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Writing a How-To Paper
Students discover that when writing a how-to paper, they are telling readers how to do something such as cook a particular recipe. They then choose one of the provided topics and write their own how-to paper.
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Writing - Story Ideas
Middle schoolers write their story in first person as a non-fiction story, or they can write the story in third person as a fictional story and use different characters. They can choose an idea from one of the story starters provided.
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Guess the Author-Using Pseudonyms
Students study about descriptive writing. They write a descriptive paragraph about themselves without revealing their physical description and sign their writing with a pseudonym.
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Perspectives in Writing
Students consider various perspectives in writing and write a short story. They view a painting and discuss its theme and the idea of personification as perspective. Choosing three different viewpoints, they write a story about the...
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Creating a Short Story
Students examine how to outline their story, to write a story and then edit their work. They illustrate their story using drawing features like squares, circles, and other shapes or a drawing program if they have it on the computer.
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Breaking News English: Tempers Over Super Bowl Abortion Ad
In this ESL comprehension worksheet, students read or listen to a passage, complete warm-up activities, then a wide variety of before, during, after and homework activities. Answers are included.
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Breaking News English: World Bank Boss Sorry for Payout to Girlfriend
In this ESL comprehension worksheet, learners read or listen to a passage, complete warm-up activities, then a wide variety of before, during, after and homework activities. Answers are included.
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Breaking News English: BBC Producer Killed in Somalia
In this ESL comprehension worksheet, students read or listen to a passage, complete warm-up activities, then a wide variety of before, during, after and homework activities. Answers are included.
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Show Don't Tell
Students review the Show Don't Tell method of writing haiku poetry. They practice distinguishing poetic language from academic language and create poems based on images, not explanations.
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Drawing on Terror
Students assess the ways in which editorial cartoons offer insight into events that shape our world, specifically focusing on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
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Our Town
Students read and discuss an online article as they consider what makes a center of activity in a city or town. They produce a documentary film of the hub of activity in their school.
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Designing Experiments - Overview
Students explore the concepts that enable them to design and conduct sound scientific experiments. They critique a faulty experiment and become familiar with some of the criteria of a good experiment. They conduct their own experiment.
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Words In the News Anne Bancroft Dies
Middle schoolers complete vocabulary building and word work exercises prior to reading an online article. They complete worksheets and an online quiz. They examine the use of homophones. They compare articles about famous people and...
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Those Who Fought
Learners read interviews with World War II veterans, then interview family or community members who fought in the war. They gain an understanding of World War II and practice research skills as they conduct interviews with World War II...
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How To Write Good Letter to the Editor
Students discover how to write a letter to the editor that would be good enough to be considered for publication. They include her or his opinion about the story, share a story of a similar experience to the author's or offer advice to...
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Day of the Dead
Middle schoolers study the Mexican celebration of Day of the Dead. They view a video and research questions on the Internet. They synthesize the information from the websites and the topic for their RAFT writing assignment. They write...
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Looking and Learning in the Art Museum
Young art historians review the elements of art by studying a reproduction of a work of art from a museum visit. They explain the difference between looking at a reproduction of a work of art and looking at the original using their...
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Job Seeking Strategies
Students analyze how successful job seekers got their jobs and consider which strategies they might use. They access stories about young adults who have successfully mainstreamed into the world of work.
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Posing for Rembrandt
Students consider the elements of costuming and posing in Rembrandt's work. They collect various costumes and experiment with poses in the theme of the painting "Night Watch". Students take photographs of poses and write accompanying...
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How To Be Persuasive in an Entertainment Review
Students write persuasively through description and word choice while reviewing a topic of interest to them.
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Indescribably Excellent Descriptions
Students train their eyes to look more closely at detail and imperfections as they write "indescribably" excellent descriptions of places, people, and things!
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Vocabulary / Writing Strategies
Young scholars will increase spelling and vocabulary skills. Then they will develop critical thinking skills. Next, they will develop expository writing skills. Finally, students will practice language skills with non-traditional text: a...
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Story Framing Legends
Students review, examine and study the seven stages to a traditional legend or modern story in legend form. They locate two traditional legend stories and see if they fit into the two categories listed for them in two boxes. Each student...
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Can You Follow Me? Writing Instructions
Students write directions for completing everyday activities. In this writing instructions lesson students exchange their set of written directions with a partner and follow their partners directions. If the directions are unclear,...