Curated OER
It's Your Birthday! Expository Writing Unit 2
Students create an expository essay. In this writing lesson Students are assigned a country and must conduct research surrounding a historic event that occurred in that country at the time of their birth.
Curated OER
Picture the Process
Students read Chasing Vermeer and relate the book to the author . In this writing process lesson plan, students view Blue's Photo Album and see how the author writes and revises her work. Students discuss the process that all good...
Curated OER
What is Framing?
Middle schoolers practice framing issues. In this writing skills lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to look at specific topical issues by framing them. Middle schoolers then create collages on current...
University of Chicago
Using Artifacts for Clues About Identity
Learn about the ancient Near East through a close examination of ancient artifacts. Lead your class into analysis by first observing an artifact as a class. Pupils can then work in pairs to analyze the other artifacts and compile a list...
App State
Brainstorming
Get your young writers outside of the traditional essay writing mode with Free Write Friday. Free Write Friday encourages your class to use personal experiences or knowledge to write more creative pieces. Young writers could experiment...
Curated OER
Skellig by David Almond
For this Skellig worksheet, students write an essay about how Skellig changes Michael in the book. Students follow nine steps to help them prepare and then write the essay.
Curated OER
Introduction Paragraph
Key parts of an introductory paragraph (grabber sentence, connecting information, thesis) are highlighted in a presentation that uses color-coded sample paragraphs to illustrate how these parts combine to form a complete opening paragraph.
Polk Bros Foundation
Common Core Constructed Response Organizer
Get your writers ready to compose a constructed response essay in response to either an informational or fictional text. Pupils note down the big idea they wish to address as well as up to nine examples from the text that they wish to...
Curated OER
Using a Venn Diagram to Compare / Contrast: Double Bubble
Create a "Double Bubble" to organize information in a Venn diagram-like graphic organizer. There are a few options included to differentiate this assignment, but unfortunately, there are no topics for selection. Provide your emerging...
Curated OER
Writing and Publishing Skills
Seventh graders experience the satisfaction of writing for a purpose; their self-selected piece be published for an audience. They write using techniques appropriate to the selected genre.
Curated OER
Learning About Evaluation
Middle schoolers evaluate the essays of their classmates. In this evaluation instructional activity, students write two non-fiction essays on two different topics that they may choose. After a lecture on the aspects of the paper that...
Virginia Department of Education
Creating Thesis Sentences
Growing writers explore what it takes to develop and support a thesis statement with pre-fabricated ideas provided by the Virginia Department of Education. Learners take notes on what makes a thesis statement and a topic sentence, and...
Virginia Department of Education
Maintaining Organization, Clarity, Central Idea, and Unity
Introduce and challenge the essay organization skills of your junior high writers with the paper reconstruction activity in this demonstration. Theydetermine what the word organization means, and discover the basic organizational...
Curated OER
Hook, Lead Line, and Thinker
Students explore, examine and study the format of an opinion essay by viewing one author and activist that is helping women find their voices by reading and discussing the article, "Stop the Presses, Boys! Women Claim Space on Op-Ed...
Curated OER
Analyzing a Writer's Stance
Should college admissions decisions be based on whether whose family members attended? Secondary students read and respond to a New York Times article on the issue of 'legacy preferences' in college admissions. Following class...
Curated OER
Thoughts to the President
Learners write a persuassive paragraph to the President stating their opinion on a topic. To do this, they start the message with a topic sentence such as "War is _____." The blank should contain a word or phrase expressing the student's...
Curated OER
The Art of Persuasion - Persuading the Audience
Students write an essay or letter that gives three or more specific reasons to persuade the audience.
Curated OER
Finding Your Story: Helping Students Begin Their Memoir
Students write their memoir. For this memoir lesson, students study the differences between an autobiography and a memoir. Students construct an outline as the basis for their memoir.
Curated OER
Writing Police Reports
Learners discover police procedures by filling out crime reports. In this government activity, students discuss the benefits of historical reports pertaining to criminals and victims. Learners listen to an officer of the law speak in...
Curated OER
Directed and Undirected Free-writing: An Activity in Brainstorming
Start the flow of writing with music! Help learners free-write and brainstorm by playing various selections of music. After each selection, scholars talk about the theme and mood and then practice free-writing on their own. Lighten up on...
Curated OER
Rosa Parks: Mother of Civil Rights Movement
Middle schoolers read an article from Time and react to the article based upon what they have studied about Rosa Parks. They find that even though Rosa is no longer alive, she still has an impact today. They focus on that impact she has...
Curated OER
Sandwich Chart
Students fill in the blanks on a writing worksheet to create ideas for a five paragraph essay. Each blank needs to be filled in to create a "sandwich" essay which includes a topic sentence, the paragraphs with supporting details and a...
Curated OER
Power of Persuasion
Teaching students about persuasion can be a fun experience that involves writing, PowerPoint presentations, and vocabulary building.
Curated OER
The Middle Ages Gazette
Seventh graders research and obtain information about topics from the Middle Ages and write news reports that be compiled into a Gazette or newsletter. The reports can be on feudalism, castles, jousts and tournaments and/or the Crusades.