Curated OER
Endangered Animals
Introduce young learners to endangered animals. They write a report of an endangered animal and create an illustration for their report. They create a poster for their report as well and present it to the class.
Curated OER
I Highly Recommend It
Sixth graders read, "The Watsons Go to Birmingham", and submit a critical review to Amazon Website online by copying and pasting their text onto the site.
Curated OER
Book Review
Learners write a five paragraph theme that explains how the novel which they read in this unit effectively utilized various literary elements to portray the impact of a disease on a population. They then decide which three literary...
Curated OER
Technical Writing - The Hobbit
Students explore The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. In this literature lesson, students review technical writing. Students read The Hobbit and write down the steps that take place in the book in a list.
Curated OER
Novel Study Night of the Twisters
In this reading worksheet, students use this graphic organizer to map the beginning, middle and end of The Night of the Twisters. Students use this "plot pie" to write a few sentences to summarize the story. The graphic organizer is...
Curated OER
Teach a Mini-Lesson Sentence Variety
Help your developing writers spice up their writing by studying simple, compound, and complex sentences.
Curated OER
The Diary of Anne Frank
Learners write a book review of The Diary of Anne Frank. In their reviews they determine whether or not the book should be considered a classic of the twentieth century.
Curated OER
Maniac Magee Lesson Ideas
Here are ideas and activities to include in a "Maniac Magee" novel study.
Curated OER
Reviewing the Romance
In this reviewing the romance worksheet, learners research the secrets of writing a romance. Students read at least 20 modern romance novels. Learners identify the structure around the story, looking at plot and characters and style of...
Curated OER
Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 4: Let's Create the Pages!
Pupils work in groups to share their lists of A-B-C ideas they came up with from the previous activity. They review page layouts taught during lesson two. Students complete a rough draft of their page. They create a colored illustration...
Curated OER
Writing Traits Instruction
Students assess and critique a wide variety of writing samples for each of the traits of writing strands from literature, composition writing, reading and assessment tools. They create and design a descriptive definition piece of writing...
Curated OER
Editorial Writing: What's On Your Mind
Students write an editorial column for a newspaper. For this journalism lesson, students discuss and analyze editorials in print and broadcast media. Students will compare the differences in these two formats of editorial pieces and then...
Curated OER
Write for Change
Young scholars discuss and list injustices experienced in the novel "Hoot". They review the different ways letter writing was a part of the novel "Hoot". They choose one issue that is of concern to them and state their viewpoint on the...
Curated OER
Biopoem
Reinforce the actions, emotions, and characteristics that determine what a character is like by having your middle schoolers create a biopoem using the model presented here. You could engage them first by having them write a poem about...
Curated OER
Truly Amazing Mammals
Explore the world of amazing mammals with your kids with special needs. Each child identifies one mammal from a previous lesson and writes a short paragraph on that mammal. This lesson states that it is intended for all levels, but not...
Curated OER
Language Arts Jeopardy
Review parts of speech, verb tense, The Giver by Lowis Lowery, the mechanics of writing, and vocabulary. This Jeopardy-style game is perfect for any 4th or 5th grade class having read the book The Giver and in need of language arts test...
Curated OER
Book: Crossing the Seas
As learners read each chapter of Eric Schwartz's Crossing the Seas, they analyze the actions of United States in Venezuela, Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and the intent of the Monroe Doctrine. They then compare American...
Curated OER
Reviewing Good Playing Habits
The string section of your school orchestra can get a proper form make-over by incorporating this lesson. They reestablish proper playing form, posture, and sound as they compose an essay on how to maintain good playing habits during...
EngageNY
Reading about the Author’s Perspective: Why Do Authors Write about Natural Disasters?
It's all about perspective. Scholars view a note from the author in Eight Days. They determine the gist and discuss what they can learn about the author's background based on the note. They then complete a fishbowl activity in which they...
University of Virginia
Uncle Tom's Cabin: Finishing the Novel
The reviews for Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin were as divisive as the novel itself. High schoolers finish the novel unit with an evaluation of the book's initial reviews, its characters' dreams and fears of emancipation, and...
Literacy Design Collaborative
Using Textual Evidence to Analyze Literary Responses to Historical Events
Scholars analyze Animal Farm to learn how to add textual evidence into essays to support their ideas. They search for a deeper meaning to the story and how it relates to the text Totalitarianism and Revolutions in Russia. To finish,...
Sandra Effinger
Bulletin Board Project
Imagine a project that informs and entertains. Replace book reports with a bulletin board that highlights all the important elements of a novel. Readers research the author, create a timeline of events in the story, write a character...
Literacy Design Collaborative
Identifying Points of View through Character Responses in R.J. Palacio's "Wonder"
Readers examine the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio to determine how characters respond differently to situations and events. Readers annotate and analyze the text and carry out group discussion using accountable talk. They work in small...
EngageNY
End of Unit Assessment: How Word Choice Contributes to Tone and Meaning
It's finally time for pupils to show what they know! Scholars finalize the unit with an end-of-unit assessment. They use the book Inside Out & Back Again and the "Forgotten Ship" transcript to examine word choice, tone, and...