Curated OER
Leading into Good Writing
Discuss the importance of a lead in writing with your upper graders. They examine several examples of leads from literature and practice writing leads for pieces of artwork. They then select a topic from a list and write an introductory...
Tech Coach Corner
The Hook
A fishing hook inspires this presentation about different methods for starting a composition. Have class members take notes or edit current drafts while viewing the slide show. The animation is entertaining, but gets repetitive by the...
Curated OER
The Lead Paragraph - How to Hook the Reader in 25 Words or Less
In this reading and writing analysis worksheet, students read a sample letter that hooks the readers. The students then discuss and adjust three other writing samples to make them more interesting.
Curated OER
It's a Matter of Opinion
Dissect the parts of an advertisement with your class. Middle schoolers discuss advertisements and locate the hook in them. Then, they create an advertisement for a business, in which they include the name of the business, an...
Curated OER
Getting Hooked, Introduction for a Narrative
How can you interest your reader? Here is a great lesson on reading and discussing the characteristics of a narrative. Elementary schoolers explore writing techniques to hook the reader. They identify their hook and share their...
K20 LEARN
Hooking Your Reader
Hook your class into inquiry-based, hands-on learning with a activity on narrative leads. Pupils research different types of hooks and decide which one to use in their own writing. Carefully scaffolded to include all learners, the...
Classical Academies
Story Openings
How should you begin a story? Show this presentation to give your class a few ideas. Each slide includes information about story openings and examples of certain types of story openings written by well-known authors. After showing the...
Curated OER
Writing the Five Paragraph Essay: Some basic rules for writing that you should always follow!
Need a quick review of the format of the five-paragraph essay? The strength of this presentation is in the color-highlighted examples used to illustrate the terms. Consider adding additional slides that provide a model of a complete essay.
Curated OER
Lead Me On - Writing Lively Leads for Book Reviews
Third graders use the concepts found in a PowerPoint presentation, and write leads for book reviews that attract readers and stimulate book interest. They are graded on their ability to engage the reader with their writing.
Curated OER
Varied Beginnings: Research Process / Narrative Writing Techniques
What's the best way to start a story? Learners write a memoir using effective openings. They research the process and work through a list of hooks to use in their writing. They use at least two hooks to begin their personal memoir. A...
Bright Hub Education
How to Write an Essay Introduction
Clichéd and repetitive introductions got you down? Try this lesson on for size! Start off by instructing your class members on techniques for writing introductions and what types of introductions they should avoid. Several general lesson...
Curated OER
How Does the Story begin...or End?
Young scholars explore the importance of the opening and closing of a story. They assess that an exciting beginning gets readers attentions and strong introductions hook and lead readers into the book or story.Also, a good conclusion...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Essay Outline
Here is a resource intended for a social studies class, but great no matter the subject. It's a complete outline for an essay. It includes space to write ideas related to the thesis, supporting details, transition sentences and words,...
John F. Kennedy Center
Comparing Cultural Holidays
A instructional activity examines the holidays, Día de los Muertos and Halloween. After an exciting clip from the movie Coco, class members review vocabulary and discuss what they know about Halloween. The conversation leads into the...
Curated OER
Terrific Topic Sentences
Capture the interest of your reader with terrific topic sentences. To practice hooking the reader, your class will be given writing prompts, and they must create topic sentences for each prompt provided. Encourage them to use different...
Curated OER
The Five-Paragraph Essay: Template for College Writing
If your writers have already mastered the basic five-paragraph essay, consider introducing them to a broader application of this format. Writers consider sections instead of paragraphs, context/claim, and synthesis. Although no models...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Respect for Self and Others—Giving and Getting the Big R
Tween find out what it means to give and get respect. After reviewing the Recipe for Relationships studied in a previous lesson, groups create a dramatization of two-minute scenario in which an individual behaves inappropriately in a...
Curated OER
Bungee M&M's
Science is exciting - and delicious! Pairs of learners set up a bungee cord type of experiment. They use buckets filled with M & M's, a meter stick, and a Slinky spring (as the bungee) to conduct their experiment. A good activity...
Curated OER
DNA Replication
High schoolers are able to distinguish between transcription and replication. They are able to distinguish between DNA and RNA. Students name some of the proteins and enzymes used in replication and transcription. They are able...
Curated OER
An Elephant's Life
Here is an interesting worksheet that's all about elephants. In it, learners answer ten true-or-false questions about elephants, then respond to ten questions that come from a story about Daisy, the circus elephant. The questions should...
US Department of Energy
The Ring Fling Machine
Class members build a machine to demonstrate Lenz's law and help this scientific principle come to life. After building a ring fling machine, instructions for properly operating the machine and a few thought-provoking questions lead to...
American Chemical Society
Evaporation Sensation
Where did the water go? Learners conduct an experiment to see how the difference in temperature affects evaporation rates. Scholars continue to investigate evaporation by comparing water and alcohol evaporation rates. Pupils experiment...
Curated OER
Hook, Lead Line, and Thinker
Students explore, examine and study the format of an opinion essay by viewing one author and activist that is helping women find their voices by reading and discussing the article, "Stop the Presses, Boys! Women Claim Space on Op-Ed...
Curated OER
How I Act Is Who I Am
Students discuss the roles people have and how the people they know act after watching a puppet show. Puppets and teacher lead discussion with class and ask them to provide examples of being responsible , cooperative, respectful, and...