Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Informational Text: Compare Text Structures
This learning module focuses on comparing organizational patterns in informational texts including chronological order, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem and solutions. Click on each text structure for an explanation.
University of California
Cal Heritage Collection: Using Primary Sources
This resource covers what primary sources are, where we can find them, and how we can assess them in the classroom.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Compare and Contrast Rubric
Students and teachers can assess their own writing with this compare and contrast rubric.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Writing Essays: Introductions
This site provides a brief overview of introductions, exploring what they are supposed to mean for an essay in writing.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Writing Essays: Structure of an Introduction
A general overview of what goes into the introduction of an essay. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Compare and Contrast Papers: Organization
This lesson discusses structuring an outline for a comparison contrast paper.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Comparison Papers: Thesis: Lesson 2
This lesson discusses selecting a thesis for a comparison contrast paper. It is 2 of 2 in the series titled "Comparison Papers: Thesis."
Other
Turning Time Wasters Into Articles
This "how-to" is devoted to turning casual ideas and observations into publishable articles and columns. Gives practical advice for all ages.
Fun Trivia
Fun Trivia: The Four Types of Writing Trivia Quiz
A fifteen-question quiz in which the reader identifies a type of writing for each situation: argumentation, exposition, narrative, or description. Correct answers are displayed once answers are submitted.
Other
Book Rags: Articles: How to Write a Compare/contrast Essay
Learn about two different ways to organize a compare and contrast essay and how each way looks in a paragraph breakdown.
Other
The Literature Network: Author List
A list of authors with links to additional information on each author. Links include biographical information a searchable collection of works, and more.
EL Education
El Education: Seasons of Life
Students make multiple visits to a nursing home to develop a relationship with one person and learn about his or her life. Then students use a combination of illustrations, photographs, digital pictures, and biographical text to create a...
EL Education
El Education: What Matters to Me
An online book entitled What Matters To Me: On the Minds and Through the Eyes of Middle School Students by sixth grade students at Duggan Middle School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The book contains personal essays and self-portraits...
TES Global
Blendspace: Text Structures
A thirty-part learning module on text structures including description, sequence, problem and solution, compare and contrast, and cause and effect. Lessons include links to pictures, story text, informational text, videos, charts,...
TES Global
Blendspace: Primary & Secondary Sources
A twelve-part learning module with links to texts, videos, quizzes, images, and websites to use while learning about primary and secondary research sources.
TES Global
Blendspace: Text Connections Pompeii in Poetry, Fiction and Nonfiction
A fourteen-part learning module with links to texts, videos, and websites that demonstrate text connections through various texts about Pompeii.
Other
Prezi: Nonfiction Text Structures
Slideshow examines the five most common text structures used by authors to organize nonfiction writing.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Nonfiction Comprehension: Making Personal and Textual Connections
This is a lesson plan to help elementary young scholars connect to nonfiction text as they read.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Note Taking for Social Studies
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart covers how to read a historical text and convert information into visual representations by taking notes. This strategy helps students to read a passage and determine the author's purpose.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Title Page Reveal: Finding Bibliographic Information
[Free Registration/Login Required] Practice locating the title, author and publication information of a book using real title and CIP pages, and a reveal tool.
Other
S9: Biographical Dictionary
Search biographical dictionary for famous people by using keywords or dates such as birth and death years, achievements, awards, literary or artistic works, or occupation and positions held. This is a Wikipedia type system where everyone...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Primary Source Interpreting Media Photos
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this flipchart teachers can share primary source photos with students who will take part in an activity to interpret them.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Features of a Newspaper
[Free Registration/Login Required] A flipchart that examines the way in which newspapers and articles are constructed. The end of the flipchart focuses specifically on the battle of Glencoe, but the majority of the flipchart has much...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Evaluation Peer's Stories
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart is designed for students to have a guideline for evaluating a peer's stories. Once a peer or teacher has read another peer's story, this will guide you on traits to look for in a good...