How to Master Acrylic Painting

How to Master Acrylic Painting Learn to Paint with Acrylics ChaptersWhat Are Acrylic Paints?Why Use Acrylic Paints?How Do You Use Acrylic Paints?How Can You Learn to Paint with Acrylics?What Equipment Do You Need to Paint with Acrylics?“Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do.” - Edgar DegasA lot more people would be interested in artistic pursuits like painting, dancing, sculpture, or photography if they had the time and the money.So why not set aside a bit of time and learn how to paint with acrylics?While acrylics can be used for painting walls, they’re mainly used for creating art. From primers, primary colours, and additives to glazes, washes, undercoats, and extra-fine paints, here’s our guide to acrylic painting. Whether you don't have a clue about mixing colours or using an easel, both beginners and experts alike can paint with acrylics. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors D avidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Are Acrylic Paints?Have you just started your art tutorials and you’re not sure where to begin? Not sure what type of paint you should be using or which techniques you should be learning?Painting tutorials can cover plenty of different techniques and mediums (graphite pencils, Indian ink, pastels, poster paints, watercolours, sanguine drawing, charcoal, oil paints, etc.).But what about acrylics? Where do they come from?Acrylic paints are a recent invention. (Source: HoliHo)According to Wikipedia, “Acrylic pai nt is a fast-drying paint made of pigment suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion.”This type of paint is relatively new in comparison to older types of paint like watercolours. Oil paints have also been around for about 500 years. The story of acrylic paint starts more recently.Synthetic paints first appeared in the 1930s in the United States of America. The paint was initially used to paint cars and buildings. However, some artists started using this paint for their works.Artists like Barnett Newman and Marris Louis used their paint mixed with turpentine to paint their works.The paint as we know it today was really invented in 1963. The chemist Henry Levinson invented this paint which could be diluted in water to make it more useful for art.The first brand of this type of acrylic paint was called Liquitex. It was made famous by Andy Warhol who regularly used it in his work.Acrylics started becoming popular in Europe in the 1960s after Pierre Alechinsky discovered them while in the United States.The paint today is made from ground synthetic or natural pigments.  It is then mixed with water and acrylic resin in order to give it its final texture.Learn more about the differences between acrylics, oils and pastels!Why Use Acrylic Paints?What is so special about acrylic paint and what are the advantages of using it?Acrylic paints can be really easy to use. Once they're mixed with a bit of water, they're very easy to paint with.It can be used on a wide range of supports and surfaces making it many artists’ favourite type of paint.However, acrylic paint, unlike oil paint, dries very quickly. It’s therefore very difficult to go back to your work in order to change the colours.Acrylics can be a great way to express your creativity. (Source: bilgecangurer)This can also be its biggest strength. You don’t have to wait weeks for the layers to dry like you have to with oil painting.  That said, some painters do leave their acrylics to dry for a bit longer.Acrylic pai nt can also be used to base your work before painting on a stretched canvas with oils. It doesn’t quite work the other way round, though.You can use acrylics for a variety of different pieces. It’s one of the most common types of paint used in art classes, painting tutorials, and online art classes.  I’ve always loved painting with acrylics.It’s also very easy to quickly copy the greats like Monet, Courbet, Delacroix, Dali, Da Vinci, Picasso, Cézanne, Degas, Rubens, Botticelli, Renoir, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, or Manet.Check here for the best painting courses here. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow Do You Use Acrylic Paints?Acrylics are very easy to use. There are plenty of acrylic painting techniques: you can work with a palette knife, brush, or whatever. You can paint to your heart’s content!So how do use this type of paint?While there’s no surefire way to paint with acrylics, here’s some advice.Start by applying a layer of acrylic paint to smooth out of the surface of your canvas. This paint will also act as the background to your work. If your composition is light, avoid using a dark colour for the base.Make sure that the paint is slightly diluted. Choose a colour close to the main colour of your piece.  Some artists paint shapes directly onto the canvas with a brush. If you’re not sure of yourself, you can sketch with charcoal, chalk, graphite pencils , etc.These are painting classes near me you can take.Unlike watercolours, acrylics won't wash if you add water once it's dried. (Source: Pexels)You’ll need to add colour to your work, too. Start with the background objects first. Even if you make a mistake, you can always go back over it later with the elements in the foreground.Go from the lightest to the darkest colours.  You’ll finish by adding the dark shadows to your piece in order to give it depth. You can achieve a wide range of textures and tones with your strokes. You can create dynamic works with each brushstroke visible.You should then protect your work by using a special varnish for acrylic paints which can be found in art shops. This will stop the paint spoiling over time.Join the discussion: is it easier to paint with acrylics or with to paint with watercolours?How Can You Learn to Paint with Acrylics?Knowing the theory is all well and good, but it’s practice that makes perfect.So how can you learn to paint with acrylic paint in your free time?There are several options depending on why you’re trying to learn and what you’re trying to learn.Learn to Paint in an Art SchoolIf you’re in secondary school or college and looking for something to do with your life, you might consider studying art at university or at an art school.There are plenty of good art schools up and down the country where students will learn a variety of painting techniques (watercolours, acrylics, oils, poster paints, pastels, Indian ink, etc.) and you can find your speciality.Art WorkshopsIn order to learn how to paint, either for work or for fun, you can attend art workshops. These acrylic painting lessons, taught by a professional artist, painter, or art teacher, are a great way for anyone to learn both the basics of art or to improve their artwork.There are plenty of different types of workshops: intensive workshops, how to paint on canvas, painting with knives, painting on glass, silk, porcelain, etc.Learning to paint with acrylics won't be like your art lessons in primary school! (Source: flockine)Get in Touch with Art AssociationsThere are often art associations and groups in the bigger cities and exist to help people get into art. They often offer classes for all levels to learn how to paint with a variety of different paints, including acrylics.You can also meet other art students and learn together by sharing acrylic painting tips and advice.Contact a Private Art TutorIf you have a busy schedule, you can always find a private art tutor.They might be a retired art school teacher, a student currently studying art, or anything in between. Regardless of their profile, they can help you learn how to paint and improve your creativity.Teaching Yourself to PaintSome people would prefer not to attend art classes or get private tutorials. Others just can’t get to a class because they live too far away or just don’t have the time.You can set aside a few hours a week to watch online video tut orials and practise what you learn. This can be a great way to learn how to paint.Whatever you’re painting, you can find videos on learning how to do it online.What Equipment Do You Need to Paint with Acrylics?Whether you’re using acrylics on canvas, paper, mixed media, or another support, you’ll need some equipment. You need to take your budget into account when getting art supplies.Easels, acrylic varnish, paints, canvases, mechanical pencils, white spirit, etc... what exactly do you need to buy?The paint is obviously the first thing you should get if you want to learn how to paint with acrylics. However, there are plenty of different types of acrylic paint.Before you buy your paint, you should check the labels for things like “quick drying” etc. Acrylic paints are generally bigger and cheaper than oils. They’re a good alternative.You also need to buy supports. Canson paper, cotton, linen, or synthetic canvas, the choice is yours. Whether you're doing portrait painting , landscape painting, or a still life.When it comes to buying brushes, avoid buying thin brushes. Acrylics are thick and you need a brush with bristles that can handle them. You can, of course, buy a couple finer brushes for the details.Now discover how to paint with pastels...

