Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing about Art:Comparing Portraits

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students compare and contrast an academic and Impressionist portrait. For this art history lesson, students look at two different styles of painting and write a paragraph as if they are the subject in the painting. They compare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sense Poetry

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Access your young poets' senses and emotions with this activity, which guides them through the process of writing a "sense poem." After working on a sense poem as a class and modeling the procedure, individuals work on their own poems...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art and Literature: What's the Point?

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders analyze the social/political purpose(s) of art and literature. They create written and visual texts that bring attention to a social/political concern. Presentation and discussion of art and literature in connection with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pennies for Peace; Using Common Cents to Create Global Change in The Middle East

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders read, write, listen and speak in relation to gathering information as it pertains to service learning. In this service learning lesson, 9th graders read the book Three Cups of Tea and the complete guide to service learning...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing for a Purpose in Senior College English

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders are introduced to the proper way to write a paper. As a class, they examine and review the four stage process for writing about any topic. Using the topic they choose, they begin to identify the relationship between...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Demonstrate A Capitalization Rule

For Students 3rd - 5th
High school or GED test prep can help grade schoolers as well. This handout and related practice sheet clear up all the clutter surrounding capitalization. Sheet 1 provides a list of when to capitalize and sheet 2 provides the practice....
Handout
San José State University

Adverbs

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
While designed for college students, this review of adverbs could be used in a high school classroom as well. The worksheet begins with a detailed overview of adverbs which is followed by a six-question activity.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Call me "Al"

For Students 9th - 12th
Sharpen Internet research skills for your High school class by having them complete this on-line worksheet. All of the answers begin with the letters, "Al."
PPT
Curated OER

Book Review

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Planning on assigning a book review? High school and college-level writers will benefit from a presentation that provides step-by-step directions for crafting a review. Before, during, and after reading tips are included.
PPT
Curated OER

Roots and Affixes: How Words are Created

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Designed for a high school audience, this presentation covers roots and affixes in order to build vocabulary. Common prefixes (like bi-, anti-, and dis-) and suffixes (like -al, -ion, and -ous) are briefly introduced. Then, a few slides...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing an Opinion: Student Council

For Students 4th Standards
A three-part assessment challenges scholars to write opinion essays covering the topic of the student council. After reading three passages, writers complete a chart, work with peers to complete a mini-research project, answer...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing a Narrative: How Bear Lost His Tail

For Students 3rd Standards
After reading the first, second, and third parts of "How Bear Lost His Tail", third grade writers answer questions about the story by completing a series of options, including discussion points. Then, they begin to plan a new narrative...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Literary Text: Pygmalion and Galatea

For Students 6th Standards
Is it crazy to fall in love with your own work, or is that the purest love of all? Compare two renditions of the classic Greek myth Pygmalion and Galatea with a literary analysis exercise. After students compare the similarities and...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Informational Text: Beyond the Beyond—Galaxies

For Students 8th Standards
Everyone has a different point of view, even when it comes to the enormity of the universe. Two separate text passages explain the scope of a galaxy, prompting young readers to write an essay about each author's argument and how the...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing an Opinion Requiring Voting

For Students 5th Standards
Challenge writers to compose an essay detailing their stance on, and the history of, voting. Three assignments, each broken down into three parts, requires fifth graders to take notes, read and complete charts, write paragraphs, compare...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Informational Text: Everybody Can Bike

For Students 4th Standards
A three-part assessment challenges scholars to read informational texts in order to complete three tasks. Following a brief reading, class members take part in grand conversations, complete charts, and work in small groups to research...
Assessment
Fluence Learning

Writing About Literary Text: Wise or Foolish?

For Students 4th Standards
A three-part assessment promotes reading comprehension skills. Class members read literary texts and take notes to discuss their findings, answer comprehension questions, write summaries, and complete charts. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Researching African Americans Who Made a Difference

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Celebrate Black History Month with this lesson, in which middle schoolers create an essay about a famous African-American. Writers conduct research online, take notes to write an essay in proper format, and use ideas, text, and graphics...
Lesson Plan
University of Minnesota

Beautiful Brain: Strangest Dream

For Teachers 5th - 9th Standards
Do words change or add meaning or interest to a work of art? The final lesson in a four-part series on the beautiful brain as a work of art focuses on art analysis. Scholars write a story about exploring art from the inside. Reflections...
Lesson Plan
Institute for Humane Education

I've Been Branded!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
How many pairs of Nikes® or Apple® products are in the average American home? What makes someone buy one particular type of laundry detergent over another? Scholars grapple with these questions as they develop a list of brands they use...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Novice Lincoln Douglas Debate Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How do you affirm and negate a statement of value? What is refutation? Interested in debate? Introduce your class to the format of the Lincoln Douglas debate with 14 lessons, designed to be used in order, so that debaters learn the logic...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Our “Civilized” Society

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
The Scarlet Letter is the anchor text in a four-week unit that examines Hawthorne's novel through the lens of the intolerances found in a supposed civilized society. In addition to their reading, class members watch clips from...
Activity
Novelinks

The Martian Chronicles: Response Writing

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Follow the format of Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles with a journal-writing activity. Readers choose a character and examine the character's life and circumstances through brainstorming, research, and discussion before...
Worksheet
National External Diploma Program Council

Abbreviations

For Students 4th - 8th Standards
When should you abbreviate a word, and when should you write it out? Practice abbreviation rules with a resource that provides guided examples before challenging young grammarians to correct ten sentences on their own.