Virginia Department of Education
Determining Purpose and Audience
Build the writing skills of your junior high wordsmiths with activities that introduce many essential skills of writing. As a class, they develop working definitions of formal vs. informal writing, explore different categories of...
Prestwick House
Introducing Symbols–The Beach
Looking for a way to introduce class members to the concept of symbolism and multiple levels of meaning? Readers examine two different passages about the beach and consider how the writers use concrete objects, and places to represent...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving
First graders summarize similarities and differences of life in England and America for the Pilgrims by reading a mini-book. Then, they write a journal entry in first person on what it is like to be a pilgrim in England and in America....
Curated OER
What's a Kid to Do?
Learners participate in an environmental action letter-writing campaign. They conduct Internet research on the Global Response website, discuss various successful Global Response campaigns, select a campaign they are interested in, and...
Curated OER
"Postcard From Bear"
Young scholars complete various activities related to the book "Postcard From Bear." They participate in a shared reading activity, identify the locations in the book on a map, and write a postcard to the bear in the story.
Curated OER
The American Revolution: Moving West and South
Students examine several letters to the editor from both a local newspaper and national newspapers. After reviewing current letters, they write a letter to the editor of an 18th-century newspaper expressing their opinion about the...
Curated OER
All About Me!
Students write about themselves. In this descriptive writing lesson, students view a PowerPoint for examples of descriptive writing and then write sentences describing themselves. Students use a computer program to type their sentences...
Curated OER
Arthur Young and the President
High schoolers work with NASS data by converting it into prose. For this historical agriculture information lesson, students read about how George Washington communicated information about crop yields, livestock, and land values. They...
Curated OER
The Elf Project
Sixth graders create elves in order to respond to Santa letters from first graders.
Curated OER
Digging for Treasure: Note-Taking Skills for Primary Children
Second graders study the criteria for biographies and the vocabulary that is specific person and time. They take notes, write e-mail and gather information on a famous person.
Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Students explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Students survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize the...
Curated OER
The Value of a Nation's Currency Goes Beyond its Price
Sixth graders understand the meaning of pictures and words on currency. In this currency lesson, 6th graders examine currency to find cultural relationships with a country. Students locate symbols of the country on the currency. Students...
Curated OER
1-800-MATHFUN
Pupils complete a number and letter recognition activity by creating phone numbers for businesses. For this telephone number lesson, students brainstorm telephone numbers that include words. Pupils translate numbers to their numeric...
Curated OER
Studying Checks
While on-line banking and electronic payments seem to be the way of the future, next-generation wage earners still need to understand the details of check writing. Here the focus is on the details of the check including what the...
Curated OER
Writing for Fun
Students receive instruction in a variety of dance skills. Upon completion of the dance unit, they write a Pen Pal letter to describe their personal experience during the dance unit. They do their own research to explore 2 dances of...
Curated OER
Writing Letters Using Appleworks
Young scholars discover how to write letters using Appleworks. Following a demonstration by the teacher, they compose rough drafts of their letters. Working independently, students correct their drafts and type the final versions.
Curated OER
Hoaxes, Scams, Chain Letters and Urban Legends
Learners explore the evacuation of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. Using the internet, they research stories they may have heard and verify a story's authenticity. Students discuss rumors and urban legends. Given a worksheet,...
Curated OER
Breaking News English: Apple Suing Samsung
Why is Apple suing Samsung? Give your English language learners a bit of reading comprehension practice. First, they read the short passage provided, and then they complete 10 activities. There are true or false questions, matching...
Curated OER
Let Pharady Enjoy Her Childhood
A thought-provoking lesson which will provide your 5th graders with a world view. Pupils discuss children's rights here in the US and around the world, and do some comparisons. They watch a video, embedded in the plan, that shows a young...
Curated OER
Eastside Literacy Reading Lesson - Fact or Opinion
Analyze critical thinking skills that involve the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion through self-reflection. Higher education students will collect a newspaper article, advertisement, magazine article, tabloid article,...
Curated OER
Secret Message
Students use the characteristic of a chemical reaction to write a secret letter. In this chemical reaction lesson plan, students will use common house hold products including iodine, lemon, and notebook paper to produce a chemical...
Curated OER
American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins
Young scholars research how early colonists lived. They investigate late 17th century colonist's lives from Massachusetts and Delaware. Using their research, students write historical fiction in the form of friendly letters between the...
Curated OER
Dragonwings: Evaluate Chapters 10-12
As your class finishes the novel Dragonwings, use these culminating projects. A vocabulary list is given for chapters eleven and twelve and either an epitaph or letter activity concludes the book. The final project consists of creating a...
Curated OER
Take this Job and Love It!
High schoolers need to be prepared to enter the job market during or after high school. Here are six preparational activities geared at getting those kids ready to enter the job market. They conduct research on various jobs, learn about...