The Clothes You Need for Ballet

The Clothes You Need for Ballet Dancer and Ballerina Outfits ChaptersWhat Style of Leotard Should You Choose?Materials for LeotardsColours for LeotardsDo You Need to Wear Underwear with a Leotard?“I feel that the essence of dance is the expression of man â€" the landscape of his soul. I hope that every dance I do reveals something of myself or some wonderful thing a human can be.” - Martha GrahamBallet, hip hop, salsa, and modern jazz are some of the most popular styles of dancing. While we often think that learning to dance is just for kids, you can learn the steps for ballet at any age. More and more adult ballet classes are starting.To do ballet, you’ll often need a ballet leotard, tights, and some demi-pointe or pointe shoes. Tutus are just for use on stage and aren't usually typical dancewear when practising.So how can you choose your leotard? SeamDance Teacher 4.96 (24) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JamieDance Teacher 5.00 (6) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErickaDance Teacher 5.00 (1) £25/h1st le sson free!Discover all our tutors SamuelDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlavioDance Teacher 5.00 (7) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimDance Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HannaDance Teacher 5.00 (4) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ClareDance Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Style of Leotard Should You Choose?There’s more to a leotard than meets the eye. It looks a lot like a bather or a bodysuit without the buttons and it may even have a tutu sewn onto the hips. While most of us probably picture tutus when we think of ballerinas, these are only for performances. (Source: lika777)The leotard isn’t obligatory for every dance class, especially if your dance class doesn’t have a strict policy on what you wear. That said, while you can attend a ballet class in leggings and a tank top, there are several advantages to wearing a leotard.It was designed with movement in mind so you can focus on your dancing without being distracted by your clothing. Similarly, it helps your teacher to better see your movements and correct you if you’re doing it wrong, something they won’t be able to see with baggy clothes. The leotard also acts as a dancer’s second skin and will facilitate their movements. Thus, even if you think you’re too old to wear a leotard, you might want to consider it.There are several types of leotard you can get according to your body type.Dance Leotards with Thick StrapsWhile this style is falling out of fashion, it’s often r ecommended for your children who are just starting their ballet lessons. They can comfortably move without the straps moving about.Leotards with Thin StrapsThis style is far more common. You can find leotards with thin straps, backless, or with elaborate lattices on the back. Make sure that your dance leotard matches your body type:Thin or overweight: avoid lattices on the back as they won’t do much for you.Large chest: avoid plunging necklines and opt for leotards with reinforcement around the chest area.Broad shoulders: avoid thin straps and opt for a crew neck.Small neck: choose a V or boat neck.If you have a short or long torso, you may want adjustable straps.Sleeveless LeotardsThese attach behind the neck and offer a particular style. However, there are a few disadvantages to them:They can pull on the back of your neck and become uncomfortable.As you bend down, they may reveal your chest.If you have large shoulders, they may be unflattering.Short-sleeve, 3/4 Sleeve, or Long S leeve LeotardsWhile very elegant, these types of leotards aren’t very common during ballet for one simple reason: ballet lessons often take place in heated rooms and nobody’s cold while they’re doing ballet.  However, if you don’t like your arms, they may help you feel more comfortable.Leotards with ShortsAs we get older, we may get certain complexes about our bodies. A simple leotard and tights combination might be found for prepubescent children. That said, older dancers may not feel comfortable in this type of clothing.  This is why there are leotards with shorts built into them to hide your thighs and bum. If you still don’t feel comfortable, you can opt to wear leggings over the top.Leotards for MenMen’s leotards usually have short sleeves but there are almost as many variations available as there are for women with V necks, crewnecks, and long-sleeve options available. The bottom of men’s leotards tend to be like briefs and male dancers tend to wear shorts or leg gings over the top of their leotard rather than tights underneath them like female dancers.Find out more about makeup for dancers.Materials for LeotardsComfort is paramount. Thus, there are plenty of different materials used in the manufacture of leotards and only you can decide which one you prefer. Given how physically demanding ballet is, you'll want a leotard that stretches and wicks sweat. (Source: Pexels)LycraThroughout history, this has been the most common material used when making swimwear and gymnastic clothing. Leotards for little girls are usually made of lycra. Generally, it’s quite comfortable, easy to wear, and helps when you sweat. When you’re six years old, you won’t tend to sweat as much, but once you’ve hit puberty, everything changes.  That said, there may be other materials that you prefer.CottonThis is the nicest material to wear but it also retains moisture. Avoid leotards with sleeves if you don’t want sweat patches at the end of your lesson. This material lasts longer but will also become rougher with each wash.MicrofibreThis material is ideal if you sweat a lot as it wicks away moisture. You’ll feel quite dry even after putting the effort in. However, it can get quite warm. Don’t opt for a long sleeve leotard.  You can also go for Tactel ny lon, polyester, or polyamide. Choose materials with elastane in them as they tend to be more comfortable.In any case, make sure you try your leotard before you buy it, especially if it’s your first ever one. If needs to fit without being too tight. If it leaves red marks on your skin, you’ll need to change it. You need to be comfortable when moving around. Try a few dance moves when you try it out: plié, penché, sauté, etc.Colours for LeotardsIn some dance schools, you mightn’t get a choice of colour. In some places, the colour represents your level and is useful for telling apart the beginners from the experts when it comes to an end-of-year show. However, this trend seems to be disappearing, especially in adult classes. Different styles of dance can have very different uniforms. (Source: habanera)Little girls don’t get much of a choice as most leotards are in pinks and purples. After a certain age, you can start picking whatever colour you like. If you’re doing an end-of-year show, your teacher might ask you to get a leotard in a particular colour so that everyone’s in the same colour.You can choose your colours according to your skin colour or hair colour or just according to which colours you like. Warm colours work well with darker hair and skin colours while cold colours work well with fair hair and paler skin tones.Warm colours include:RedDark pinkOrangeYellowCold colours include:BlueGreenPurpleLight pinkYou can also get black and white leotards. Black is thinning and is a good choice if you’re conscious about your weight or your figure.If you opt for a light colour, be aware that some of them can be sheer.Find out more about the cost of ballet outfits.Do You Need to Wear Underwear with a Leotard?For women with larger breasts, a bra is essential. Even if the leotard includes support, it mightn’t be enough and you may end up with back pain and chest pain. Opt for a flesh-coloured bra with adjustable straps. Leotards can take some getting used to. (Source: sobima)You can wear a leotard like a swimsuit, without any underwear. Some dancers may feel more comfortable with nothing underneath than with their knickers hanging out of the bottom or underwear that’ll move about as they dance.However, you’re free to choose whatever you feel most comfortable with. Opt for underwear that doesn’t stick out from under your leotard and knickers that won’t move around as you dance.So which leotard are you going to buy for your ballet lessons?To get you started, we recommend that you check out the ranges from Capezio, Wear Moi, Bloch, and Sansha.For more help with dancewear, dance shoes, or dance costumes, you can always ask your dance teacher or private tutor.If you need more help with ballet, think about getting in touch with the talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. You can get either face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials and since each comes with its pros and co ns, make sure you carefully consider which one will work best for you, your preferred learning style, and your budget.Similarly, many of the tutors on Superprof offer the first hour of tutoring for free. Make use of these free hours to see if you get along with the tutor and whether or not they're right for you.

