Curated OER
Our Special Keepsake
Third graders observe the procedure for writing a single paragraph. They listen to a story and write a single paragraph response including a topic sentence, with supporting sentences.
Curated OER
Up, Up, and Away
Students research hot-ballooning using Internet resources including an around-the-world balloon flight. They determine fact from opinion, examine point of view, and determine main idea, and details. They write a journal entry taking the...
Curated OER
Write Your Own Cultural Connections
Young scholars write a cultural narrative. In this multicultural writing lesson, students create an expository narrative to teach others about their lives. Young scholars complete the narrative and use a buddy editing strategy to revise...
Curated OER
Marvelous Mysteries
Fifth graders explore mystery stories. In this reading and writing lesson plan, 5th graders complete a planning guide for an original mystery. Students use the writing process to create a mystery story.
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit
Young scholars organize facts about Harriet Tubman. For this writing lesson, students research Harriet Tubman, sort facts about her into two categories, and use the information they have found to write about her life in complete paragraphs.
Curated OER
Editing to Eliminate Fragments
Learners practice their writing skills. In this writing revision lesson, students read the provided writing samples and make corrections to the sentence fragments that are evident in each of them.
Curated OER
A Day at the Beach: How to Keep Our Planet Clean
Students write a persuasive essay based on cleaning up the coast and other philanthropic values. In this writing lesson, students determine what is needed in order to keep the planet clean, and offer solutions to the International...
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing
Students discuss the importance of using adjectives in writing. They separate into five groups, each group is given a bag with an object inside to describe using just one sense. They write a description of a Hershey's Kiss using adjectives.
Curated OER
The Mail Race
Students create friendly letters and surveys to other schools. In this letter writing lesson, students format friendly letters to other school and request a reply. Students chart the replies on a map and share information from the...
Curated OER
Kinds of Communities: Write On Grade 3
This PowerPoint includes text describing the key elements of a community, as well as the unique features of a suburb, a city, and a town. Illustrations and clip art are included depicting each type of community. Instructions for...
Curated OER
Books on Trial
Sixth graders persuade classmates that their favorite book is the best book ever written. In this persuasive writing lesson, 6th graders create a written argument as to why their favorite book is the best. Students present their argument...
University of Kansas
Newspaper in the Classroom
Newspapers aren't only for reading—they're for learning skills, too! A journalism unit provides three lessons each for primary, intermediate, and secondary grades. Lessons include objectives, materials, vocabulary, and procedure, and...
Core Knowledge Foundation
Unit 1: Contemporary Fiction - They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems by David Bowles
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems by David Bowles is the focus of a five-week language arts unit unit. Fifth graders listen to various poems and participate in thoughtful discussions, examining vocabulary and learning new words in...
Roald Dahl
The Twits - The Monkeys Escape
Houses come in all shapes and sizes, but not all houses are safe from Mr. and Mrs. Twit. The 10th lesson plan in a unit designed to accompany The Twits by Roald Dahl turns learners into architects. While designing houses for the monkeys,...
Curated OER
All Aboard! All Aboard! The Essay Train
Third graders enjoy a train ride with The Little Engine That Could and discover how to create a five-paragraph essay train. This clever instructional activity has students use each boxcar of the train as a template for a paragraph.
Curated OER
Agriculture Cares for the World
Students explore world geography by analyzing agriculture. In this dietary habits lesson, students discuss the role parents play in their children's diet and where the food comes from. Students write agricultural research paragraphs and...
Curated OER
Accentuate the Expositive: Unit 2 Expository Writing
Middle schoolers analyze narrative passages in order to improve their writing skills. For this narrative writing lesson students use the same style of writing that they have analyzed in their own narrative passage.
Lesson Plans
Analogy of the Cell Project
Intended to supplement your existing cell function and organelle lessons, pairs work together to develop a real-world analogy for cell structures. In addition to writing paragraphs about the comparison, each group will make a short...
EngageNY
Reading Proficiently and Independently: The Power of Setting Goals
Scholars reflect upon their reading strengths and challenges to create personal reading goals. Participants use goal-setting verbiage in an accordion-style graphic organizer, a first step in writing a letter that details their reading...
Curated OER
Bambara's The Lesson
Twelfth graders read the short story The Lesson. They research the socio-economic and cultural context of the story and author. They examine the author's point of view. They analyze the first person narration in the story. They rewrite...
Curated OER
"Blackbeard's Ghost" Differentiated Lesson Plan
Develop a better understanding of "Blackbeard's Ghost" with this differentiated lesson. Working in groups on a creative project, middle schoolers can reinforce their reading comprehension and literary analysis skills. Use this...
Ohio Literacy Resource Center
Arguing with Aristotle Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Introduce your classes to the Art of Rhetoric with a lesson that focuses on Aristotle's persuasive appeals and how they have been used, both ethically and unethically, to influence opinion.
K20 LEARN
It’s All Greek to Me: Greek and Latin Roots
Ancient Greeks and Romans have contributed far more to modern culture than mythic heroes and stunning architecture. Greek and Latin roots are the foundation of many English words. Middle schoolers engage in an activity that asks them to...
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...