Curated OER
Writing: Laying and Covering the Foundation
Your middle schoolers can become stronger writers with a lesson covering the basics. They compose effective thesis statements and introductions, discuss different ways to capture a reader's attention, and compare a poorly written...
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Emma by Jane Austen
Coldhearted snob or warm and caring? A series of activities prepares scholars to evaluate the main character in Jane Austen's Emma. To begin, class members compare the gender expectations for women in Regency England and those of today....
Curated OER
Writing: Parallel Structure
In this writing with parallel structure worksheet, students examine 20 sentences and note whether they are correctly or incorrectly written in terms of parallel structure.
Curated OER
Sentence Combining
Learners practice sentence combining at increasingly difficult levels throughout a week. They begin with nouns and verbs and build to contrasts, parallels, etc.
Curated OER
Phineas Gage: “How Do You Get Through Hard Times?” Chalk Talk
Hold a discussion in writing about coping strategies to prepare your pupils for reading Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman. After journaling, pupils come up in an organized fashion and write...
Curated OER
Identifying and Using Parallelism and Balance in Literature
Learners examine the story for use of balanced sentences and parallelism-two literary devices-and then practice using those devices in writing of their own. They combine the simple sentences grammatically into one correct sentence. A. I...
Curated OER
The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter
For this literature worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about Richter's A Light in the Forest. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Thesis Statement Exercises
Highlight the importance of introductions and thesis statements by having writers edit and re-write nine different paragraphs that serve as poor introductions. In addition to correcting the grammar and spelling mistakes, your leaner will...
Curated OER
Taste Test - Combining Sentences
Pupils combine sentences to create compound sentences. They write about creating their own soda, then make their own soda, comparing and contrasting it with a national brand. They write a paragraph containing compound sentences.
Curated OER
When A Story Met A Sandwich
How is a story like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Use making a sandwich as a metaphor to remind your writers that a good, solid beginning, a rich and rewarding middle, and an ending that brings everything together spices up a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lu Shih — The Couplets of T’ang
Writing poetry in ancient China was the modern equivalent of sending a greeting card. Scholars learn about the ancient Chinese poetic form called the lu shih. They read about the context of poetry during the T'ang Dynasty and complete a...
Curated OER
Revise for Parallel Structure
In this parallel structure worksheet, students revise a set of 20 sentences for parallel structure. Page has links to additional resources.
Curated OER
Using Parallel Structure
In this parallel structure worksheet, students rewrite a set of 10 sentences, revising for parallel structure, then choose expressions that make sentences parallel.
Curated OER
Parallel Structure
In this parallel structure worksheet, students must choose two people they know. Students follow the directions, then using the examples provided, write sentences about each person.
Curated OER
Parallelism
In this parallelism learning exercise, students complete a total of 10 multiple choice questions. Worksheet is interactive or can be printed.
Curated OER
Second Exercise in Parallelism
In this online interactive grammar skills instructional activity, students answer 9 short answer questions regarding parallelism. Students may submit their answers to be scored
Curated OER
Points, Lines, and Line Segments - Homework 16.1
In this geometry worksheet, students complete a homework assignment in which they name 3 lines and line segments. They write parallel, intersecting, or perpendicular, to describe the relationships between 4 pairs of lines. They draw an...
Curated OER
Time Words/Tenses Review
Focus on correct verb usage with your English language learners. There are 42 sentences listed; can your class correct them? The sentences are short, and the major errors are in verb tense.
Curated OER
Teacher of the Year
Now is the time to identify the great teachers in your school! Discuss the characteristics of persuasive writing and analyze an example. Then, each pupil chooses a teacher who they feel should be named teacher of the year. They plan and...
Scholastic
Marijuana: Breaking Down the Buzz
Teenagers get the real information about marijuana use based on the history of tobacco legislation and research. As they read an educational passage about marijuana laws, science, and changing attitudes, they address their preconceptions...
EngageNY
Grade 9 ELA Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 28
As writers continue to revise their argument essays, the focus shifts to editing grammatical conventions, parallel structure, and varying syntax to add interest. After examining model sentences that demonstrate sentence variety, writers...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Ethic in Text and Film
Young scholars research the social context of Elizabethan England for Shakespeare's "Hamlet". They identify cultural influences on the play focusing on the theme of revenge and then analyze and compare film interpretations of the play.
Curated OER
Organizing One’s Thoughts
Students take a closer look at the organization of written pieces. In this writing skills instructional activity, students examine transitions, repetition, parallelism, and other organizational patterns in writing.
Curated OER
The Cuneiform Writing System in Ancient Mesopotamia: Emergence and Evolution
Students research the parallel development and complexity of writing and civilization in ancient Mesopotamia. In this ancient Mesopotamia instructional activity, students analyze the Cuneiform writing system in ancient Mesopotamia and...