Students gather information on their classmates birthdays and create a spreadsheet with the dates. Using the internet, they find a famous person who shares their own birthday. They research the life of the famous person and develop a...

Students practice looking up the definitions of words using a dictionary. They put the defintion of the word into their own words. They create a PowerPoint slideshow to show illustrations related to their vocabulary words. Using the...

Students write and publish a short story using KidPix computer software. They discuss the basic elements of a story, observe a demonstration of how to use KidPix, select a setting and characters, and print out their background picture to...

This is more than a worksheet, this is a full college style list of all the rules related to hyphens and capitals one would need to write excellent papers. You can use this resource to inform your own writing, or to enhance your...

After reading a text written by James Joyce, middle and high schoolers find examples of passive voice. They share their findings with the class. Use this lesson to emphasize the effect of passive voice in writing.

Students write a persuasive paper following the expository theme format of introduction, first body paragraph, second body paragraph, third body paragraph, and conclusion that addresses the prompt of the final project adequately. They...

Young scholars write a paper that follow all the conventions of proper English. They create a paper that incorporates the required sections of an informed consent document such as would be used in a real clinical trial. Students...

Students compare Noh drama to western drama and trace the influence of Japanese theater on modern western drama.  In this Noh drama activity, students read the play Black Tomb (Kurozuko) defining the elements and conventions of Noh...

Students write a five paragraph expository theme. They explain in their theme how the story they read qualifies as science fiction. Students write using all the conventions of English correctly.

Students brainstorm what it means to "convey ideas in writing" They review the standard graphic clarify vocabulary and Discuss the importance of having a standard definition for writing and making sure everyone is in agreement of that...

Young scholars create a business letter using "Letter Generator".  In this letter writing lesson plan, students use a computer program to learn what the proper business letter consists of.  After the instruction, the young...

Young scholars measure irregularly shaped bones, once using a variety of measurement methods and tools, and then again using standard conventions and metric tape measures. They explore firsthand that standardizing data collection makes...

Students research their family history through ethnographical study. They locate information through a variety of sources, interview people, write a report and present an oral presentation to the class.

Students focus on the creation of personal metaphors, which are first illustrated in pictures and caricatures and then extended to descriptive/analytical paragraphs. They teach the lesson to others using their own personal metaphors as...

Third graders read and discuss the selection "Paul Revere's Ride" (included with the activity). Students imagine they live in one of the villages that Paul Revere stopped. They are awakened by his knock on the door. Students write an...

Learners analyze common logos they see daily and describe what the logos bring to mind. They redesign a company logo incorporating the company's philosophy into their sketches. Students present their findings and redesign to the class.

Students examine the relationship between history, the use of a given space, and its design. They research the relationship between technology and design while exploring a variety of sources. They study what scale models are and how to...

Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. In this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as they...

Students discuss equality and fairness by reading a Maya Angelo poem.  In this U.S. history instructional activity, students read the poem I Know Why Caged Birds Sing, and discuss how the era it was written in affected the...

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.

Eighth graders create an original scene or short one-act play within specified guidelines. Assessment is based upon the performance of student-created scenes during class time. Rubrics for assessment and connection to state standards...

Students define specialized terminology involving parts of speech. They identify main and subordinate clauses and create complex sentences. They edit and revise writing to incorporate complex sentences and identify parts of speech...

Twelfth graders examine the characteristics of transcendentalism. In this transcendentalism lesson, 12th graders determine what this type of writing entails before reading a passage from, Ray Bradbury's, Dandelion Wine. They cite three...