Virginia Department of Education
Analyzing and Planning Persuasive Writing
Young writers work backward to analyze persuasive techniques. As a class, work through the provided persuasive letter: a plea to an imaginary city council to lift a city-wide ban on fast food restaurants and discount stores. Start by...
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Who Fought for the Confederacy?
Did the Confederate Army really consist of southern volunteers? Using primary sources, historians examine the story behind the "Twenty Negro Law" and realities of conscription during the Civil War. A letter and a lithograph (included as...
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Persuasive Journal Prompts
Need a journal topic? Whether you use these prompts as part of a persuasive writing unit, or reproduce the download as a one-page handout for your class members, the suggested topics make a great addition to your curriculum library. In...
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What Are the Issues?
Investigate and report on three issues related to a current election. Elementary aged learners research information about specific issues, develop an opinion, and write a persuasive essay using supporting details and evidence to support...
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Creative Writing - I AM A FISH
Ninth graders write a letter to the editor about the impact of people on marine life from the point of view of a fish.
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Unauthorized Immigration and the U.S. Economy
Students examine unauthorized immigration in the United States. In this current issues lesson, students examine 4 letters written to the editor regarding unauthorized immigration. Students act as editors and analyze the letters choosing...
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The Homestead Act
Eighth graders analyze the Native American's viewpoint of the Homestead Act. Using one Native American group who lived in Nebraska, they write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper discussing the Homestead Act and how it affected...
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Environment: The Haves and the Have Nots
Students examine consumption habits in developed and developing countries and determine their effects on natural resources. In groups, they assess graphs on the Living Planet Report and observe the connection between consumption and...
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History of American Child Labor
Students study the historical and social issue of child labor. They examine the photographs of Lewis Hine to see evidence of child labor and decide how the photographs depict the historical impact of the practice. They write a letter to...
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James McCune Smith: A Model of Resistance
Students discuss examples of resistance. In this anti-slavery lesson, students analyze a portrait of James McCune Smith and listen to a lecture about his life and involvement in abolition. Students analyze his actions and write a letter...
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Revising/Editing (3-5): Editing Marks. Part II and Literary Tools. Part II
Familiarize your class with commonly used editing marks. They apply the use of editing marks to a letter and examine different types of literary tools before making a note card resource for the tools. They add their own examples for each...
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What is a Puppy Mill?
Students consider community and legislative efforts to stop puppy mills. In this animal welfare lesson, students discuss the needs of pets and determine how puppy mills do not meet the needs of animals. Students research animal cruelty...
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A New State Seal
Learners select one letter from "Letters to Howard" and write a response to the editor or an imaginary dialogue they might have had with the authors of these letters.
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Comprehending Informational Text
Do you know what a fallacy is? Discuss this term and its meaning with your class. Then, talk about why making generalizations about a large group of people isn't the best thing to do. As a group, study the included letter excerpt. It...
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Fact V. Opinion
Students use statements out of newpapers to distinguish between facts and opinions. They discuss these differences as well.
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Protecting your home from carbon monoxide
Learners create and distribute flyers, mailings, posters in public areas to help make people aware of how to protect yourself from carbon monoxide. Students research what carbon monoxide is and what can be done to protect those in the...
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Fact Versus Opinion
Students differentiate between fact and opinion. They define fact and opinion, then listen to and identify examples of each. Students identify different books where facts and opinions can be found, and cut out newspaper and magazine...
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Inspire a Life of Reading
Making letters out of goop, sight word bingo, tic-tac-toe vowels. Download this packet loaded with activities designed to engage beginning readers. Although designed for adults, many of the activities are appropriate for any age group.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
A New Bedford Voyage!
A thorough set of activities, articles, and reference material can enlighten your class about the history of whaling in New England. Kids travel back to a time when whale products were valuable and hunting whales was a way to help the...
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The Enlightenment: Matching Activity 4
Just finished reading about the 17th century and the period of Enlightenment? Use this helpful worksheet that covers the people and events your class has just read about. Learners can use this resource to match ten different...
English To Go
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Who is the tallest person in your family? Are you taller than your siblings? Intermediate language learners can read over and review comparative and superlative adjectives on the first page before they jump to page two for the exercises...
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Writing Process-- Revision and Editing
As guided practice, class members work together to revise a model persuasive paragraph. Then they practice independently with their own writing. The included rubric looks at prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, nonfiction text...
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Spelling Counts!
Play a game to practice spelling and math. By assigning a numerical value to each letter of the alphabet, you can engage learners in "spy" coding and decoding activities that reinforce grade-appropriate spelling and math skills....
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Glided Age
Eleventh graders will participate to brainstorm on the overhead, characteristics of an "irresponsible" adult and 5 of a "responsible" one? How do these differ if we apply these to businesses? Working in partners--Create a Code of Ethics...