Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:  This site offers a free online dictionary and thesaurus.

Reference Resources Online:  A list of sites that include online dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, telephone directories, and Internet searches to locate information. Also learn about primary sources and where to find them.

Game Station: Writers' Blocks:  Here kids join together to build a story block by block!

Descriptive Writing with Virginia Hamilton:  Have your students participate in this online workshop about descriptive writing. At the end they will be given an opportunity to practice descriptive writing and publish their work online.

Suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs):
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding) 

E/B: Determine key similarities or differences between simple, illustratively supported fiction works and express with simple spoken or written sentences.
E/B: Respond to simple factual questions about a brief illustrated short story and express nonverbally (i.e. pictures, lists, tables, graphic organizers), with one-to-two word responses, or with simple spoken or written words and phrases;
E/B: Create pictures, lists, charts, and graphic organizers to illustrate characteristics of fictional short stories.
E/B: Demonstrate the sequence of events from an illustratively supported short story and express nonverbally (i.e. pictures, lists, tables, graphic organizers) or with one-to-two word responses.
E/B: Identify key characters in a short story nonverbally (i.e. pictures, lists, tables, graphic organizers) or with one-to-two word responses; D: Identify key characters and main ideas in simple literature with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Identify actions of characters in fiction and relate to plot or theme.
E/B: Distinguish between poetry, drama, and short stories when read aloud by using simple spoken sentences; D: Read different and simple literature (poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction) and orally identify each genre and its basic features with simple spoken and written sentences; E: Identify the main characteristics of poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction.
D: Identify the speaker or narrator of a given text with simple spoken and written sentences.
D: Respond to simple factual questions about brief fiction works and express with simple spoken and written sentences.
E: Identify the main idea of a given text and identify how conflict is resolved.
E: Read literature and orally identify metaphors and similes.
E: Identify point of view (i.e. first or third person).