Pottery Classes Leeds

Pottery Classes Leeds Learning to Throw a Pot in Leeds ChaptersUniquely Local ExperiencesSunken StudioFirefly PotteryJackrabbits PotteryBentham PotteryLoiners feel rightly proud of being our country’s second financial centre after London; it was no mean feat to claw our way up from the small market town we were to being the country’s fourth-largest economy.And we just keep getting better!The green spaces and the retail spaces, the leisure activities and the business activities; the high-speed trains that will get you here quicker and the varied activities that will keep you here longer...Leeds has quite the reputation â€" more students apply to the University of Leeds than any other university in the country; upholding it comes not through dedicated effort but as a matter of course.That’s a small summary of the good things in Leeds. There is a downside...All of the stress and competition in the many law firms â€" we’re also the country’s second legal centre, and the pressure of global and national finance in our many banks can make it feel like the good life to be had in Leeds can be a bit of a stretch.Naturally, Leeds is not only about banking and law; we’ve a generous service sector, too... and a corresponding number of those workers feel stress as well.When you start feeling that way, it is time to back off and relax; to find something to take your mind off things.Have you considered dabbling in the ceramic arts?Any ceramic artist will tell you that there is something so elemental, so soothing about working with clay. Even if you dreaded getting all messy sitting at a potter’s wheel, you could roll clay and coil your way to stress reduction.You’re quite right to believe that throwing a pot (shaping clay on a pottery wheel) is not a tidy undertaking, especially if you don’t know how to do it.That is why you need lessons, preferably hands-on and with a patient instructor as opposed to, say, watching a bunch of online videos and getting discouraged before you even start.Who has time to hunt for cl asses? Your Superprof, of course!We’ve prowled the streets of Leeds looking for the very best adult classes, kids classes, workshops and weekenders â€" any opportunity to get your hands on clay. Now comes the reveal... CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (1 3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsUniquely Local Experiences You may remember playing with modelling clay when you were a child Image by LMoonlight from PixabayWe cannot think of a better place to start our search for pottery lessons than this remarkable venture.It is not a typical pottery studio where several ceramic artists rent space and where clay artists from outside the studio can book kiln time â€" a fairly common occurrence in this particular branch of the visual arts.Electric kilns draw a lot of power; it is more economical for many to share the cost.Uniquely proposes to present people with the chance at one-of-a-kind experiences they might not otherwise enjoy.For instance, let’s say friends you met while on holiday are due to visit in a fortnight. Are you going to give them the standard Leeds tour: the Corn Exchange, Kirkstall Abbey, maybe Roundhay Park...Sure, your friends should see those sights and more but if you wanted to treat them to an unforgettable experience, something with flair, Uniquely Local should be your agents.Of c ourse, any out-of-towners you host would not necessarily find joy in a pottery class; there’s a good chance they may have ceramics classes available to them in their hometown and, as long as we’re supposing, they may even be pottery artists!Besides, there’s nothing particularly ‘Leeds’ about pottery. Glasgow, on the other hand, has a strong pottery heritage...On the other hand, if you had a hen or stag party coming up, this two-hour taster would fit the bill perfectly.You may choose a wheel throwing session, meaning you would use a pottery wheel to work the clay or handbuilding: working the clay without using a wheel.Handbuilding is closer to traditional pottery; coiling strings of clay and pinching them together to form a vessel is the old-fashioned way to do it.  You may actually remember this form of clay art from when you were a child playing with colourful modelling clay.The lessons are held at our next featured studio, Sunken.In this table, we list that location cont act information, along with the other studios in and around Leeds where you could take pottery lessons.Contact Information for Pottery StudiosNameStreet AddressPhone NumberWeb AddressSunken StudioCarlisle Road, Leeds LS10 1LB0773 907 9438www.sunkenstudio.co.ukJackrabbits Pottery633a Roundhay Road Oakwood Leeds LS8 4BA0113 318 9315www.jackrabbitspottery.comFirefly Pottery116 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4AH0113 345 0405https://fireflypottery.co.ukBentham Pottery Oysterber Farm,Low Bentham, North Yorkshire, LA2 7ET0777 608 4856www.benthampottery.com Admittedly, working with clay can be a messy endeavour... Image by ENRIC SAGARRA from PixabaySunken StudioIf a taster is good, a full course must be better, right?Most ceramics artists â€" certainly the ones at Sunken know that you have to understand the creative process before you can apply yourself wholly to ceramic art:clays: knowing what type of clay for any projectshaping: using clay create a formfiring: after the clay dries, exposing it to high heat in a kiln (turning into a bisque, or biscuit)decorating: you might use clay tools to scratch or carve the unfired clay body or use different glazing techniquesyou can also paint pottery before glazing it if you have a certain design in mind; this is called underglaze paintingrefiring: putting back into the electric kiln (or gas kiln) to harden the glazeThat is why they endeavour, through their classes and workshops, to impart as much knowledge as they can about their craft. To them, everyone is a future clay artist.They offer a wide range of classes, from beginners to master classes suitable for experienced artists. The course we found most intriguing was their jewellery taster, which involves working with silver clay.We found no such pottery classes in Birmingham!Especially with the chilly weather creeping up on us, wouldn’t it be great to learn something new in a friendly, warm environment? What a great reason to drop in on Sunken Studios!Really, the major attraction at Firefly is the ‘paint your own pottery’ events.Rather than working the clay yourself, you would choose a biscuit â€" a clay form that has been fired once, decorate it as you wish and leave it at the studio to be fired by the resident artist.Such events are suitable for kids as well as adults; you may consider Firefly for your next hen night!Find out if pottery classes in Manchester are as much fun as they are in Leeds... Many pottery studios in Leeds have biscuits for you to paint Image by Margarita Morales Esparza from PixabayJackrabbits PotteryIn the same vein as Firefly, Jackrabbits has a wide selection of bisque pottery for you to choose a piece for painting and drawing.They host a range of events from children’s birthday parties to the beguiling ‘Tots and Pots’ meant for toddlers. Would you be brave enough to invite a bunch of babies into your china shop?These are not so much classes for children as they are a form of entertainment, albeit educational.  The children are treated to a story and a singalong, a snack and finally, pottery painting. If you're interested in such a session, you should act quickly; at £10 per session, places go fast.Another of Jackrabbit’s specialities is corporate team-building.If you lead a team whose morale needs a boost, a Jackrabbit event is sure to brighten the mood! You may plan the activities or rely on the staff’s experience; either way, it is bound t o be a unique experience for everyone including you.If you are the staff, maybe you could suggest Jackrabbit to your boss...If you must know, not even London pottery classes are quite this much fun!Bentham PotteryPainting pottery is all well and good but what if you want to get hands-on with clay; make your vessel from start to finish?If you don’t mind heading out to the countryside, Bentham has a fantastic, all-inclusive pottery programme designed with you in mind.Their speciality is wheel throwing and they have more than 35 years of experience teaching novice clay artists that skill.You could drive out for their half-day lesson but, as charming as the area is and as much as these talented artists have to offer, why not book their five-day, intensive beginner’s course?Whether you choose pottery making on the wheel or sculpting from a slab, this self-catered sojourn into a working ceramic studio would be well worth your while!Are you tired of searching for pottery classes near m e? No worries, Superprof has done the searching for you!

