Curated OER
Writing a Narrative
Sixth graders read the short story "Eleven". They write a narrative composition focusing on the use of voice. Students use a computer to create a pre-writing graphic organizer and type their final draft.
Curated OER
Persuasion: Analyzing Persuasive Writing
Students examine and create persuasive essays. In this writing lesson students engage in activities that allow them to understand how a persuasive essay is constructed so they may compose their own.
Curated OER
Writing a Social Studies Essay
In this social studies essay learning exercise, students follow the provided steps listed in the graphic organizer to write their own social studies essays. Students also read a sample essay about the U.S. government.
Curated OER
ESL Questions And Answers
For this ESL conversation worksheet, students will focus on questions and answers. Students will read 6 answers and write the correct question to the answers on the lines provided.
Curated OER
Blueprint Writing
Eighth graders write a narrative composition about funny incidents in their home lives. In this narrative writing lesson, 8th graders define what a blueprint is and draw one for their home. Students write about events that happened in...
Curated OER
Writing to Learn History: Annotations and Mini-Writes
Students use their critical thinking skills to write about historical events. In this historical perspectives lesson, students read documents about historical events and make annotations and marginal notes. Students then respond to...
Curated OER
Lesson Eight: Revising
Second graders practice revising their narrative writing. In this editing lesson, 2nd graders revise a narrative paper with the teacher by focusing on re-reading and finding mistakes. They revise their own writing and then have a...
Curated OER
The Geography - Writing Connection
Students examine and describe the four physical systems of the Earth. Using two of the systems, they practice their writing skills and use vocabulary associated with the different types of landforms. They predict the types of shelters...
Curated OER
At the Crayon Factory: high frequency and spelling words
After reading the story At The Crayon Factory learners complete 4 different language arts activities. They write spelling and high frequency words, fill in the blanks to sentences, answer short answer questions, and write sentences.
Curated OER
Idea-Noun Definition: Source Searching
A great idea for showing language arts pupils the universality of themes, even in the real world! Have class members choose an idea-noun (peace, justice, war, love, etc.) at the beginning of the year or semester. They complete weekly...
Curated OER
ESL: What's the Weather Like?
Beginning English learners practice describing the weather with help from eight picture clues. Questions are phrased like "How's the weather?" and "What's the weather like?" Tinker with the formatting to make it all fit on one page...
Curated OER
New York State Testing Program English Language Arts Test Book 2-Grade 8 (2010)
Get ready for state testing with this resource, which focuses on listening and writing skills. While a complete description of the writing assignment is provided here, the listening portion is not included. You could use the graphic...
Curated OER
Identify and Discuss the Author's Purpose
Examine author's purpose in a persuasive text using this scaffolded plan. You essentially have a verbatim script here, but it can definitely be used as an outline instead. Review questions that readers should ask themselves when...
Curated OER
Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion
Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...
Curated OER
Image as Metaphor
A Dorothea Lange photograph launches this study of metaphors. Using the questions provided, the class examines the image and the title to consider how Lange uses her photo as a metaphor. Class members then select an object they can use...
Curated OER
Sand Castle: Lesson 29
The story Sand Castle is the basis for each of the four learning activities found on this learning exercise. Learners will write spelling words, fill in the blanks, compose sentences, and answer comprehension questions relating to the...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan 18: Cleaning It Up
Careful proofreading is an important step in the writing process. After guided practice using a provided worksheet that details common grammar concepts, young writers refer to the worksheet as they proofread their own work. Although the...
Curated OER
Documentary-Style Research Projects
Show your pupils how to use guiding questions to help them focus their research into a topic. Using the framework provided by these questions, researchers explore a topic, collect interesting facts, and prepare a PowerPoint presentation...
Curated OER
History Personified
In 1856 Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts over the head with a cane. This event, which highlighted the acrimonious debate over the expansion of slavery, is the focus of a paper...
Curated OER
Author's Purpose: Research Process/Narrative Writing Techniques
Determine the author's purpose in writing a memoir. Eighth graders work in groups to elicit author's purpose in memoirs, taking care to note how subtle the message can be hidden throughout the work. This lesson is a good way to...
Curated OER
Facing the Ghosts of Our Past
A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...
Curated OER
Discovering Saturn, The Real "Lord of the Rings"
Reading, writing, and rings! A lesson from NASA combines space science with authentic reading and writing tasks. Included in this lesson are pre-reading activities, four mini informational booklets on Saturn, a structured note-taking...
Curated OER
Myths, Folktales, & Fairy Tales
Introduce the concept of myths to your class. Using the link to "Myths Around the World," read a story aloud and have learners list characteristics of a myth. Readers then choose their own myths from the site and work in groups to answer...
Curated OER
The Workshop
Kids take a critical look at each other's work in order to understand the editing process while providing constructive suggestions. This handout really sets learners up to successfully offer constructive critique to their peers. Helpful...