The beauty in this resource is the lengthy list of highly charged, controversial-issue research topics. Categories include issues of race, politics, law, environment, education, athletics, gender, and technology. After selecting a topic,...

Close up your unit on The Call of the Wild by Jack London with an examination of what makes a book memorable and effective. During discussion, students apply general qualities of a great book to The Call of the Wild and touch on the...

Individuals or groups select an environmental issue, then spend time researching and creating a presentation to share in class. By allowing learners to choose the issue that matters most to them, you will motivate them to do excellent...

Put the advertising in the hands of your pupils. They design and promote a product, using propaganda techniques to persuade those who view their newspaper ad. Learners must include certain information about their product as well as a...

Need a key to unlock writer's block? Introduce your writers to four easy steps that will release them from their mental prison. The brainstorming worksheet, designed to set free their imaginations, even has an answer key.

Examine a persuasive piece with a series of categorized analysis questions. You can start out with the basic questions provided at the top of the page, and move on to the more complex questions listed below. The questions cover content,...

Provide a framework for your pupils as they begin drafting argumentative essay. There is space on this graphic organizer to draft a brief introduction, a thesis, reasons and evidence, a counterargument and rebuttal, and a concluding...

What do your pupils know about bees? Ask them to examine facts and images about three different types of bees and write about one type. Pupils explain why their chosen bee is interesting and back up their ideas with facts and opinions....

In argumentative or persuasive writing, a writer's opinions must be backed up by reasons and evidence. This graphic organizer provides a space for pupils to write in an opinion, three reasons with support, and a conclusion.

Templates can help individuals plan and structure more formal writing. Try out a template for editorial writing. There is space on the page for students to write a brief introduction, background on the issue, two reasons with support,...

A big step in the development of children's reading comprehension skills is the ability to differentiate between the topic of a piece of writing and its purpose. The third instructional activity in this series presents learners with...

Most young readers are aware that authors write to entertain or inform the audience, but it's also important for them to understand the art of persuasive writing. In the third lesson of this series, the teacher reads two letters to the...

Throughout any piece of writing, words and phrases are used that provide the reader hints about the author's purpose. Teach young readers how to pick up on these clues as they learn to identify writing that entertains, informs, and...

Between news articles, editorials, and comic strips, many different types of writing are presented to readers in a newspaper. The first lesson in this series helps children make sense of all this information by teaching them the key...

The ability of young readers to cite textual evidence when discussing a piece of writing is essential to the development of their reading comprehension skills. The second lesson plan in this series allows learners to practice this...

How has the level of carbon dioxide changed over recent years, and what is contributing it? Groups work together to research and present their findings in a creative way. Also built into the lesson is a visit to a sustainable house, but...

Hit the main points of the Common Core persuasive writing standards by requiring your writers to meet all of the criteria listed on this page. Post it up on the wall or hand it out to your class; either way, class members can use the...

Set up your writers for writing strong introductions with a formula for putting together supported thesis statements. This reference page breaks the process down and provides an example of how to compose a thesis statement, develop a...

Your fifth graders can meet the Common Core standards for writing! This checklist will help show them how much they've learned. Each standard is listed in the form of "I can" statements in simplified language that is accessible to fifth...

A strong thesis statement sets the tone for any piece of expository writing. In the second lesson of this series, young writers follow a step-by-step process to narrow down their topics and create an argumentative statement that can be...

It's no secret that children are full of opinions, but choosing one to write about can be difficult. Walk young writers through the process of brainstorming, narrowing down, and choosing a topic in the first lesson of this series on...

Let's get to the point. The final lesson in this persuasive writing series helps learners revise their essays by clarifying how supporting details prove their theses. This activity would best be completed in pairs, allowing peer feedback...

It's time to do some body building with the fourth lesson of this series on persuasive writing. After creating a thesis statement and brainstorming supporting ideas and details, young writers begin creating the body of their...

If only writing a conclusion were as simple as saying The End. Model how to conclude a persuasive essay by summarizing main ideas and making a plea for action with the fifth lesson in this writing series. Consider pausing the video and...