Best Sports Movies to Inspire

Best Sports Movies to Inspire Find Inspiration from the Best Sports Films ChaptersThe Rocky Films: The Ultimate Motivator for Strength TrainingCoach Carter:Remember the Titans: Teamwork Above All ElseMoneyball: Sport Film by NumbersAny Given Sunday: The Art of the SpeechMillion Dollar BabyWould you like to know how to become a personal trainer and start training budding athletes today?In terms of personal training, you probably already have your specialisation worked out.Do you know how to become a good teacher?  Can you motivate your clients and roll with the punches?Thanks to streaming on Netflix and other movie streaming services, it's never been easier to watch the best sports movies, documentaries, and TV shows. While sitting down and watching movies on Netflix isn't the best way to get fit, there are a number of inspirational sports movies that are just the trick when you don't feel like getting off the sofa. Here are Superprof’s 6 best movies to motivate personal trainers and athletes alike. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Rocky Films: The Ultimate Motivator for Strength TrainingHow could you forget Rocky? From the first “Rocky” movie about the boxer in 1976 to “Creed” (2016), there have been 7 Rocky films made. When it comes to boxing movies, the Rocky films are in a league of their own.These films aren’t just for budding boxers, either. Everyone can take inspiration from the eponymous boxer and the challenges he overcomes.Rocky's a great film to make you want to train. (Source: pixabay.com)If you’re looking to motivate your clients and improve their well-being or just become a personal trainer yourself, Rocky is a film you should be watching.Whether for ph ysical or mental training, you have a choice of 7 different films you can watch to get you pumped up for working out or just make you feel that you can achieve anything.You don’t need to make your clients copy scenes from the movie, though. However, if they want to run up a massive flight of stairs and jump triumphantly at the end, good for them! All athletes love a creative coach.Sadly, the Rocky movies have all been taken off Netflix but you can find the original Rocky to watch on DVD for under £5.Coach Carter:While not the most famous film ever, Coach Carter (2005) quickly became a hit amongst basketball fans and has since gained a bit of a cult following. The film tells the tale of a high school in Richmond, California, whose basketball team, though undefeated, are performing poorly academically.Basketball is a demanding sport. Even more so when your coach makes you pass exams! (Source: pixabay.com)Coach Carter, played by Samuel L. Jackson, arrives at the school and ensures t hat his basketball team adopts a disciplined approach to both basketball and their school. In order to do this, he benches players who are not performing well in their other classes and only plays those who follow his rules. He even makes the students sign contracts outlining what's expected of them and a code of conduct that they must adhere to.Without saying too much, he’s pretty strict. Obviously, a personal trainer needn’t draw up these types of contracts with their own clients. However, it is a good idea to get your goals and objectives in writing and there are also plenty of other things that can be learned from Coach Carter's approach and applied to a variety of coaching regimes (strength training, fitness, weight loss, etc.).It’s about finding the perfect mix of tough love while understanding the psychology of your clients. Coach Carter teaches us that we need to know our students, their strengths and weaknesses in order to get the best out of them in any type of train ing! A personal trainer needs to know how to work with what they’ve got. Just like Samuel L. Jackson who somehow manages to get the impossible out of his players both on and off the court...Find fitness classes near me for personal training. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic che mistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsRemember the Titans: Teamwork Above All ElseRemember the Titans explores racial segregation as coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) attempts to integrate both black and white football players in a Virginian high school. The hiring of Boone as the head coach triggers tensions in both the town and the dressing room.Boone does everything he can to bring the team together despite the fervent racial tensions at the heart of the team. While a difficult challenge, he starts to make progress.Team sports require different preparation. (Source: pixabay.com)Although the film takes place in 1971, its lessons still apply today. Personal trainers all over the world can take inspiration from both the film directed by Boaz Yakin and the true story that inspired it.  