Writing Structure Teacher Resources

A Six-Trait Writing lesson helps your middle schoolers liven up their word choice and shows them how to evaluate their own writing. Class members take a close look at the language used in poems by Shakespeare, Kipling, Longfellow, and...

Work on narrative writing with this lesson, in which middle schoolers analyze the characters from a selected piece of literature and write narrative diary pieces as the character. They work to understand the point of view of the...

Help your class find their writing voices with this lesson which uses the work of Ralph Fletcher to guide a "Prompt in Reverse" activity. Using the chapter "First Pen" from Fletcher's Marshfield Dreams, learners decipher what they...

Bring social studies to life! This interdisciplinary lesson has young writers tell the story of the migration of diverse groups of people to the United States. Pupils view the work of selected choreographers and discuss how dance often...

Relate the structure of the essay to the structure of a building. The class compares an essay to a building, with the writer being the architect, the introduction being the foundation, and so on. They use the visual representation of a...

Practice writing paragraphs. Young writers review the writing model and complete a graphic organizer for guidance. Handouts are provided with the hamburger method and a paragraph organizer. After completing research on a topic, which can...

Middle schoolers use writing techniques worksheets to help them identify the components of the introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs of an essay. After this guided practice, they craft their own concluding paragraphs and exchange...

Middle schoolers identify writing techniques in example stories with this story structure activity. After reading the book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, they find the differences between it and the original version....

Are you working on an autobiographical or narrative writing unit? Bring this lesson to your class, as it takes young writers through the process of drafting and sequencing an autobiography. After observing and demonstrating steps of the...

Use the platforms of the 2004 presidential candidates to bring persuasive writing to your class. Young voters identify the three issues most important to them in the election and research the issues and candidates' positions. They write...

Having a firm grasp on organization can help young authors write with purpose. Using this resource, they list the components of a narrative which include an introduction, body, and strong conclusion. They discuss how to implement these...

Are you the oldest in your family? The youngest? The middlest? How do you feel about your place in your family? After reading such stories as My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by...

Elementary and middle schoolers research animal facts and use them in a fable. First, they pair-share to find animal traits to use in writing a fable. They then complete a prewriting worksheet. After going through the writing process,...

After writing a personal narrative, learners edit their work and that of their classmates. Using the imbedded link, pupils edit their paper. They form small groups and check each other's papers for spelling, grammar usage, sentence...

What are the six traits of writing anyway? Young writers focus on ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions to assess additions to their writing portfolio. They will create and add to a writing portfolio...

Elementary schoolers use the writing process steps to write a descriptive paragraph about a fictional dinosaur. Using a tech tool lesson, they create a graphic title for the paragraph. A nice blending of technology with "old-fashioned"...

Scholars expand short, nondescript sentences by adding descriptive words and phrases. In this Owl Moon lesson, sentence length and rhythmic language are identified and discussed. Authentic student samples are reviewed to identify...

Budding authors research a US President and persuade the National Park Service to add him to Mt. Rushmore. In addition to the persuasive essay, individuals are required to develop a visual presentation using a web-based software that...

Upper elementary learners generate sequencing and web graphic organizers while planning expository and narrative writing. They work in teams to complete webs in order to improve a short story and organize a report. Small groups discuss...

Get inspired! Your class explores how to use Inspiration Software to plan a persuasive essay.They use the computer program to create a concept map on a specific topic. This tool will help them learn how to include facts and well-stated...

Use a quick bell-ringer to interest your class in the art of persuasion. They brainstorm where they find examples of persuasion in their lives and identify who is trying to persuade them. Then they either fish through magazines or look...

Review story elements with your class. They will use examples from a story to develop critical-thinking questions. Then they use a graphic organizer to describe the setting, character, and plot of the story, focusing on how they...

Picture books provide the impetus for a study of how authors make plots seem real and characters interesting. After reading several books, class members list the techniques the authors used to enliven their stories and then craft their...

Now is the time to identify the great teachers in your school! Discuss the characteristics of persuasive writing and analyze an example. Then, each pupil chooses a teacher who they feel should be named teacher of the year. They plan and...