Roald Dahl
Matilda - The First Miracle
As the story unfolds, readers discover Matilda has a superpower. Take part in an activity that has learners talking about what superpower they would have, how they would use it, and how it could help others. Then, after reading the 14th...
Curated OER
Critical Thinking & Writing: Brainstorming
Have your young writers organize their thoughts before writing. They generate ideas through various brainstorming activities prior to writing a mock feature news story for USA Today. A series of USA Today articles debating the level of...
Curated OER
Assessing the Traits: What is Good Writing?
Young scholars examine samples of writing and discuss the score it received. They brainstorm what qualities make a good writer and stories.
Curated OER
Persuasive Letters and The Tell Tale Heart
Pupils write persuasive letters based on "The Tell Tale Heart." They brainstorm topic sentences, main ideas, and details. They analyze the character and determine if he is innocent or guilty. They create a map listing their reasons to...
Curated OER
Writing and Responding to a Prompt
Eighth graders explore the writing process. They respond to the prompt "if I had a million dollars I would..." Students brainstorm ideas they could write about and they use the writing check list as they write.
Curated OER
Writing: Teacher Appreciation Week
Students celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week by writing letters to former teachers. They brainstorm ideas and memories to include in their letters.
they include special greetings and random thoughts of kindness.
Curated OER
Writing a Report
Students conduct research on a selected topic, organize the research information, and write a report. They read and discuss the rubric, brainstorm to develop criteria for determining credible sources, complete a KWL chart or web, and...
Curated OER
Writing an Original Fable
Students discover how to write fables. For this writing skill lesson, students review the literary elements of fables and take all of the steps in the writing process to create their own fables.
Curated OER
Writing Novelettes
Students practice their writing techniques by creating a novelette. In this creating writing instructional activity, students brainstorm and decide on a topic they would like to expand upon in order to create their own novelette....
Curated OER
Problem Solution Writing
Students, after brainstorming possible problem solving activities, choose from one of the many and write what the problem is and a solution to solve it.
Curated OER
Directed and Undirected Free-writing: An Activity in Brainstorming
Analyze the free-writing method of brainstorming to explore how to write an essay. Middle schoolers plan their writing from the beginning after reading two samples of free-writing, then creating their own. The lesson includes extension...
Curated OER
Male Image Building Utilizing the Writing Process
Introduce your class to the techniques of proper writing. In groups, they brainstorm their ideas on family structures and discuss the importance of having a male figure in their lives. After listening to an African-American poem, they...
Bright Hub Education
Teaching "Gone with the Wind" in High School: Ideas & Activities
Plan on using Gone with the Wind as a reading selection? Here's a packet of prompts for activities and assessments.
Curated OER
Journal Writing Idea - Pets
Carve out some time for your youngsters to write in their journal. Today, they write a story about pets. They learn the value of a journal and how to keep up with it, and they enhance story development by planning their story before...
Curated OER
Writing From Experience (Grades 7-12)
Students brainstorm in preparation for writing an expressive essay. They review their responses to 'Writing from Experience' and write notes and brainstorm other ideas or details for their essays. They take turns illustrating their life...
Laura Candler
Bio Poems Made Easy
A creative way bring autobiographical writing to your poetry unit or back-to-school curriculum, this lesson plan guides you through a bio poem activity. Kids use the graphic organizer to describe themselves using adjectives, things they...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Think Positive!
Following an attention-grabbing read-aloud, scholars brainstorm ways they can change negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Small groups plan and perform a skit that showcases one of the new ideas to uplift one's feelings....
Curated OER
How to Write a Biography
Looking for a great lesson on how to write a biography? Here, middle schoolers draw from magazine articles, novels, historical figures, and current events to choose a person, or character to write about in a biography. They follow a...
Curated OER
Geography of Mesopotamia
Students write a letter. In this irrigation lesson, students review how humans and the environment can interact with each other, learn new vocabulary words having to do with Mesopotamia, learn about irrigation and view maps of...
Curated OER
Integrate Reading and Writing this Valentine's Day
Spend Valentine's Day reading, writing, or creating gifts with your students.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Nature: Friend and Foe: English Language Development Lessons (Theme 6)
If readers don't understand key portions of a text, it may seem more like a foe than a friend. The second resource in a series of three ESL lessons designed to accompany the texts in Nature: Friend or Foe makes the texts easier to...
Curated OER
What Do I Want to Research?
Study the eight slides that detail the steps to writing a research report. The steps include brainstorming for ideas, constructing graphic organizers, and writing the final research product. An example of each step is given on each...
Curated OER
Children Using Antonyms to Write Short Stories
Second graders discuss what antonyms are and read the book, Quick as a Cricket. In this antonym lesson, 2nd graders write a short story by describing themselves.
Curated OER
Improve the Lives of the Homeless in New Orleans
Students develop a business plan to address the issue of homelessness. In this "Homeless in New Orleans" lesson, students learn how to develop a business plan, interview homeless people, brainstorm ideas and present their final plan to...