Curated OER
My Mind is Blank
Investigate prewriting activities in this brainstorming lesson. Middle schoolers are divided into groups and are assigned a topic. They decide which prewriting technique to choose from, including free write, looping, brainstorming,...
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Definition Poems
“Hope is a tissue, wiping away your problems and fears.” Use a Definition Poem Web worksheet to model for your class how to craft a free verse poem based on an emotion. After brainstorming topics, groups use the sheet to make comparisons...
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Cruceros Isla Aventura
Take your Spanish speakers on an island adventure cruise! First, they read a flyer for a cruise company and answer the short-answer questions that follow. Then, they complete the prewriting activity before writing a solid paragraph to...
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How to Refine, Narrow, or Broaden a Topic Worksheet
Guide your writers in the pre-writing stage of a research project. Print this sheet to help each writer select an appropriate research topic. They practice narrowing and broadening two different options provided. A natural follow-up...
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Free Verse
Students write free verse poems. In this poetry lesson, students use a three-step method to create a free verse poem. Students brainstorm ideas, let their ideas "incubate," and write a free verse poem.
University of Arizona
Identity Repair
In a detailed, creative writing task, potential poets analyze how race, identity, and society categorize and (mis)represent us. The learning begins with an imaginative anticipatory set where students describe unique situations that their...
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Directed and Undirected Free-writing: An Activity in Brainstorming
Let your writers take a break from formal writing and experiment with undirected freewriting. First they'll discuss the difference between directed and undirected freewriting. Then they'll put their knowledge to work and create some...
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All Quiet On The Western Front
High schoolers create a poem on the subject of war. In this All Quiet on the Western Front lesson, students create poetry using phrases or lines that they brainstorm during a pre-writing session. High schoolers enhance their poetry with...
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Characterization
Students draw pictures to generate ideas about a character. They use prewriting skills to plan written work. They then dictate or write detailed descriptions of familiar person, places, objects, or experiences.
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Science Fiction Stories
Students review the story writing process and the elements such as prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, publishing, and assessment. Next students write a science fiction story that contains a title, the requested number of...
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Preschool Lesson: Guinea Pigs
In this Guinea Pig themed lesson, students hear the story, Guinea Pigs Add UP! and then engage in several themed learning activities. Each activity fosters skills in letter/number recognition, art, math or writing.
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Trace the Flower
In this tracing worksheet, students will use a pencil or crayon to trace over the dotted lines. The students will create a flower that can then be colored.
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Garden Maze
In this maze worksheet, students draw a line through the maze of flowers to get to the bee. Flowers are in an outline format and may be colored.
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The Odyssey
Students write a dramatic scene based on The Odyssey and perform it for the class. In this living literature lesson plan, students work in small groups to discuss the way the characters look, act, and sound. They then choose scenery and...
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Heart of Darkness
Students interpret the resolution of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. In this literature lesson, students discuss the ending of the novella and Conrad's intentions in ending it the way he did. Students then write alternative endings...
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Dear Diary
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...
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A Garden of Verses: Poems About Class Gardens
Students explore botany by participating in a language arts activity. In this garden poetry lesson, students read the classic poem "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" and discuss the imagery and rhyming methods used. Students examine their own...
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Accordion-Book Summary
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...
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Color Poems
Students describe colors. For this descriptive writing lesson, students brainstorm color descriptions using all of the senses except sight. Students write poems including similes, sensory images, and interesting word choice. Examples are...
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Dear Diary
In this narrative worksheet, students compose a diary entry that includes different facets of writing. Students then respond to different narratives in the class by answering 11 different questions.
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Block the Sun, Not the Fun
Students discover ways to protect themselves from the sun. They identify diseases that are caused by too much sun exposure. They take a quiz and measure their progress throughout the year.
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All About Me
Students explore autobiographical stories. They write about a personal experience that is significant and memorable. Students specifically explain the chosen events. They define autobiography and share their stories.
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Adventure Stories
Students write an adventure story that contains a title, as many sentences as possible, and a conclusion. On the peer and teacher assessment sheets, the number of sentences required are left blank so that the teacher may determine the...
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Alphabet Poem
Students create an alphabetized list about their favorite topic using the Alphabet Poem Brainstorming worksheet or creating a list on the board with the class. They think of a word that starts with their letters that relates to the...