Curated OER
More on Restrictive Elements and Punctuation
Continue your look at restrictive and non-restrictive clauses and the use of commas with Yossarian the Grammarian. Non-restrictive means that no new information is being added to your sentence, therefore commas are necessary.
Curated OER
Ending Consonant Blends
Consonant blends at the end of words are shown in this video. The ending is shown first, then other letters jump onto the screen to form a word. A female voice reads all the letters, sounds, and words.
Curated OER
Basic English Grammar - The Simple Past Tense #4
Practice forming questions and pronouncing them correctly in part four of Basic English Grammar - The Simple Past Tense. Questions are formed based on the subject and the object from part three. Scrambled sentences are given to put in...
Curated OER
Infinitive Phrases
Yossarian the Grammarian describes the infinitive as either an adjective, adverb, or noun. A sentence is given for each example on the whiteboard, comparing the infinitive to other adjectives, adverbs, and nouns so that the function of...
Curated OER
Jolly Phonics - Blends - Part 3/3
Sing a little song for a variety of vowel and consonant blends. Each piece is to a tune of a popular children's song. Chant the sound along with a small action!
Curated OER
Jolly Phonics - A to Z - Part 2/3
A little song goes with every letter in the alphabet. This video goes along with the Jolly Phonics vowels video as the songs for the vowels are repeated. Small actions are described for each letter as well to make this video interactive...
Curated OER
Prepositions - English Grammar #3
Finish the series on prepositions of location and direction in this video. Direction and location are distinguished with a description and a vignette at the local playground. Viewers then see a statement and choose the correct...
Curated OER
Basic English Grammar - The Simple Past Tense #2
In part two of "Basic English Grammar - The Simple Past Tense," the reason to use simple past tense is explained more thoroughly. The same video from part one is shown with questions focusing on the reason the past tense is used....
Curated OER
Phonics Song - 2 - The Blends
Two letters pop up on the screen; each sound is said separately, blended together, and finally as part of a word. A picture pops up to visually display the word as well. Two words appear for each blend.
Curated OER
Phonics - Vowel Sounds
A vowel sound with its letter jumps onto the screen, followed by other letters that then make up a word. Each vowel sound is gone through once and then the entire process repeats. Finally, on the third round, readers are encouraged to...
Curated OER
Basic English Grammar - The Simple Past Tense #3
Part three of Basic English Grammar concentrates on asking questions in the simple past tense. A review using a different scenario covers types of past tense verbs, asking learners to fill in the correct form of the verb in various...
Curated OER
ABC Phonics Chant
Scan through the letters of the alphabet, their sounds, and a word that starts with that letter. The letter is flashed along with a picture of the word as a male voice says, "G, /guh/, grape." A quick, efficient resource that can be used...
TED-Ed
The Power of Simple Words
Eschew obfuscation! The message to writers in this short, humorous video is to choose simple, punchy language rather than supercilious, paunchy diction. After all, Dorothy does not say, “No coordinates exist like one’s domicile.”
TED-Ed
Development of English Drama
From mystery plays to Shakespeare! Progress chronologically through the evolution of English drama, which began as a way for English clergymen in the eleventh century to illustrate biblical stories to the mass of illiterate commoners....
TED-Ed
Three Anti-Social Skills to Improve Your Writing
"What?" she said. "That video just told me to eavesdrop, get to know imaginary people, and talk to myself. Interesting." It's all for a good cause, though! These three techniques will help your young writers improve their fictional...
TED-Ed
An Anti-Hero of Ones Own
The antihero, the flawed protagonist of so much of contemporary literature such as Fahrenheit 451, is the subject of a short video that traces the fall from grace of the divine heroes of classical literature to the flawed, far more human...
TED-Ed
Beware of Nominalizations (AKA Zombie Nouns)
Save your sentences from the zombie apocalypse! All you need are juicy, verb-driven sentences. Watch the video to find out how to awaken the living dead in your writing, and then how to put the dead to rest and the life back into your...
TED-Ed
The Power of a Great Introduction
How do you create a great introduction to a literary analysis? Why, you write it last, of course. The narrator of a short video on crafting a great introduction suggests tackling the introduction after you have crafted your thesis,...
Curated OER
Comma Story
Imagine the comma as a clever character, walking around town looking for conjunctions or subordinates to help. The video has an animated character for each of these parts of speech, and provides sample sentences that demonstrate where to...
TED-Ed
Mysteries of Vernacular: Noise
How are noise, nausea, and navel related? They all have the same Latin root! Naus, which once meant ship, went through several transformations to become noise as we know it today. Show your class just how this happened with the...
Curated OER
In on a Secret? That's Dramatic Irony
Struggling to get your learners to understand irony? Try out this video, which clarifies each type of irony before going into more depth on dramatic irony. The narrator relates this type of irony to both horror and comedy films and...
Curated OER
Become a Slam Poet in Five Steps
Teach your class five straightforward steps to help them work on their slam poetry. Beautifully illustrated, the video will catch the attention of your pupils and inspire them to compose their own work. After each step is explained, a...
TED-Ed
What is Verbal Irony?
Attitude and tone of voice are everything when it comes to verbal irony. In addition to modeling and defining verbal irony, the narrator of this short video also explains the difference between verbal irony and sarcasm, that bit of...
TED-Ed
Why Is There a "b" in Doubt?
Many doubt the reasoning for having a b in doubt, but do they know the whole story? Pupils can watch as a Latin word becomes the English doubt. The narrator explains the etymology of doubt, emphasizes the importance of meaning and...