The film’s lessons are particularly applicable to those training for team sports and working on dressing room harmony and chemistry.After all, that’s the job of the personal trainer, to get the best out of their athletes by fostering an environment of trust whereby their students can give their all.Without ignoring the racial aspects of the film, the trust built between players and their coach is inevitably what leads to the success of the coaching programme.  Denzel Washington in the main role is uncompromising in the face of complaints as he lets his results do the talking. This makes you hope that everyone can find the right coach for their needs.Moneyball: Sport Film by NumbersHere we have another film based on a true story and probably one of the best baseball movies of all time (sorry, Field of Dreams). Directors seem to love these kinds of tales, after all.  Moneyball, which was directed by Bennett Miller in 2011, stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.It turns out that statistics can help you perform better. (Source: pixabay.com)The film covers the story of the Oakland Athletics new manager trying to assemble a baseball team with a limited budget. Things look bad for the team until the new manager decides to take a different approach to putting his team together.No money?No problem. Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) hires a statistician (Jonah Hill) to draft players based on their stats rather than the recommendations of scouts. The goal is to put together a statistically successful team!Based on a true story, the film Moneyball focuses on the art of strategy in sport.  You can’t ignore stats in personal training, either.How can you train someone without evaluating their strengths and weaknesses? After all, strength training, weight loss, and fitness training all include stats to some degree!Even when it comes nutrition, you’re going to need to look at the numbers.  You’ll need to keep an eye on how many calories each meal contains as well as its nutritional value. You need to carefully work out intake and how much energy is being used in order to safely calculate weight loss. And a potential client is going to look into a prospective trainer's certification and stats when trying to find a personal trainer online.Science and statistics are therefore an integral part of sport and training.Any Given Sunday: The Art of the SpeechAnother sports film with a legendary actor. Any Given Sunday (1999), directed by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino, tells the story of an ageing coach who’s out of touch with modern Ame rican Football, ill-disciplined players, and undiplomatic managment. In the film, Pacino plays the role of Tony D’Amato, the coach of the Miami Sharks (not to be confused with the Miami Dolphins, the team in the NFL).It can be very important what your coach says. (Source: pixabay.com)The film starts with the team’s star quarterback (Dennis Quaid) getting injured and being replaced by a young unknown quarterback (Jamie Foxx). Cameron Diaz plays the young ambitious president of the Sharks who’s uncompromising with her coach.Any Given Sunday covers the difficulties encountered in coaching unfocused athletes unwilling to listen to advice. Above all, Any Given Sunday includes a scene of one of the best pre-game speeches you’ll ever see. 4 minutes of inspirational cinematic wonder.Is there any better motivation than seeing a student pick themselves back up? As a personal trainer, you’ll know that what you say can be hugely important and inspiring and encouraging your trainees is integral to the job. This is the biggest advantage to hiring a personal trainer rather than simply going to the gym.When their confidence is low, it’s up to you as the coach to say a few words of encouragement to get them back on their feet on back on task.Million Dollar BabyLast but not least...  Million Dollar Baby. Just like Rocky, this film also won the Oscar for Best Picture.With Million Dollar Baby also winning Best Director, Hillary Swank winning Best Actress, and Morgan Freeman winning Best Supporting Actor, the film had a great team.Boxing seems to be a great sport for cinema. (Source: pixabay.com)Again like Rocky, the film is about darker side of boxing: motivation, solitude, poverty, and giving your all for a sport... In short, Million Dollar Baby is synonymous with never giving up and believing in yourself.Moving, funny, and tragic, the film teaches us that a coach should never let their athletes give up. They have to keep going!It’s time for you to find your coachi ng style! Once you have, you can sign up to Superprof and start finding clients.There’s a high demand for personal trainers, especially for weight loss, getting fit, nutritional advice, toning, and cardio training. With Superprof you can even become an online  personal trainer as well as providing training face to face.So which are you going to watch first? Rocky or Coach Carter?

