Curated OER
Deduction
Students investigate the linguistic devices used by writers to create meaning. In this writing instructional activity, students discover why writers write in different ways showing examples of different types of text. After reading each...
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Printable Story Starter: The Arrival
A creative writing prompt about the arrival of a boat after a long journey helps students to continue the story by providing the two opening sentences. Students compose the middle and ending of the story. This prompt could be used in the...
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Printable Story Starter: Snow Leopard
This writing prompt about a hungry snow leopard provides students with the beginning of a story, including characters, a setting, and a conflict that the student can complete. The student can then compose an original middle and end of...
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Picture Prompt: Valentine Mice
Students write the story after seeing the picture of one mouse giving a Valentine to another mouse. They provide the title, as well as the beginning, middle, and end of the story. A text box allows teachers to type in preferred words,...
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Shelling a Pecan
In this pecans worksheet, 3rd graders fill out a graphing organizer sequencing how someone shells a pecan. Students also draw someone shelling a pecan and write a story about it.
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Telling My Story - Oral History
Students determine the importance of the process behind creating an oral history. In this oral history activity, students determine how to ask important questions in an oral history interview. They practice interviewing each other and...
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The Goat in the Rug
Students write a personal narrative about something they produce at home. (examples: make a sandwich, clean room, set table, do homework). Students should remember to mention different types of resources and intermediate goods used.
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Life Snapshots
Young scholars create Inspiration webs using graphics or photographs that depict high and low points in their lives. This technology-based Language Arts lesson for the upper-elementary or middle-level classroom is excellent for improving...
Scholastic
Hillary Conquers Everest
If a field trip to the summit of Mount Everest isn't in your school budget, make the trek virtually! An interactive lesson allows class members to follow Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's trail up the mountain, and provides...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Weather Instruments For Sale
Students create advertisements for a weather instrument. They conduct Internet research, write a descriptive and persuasive advertisement for the instrument using the flyer template of desktop publishing software, and print a copy that...
Curated OER
The Time I Got Lost
Third graders go through the writing process but substitute paper and pencil with the computer to create a story about "The Time I Got Lost".
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The Important Things About Nouns
Students create pages to be published into a eBook. Students read a story and identify nouns and attributes that describe the noun. Using a creative writing process, students write paragraphs and combine them for their eBook. Students...
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Printable Story Starter: Grandmother's Cottage
This writing prompt provides students with an introduction paragraph about a trip to Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. Students can finish the story in a creative writing exercise. The prompt could be a good addition to a...
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Story Starters: Woodpeckers' Park
A great Earth Day and environment assignment, or even a basic creative writing lesson, this prompt helps students to begin the story of Woody and Woodruff, two woodpeckers who don't like litterers! Both a picture and an introduction can...
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Printable Story Starter: Tired of the Snow
This writing prompt about Earl, the polar bear, who is tired of the snow, helps students complete the story by providing the first few sentences. The prompt also sets students up with the first conflict, which they can complete as they...
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Printable Story Starter: Collision
This writing prompt provides students with the introductory paragraph to a creative story about a sledding accident. Students can use the provided prompt, or they can choose to begin a similar story with their own ideas. They are also...
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Printable Story Starter: Mothers Day
In this writing prompt, students can continue the story of Prince Rosco, whose mother has gone away for Mother's Day. The prompt provides the introduction of the story, and students can choose how to continue and end the tale of Rosco....
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Printable Story Starter: The Newest Reindeer
Students can finish the story of Pluto, the newest Reindeer, and his adventures at Rudolf's Reindeer Academy in this writing prompt. The prompt provides students with an introduction to the story and allows them to continue with details...
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Printable Story Starter: Christmas Morning
A writing prompt about a surprise on Christmas morning provides students with the beginning of the story, and invites them to finish the middle and ending. This prompt could be a good addition to a Christmas-themed unit, or as a lesson...
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Picture Prompt: Kids by the Creek
Students finish the story in this picture prompt, which shows two kids fishing by a creek. The prompt lends well to creative writing, as well as autobiographical writing. A word box allows teachers to type words that they want students...
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Picture Prompt: Squirrel and Skunk
This story starter provides students with a picture of a skunk and a squirrel, which they can use to write a story. The title, beginning, middle, and ending is up to the student. Additionally, the worksheet includes a text box for...
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Picture Prompt: Squirrel
In this story starter, a picture of a squirrel surrounded by falling leaves prompts students to think of a story idea. Students can then write the story, practicing a beginning, middle, and ending. The worksheet includes a word box area...
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Picture Prompt: Bunnies
An excellent Easter or springtime activity, this prompt includes a picture of bunnies by a meadow, inspiring students to write a story based on the picture. Teachers can includes words from a spelling or vocabulary list in the text box...
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Picture Prompt: Bee in a Jar
Allowing students to choose the point of view of a bee or of a baby, this assignment prompts students to respond to a picture of a bee in a jar by writing a short story about it. This assignment could be used for multiple grade levels...