Curated OER
Responses to Literature
Middle and high schoolers hone their writing skills by reading Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and the poem Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out. They fill out a graphic organizer (included here), and use the organizer to write an...
Curated OER
Letters of Inquiry
Students compose letters of inquiry. In this written communication lesson, students read sample letters of inquiry about sites in Washington, D.C. Students then write their own letters of inquiry to the Washington, D.C. Chamber of Commerce.
Curated OER
Argumentation and Logic
Students recognize inductive and deductive reasoning and analyze common fallacies in critical thinking. In this argumentation and logic lesson, students use role playing activities and specific instances of inductive and deductive...
Curated OER
Irish Eyes: Taking a Look at Local Landscape
Direct your class’s attention to the elements that make their community unique. After examining sample travel brochures, groups select something from their community to use as the subject, and then research, create, and publish a...
Curated OER
A Goldfish is the Best Pet
Provide your class with a list of possible topics (three are included here, but they're not exactly gripping), and polish their persuasive writing skills. This plan really emphasizes the prewriting process, and several graphic organizers...
Curated OER
Writing a Query Letter
Pupils examine how to write a query letter to a publisher. They plan a short story they would like to write, conduct Internet research about possible publishers, and write a sample query letter.
Curated OER
Dead Word Wall Lesson
Help your writers eliminate "dead words" (words that are overused) from their writing. This instructional activity includes a SMART board presentation that will guide them through identifying, eliminating, and substituting "dead words"...
Curated OER
Basic Paragraph
Students with special needs examine how to write an organized, basic, five-sentence paragraph. Students write a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence. They first practice by viewing and...
Curated OER
Persuasion in Print
Advertisers target teenagers. Groups select three magazine advertisements for similar products, analyze the appeals used in each, create a poster that features the persuasive techniques used, and present their findings to the class. The...
Curated OER
Creating Student Advertising
Young scholars explore common advertising strategies used by the media. In this advertising lesson, students identify persuasive language in advertisements and construct their own persuasive ad.
Curated OER
Thank you!
Students type a personal business letter to their elementary principal, teacher or pastor to thank them.
Curated OER
Hire Me, I’m Nice: Writing a Resume
Students explore the classified ads for employment opportunities and create a resume. In this resume writing lesson students choose a specific job, they must determine what kind of experience, education, etc. they must have to acquire...
Curated OER
Help Wanted: President of the United States
Students consider qualities and United States president should have. In this government lesson, students research the responsibilities of the president and use that information to create an advertisement that describes the job and...
Curated OER
Drawing a "Life Map"
Students create an autobiography. In this writing lesson, students use a life map as a graphic organizer to develop their autobiography.
Curated OER
Putting It Together
High schoolers read aloud the book "Courage" by Bernard Waber and discuss the examples that compromise the defintion of courage. They describe another word such as joy and work with a partner or group to brainstorm and write sentences of...
Curated OER
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Learners identify the use of characterization in Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In this characterization lesson, students define characterization and write descriptive paragraphs about Maya Angelou's grandmother....
Curated OER
Examining Letters to the Editor
Young scholars write letters to the editor. In this written communication lesson, students read sample letters to the editor and use the active voice to compose letters to the editor about issues they are interested in.
Curated OER
Examining Letters to the Editor
Students write letters to the editor. In this written communication lesson, students read sample letters to the editor and use the active voice to compose letters to the editor about issues in which they are interested.
Curated OER
Christmas-Tree-Shaped Poems
Students create poems in the shape of a Christmas tree. They write an original poem detailing how a person can spread joy during the holiday season. The poem is formatted in the shape of a Christmas tree.
Curated OER
Fall Similes
Students create descriptive autumn similes and write them on fall-themed paper. They first write the autumn simile, and then arrange the plants around the border of the paper. They use natural plants which must be pressed.
Curated OER
Wildcat Dumping Site
Students research facts about illegal dumping sites and write an editorial exposing the effects of the site from their point of view and persuades readers to take action. Students brainstorm ideas that could be included in the editorial,...
Curated OER
Theatre- The Critic's Review
Students construct a critical review of a performance. In this theatrical lesson, students learn why critical reviews are important and create their own critical review. Students discuss their review.
Curated OER
Spelling Detective
Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and become a spelling detective! Scholars hunt down the spelling errors in a short passage of a high-interest current events text. Here is a great way to develop editing and reading skills.
Curated OER
Spelling Clue Race
Pupils decode clues in order to correctly spell words. They find clues hidden in the classroom to review for their spelling test. Perhaps this isn't the most effective way to review, but it is creative, so it's likely to capture the...