you with development
Free-write, brainstorm, and outline the elements
Refine your craft and write a first draft
Organize your thoughts, connect the future with the past
Now you’re on your way to success real fast
Be open-minded, we all need feedback
Some writers think they’re too good and don’t need that
Embrace other input, be willing to revise
Try to understand your work through someone else’s eyes
Re-evaluate, re-assess, re-organize
Edit and re-edit, that’s a word to the wise
Share your work with others, try reading it aloud
Your finished product will be something that’ll make you proud
Chorus
Verse III
Writing is a form of self-expression,
A way to liberate yourself from all oppression,
It could be a teacher’s plans for next day’s lesson,
Or a novelist who loves to keep you guessing
Writing helps you use imagination
Whether you’re in school or on vacation
I make music in planes and train stations
These lyrics are a form of relaxation
Writing is an absolute necessity
If I couldn’t write people would think less of me
I know it’s not fair but that’s reality
So practice using words ‘cause that’s the recipe
Writing is key communication
You’ll need it for a job application (after graduation)
It’s a form of conversation
All it takes is a little motivation
Chorus
Verse IV
Now that you’ve learned all about the stages
Pick up your pen and write words on pages
Like ancient language engraved and chiseled in stone
Feathers dipped in ink, burnt coal, papyrus scrolls
Tell stories untold, let lyrics unfold
Sometimes you just gotta let it go
Try the many different styles of writing you know
Step out your comfort zone, that’s how you grow
You could be a critic of music, theatre, or sports
Or a stenographer who documents the words in court
You could write long novels or stories that are short
Create tales in Braille and type e-mail
Any way you slice it, writing is essential
Grab a pad or a journal, a pen or a pencil
Your imagination has infinite potential
NWP.org National Writing Project
Ten Ideas That Get Kids Writing
This website has links to other writing projects and resources, and gives helpful hints as to how teachers can motivate students. Tips include encouragement and choosing topics of interest.
ABCTeach.com
Student Writing Checklist
When writing for an academic purpose, students can use this checklist to ensure that they are on the right track.
Think and Write (PDF)
This worksheet booklet is filled with topics for students to write about, from fictional life on other plants to where they would visit if they could go back in time. The goal is to make students think creatively about the topics they can write about.
Writing
ABCTeach’s writing directory is full of writing prompts and activities.
Writing an Essay: The Basics (PDF)
This worksheets provides an organizational structure for students learning how to write a cohesive essay.
AtoZTeacherStuff.com
All About Me
This activity teaches students to write autobiographies and biopoems, and to then interview other students and write biographies for them.
The Other Tall Tales
This activity asks students to study tall tales, and then to write one of their own.
Educationworld.com
“Write” On Target: Writing Assignments for Fun, Friendship and Family
This site suggests three different classroom activities for getting students to write.
Fortune Cookies Motivate Writing
This classroom activity uses fortune cookie messages as inspiration for writing stories.
Mrdonn.org
writing exercises
This site has countless resources for learning how to write. It covers creative writing to school reports, and features activities, online games and links to other resources. Not great but good ideas.
