ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Poetry: Varying Views of America
Lesson allows young scholars to examine the various views of American perspective through studying three poems by diverse poets: "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman, "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes, and "On the Pulse of...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Expository Writing
This Web English Teacher provides great links and resources for assistance, activities, and information about expository writing.
Other
What Is Media Literacy?
This web quest will ask students to read and think critically about some of the media sources they are familiar with. Students will look closely at the purposes of the different kinds of media, look at the techniques used to create the...
University of Houston
University of Houston: The Journalist's Desk
This site includes eleven brief newspaper stories. Students must identify the main idea of each short news story.
Other
Ire: Investigative Reporters and Editors
This non-profit group was created in 1975 as a networking tool for the exchange of ideas and attitudes concerning the quality of investigative reporting for the media. Site is newsletter-style with up-to-date information.
Other
Allwritewithme: Rubrics & Checklists for Fourth Grade Informative Writing
This collection of rubrics and checklists can be used for formative and summative assessments. Students can use many of these to self-assess during various phases of the informative writing process, and teachers may use these to guide...
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Writing Skills: Revising Paragraphs
This lesson focuses on evaluating the structure of paragraphs and revising them.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Analysis: The Language of Analytic Assignments
This instructional activity focuses on understanding the language of assignments that indicate the need or analysis including a list of verbs that denote the need for analysis and assignments that ask you how the parts relate to the...
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Writing Center Tips & Tools
The documents and videos collected here touch on most aspects of good academci writing, and all aspects of the writing process. Students can choose from the many topics to address the specific skill or concept they need to master.
Other
University of Missouri Rolla: Purposes in Writing
What are purposes in writing? Use this site from the University of Missouri-Rolla to learn more about the parts of the communication model. W.9-10.10 Write Routinely
Other
Ksu: Point of View: First Person Narrator
This tutorial surveys the uses and limitations of first-person narration in literature. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.9
Education.com
Education.com: W.3.1 Worksheets: Write Opinion Pieces on Topics or Texts
[Free Registration/Login Required] Links to 24 worksheets and graphic organizers that can be downloaded and printed. Each worksheet focuses on skills highlighted in standard W.3.1: Write
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: W.3.1: Write Opinion Pieces on Familiar Topics or Texts
Links to 37 lessons that focus on skills within third grade reading standard W.3.1.
Education.com
Education.com: W.3.1.a Worksheets: Introduce the Topic or Text They Are Writing
[Free Registration/Login Required] A site with links to 21 worksheets that can be downloaded and printed for student use while building skills with standard W.3.1.A: Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion,...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: W.3.2d: Provide a Concluding Statement or Section
Links to 8 lessons and activities that build student skills in standard W.3.2d: Provide a concluding statement or section.
Education.com
Education.com: W.4.1 Worksheets: Write Opinion Pieces on Topics or Texts
[Free Registration/Login Required] A site with links to 29 worksheets that can be downloaded and printed for student use while building skills with standard W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with...
BBC
Bbc Skillswise: Writing: Format and Style
As part of the BBC's Skillswise unit, this site focuses on using various ways of writing for different purposes. For learning tools, the site includes a worksheet, a factsheet, and a quiz.
Other
Friends University: Patterns of Organization and Their Clue Words [Pdf]
Chart lists patterns of organization with their corresponding clue words.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Florida Center for Reading Research: Text Analysis: What's the Purpose? [Pdf]
A lesson plan in which students read short texts and sort them according to purpose: persuade, inform, entertain, and explain. Materials are included. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6
Leaf Group
E How: How to Write a Briefing Paper
This article by Jody Hanson explains how to write a briefing paper, a concise communication to keep people up to date on the status of a project and any changes.
The Washington Post
Washingtonpost: Rewriting the Rules
Washington Post article dealing with ethics and guidelines of journalists reporting hard news. Provides material for debate and discussion. Interesting article.
BBC
Bbc Bitesize: Writing
The BBC offers quick (bitesize) activities, revision options, and quizzes on a variety of writing skills, covering writing arguments, writing factual documents, and writing stories.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Expository Writing: What Kind of Friend
This is an expository writing activity using the Makes Sense Writing Strategies.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Writing to Determine, "What Is a Pulgar?"
This lesson plan is a writing follow-up to the guided reading lesson plan, "What is a Pulgar?" It utilizes a Makes Sense Strategies Think-sheet to guide the writing.