Curated OER
Multi-sensory Writing
Students use their senses to help describe special place they have been. They write short sensory-image essay that incorporate all five of their senses, and identify sensory language while reading different pieces of literature.
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...
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...
jc-schools
The Expository Essay
Did you ever create an awesome graphic organizer only to find that your class was completely baffled by how to use it? This resource not only provides you with a great graphic organizer for a standard five-paragraph essay, but also...
Curated OER
Describing Paintings: Calm or Stormy
Young writers use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to describe details in two paintings. One depicts a sunny landscape, and the other shows a cloudier view. They write a narrative inspired by the paintings, paying attention to transitional...
Curated OER
The Personal Narrative - Part One
Read to write! The class lists sensory details based on the plot of a story they have recently read. They create a drawing of a bracelet and use the bracelet's jewels or charms to list sensory details included in the story. They then use...
Santa Barbara City College
Structure of a General Expository Essay
A great student reference tool and graphic organizer in one worksheet! Young writers can read a detailed description of each section of a standard five-paragraph essay before completing a graphic organized with their own writing. The...
Curated OER
The Newspaper Article
Have your class participate in an interview activity using an informational text about the Amazon. After reading a Cultural Connections story about a person from the Amazon, middle schoolers write interview questions based on the text....
Curated OER
News View
Students read and analyze three different news sources that describe the same event. They compare/contrast the similarities and differences of the news sources, and write an essay describing the main event.
Vista Murrieta High School
English II Research Paper Packet
If your school requires a senior research paper or if you are considering one for your class, then this resource is for you. The 43-page packet includes everything from a sample letter to parents to requirements, from topic suggestions...
Curated OER
Can You Picture That?
Students analyze and write creative pieces based on photographs taken during the 2005 New York City transit strike.
Curated OER
imovie-ski trip
Young scholars create a movie using pictures taken from a class ski trip. In this iMovie-ski trip instructional activity the students determine which pictures they would like to represent their trip. Young scholars then begin to...
Curated OER
Welcome to Our School
Students build a friendly environment for future students by creating a PowerPoint presentation. In this middle school introduction lesson, students utilize a camera to record important moments throughout the school year. Students...
Curated OER
Library Media Center Research Learning Unit for 6th, 7th, & 8th Grades
Middle schoolers focus on the process of and skills necessary for researching a topic. They study the topic of immigration while practicing note taking skills, organizing information and writing conventions.
Curated OER
Interactive Notes-"Heat Transfer"
Students explore heat transfer. In this temperature and molecule behavior lesson, students view a PowerPoint while simultaneously performing experiments in which heat transfer is demonstrated. Students use cold beakers, ice cubes,...
Curated OER
Presentation Delivery Skills
This is a very general description of steps to follow when helping learners to improve their digital presentation skills. It allows for 10 minutes to revise the presentation; a 40-minute practice period in small groups; and a 10-minute...
Curated OER
Interview! Magazine
Students interview a subject and write a biographical sketch for a fictional magazine. In this interview lesson, students choose a person to interview and create two sets of questions. Students conduct the interview. Students then write...
Curated OER
My Wilderness Adventure
Middle schoolers use a story starter and given questions to continue their adventure. They use the Internet and books to research about winter survival skills, how to find food, water and shelter in the snowy mountains and discover...
Curated OER
Publishing Written Reports
Seventh graders discuss the importance of presentation in report writing. They prepare and publish written reports on pre-selected topics. Students use various media, including covers and visual aids.
Curated OER
The ABC's of the Three Little Pigs
Writers use varied sentence patterns. They listen to the story of Cinderella rewritten so that each sentence starts with the next letter of the alphabet. They create their own version of The Three Little Pigs using the same concept.
Curated OER
Change of Perspective
After reading an example of a Cultural Connection about a particular person, class members are asked to think about what this person might experience on a daily basis. They then craft a narrative from the subject’s point of view.
Curated OER
Poetry Slams and Lesson Plans
Poetry slams can lead your students beyond a focus on rhyme and meter and into the emotional pull of poetry.
Curated OER
Note Taking
Students discover how to transfer information from highlighted articles to note cards. Providing students with an organized system to collect and record data provide them with a lifelong skill.