Algebra 1 Solver

Algebra 1 Solver Algebra involves Logarithms and exponents. Logarithms were developed for making complicated calculations simple. However, with the advent of computers and hand calculators, doing calculations with the use of logarithms is no longer necessary. But still, logarithmic and exponential equations and functions are commonly used in mathematics. A logarithmic function is the inverse of an exponential function. An exponential function is the inverse of a logarithmic function. Therefore, the two types of functions are related and either can be rewritten in the form of the other. Take an exponential equation an =b this can be written as loga b = n. There are some basic laws for solving logarithmic and exponential functions. The following examples explain the use of logarithmic functions on solving. Example 1:- Solve for x. logx 243 = -5 Solution 1:- We need to change this into exponential form x- 5 = 243 x-5= 35 (because 243 = 35 ) (1/ x) 5 = 35 (because a n = (1/ a) n) 1/x = 3 Therefore, x = 1/3 is the required solution Example 2:- Evaluate the following log672 log6 2 Solution 2:- log672 log6 2 log6 72 /2 =log6 36 = log6 62(by using quotient law) = 2 log6 6 = 2. 1 (because loga a = 1) = 2 Therefore after evaluation, we find that the value of log672 log6 2 is coming out to be 2.

Fear Not The Dorm

Fear Not The Dorm The thought of college elicits no response stronger than that of the dorms, and for incoming college students that response can be a fear of uncertainty. The inevitable questions will line up with roommates, space, cleanliness, bathrooms and other floor mates. However, in reality, dont stress yourself out about the dorms. You could be worrying about what could potentially be the best year of your life. We will have another article dedicated solely to roommates. You will be able to view your dorms size before college. Your colleges website should list every dorm rooms amenities and size. Most of the dorms are about 13x13 feet; however some can be much larger. Your dorm room is likely to be about the same size of your own bedroom at home. Imagine fitting two beds and two desks into that room. It is small; however, there are many ways to maximize space. Some roommates find it beneficial to either loft or bunk their beds. Your college will offer both options. If you decide to bunk your beds, ask your roommate if he/she has a history of wetting the bed. Buy a lie detector test before accepting a stoic no if necessary. You do not want to be on the bottom bunk of an embarrassed liar. This will give you more room; however, if your roommate crawls up into bed later than you do, then he/she might wake you up. Many students loft their beds, which opens up a lot of dorm room space because students can then put their desks or a couch under their beds. However, you will hit your head on the ceiling at least once. This would be perfect for you if you already sleep wearing your bicycle helmet. There is a respectable chance you may fall out of your loft or top bunk as well. That is the hard way to find out how much vertical space you have in your dorm. Also, lofting your beds will keep people off it. When friends come into your room, they will not sit on your bed. Leaving your beds on the ground will be the simplest solution; however, it will take up more space. However, when you are not sleeping your bed can serve as a couch for watching television or playing video games. You and your roommate should decide what you are going to do within the first week of school, and if there are problems, simply change it. Lofting or bunking your beds is not as hard as it seems, and it only takes a couple hours. These two options can free up space in your room; however, they will make sleeping more difficult. But, you may not need that much dorm space. You will simply sleep, study and sometimes relax in your dorm room. Your dorm should have a lounge where you can watch television, play board games or just hang out. The lounge will be fairly large, especially compared to your dorm. Also, there will likely be coffee shops on or near campus, and your college should have a recreational center. Also, the library will be the best place to study. These all give students options to get out of the cramped dorm rooms. Your small dorm will give you a reason to get out and enjoy college, and you will likely thank it for that. Your dorm will be as clean as you want it to be. If you are interested in calculating how much human skin is actually in dust, your dorm might make a good laboratory for your project. However, if you come from a clean house, and you want your dorm to be an advertisement for Mr. Clean, then invest in a vacuum and dust often. On the positive side, you have no obligation to clean your room, as long as your roommate is all right with a messy room. You should try to clean as much as your roommate does. If you see him/her taking out the trash, then you should next time its full. The only times you will need to clean the dorm room is before breaks, and when you are moving out. Bathrooms could be interesting in your dorm. Some dorm rooms come with their own bathrooms/shower/sink. If that is the case, then this is one less concern. However, it is one more thing that you have to clean. If your dorm room does not have bathrooms, then you will need to utilize community bathrooms. You will be sharing one or two bathrooms with 15-50 people. There will be anywhere from three to seven showers. The bathrooms can be plain awful to decent, depending on how old your dorm building is and how often the university reconstructs them. Problems can occur in the bathrooms, ranging anywhere from having to wait for a shower, to members of the opposite sex confusing which bathroom belongs to which sex, to overflowing trash. However, there should be cleaning people who take care of the bathrooms, but keep in mind that they will not be using the bathrooms; so they might not clean them thoroughly. Also, your bathrooms wont have the extra soft, yet durable Charmin toilet paper, and it might feel closer to tree bark than actual toilet paper. There may even be fungus or mold in your showers; so make sure you wear shower shoes every time. Some people may even tell you that you will actually feel dirtier after your showers from just being in the shower. However, that is not true as long as you wear your shower shoes. The bathrooms are likely to be mildly disgusting consistently throughout the year. The best way to combat the bathrooms is by wearing something on your feet in there at all times, and never resting your toothbrush on any sink or counter. Your other floor mates will be what you make out of them. Your future best man could be the guy who lives next door to you in your freshman dorm. If you opt to lock yourself in your dorm room, then you might hate the people you live around. If you meet them and give them a chance, then they could become your best friends. The people who live in your dorm are going to make or break your freshman year. They could make it the best year of your life or an absolute prison. The choice is mostly yours. You are not going to like everyone around you, but youre likely to become great friends with a lot of them. Essentially, you could wake up everyday with 15 of your best friends and the whole day ahead of you. Consider waking up every Saturday morning with this on the table. But, you will pass on all of this if you lock yourself in your dorm the first week of school. Our strongest recommendation is that you introduce yourself to everyone around you on the first day. The experience of living in a college dorm is the citadel of college life on campus. Your dorm will be small and the bathrooms will be gross, but if you make the most of your situation, then your floor mates can make up for all of that. It seems horrible, living in a small cramped place with someone you dont know, using a bathroom that makes you want to shower in a bubble suit because its that disgusting. However, if you can put those thoughts aside, then you could be on your way to the best year of your life. