San José State University
Semicolons
This instructional activity provides a good description of when to use a semicolon, followed by 6 sentences to practice inserting punctuation. A key is provided.
Curated OER
Democracy in Action
Students consider words that reflect their knowledge and opinions about democracy. They work in groups to research countries that have recently transitioned to democratic forms of government.
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Defending Great Literature
Students defend Mark Twain and the study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn using persuasive techniques, appropriate word choice, and correct letter format, in response to a fictional letter by an upset parent.
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Interactive Verb Quiz #2
In this grammar activity, learners participate in an interactive verb quiz involving transitive, intransitive, linking and auxiliary verbs in twenty sentences.
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Identifying Objects
For this identifying objects worksheet, students examine 10 sentences, determine whether they have objects and determine whether the verbs are transitive or intransitive.
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Compare and Contrast Essay Checklist
Are you looking for a basic checklist your writers can use as they edit a peer's compare/contrast essay? Reviewers simply check yes or no for each of the criteria listed in three categories, and then use the space at the bottom of the...
Curated OER
The Personal Narrative - Part 3
Let's peer edit! Have your writers exchange their personal narratives with another learner! While peer editing, they will look for any missing information and identify strong details. They can practice literary analysis skills using a...
Clever Student Training Company
Eliminating Weak Essay Material
A strong essay eliminates weak or unnecessary material. Determining what information contributes to an essay and what information should be deleted is a skill readers and writers of informational text must develop. Class members practice...
Curated OER
Comma Practice Worksheet
Start by introducing your class to basic comma rules, and then give them this practice sheet. First, learners add commas where necessary, and then they write down which comma rule (or rules) used in each sentence. Great practice!
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Persuasion and Parallel Structure
Discuss the definition of parallel structure with your high school class. In small groups, they read a section of "The Declaration of Independence" to identify examples of parallel structure. Each learner writes an essay explaining the...
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Creatively Creating Expository Essays
Students, after reading Fahrenheit 451, brainstorm inventions that could have been in the novel. They present their invention to the class and writing an expository essay about their creation.
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The Direct Object
What exactly is a direct object? Use this resource to introduce direct objects to your middle and early high school classrooms. The section at the top explains the part of speech, and then there are 20 sentences below for learners to...
Curriculum
Expository Writing
The beauty of the way this expository writing resource is structured is that the units can be presented as a complete writing workshop or sequenced throughout a course of study
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Summer Shorts
Want to use sequence maps in your narrative writing unit? Young writers work to create personal narratives about their summer vacation. They write a narrative of their vacation and create a display using summer clothing shapes made from...
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Organizing by Writing
Middle schoolers analyze how to use writing for generating and organizing their thoughts before communicating them. They use the questions on the first handout to organize a three-minute introduction of themselves to their small group....
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
Introduction to Age of Absolutism
Who were the absolute monarchs of Europe and what effect did they have on their countries? Young historians begin by naming qualities they believe are important for a monarch to possess. They then take notes on four key factors leading...
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Review Table: Azar: Understanding and Using English Grammar, Chapters 17, 19
In this grammar review worksheet, students read through a review table that explains adverb clause words, transitions, connecting words and prepositions.
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Using Because, When, After, As, Although, Since, Even Though, and While
In this grammar instructional activity, students complete ten unfinished sentences by adding a commas where necessary when adding additional clauses and phrases.
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Paragraph Building
Build the skills your budding authors need to develop to compose well-structured paragraphs. Give them the topic sheet (included here), and have them write a cohesive paragraph using the ideas listed. Consider having them include two...
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Passive/Active Test
In this passive and active tenses worksheet, students choose the correct tense to fit a given sentence. Students also identify transitive and intransitive verbs.
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Organizing One’s Thoughts
Students take a closer look at the organization of written pieces. In this writing skills instructional activity, students examine transitions, repetition, parallelism, and other organizational patterns in writing.
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The Write Stuff to Get the Job
Students conduct Internet research to determine how to properly create a cover letter, resume and follup-letter. Students then create their own letters and resumes using the Resume Wizard in Microsoft Word.
Curated OER
An American Ballad - Lesson 1
Students listen to and analyze the ballad "American Pie." They utilize a worksheet imbedded in this plan. They circle the appropriate descriptive words of the song's medium form, melody, tempo and dynamics, and style.