Curated OER
Fuel from the farm
Learners research fuel made from corn and write a letter to the President about this fuel. In this corn fuel lesson plan, students try and write a persuasive letter as to why we should use the fuel.
Curated OER
Writing Persuasive Paragraphs
Fourth graders discover a fun-filled way to write persuasive paragraphs. After reading stories about mice and weasels, they choose which animal to be their topic. Students use a web outline to organize their opinion, four supporting...
Curated OER
Writing Letters
Third graders discover that second graders have written them letters and are anxious to receive letters back. They read the letters and review with the teacher the proper ways of writing letters and then write return letters using words...
EngageNY
Forming a Research-Based Claim: Cascading Consequences Chart
Is it relevant? Scholars choose a resource from their folders and search for relevant information about the harmful and beneficial consequences of DDT. They mark benefits in one color and harmful effects with another color. They then add...
Curated OER
Persuasion in Historical Context: The Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a powerful text. Use it to teach persuasion and the importance of word choice. The activity detailed here includes a scaffolded background knowledge activity that includes image analysis of photos from the Civil...
Novelinks
Tunes for Bears to Dance to: A Letter for Henry
Readers of Tunes for Bears to Dance to are asked to write a personal letter to Henry, the main character in Robert Cormier's young adult novel, offering Henry advice about whether he should do as Mr. Hairston wants.
Curated OER
Woody Guthrie: Ain't Got No Home
Students examine the music of Woody Guthrie and how the political and economic climate influenced his work. They read and discuss online articles, define key vocabulary words, take a Political Orientation Survey, and write a position...
Curated OER
What's in a Name? The Use of Native American Images in Sports
Students discuss and analyze the pros and cons of using Native American names and images to represent sports teams. Using primary sources, including position statements from Native American tribes, interviews with school alumni and...
Curated OER
The Drake Equation
Students use the Drake Equation to calculate the probability of sustaining life on various planets. Through the use of the equation, they determine whether intelligent and advanced civilizations can be developed on planets other than...
Curated OER
Designing Connections: Bringing Communities Together
Students design a community and write a persuasive essay selling their design. In this community relations lesson, students learn about design concepts and use problem solving skills to design structures and events that will bring...
Curated OER
Death at Jamestown
Students investigate deaths at Jamestown. For this history lesson, students research the high mortality rate at the Jamestown settlement as they write a position paper supporting or disputing the theories of Dr. Hancock.
Curated OER
And We Were All in One Place: Youth Culture and the Rock Festival
Students explore historical youth culture events. In this youth culture instructional activity, students discover details regarding the Altamont, Woodstock, and Monterey concerts. Students conduct research that regarding the rock...
Curated OER
Promoting an Anti-Smoking Campaign
While this presentation provides a useful way to explore persuasive writing and launch an anti-smoking campaign, it is incomplete. A teacher could use this resource as a template for a more complete lesson involving a discussion of...
Curated OER
Assessment Rubric
Learners complete their activities related to writing persuasive essays. As a class, they review the components and structure of a rubric. They use this information to write their final essay on educational opportunities at amusement parks.
Curated OER
The Education of Shelby Knox Lesson Plan: The History of Teaching About Sex
Young scholars examine the current debate over sex education. They examine a variety of sex education approaches and determine which one is use in thier school district.
Curated OER
Music Theories
Explore the inception and evolution of hip-hop music as a springboard for writing music reviews and researching other genres of music. Learners will read and discuss the Times' article, From Underground Music to Fashion Statement to then...
Curated OER
Springfield Digital Storytelling Project #6: Grapes Commercial
Here is a fabulous instructional activity that should have your class very excited! They utilize the GRAPES formula in order to produce a commercial like ones we see on TV. Working in pairs, they must come up with a script, take video,...
Curated OER
Reporting from the Front Lines
Students examine the battle of Gettysburg as they write news articles. In this Battle of Gettysburg lesson, students become familiar with the job of the news reporter as they report on the events of the Battle of Gettysburg as they...
Curated OER
The Rest Cure: Gender in Medicine and Literature
Read and discuss "The Yellow Wall-Paper" and the gender issues that the story brings up. Use articles from the time period to analyze, complete with specific discussion questions. After two days, scholars write an essay based on topics...
Curated OER
Dive into the Common Core with Opinion Pieces
Build your confidence in implementing Common Core State Standards with this CC-based approach to an important writing standard.
Curated OER
Can Scientists Discover a Limit to Discovery?
Is there anything left to discover? Evaluate opposing sides of the debate regarding whether or not there is a future for scientific discovery. Middle and high schoolers assess quotations from the articles included to evaluate claims and...
Curated OER
Anonymous Sources in the Media
When do people ask for anonymity? Why? After reading the New York Times article "For a Reporter and a Source, Echoes of Broken Promise," young readers participate in a roundtable discussion focusing on freedom of the press and the use of...
Curated OER
Either/Or Speech
Have your high schoolers practice their public speaking skills by writing an either/or speech. Individually, they complete an outline on what they want to discuss and give their speech to the class. To end the lesson, they complete a...
jc-schools
The Expository Essay
Did you ever create an awesome graphic organizer only to find that your class was completely baffled by how to use it? This resource not only provides you with a great graphic organizer for a standard five-paragraph essay, but also...