Describing a problem efficiently doesn't solve it, but a well-crafted argument can move readers to action. High schoolers focus on structuring problem statements by reading examples of strong essays and working in groups to create...

Sometimes explaining an argument can lead to confusion and miscommunication. Narrow down the details in written arguments with a group activity in which learners pretend to be aliens from another planet, struggling to understand each...

Using research notes on feudal roles in medieval Europe, learners work cooperatively to write a play about one day in the life of a boy or girl in the Middle Ages.

Wonderful worksheets and activities complementing six sequential lessons are what you'll find in this unit on folklore. Pupils create folktales using literary devices and included story starters, compare and contrast different...

Help overcome challenges in eating pizza. Scholars work in groups to design a device that assists a physically handicapped person eat pizza. They build a prototype of such a device to test their designs before building. To...

Looking for an assessment that reveals how well readers understand complex text? Check out an assessment module based on "The Gettysburg Address." Pupils are asked to craft an essay that demonstrates their understanding not only of...

A performance task challenges scholars to read an informational text then respond with an explanatory essay. The exam begins with an independent reading of Seeing Eye to Eye by Leslie Hall. A second reading follows with the...

Sometimes the simplest ideas foster a lot of different skills. To boost social skills, group participation, identifying others by name, and dressing skills, learners play the hat game. They take turns wearing a hat while...

Going to the doctor's office may be a source of stress and uncertainty for some children. Help your learners with special needs discover what to expect at and how to cope with their next trip to the doctor. They explore real medical...

Scholars apply previously learned skills to create a functional computer program. They produce a digital assistant incorporating string commands and complex conditional logic.

Use the Franklin Institute's exhibition "An Inquirer's Guide to the Universe" to have students research ideas for a science fiction story. After completing their research, writers will compose science fiction stories that incorporate...

Whether you are teaching mainstream, advanced, or intervention language arts classes, you will find something helpful in a thorough writing packet. It includes prompts, rubrics, responses, helpful hints, graphic organizers, and many...

Explore the concept of density within states of matter—gases, liquids, and solids—through a group experiment in which young scientists test objects' texture, color, weight, size, and ability to sink or float.    

Students, after revising their writing and identifying their strengths and weaknesses, edit their writing incorporating teacher feedback and examples from class exercises. In addition, they continue working on individual writing...

Students write a sequel to a book read as a class. In this culminating activity, students write a sequel to the novel This Side of Paradise by Stephen Layne. Students use the epilogue to guide their writing.

Help your class build their own 20-word sentences with this step-by-step guide designed to enhance sentence depth, interest, and variety in the work of young writers. They complete five basic SVO sentences using a given word bank....

Students identify life goals as they write an autobiography. They write a strong introduction for their autobiography. Students write a sequences of events using their Life Map as a graphic organizer. They write facts accurately...

Teaching students who are blind means teaching them skills a sighted person may take for granted. To practice calling people and objects by name, learners engage in a cueing activity. The child calls for an adult by name, and then uses a...

Use the Internet to expand the audience for portfolio writings and motivate young writers to edit their work. Have your class members select a piece of writing from their portfolios to be polished and published on the World Wide Web....

High schoolers start by drawing Mr. Essay Man, who is supposed to illustrate the different parts of an essay. After discussing what each component should contain, writers start their essay, guided by the teacher and class discussion....

First graders, after generating a list of possible writing topics, begin the writing process and participate in peer-editing and publishing their own works.

Students identify philanthropy in a character in "To Kill A Mockingbird". They describe the philanthropic acts in the novel and chart their findings. They write about the character and have their classmates peer edit the paper.

Students are introduced to a process for using web site resources to verify the accuracy of biology information. They follow a guided lesson on evaluating web sites and determining content accuracy. They select a piece of unusual biology...

Students are taught the basics of writing a feature story. They choose a topic for research. Students use the library and internet research skills to investigate their topic. They proofread their own writing or the writing of others,...