Virginia Department of Education
Maintaining Organization, Clarity, Central Idea, and Unity
Introduce and challenge the essay organization skills of your junior high writers with the paper reconstruction activity in this demonstration. Theydetermine what the word organization means, and discover the basic organizational...
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Timeline
Pupils develop a timeline that depicts geologic development and the history of life. They write an interpretive analysis essay that discusses and reflects on their observations.
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Civil War General Comparison
Eighth graders compare Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders research both generals and write a comparative essay. They include a paragraph about Lee, another about Grant, and one showing the...
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A Look At Charlotte's Web
Twelfth graders investigate the social structure of VIctorian England. They research especially the lives of Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre. Students create an essay and oral presentation using technology. Then they use the internet to...
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Black Power
Use this New York Times instructional activity to research contemporary leaders in the African-American community. After reading the article "Blacks Weigh the Impact of the Post-Jackson Years," middle and high schoolers discuss the...
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My Favorite Things
Fifth graders write a five paragraph informational essay about their favorite things. They correctly use a colon in listing items. Students analyze paragraph writing through questioning. They indent paragraphs, use a colon before a...
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Language Arts: Who Am I?
Twelfth graders write self-identity essays of three to five paragraphs in length. They include topic sentences, transition words, and concluding paragraphs in their essays, They read their essays to classmates.
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Up Close and Personal with Black Bayou Lake
Students get up close and personal with Black Bayou Lake. Visiting web sites and taking virtual tours, they write multi-paragraph essays using descriptive words and literary devices.
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House on Mango Street
Students complete a guided reading study and autobiographical essay for Sandra Cisneros' House on Mango Street. For this literary analysis lesson, students read the novel, complete novel response activities, book review worksheets, and...
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Inventors
Students brainstorm a list of inventions that have affected their lives. In groups, they use the internet to research a specific inventor and their invention. They use the information to write two paragraphs and share their information...
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Philanthropy and You
Learners define and discuss philanthropy. They research a philanthropist and write a three-paragraph essay summarizing what they have learned , including their own roles as philanthropists. They also plan and initiate personal acts of...
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Shifting Gears
In this activity, students will write a personal narrative that is designed to help them reflect on the nature and meaning of change in their lives.
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Creating and Comparing Climographs
Learners are introduced to the importance and usefulness of climographs. In groups, they create a climograph of two cities on about the same latitude. They compare and contrast the locations and climates of the two cities and write a...
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African-American Inventors
Students conduct research on a variety of African-American inventors. They choose an invention that they feel has had the greatest impact on the world today and write a short summary of the invention, its impact and the inventor's...
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Who Is That Masked Man?
Fifth graders write a narrative essay describing what happened in the classroom after a nystery person has visited.
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Thesis Statement Exercises
In this writing worksheet, learners identify what a thesis statement is and how to write one from three different essay questions. They identify the three main points for each questions and then, give it a title.
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Using Transitions
Students explore the importance of using transitional phrases in their writing. They discuss why transitions are important to their writing and various types of transitions that they can use. Students practice using transitions in their...
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Narrative Nuts and Bolts
After viewing slides and reading about child labor, young authors compose an original narrative story. They practice note-taking skills and work to effectively engage a reader by incorporating plot, logical order, complex characters,...
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PALM TREES Technology :Literacy Challenge Project
Do you have a class set PDAs? Seventh graders use the Note Pad function on their PDAs to brainstorm writing prompts. After three minutes of listing their favorite foods, class members use the Note Pad Eraser to reduce their list to the...
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Don't Forget to Say Thanks
Students practice descriptive writing in a thank-you note format. In this descriptive writing lesson, students read the example letter and analyze the corrections in the letter. Students read the example thank you notes and focus on the...
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Character Traits and People in Black History
Third graders, after reading a one-page biographical essay, write in paragraph form how an African American has demonstrated a certain character trait.
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From Graphic Organizer to Comparison
Fifth graders brainstorm a variety of topics for writing. As a class, learners create four types of graphic organizers on selected topics. They discuss how to use graphic organizer in constructing a written paragraph.
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The First Road Trip, Parts 1 and 2
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a three-paragraph fictional passage about the first engine car, They answer four short-essay questions about this passage. Road Trip, Part 2 contains a six-paragraph story, eight...
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Au Revoir Les Enfants Film Comparison/Contrast
In this film analysis worksheet, students compare and contrast one of the themes in "Lord of the Flies" using the film "Au Revoir Les Enfants." Students write a comparison and contrast essay for the activity.