Curated OER
Picture Prompts: Arctic Hares
Prompted by a picture of two white arctic hares, students complete the story based on their own creative ideas. This writing template could couple with a winter unit, an animal unit, or even as simple writing practice. A text box allows...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Elf at the North Pole Village
Great during the Christmas season, this prompt gives students a picture of an elf in the North Pole Village to inspire students to begin and end the story. A word box provides teachers the opportunity to add words from a spelling or...
Starfall
My Toy
In this language arts learning exercise, students write about a personal story of sharing toys. They recall the story and then draw an illustration of it.
Curated OER
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,...
Curated OER
Secrets of the Mummies
How did the ancient people of Egypt preserve their dead so well that their bodies are still recognizable today? Learn the painstakingly complex process they used for preservation. Young scholars read and summarize a narrative detailing...
University of Southern California
Coming to America After the War
As part of their exploration of the American dream, class members examine primary source materials to compare immigrant experiences of those arriving early in our country's history to those arriving in the US after World War II. To...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
EduGAINs
Community Involvement Investigation— Guidance and Career Education
Not only do extracurricular activities look good on a college application, they can foster important life skills. From sports to volunteering to employment, extracurricular activities can inform your learners' experiences later in life....
EduGAINs
Preparation for Transitions and Change— Guidance and Career Education
Every hopeful in your class has gone through some kind of life change, from parents' divorce to a death in the family to moving up into another grade. Encourage them to discuss these changes, the skills they used and acquired during...
Curated OER
Narrative Prompt
Students write to describe a summer activity. They read a book about the seasons. They describe grab bag props and how they are used in summer.
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
Curated OER
Scripting the Past: Exploring Women's History Through Film
Explore women's history through films and filmmaking. An innovative research project prompts class members to create their own screenplay about a figure in women's history. After outlining their characters, settings, and plots, young...
Curated OER
A Year in Review: The Memoir
If you are planning a unit on memoir and autobiographical narrative, you should consider this resource. Using Internet research skills, pupils review works by James Frey and Henry David Thoreau. In response to these works, learners...
Lesson Locker
Z for Zachariah: Questions for Study on Chapters 1 - 10
An efficient study guide for the first 10 chapters of Z for Zachariah that covers basic recall questions concerning the characters and the plot. It also includes short writing prompts for selected chapters that extend into the themes,...
Curated OER
Supporting Character Worksheet
Where would Harry Potter be without Ron Weasley? Where would Holmes be without Watson? Where would a good narrative be without an interesting supporting character? Encourage character analysis with this resource, which includes six...
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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...
Starfall
Hide and Seek
For this language arts worksheet, learners write a story using an illustrated word bank with nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Birds and Kite
A cute illustration of two birds looking at a kite from their nest helps students to think of a topic for their story, which they can title, begin, and end. A text box allows teachers to provide words from a spelling or vocabulary list...
Curated OER
Getting Down to Business
Three lesson plans are shown on this site, two of which pertain to Read 180. Start the year with the first lesson by having your learners create a brochure about themselves. In the computer lab, they find clip art and photos to make a...
Curated OER
Assignment # 1: Merry-Go-Round Story
Class members use e-mail and the merry-go-round story format to create a science fiction story. Each writer begins by selecting one of three prompts, crafting the introductory paragraph and sending the paragraph to the next person on the...
Curated OER
Identify Narrative Perspective 3
In this point of view worksheet, students read passages and then write the narrator's point of view and how they know it is such. Students do this for 6 passages.