Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Squirrel
In this story starter, a picture of a squirrel surrounded by falling leaves prompts students to think of a story idea. Students can then write the story, practicing a beginning, middle, and ending. The worksheet includes a word box area...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Bunnies
An excellent Easter or springtime activity, this prompt includes a picture of bunnies by a meadow, inspiring students to write a story based on the picture. Teachers can includes words from a spelling or vocabulary list in the text box...
Curated OER
Picture Prompt: Bee in a Jar
Allowing students to choose the point of view of a bee or of a baby, this assignment prompts students to respond to a picture of a bee in a jar by writing a short story about it. This assignment could be used for multiple grade levels...
Curated OER
Picture Prompts: Arctic Hares
Prompted by a picture of two white arctic hares, students complete the story based on their own creative ideas. This writing template could couple with a winter unit, an animal unit, or even as simple writing practice. A text box allows...
Curated OER
Clouds
Students write and illustrate a story on cloud formation and classification. They research cloud information on the internet to discuss the different types of clouds and when they form. They use this information to write a story about...
Curated OER
Pastimes
Students define and discuss personal pastimes, listen to the story Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, discuss owling as rural pastime, demonstrate comprehension by writing responses to story, and discuss how climate and geography often determine...
Curated OER
Nous Nous Souvenons: French-Canadians
Students research the French-Canadian influence in northern New York. They interview families of French-Canadian descent, research immigration history, visit a French restaurant, write narratives about their experiences interviewing...
Lesson Locker
Z for Zachariah: Questions for Study on Chapters 1 - 10
An efficient study guide for the first 10 chapters of Z for Zachariah that covers basic recall questions concerning the characters and the plot. It also includes short writing prompts for selected chapters that extend into the...
Curated OER
The Newspaper Article
Have your class participate in an interview activity using an informational text about the Amazon. After reading a Cultural Connections story about a person from the Amazon, middle schoolers write interview questions based on the text....
Curated OER
SPEECHES TO INTRODUCE
Pupils create multimedia speeches of introduction which focus on women and Hispanics. They introduce their famous person and, using a video camera, video tape their speeches.
Curated OER
Getting Down to Business
Three lesson plans are shown on this site, two of which pertain to Read 180. Start the year with the first lesson plan by having your learners create a brochure about themselves. In the computer lab, they find clip art and photos to make...
Prairie View A&M University
Passive Voice
Often deemed the weak voice, the passive voice is often a stylistic choice in many narratives. This presentation, created by Prairie View A&M University, details the pros and cons of using the passive voice.
Curated OER
"Three Shots": Ernest Hemingway's Nick Adams
Analyze characterization in literature. Readers use "Three Shots," from The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway and complete classroom activities that require them to apply literary analysis techniques. They write their own short...
Curated OER
Briar Rose: Anticipation Guide
Prepare your readers for Briar Rose with an Anticipation Guide that asks them to agree or disagree with a series of statements that reflect issues raised by Jane Yolen’s narrative about a young girl’s research into her grandmother’s...
Curated OER
Knowledge or Instinct? Jack London's "To Build a Fire"
Students examine the relationship of man and nature in "To Build a Fire" and discuss the juxtaposition of knowledge and instinct. They investigate third person, omniscient point of view.
Curated OER
Eye of the Icon
Canadian figures in history is the focus of this lesson series. High schoolers study important social figures throughout Canadian history. They study their writings and legacies. Learners recreate an oral legend which focuses on one icon...
Curated OER
Defining Character, With Help from History
In a single, soundly-designed class period, high schoolers define good character, think-pair-share about thought-provoking quotes on character (More options would enhance the discussion, worth searching online for other quotes to add.),...
Curated OER
Supporting Character Worksheet
Where would Harry Potter be without Ron Weasley? Where would Holmes be without Watson? Where would a good narrative be without an interesting supporting character? Encourage character analysis with this resource, which includes six...
Curated OER
Chapter Tableaux: Visualizing The Call of the Wild
Do your young readers have difficulty visualizing what they read? Although the activity described here is for The Call of the Wild, the strategy could be used with any narrative. At the conclusion of each chapter of Jack London’s novel,...
Curated OER
The Call of the Wild: Activities
“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life” and an excitement that comes with finding a good teaching resource. Included in a richly detailed packet designed to accompany The Call of the Wild, are a tableaux exercise, a...
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
Curated OER
Plot and Conflict in W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw"
Tenth graders analyze the use of literary elements in W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw." Literary analysis is accomplished by a review of the plot and order of events in the story. Learners work in pairs to match the events from the story...
Curated OER
Who Is That Masked Man?
Fifth graders write a narrative essay describing what happened in the classroom after a nystery person has visited.
Curated OER
Autobiographical Writing
Second graders explore, examine and study the style of autobiographical writing and the relationship with the author. They rad three different types of autobiographical writings: narrative, poetry and newspaper article. Each student...