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The thought of college elicits no response stronger than that of the dorms, and for incoming college students that response can be a fear of uncertainty. The inevitable questions will line up with roommates, space, cleanliness, bathrooms and other floor mates. However, in reality, dont stress yourself out about the dorms. You could be worrying about what could potentially be the best year of your life. We will have another article dedicated solely to roommates. You will be able to view your dorms size before college. Your colleges website should list every dorm rooms amenities and size. Most of the dorms are about 13x13 feet; however some can be much larger. Your dorm room is likely to be about the same size of your own bedroom at home. Imagine fitting two beds and two desks into that room. It is small; however, there are many ways to maximize space. Some roommates find it beneficial to either loft or bunk their beds. Your college will offer both options. If you decide to bunk your beds, ask your roommate if he/she has a history of wetting the bed. Buy a lie detector test before accepting a stoic no if necessary. You do not want to be on the bottom bunk of an embarrassed liar. This will give you more room; however, if your roommate crawls up into bed later than you do, then he/she might wake you up. Many students loft their beds, which opens up a lot of dorm room space because students can then put their desks or a couch under their beds. However, you will hit your head on the ceiling at least once. This would be perfect for you if you already sleep wearing your bicycle helmet. There is a respectable chance you may fall out of your loft or top bunk as well. That is the hard way to find out how much vertical space you have in your dorm. Also, lofting your beds will keep people off it. When friends come into your room, they will not sit on your bed. Leaving your beds on the ground will be the simplest solution; however, it will take up more space. However, when you are not sleeping your bed can serve as a couch for watching television or playing video games. You and your roommate should decide what you are going to do within the first week of school, and if there are problems, simply change it. Lofting or bunking your beds is not as hard as it seems, and it only takes a couple hours. These two options can free up space in your room; however, they will make sleeping more difficult. But, you may not need that much dorm space. You will simply sleep, study and sometimes relax in your dorm room. Your dorm should have a lounge where you can watch television, play board games or just hang out. The lounge will be fairly large, especially compared to your dorm. Also, there will likely be coffee shops on or near campus, and your college should have a recreational center. Also, the library will be the best place to study. These all give students options to get out of the cramped dorm rooms. Your small dorm will give you a reason to get out and enjoy college, and you will likely thank it for that. Your dorm will be as clean as you want it to be. If you are interested in calculating how much human skin is actually in dust, your dorm might make a good laboratory for your project. However, if you come from a clean house, and you want your dorm to be an advertisement for Mr. Clean, then invest in a vacuum and dust often. On the positive side, you have no obligation to clean your room, as long as your roommate is all right with a messy room. You should try to clean as much as your roommate does. If you see him/her taking out the trash, then you should next time its full. The only times you will need to clean the dorm room is before breaks, and when you are moving out. Bathrooms could be interesting in your dorm. Some dorm rooms come with their own bathrooms/shower/sink. If that is the case, then this is one less concern. However, it is one more thing that you have to clean. If your dorm room does not have bathrooms, then you will need to utilize community bathrooms. You will be sharing one or two bathrooms with 15-50 people. There will be anywhere from three to seven showers. The bathrooms can be plain awful to decent, depending on how old your dorm building is and how often the university reconstructs them. Problems can occur in the bathrooms, ranging anywhere from having to wait for a shower, to members of the opposite sex confusing which bathroom belongs to which sex, to overflowing trash. However, there should be cleaning people who take care of the bathrooms, but keep in mind that they will not be using the bathrooms; so they might not clean them thoroughly. Also, your bathrooms wont have the extra soft, yet durable Charmin toilet paper, and it might feel closer to tree bark than actual toilet paper. There may even be fungus or mold in your showers; so make sure you wear shower shoes every time. Some people may even tell you that you will actually feel dirtier after your showers from just being in the shower. However, that is not true as long as you wear your shower shoes. The bathrooms are likely to be mildly disgusting consistently throughout the year. The best way to combat the bathrooms is by wearing something on your feet in there at all times, and never resting your toothbrush on any sink or counter. Your other floor mates will be what you make out of them. Your future best man could be the guy who lives next door to you in your freshman dorm. If you opt to lock yourself in your dorm room, then you might hate the people you live around. If you meet them and give them a chance, then they could become your best friends. The people who live in your dorm are going to make or break your freshman year. They could make it the best year of your life or an absolute prison. The choice is mostly yours. You are not going to like everyone around you, but youre likely to become great friends with a lot of them. Essentially, you could wake up everyday with 15 of your best friends and the whole day ahead of you. Consider waking up every Saturday morning with this on the table. But, you will pass on all of this if you lock yourself in your dorm the first week of school. Our strongest recommendation is that you introduce yourself to everyone around you on the first day. The experience of living in a college dorm is the citadel of college life on campus. Your dorm will be small and the bathrooms will be gross, but if you make the most of your situation, then your floor mates can make up for all of that. It seems horrible, living in a small cramped place with someone you dont know, using a bathroom that makes you want to shower in a bubble suit because its that disgusting. However, if you can put those thoughts aside, then you could be on your way to the best year of your life.

