Curated OER
Writing Formal Letters
Help your young writers recognize the importance of composing formal letters. Middle schoolers read letters written by Thomas Jefferson and analyze the components that make it a formal letter. They will then compose their own...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Informational Writing
Emerging writers identify an informational piece of writing. They are provided with examples of informational writing and view a PowerPoint on narrative writing. Then, they design their own informational writing with a brochure,...
Curated OER
Out of Old England in the 1630s-Flat Me Project
Learners write letters to penpals. In this geography/literacy lesson, students become penpals with a classroom in England to learn about customs and society across the ocean. Flat Stanley by Will Holton is read aloud, and learners...
Curated OER
Thinking Ahead to Next Year
End your school year in reflection. Ask your class to leave advice for those who follow in their footsteps, or write informative letters to the teachers who teach them next year. This is a great way to gather memories, improvements,...
Curated OER
Get in the Newspaper Habit
Dive into journalism with your high schoolers! The resources provided here will help your learners write unbiased, clear, and succinct newspaper articles. First they spend time sifting through stacks of articles, filling out a graphic...
Curated OER
My Writing Portfolio
Emerging writers create a portfolio showcasing various writing formats. They discuss Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. They observe the key features of picture books and then create their own book to add...
Curated OER
Dealing With Tragedy in the Classroom
Pupils compose a letter, organize a group effort, discuss the idea of patriotic symbols and explain their importance, use visual representations to express feelings and explain the importance of sustained volunteerism.
Civil War Trust
Civil War Newspaper
One photograph can represent so much more than the images on the film. Eighth graders select a photograph from the Civil War era and conduct additional research based on the subject matter from the picture. Once they complete the...
Curated OER
I Nominate My Friend
Students review letter writing skills and the use of descriptive language, and practice writing persuasive letters, with help from teacher and peers. Letters are then written to nominate friend for Friend of the Year.
Curated OER
Letter Writing
Third graders write to themselves or to known audiences, share news, explore new ideas, and record notes. They identify that holidays are days that people set aside to recognize a person or event that has made a great impression....
Curated OER
Put That in Writing
Students identify life situations which require various writing responses, use the power of the written word to obtain results, practice writing responses to real-world events, and demonstrate the skills needed to recognize and create...
Curated OER
Getting to Know You
After going over the five steps of the writing process, pupils fill out "Getting to Know You" worksheets. They trade papers with each other, and have the task of writing a descriptive paragraph about the person whose worksheet they...
Curated OER
Biome Exchange - Send the "Stuff" Not The Kids
Young scholars exchange ecological information with students from different geographic biomes. They box up the "unique ecologically significant features" of their area, send the box to another class in another area and then receive a...
Curated OER
Pen Pal Project
Second graders write letters to a pen pal in proper letter form. In this writing lesson, 2nd graders discuss why they would write to a pen pal, brainstorm the elements that should appear in their letters, then write the letters. To close...
Curated OER
Traveling Community Journal Project
Students create an online "community journal". For this communities lesson, students use a writing template to send e-mail to various people to learn more about their community. The journal is passed from person to person.
Smithsonian Institution
Mary Henry: Journal/Diary Writing
A great way to connect social studies with language arts, a resource on Mary Henry's historical diary reinforces the concepts of primary and secondary sources. It comes with an easy-to-understand lesson plan, as well as the reference...
Curated OER
No Need To Be Puzzled About Me
Fourth graders investigate acrostic poetry by researching the Internet. For this poetry writing lesson, 4th graders complete a worksheet detailing their personal activities and interests. Students view the form of an acrostic...
Curated OER
Forms Of Knowledge
Students put writing pieces into categories to show different organizational features in writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are shown examples of speeches, poems, editorials, cartoons, parodies, historical fiction, and more.
Curated OER
1-800-MATHFUN
Learners 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. Learners translate numbers to their numeric...
Curated OER
Fractions, Decimals, and Percents Got You Down? "Tri" This!
Have your class design their own mathematical study aids. Learners collaborate in groups on the design of tri-fold presentation describing the relationships between mathematical computations. Then, they write a business letter to the...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Writing with Beans
Students become familiar with the letters in a word by pasting beans on it. In this Bean writing instructional activity, students make words using navy beans. Students color or paint the beans.
Curated OER
Emailing Colonial Pen Pals
Fifth graders write emails to a friend imagining they are traveling to colonial America. In this emailing penpals instructional activity, 5th graders discuss appropriate language and topics in email communication, use correct...
Curated OER
The Elf Project
Sixth graders create elves in order to respond to Santa letters from first graders.
Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Learners explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Learners survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize the...