You can't read Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without craving the rich treats described in Dahl's vivid prose. Young writers try their hands at sensory language with a lesson plan that prompts them to write about their...

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory unit is a golden ticket for teachers looking for nicely written plans. Elementary and middle schoolers draw their impressions of characters, design and market their own candy creations, and use...

What is mightier: the pen or the sword? Scholars learn the power of persuasion through editorial writing. Complete with graphic organizers, rubrics, and an interview with an expert in the field, learners first explore what an editorial...

How did Benjamin Franklin feel when he discovered electricity? He was shocked! Writers put their their argumentative writing skills to the test in the fourth and final unit containing five scaffolded parts that first explore an energy...

Should technology be restricted or embraced in educational settings? Sixth graders work to answer this question by exploring the issue through mixed mediums and then crafting a written argument. Full of evidence-based strategies and...

Can animals think? Learners develop their thinking abilities by reading Linden's essay and constructing an evidence-based response. Complete with rubrics and exemplars to evaluate writing, the resource also has suggested pre-, during,...

Opinion, audience, purpose. Fourth graders are introduced to the three characteristics of persuasive writing in the third unit of a year-long writing program. The 98-page packet is complete with plans, model essays, graphic organizers,...

After reading excerpts from Frederick Douglass' autobiography, your pupils will draw on what they've learned about the cruelty of slavery in order to write and present an anti-slavery speech or editorial.

An extensive collection of lessons and activities includes many writing, grammar, and proofreading exercises. With templates and worksheets that cover several steps in the writing process, from sentence to paragraph to essay, this...

Looking to improve your classes literacy program? Then look no further. This comprehensive collection of resources includes worksheets and activities covering everything from r-controlled vowels and consonant digraphs, to the different...

How has the level of carbon dioxide changed over recent years, and what is contributing it? Groups work together to research and present their findings in a creative way. Also built into the lesson is a visit to a sustainable house, but...

Damming rivers has been a case of necessity versus negative environmental impact since the process began. Kids take on the role of a stakeholder in the proposed damming of the Danube River. They begin by reading arguments for and against...

In an argumentative essay, the introductory paragraph is the primary opportunity to get your readers' attention and tell them why the issue you are discussing is important. Demonstrate to your young writers how to construct an organized...

"A weak conclusion leaves the reader with an unfinished argument." Don't let your young writers fall into this trap! This is a great method for writing a concluding paragraph to an argumentative essay, which includes summarizing the main...

A thorough lesson on persuasive writing takes middle schoolers through several activities, including group discussion, collaborative posters, and independent writing. They compare historical speeches and analyze the persuasive techniques...

Johnson C. Montgomery’s controversial plea for American social isolationism, “The Island of Plenty,” launches an in-depth study of the structure and logic of the essay. After responding to a series of questions, individuals craft a...

Here is an interesting worksheet on discursive text. Learners read a short essay that expresses two opinions regarding choices of foods to eat by young people. After reading the text, pupils must fill out the worksheet. It has them write...

Encourage your middle and high schoolers to share their memories of a recent event. After reading a New York Times article, they discuss Elie Wiesel's memoir, Night. They write their own memoir about a significant event that affected...

What is family? Challenge your scholars to write an encompassing definition of what this word means to them. After reading "It May Be a Family Matter, But Just Try to Define Family," class members discuss the emotional issues surrounding...

What is really the best way to get rid of hiccups? Investigate some old wives' tales and folk remedies related to health. Middle schoolers explore the science behind why people might believe these myths to be true and find the real...

Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...

Investigate ethical issues surrounding the Decode project in Iceland. Middle and high schoolers take the positions of the Icelandic government, scientific researchers, and citizens and defend or refute the Decode project in a Reykjavik...

Analyze the motivation, purpose, and value of letters to the editor by examining letters written in response to the violence at Columbine High School. For homework, middle and high schoolers write their own letters to the editor about an...

A fun lesson that utilizes toys and persuasion! After reading the article, which was written in 2005, pull some advertisements for toys currently being sold. These will be more relevant to your middle and high schoolers. What toy is a...