Phrasal Verbs with Work - English Lesson via Skype

Phrasal Verbs with Work - English Lesson via Skype Here you will learn Phrasal Verbs with Work. I have split them in to two sections.  In the video lesson you will 4 Phrasal verbs  and when you scroll down, you will learn 3 more. 7 Phrasal Verbs with Work Hi there. Welcome to Harrys World of Words and Phrases and English in a Minute.Were now going to look at Phrasal Verbs using the verb WORK and the prepositions OUT, OFF, UP  and ON. So well take them one at a time.Lets first of all take WORK OUT.I am going  to work out a solution to this problem. So youre working on a crossword puzzle, you  can work out, you can find the solution.WORK OFFWe had a very good Christmas and New  Year, we put on a few extra kilos so we want to work off that weight.We want to go out  for a run and work it off. WORK UP means to get ready for something or prepare for something.So we can say:Lets go outside and have a good walk for 5 or 7 kilometres and well  work up an appetite.Meaning well become hungry so when we go home we can have a nice  meal.And then finally WORK ON.  To work on something.I am going to work on that project  all weekend cause I really need to finish it by Monday.Okay. So phrasal verbs using  the verb WORK and the prepositions ON, UP, OF F and OUT. Okay. So as always subscribe  to our Channel.And remember to join us on www.englishlessonviaskype.com and well catch up very soon.*scroll down to learn more phrasal verbs with work Phrasal Verbs with Work Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: Phrasal Verbs with Work WORK OFFto repay a debt by working without payExample: It took a year to work off what she owed the company.WORK ON SOMEONEto try to influence someone by constantly pesuading themExample: My half brother has a house in south of France. Ill work on him to let us have it for a week in May.WORK UP TO SOMETHINGto develop into somethingExample: The movie works up to a big revelation that doesnt surprise anyone.

Teaching Students to Write Well

Teaching Students to Write Well Teaching Students to Write Well To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined experiences and events. They learn to appreciate that a key purpose of writing is to communicate clearly to an external, sometimes unfamiliar audience, and they begin to adapt the form and content of their writing to accomplish a particular task and purpose. They develop the capacity to build knowledge on a subject through research projects and to respond analytically to literary and informational sources. To meet these goals, students must devote significant time and effort to writing, producing numerous pieces over short and extended time frames throughout the year. Common Core State Standards One of the biggest changes put forth by the Common Core State Standards is an elevated focus on writing and overall literacy. More than ever before, students are now expected to: Write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning and relevant evidence. Write arguments and opinion pieces from the earliest grades. Conduct focused and in-depth research for written analyses and presentations. Specifically, the standards state that students must build their writing abilities in three areas: argument/opinion writing, informative/explanatory writing, and narrative writing. Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit organization founded by three lead writers of the Common Core State Standards, offers a variety of resources for teachers to get familiar with the Common Core State Standards and understand how to put them into action. As you have your students work on more rigorous and in-depth writing assignments, here are a few key points to keep in mind about different types of writing, as derived from writing samples provided on Student Achievement Partners website, www.achievethecore.org: Argument/opinion writing Students are provided (and read) texts and a writing prompt that asks them to form an opinion or claim about a focusing question. For students in the early elementary grades, opinion writing should offer a brief introduction, state the opinion, provide one or a few reasons for the opinion expressed, and provide a simple concluding statement. As students progress through elementary school, their opinion essays should become more robust and should have an introduction, clear statement of an opinion, evidence from the text to support that opinion and explain the students thinking, several paragraphs and a conclusion. Middle school students opinion writing should introduce a claim, acknowledge competing claims and rebut them with credible evidence and reasoning, organize reasoning and evidence logically, support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, and provide a concluding section that supports the initial argument presented. In early high school, students argument/opinion writing must introduce a precise claim with context and distinguish that claim from alternate claims, establish a formal style and objective tone, develop the claim with supporting evidence and reasoning, develop counterclaims fairly, and provide a concluding statement. Informative/explanatory writing Students are given a set of texts (or a video and a text, if younger) and a writing prompt that requests them to convey complex ideas and information. For students early in elementary school, informative/explanatory writing should introduce a topic, supply facts about it and end with a reflective concluding sentence. As students approach the later elementary school years, informative/explanatory writing should introduce a topic, provide a general observation and focus, use precise language to explain the topic, develop the topic with details, facts and examples, link ideas using words and phrases, and structure the essay to make it easy to follow. In middle school, informative/explanatory writing must introduce the topic, name the work about which the student is writing (and the synopsis of the story), offer relevant facts and details, give examples from the text, clarify the relationship among the ideas presented, give examples, establish a formal style and use precise language. In high school, students must give context to set the stage for an essay, use precise language to delve into the complexity of the topic, transition smoothly to clarify relationships among ideas and concepts, organize complex ideas and information to make connections, develop the topic with facts and details, establish a formal style and objective tone, and analyze ideas and information to make connections. Narrative writing Students write from a writing prompt and stimulating idea to develop narrative about experiences or events. In early elementary school, students must use temporal words or phrases (once, every week) to signal event order, recount sequenced events and include some details. Later in elementary school, students write narratives by first orienting the reader and introducing a narrator, using a variety of transitional words to maintain sequence, use narrative techniques to develop events and show characters response, use concrete details to convey experiences and provide a conclusion. In middle school, students engage and orient the reader by establishing context for narrative and introducing main characters, use dialogue to develop characters and events, use transitional clauses, use dialogue to develop character, use precise words and phrases and descriptive details, use description and reflection to build toward an outcome, and provide a conclusion.