Curated OER
Outlining Essays (Grades 3-6)
Students brainstorm story idea in preparation of writing an expressive essay. They study how to outline essays to assist them in writing an expressive essay. Each students conclusion should summarize their main idea and restate their...
Curated OER
Effective Writing is More Than a Five Paragraph Essay
Groups become experts in one aspect of the six traits of writing, prepare a PowerPoint presentation, jigsaw, and teach others about their trait. Writers then focus on these traits as they compose a persuasive essay about a person they...
Curated OER
Expository Journal Prompts
Stuck for a journal topic? Download CAHSEE’s 21 “Expository Journal Prompts” as a pdf handout for yourself or class. A great resource for your writing program, print it up and add it your curriculum library.
Scholastic
Reading Symbols
Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass serves as the anchor text for a lesson on symbolism. Readers use the provided worksheets to examine the symbols in the novel as well as in the world around them.
Bully Free Systems
Bully Free Lesson Plans—Eighth Grade
Middle schoolers are likely very familiar with the concept of bullying and cliques. Discuss their experiences and brainstorm ways to handle peer conflict and feelings of exclusion with a poem that focuses on bullying, and a second lesson...
Virginia Department of Education
Creating Thesis Sentences
Growing writers explore what it takes to develop and support a thesis statement with pre-fabricated ideas provided by the Virginia Department of Education. Learners take notes on what makes a thesis statement and a topic sentence, and...
Clever Student Training Company
Logical Fallacies Recognition
“Should same-sex marriage be allowed?” As part of a study of recognizing logical fallacies learners read John Stemberger’s April 12, 2012 argument against same-sex marriage published on the opinion page of the Orlando Sentinel. They then...
Curated OER
Hook, Lead Line, and Thinker
Young scholars explore, examine and study the format of an opinion essay by viewing one author and activist that is helping women find their voices by reading and discussing the article, "Stop the Presses, Boys! Women Claim Space on...
Curated OER
Using the textbook and writing sample
Eleventh graders explain the organization of their textbook and demonstrate their writing abilities. They explain why it's important to know certain facts and skills as well as to know where and how to find the information you need. Each...
Curated OER
Writing a How-To Paper
Students write a 'how-to' paper. In this writing lesson students choose from a list of topics and write a paper explaining how to do something. The students also discuss the definition of a 'how-to' paper.
Curated OER
St. Augustine's Confessions by St. Augustine
In this online interactive reading comprehension instructional activity, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions based on St. Augustine's Confessions. Students may also access an online quiz on the selection using the...
Curated OER
Describe Environmental Interrelationships
Students describe environmental interrelationships using list of criteria. They are able to explain organism interaction, based on definitions provided. Also, students can use references and worksheets, to describe effects of pollution...
App State
Brainstorming
Get your young writers outside of the traditional essay writing mode with Free Write Friday. Free Write Friday encourages your class to use personal experiences or knowledge to write more creative pieces. Young writers could experiment...
Curated OER
My Response to Stress
High schoolers search for ways to prevent stress. They conduct self-assessments, plan a stress clinic, research community resources, and write a reflective essay. Students may wear electronic heart rate monitors to demonstrate stress...
Curated OER
Laches
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Plato's Laches. Students may check some of their answers on the interactive worksheet.
Curated OER
A Twisted Love Poem
Students read poem about dating violence, discuss meaning of the poem, and compose essay about their interpretation and reactions to it.
Curated OER
Ag in My Classroom
Students explore the definition of agriculture. In this Language Arts and Social Studies lesson, students read an article on products that are produced in agriculture, then they complete a vocabulary assignment and write an essay on the...
Curated OER
Rise of the Revolution
Ninth graders explore the French Revolution. In this French Revolution lesson, student research citizen action and public policy during the war. Students write essays regarding their research findings.
Curated OER
Rivers
Students examine how rivers are used in our modern world. They create and analyze a large class mural of a river illustrating the ways rivers are used by people and wildlife, and write an essay on how rivers should be used and why.
Curated OER
History Detectives
Fifth graders investigate aspects of the Civil War. In this history lesson plan, 5th graders complete several tasks involving the economy, culture, and geography of the Civil War. First, students are divided into groups to study primary...
Curated OER
Armenian Genocide
As your historians examine the beginnings of WWI, ensure they are familiar with the Armenian Genocide. This basic introductory lesson plan utilizes teacher-led discussion, map analysis, and a Socratic seminar. Not much detail is offered...
Curated OER
Poetics
In this online interactive philosophy worksheet, high schoolers respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Poetics by Aristotle.
Core Knowledge Foundation
Volume 1 - A History of the United States: Precolonial to the 1800s
Volume One of the 299-page Core Knowledge History of the United States covers events from the Precolonial Period to the 1800s.
Curated OER
Approaching Walden
Eleventh graders examine their natural surroundings as a way to begin thinking about an abstract idea. They analyze and compare or contrast the rhetorical stategies of two essayists. Students interpret and evaluate images culled from...