EngageNY
Launching the End of Unit Assessment: Drafting Literary Analysis
Is there a connection? Scholars work to write a summary and theme to connect The Lightning Thief and myth of Cronus. They begin by looking at a model essay and then work on their own drafts.
EngageNY
Writing a Summary: “Middle Ages” Excerpt 2
What is the big idea? Scholars use Middle Ages Excerpt 2 to complete a summary graphic organizer. They then use the information from the organizer to write a summary of the text on lined paper. Learners share summaries with the class.
EngageNY
Writing a Second Body Paragraph and Conclusion for an Opinion Essay: Jackie Robinson’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement (Promises to Keep, Pages 50–57)
Class members begin to work on the body paragraphs of their opinion essays about Jackie Robinson started in the previous instructional activity. They analyze a model paragraph and underline reasons for the opinion. Learners then take...
EngageNY
Whole Class Model Letter Writing (Concluding Statement) and Preparing for End of Unit Assessment
Pupils work in small groups to collaboratively write a concluding paragraph for their opinion letters about Jackie Robinson's legacy. Then, scholars share their opinion, reasons, and evidence with a classmate.
Curated OER
How a Writer Conveys Descriptions With a Wallop
Learners identify strategies the author used to vividly convey qualitative and quantitative aspects of life in China, then use those strategies in writing of their own. They examine the author's writing style and techniques to learn some...
Curated OER
Improving Students' Writing Skills
Are your writers making the same mistakes over and over again? Instead of editing their papers, consider encouraging learners to use this sheet to classify their errors. This helps them identify and address common problem areas they...
San José State University
Essay Exams: Common Question Types
Novice writers often struggle to determine what style of essay to write when given a prompt. This worksheet helps to identify an appropriate form based on the language of the question. For example, key words like prove or justify...
University of North Carolina
Conciseness
Twitter has helped people learn to express their ideas in as few words as possible, but away from the 280-character limit, writers still struggle with keeping their writing short and to the point. Conciseness is the focus of a writing...
College Board
2005 AP® English Literature and Composition Free-Response Questions Form B
Does more power make you more important? Test takers ponder the question as the 2005 AP® English Literature and Composition Free-Response Questions Form B asks scholars to take a close look at power by writing thoughtful essays. Writers...
Open Oregon Education
The Word on College Reading and Writing
Many people struggle putting their words into writing. However, writing does not have to be difficult. The Word on College Reading and Writing offers all areas of support for writers and readers. The text takes literature lovers all the...
Virginia Department of Education
Adding Specific Vocabulary
An exercise and activity tackle the struggles young writers have in expressing and adding details and specific vocabulary to their writing. The instructor guides the class with an example paragraph, where the learners discuss what the...
Curated OER
Proofreading with Peer Editing
A standard peer editing activity, young writers get into groups and pass their papers to each of their peers in turn; each person checking their peer's paper for spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes. In a fun twist, your class...
Curated OER
Creating a Science Fiction Story
As the culminating activity in a unit study of science fiction, young writers demonstrate their understanding of the genre by producing their own graphic novel. After deciding on the main elements of their story, individuals use a comic...
Curated OER
How to Integrate Quotations
Quotations add validity to an argument or an analysis, but how do you integrate them into your writing? Several examples are provided, and your emerging writers will surely benefit from looking at different ways to add quotations....
Curated OER
Telling a Story
Writers explore storytelling and focus in on verb tenses. They will work with a partner to generate a story and then switch partners and retell the story. They also complete past perfect continuous and past continuous verb tense worksheets.
San José State University
Comma Splices and Fused Sentences
Beginning with a definition and a few corrected examples, this resource shows how comma splices can be identified and then eliminated. Four sentences are enumerated for writers to practice in order to avoid comma splices themselves.
San José State University
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Clarify the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs and when to use lay versus lie. Various examples are given before writers practice underlining verbs, circling the object of each verb, and filling in sentences with either...
Virginia Department of Education
The Writing Process for Expository Writing
Struggling on what steps to take in your expository essay lesson? Or confused on what to include for your scribes? This exercise in the process of expository writing provides concepts and structure for the educator on what the writers...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Courage “In the Time of the Butterflies”: A Common Core Exemplar
The courage of Las Mariposas, the Mirabal sisters, is the focus of a series of activities designed to accompany a reading of In the Time of the Butterflies that ask readers to consider what it means to be courageous. Beautifully crafted...
PBS
Being Heard
Examine the work of contemporary authors who use their writing to express opinions about the struggle against prejudice and oppression in our society. A short lesson on the Harlem Renaissance introduces learners to the most prominent...
Curated OER
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance inspired a group of writers, musicians, and artists whose influence is still seen today.
Curated OER
Creating Dramatic Monologues from The Grapes of Wrath
The characters in The Grapes of Wrath come to life through an activity that asks groups to craft a dramatic monologue for a character in John Steinbeck's National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Writers are challenged to...
Curated OER
Studying The Catcher in the Rye
What's the difference between being a phony and being a conformist? At what point does conforming to alleviate loneliness lead to insincerity? These are the questions at the heart of this unit plan that uses The Catcher in the Rye as an...
Anti-Defamation League
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Civil Rights
How far have we come and how far do we still need to go to achieve equality and full civil rights in the United States? Include a packet of materials collected in your observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.