Curated OER
Write Some Dialogue
Students write dialogue. For this character development lesson students use direct or indirect speech to include a confrontation between two characters in their story. Students portray the emotions of the characters in addition to what...
C-SPAN
Polling and Public Opinion
Most people are eager to offer their opinions about topics of interest, but what's the most effective way to collect and assess these opinions as a matter of fact? High schoolers learn about the history of polling, as well as the...
Teacher Created Resources
What Did You Say?
Punctuating dialogue properly is a skill that your young pupils will use for years to come. Allow individuals the chance to practice adding commas and quotation marks to sentences that are lacking punctuation. The activity here includes...
Curated OER
Techniques for Quoting Material
In this writing worksheet, students read techniques for quoting material. Students read about how to correctly use quotations, textual references and footnotes, and a bibliography.
Curated OER
Using the Internet - Art and Design
An interesting resource that might work best in an upper level art course, this handout provides a list of nine websites where young artists can read and study about all forms of art. These online resources range from a dictionary of...
Curated OER
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Parenting and Discipline
Students discuss discipline in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and compare it to how children are disciplined today. In this comparisons activity, students identify different ways parents discipline their children. Students identify...
Curated OER
Macaroni Punctuation
Young scholars punctuate their writing with macaroni. They review and reinforce use of periods, commas, quotation marks, exclamation marks, and question marks.
Curated OER
Are Your Favorite Rockstars Poets?
Tenth graders decide if the song lyrics that they listen to, could be considered a sonnet or a poem. They are invited to explore lyrics and their meaning. Students write a persuading argument on whatever they decide, but it must be...
Curated OER
Don't Eat Your Words
Students create punctuation marks using different sizes and shapes of macaroni. They show their understanding of proper use of quotation marks.
Curated OER
Introduction to Legal Citation
A good resource for law students who need some help with citation, this presentation covers many key points from the ALWD Citation Manual. The nuances of legal citation, such as typeface, numbers, and primary sources, will become simple...
EngageNY
Getting to Know Esperanza (Chapter 2: “Las Uvas/Grapes”)
Delve into Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan with close reading and evidence-based, text-dependent questions. Part of a unit series, this well-sequenced, Common Core designed instructional activity draws on material from the previous...
EngageNY
Contrasting Two Settings (Chapter 6: "Lost Melones/Cantalouples")
Continue working through Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan, by looking into language choices and discussing text-dependent questions. Pupils converse in small groups and as a class about plot, setting, and figurative language. Using...
EngageNY
Characters Changing Over Time (Chapter 10: "Las Papas/Potatos")
Engage further in Esperanza Rising with a focus on close reading and metaphor. Class members zero in on the tenth chapter, examining characters and big ideas. Pupils discuss the text in small groups and as a whole class, and participate...
Curated OER
Dialogue Tags
Use a presentation on dialogue tags in a narrative writing unit or a literature lesson plan. The first two pages of the resource detail the information and examples in the following slide show, making it a good reference page for your...
Curated OER
Base Words and Prefixes
Once your second graders grasp base words and prefixes, challenge them with this visual word meaning activity. They watch you model it before engaging in guided practice. Use these word cards focused on the prefix re to help your...
Novelinks
Maniac Magee: Discussion Questions
Why did they say that? What did they mean? How did they feel? Using the six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, challenge your young readers to answer the comprehension questions about chapters 41 and 42 of Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Each...
Curated OER
Reading Poetry in the Middle Grades
Bring the beauty of "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost to middle school language arts. After learners read a copy of the poem, they follow an instructional sequence that focuses on sound, figurative language, and theme.
Curated OER
How to Write Really Good Dialogue
How do you create (and punctuate) really good dialogue so that it moves your story forward and provides strong characterization? Use this literary worksheet loaded with examples, clearly stated directions, and fun exercises. Fifth in a...
C-SPAN
The Electoral College and the Constitution
What is the purpose of the Electoral College? Is it antiquated, or does it have a place in today's political climate? High schoolers view a series of video clips as they analyze the parts of the United States Constitution that address...
Curated OER
Direct and Indirect Speech
The basics of direct speech and indirect speech are outlined in this informative language arts presentation. Pupils see that these are the two ways to report what someone is saying. In direct speech, the speaker's exact words are used....
Curated OER
Punctuation Marks 1- Test Your Spelling Skills
In this grammar learning exercise, students write the name of 10 punctuation marks that are shown at the top of the page. They fill in the blanks at the lower half of the page with the names of marks such as the exclamation mark,...
Jen London
Julius Caesar Funeral Speech Essay Assignment
"Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for my cause." "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!" As part of a study of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, individuals as asked to compare the funeral speeches of Brutus and Mark...
Curated OER
Grammar - Revise Your Symbols
Explore the different symbols of grammar. Middle schoolers write two sentences using different symbols, including asterisks, apostrophes, and ellipses. They also read and answer guided questions.
Curated OER
Understanding Plagiarism--Worksheet 1
Understanding plagiarism is the goal of this worksheet. After reading the two definitions of plagiarism listed on the sheet, class members decide whether the eight listed scenarios constitute plagiarism. Their responses are used to...