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...

Need a musical lesson for your drama or performing arts class? VH1 has put together a really neat lesson, in which learners use biographical information about Alicia Keys to write and perform a one-act musical related to her life. This...

Students examine how a scene in a movie or in literature is constructed. In this film and literature activity students answer questions based on film clips then create storyboards depicting a scene from their life.

Work on narrative writing with this lesson, in which middle schoolers analyze the characters from a selected piece of literature and write narrative diary pieces as the character. They work to understand the point of view of the...

Learners write persuasively by convincing others of their point of view about music downloading.

Students write a funny story and illustrate it in a comic strip. In this comic strip instructional activity, students study comic strips and determine the plot of each story. Students then write a short story and illustrate it using a...

The first of a three-part series on bullying, this plan has class members present skits about bullying, write and sign an anti-bullying pledge, and complete a service project. For the skit, learners use information from previous lessons...

Introduce your young readers to the book review. Groups of writers practice the basic steps of writing a book report and complete an Accordion-Book Summary activity. The lesson includes book report basics and directions to make...

Students relate legends of lucky objects such as a rabbit's foot and principles of Feng Shui to fate and free will concepts that are expressed in Shakespeare's play, "Julius Casear". In small groups, they redesign the palace of Casear to...

Young scholars explore 5 senses poetry.  In this poetry writing lesson, students visualize a special day and brainstorm related vivid adjectives and phrases.  Young scholars create mindmaps of the five senses to go with their...

Middle schoolers research three major bridge collapses. In this Physical Science lesson plan, students will sketch a bridge design for their area after their research. All bridge designs will be presented to the class to discuss...

Learners are instructed to create a monster in a paragraph or even a short story. This activity allows students to work with new vocabulary. It is also a good way to practice using verbs and adjectives in Spanish.

Second graders write a poem using words from a list and practice poetic forms. In this lesson on writing a peace poem, 2nd graders brainstorm words or phrases associated with "peace." Students choose a poetic form to express their...

What kind of shoe is this person? What time of day is this person? Aspiring poets’ responses to a list of questions provide descriptive words and phrases that can be crafted into a blank verse poem. A link to sample poems is provided.

Students write a report. In this mammals instructional activity, students learn about various mammals such as whales, beavers, bats and echidnas. Students make a diagram, write a report, brainstorm a list of myths and make a model animal.

Students examine forensic science. In this video based instructional activity, students examine the tools and techniques of forensic science. They write a report about a fictional crime scene from the Discovery video.

Learners analyze a piece of writing by creating diary entries based on a character.  In this reading comprehension lesson, students read an assigned book with their classmates and create a sketch of what they believe the main...

Middle schoolers create advertisements using comparative adjectives. In this grammar lesson, students brainstorm various products for which they would like to create an advertising campaign. Middle schoolers use comparative adjectives in...

Young scholars compile a list of the things they look for in a friend. Then they use that information to create a simple poem. Later they illustrate and display their poems.

Fourth graders study slavery escape routes of the Underground Railroad on maps, read an account of an escape and then write narrative essays about a fictional slave's escape.

Ninth graders explore he purposes of the Parthenon.  In this World History lesson, 9th graders create a complete picture of the Parthenon.  Students research one aspect of the structure and report their findings back to the class.

Students complete a number and letter recognition activity by creating phone numbers for businesses. In this telephone number lesson, students brainstorm telephone numbers that include words. Students translate numbers to their numeric...

Students create a poem on the subject of war. In this All Quiet on the Western Front lesson plan, students create poetry using phrases or lines that they brainstorm during a pre-writing session. Students enhance their poetry with...

Students compare and contrast their concepts of leadership with Machiavelli's, as outlines in The Prince. In this literature lesson, students identify positions that call for leadership and brainstorm qualities necessary for such a...