Curated OER
Analyzing a Writer's Stance
Should college admissions decisions be based on whether whose family members attended? Secondary students read and respond to a New York Times article on the issue of 'legacy preferences' in college admissions. Following class...
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Teaching the 9/11 Anniversary
Here is a activity on terrorism and 9/11. While outdated, it could be easily revised for today's teens. It includes targeted vocabulary, a background information activity, critical thinking questions, and step-by-step procedures for...
Curated OER
"Name Me Nobody"
Students complete a 3-5 week unit related to the novel "Name Me Nobody." They participate in a literature circle, read and discuss stories provided by the Safe Schools Coalition, complete a Character/Problem-Solution chart, create a...
Curated OER
Persuasive Letter Writing
Students write a persuasive letter. In this persuasive letter writing lesson, students review the standard business form letter and the elements included. Students discuss ways to persuade in writing and write a short letter persuading...
Curated OER
Writing Letters for Human Rights
Students draft and edit a letter regarding human rights. They work in groups to select a cause, follow basic letter writing guidelines and draft a persuasive letter expressing their concerns. Students can also send the letters to a...
Curated OER
What Are the Issues?
Investigate and report on three issues related to a current election. Elementary aged learners research information about specific issues, develop an opinion, and write a persuasive essay using supporting details and evidence to support...
Curated OER
Effective Letter Writing
Young scholars explore letter writing. In this persuasive writing lesson, students write a letter to a local organization based on a topic of their choice. Young scholars employ the correct letter writing procedure as outlined in the...
Curated OER
The Secret is Out
Students explore ideas about journalism ethics as they relate to Watergate and discuss various issues related to an anonymous source being revealed. They write letters to the public editor of The NY Times about credibility and anonymous...
Curated OER
Continuity or Change? African Americans in World War II
Students examine the experience of African Americans during World War II by analyzing primary sources and formulating historical questions. They evaluate if the African American experience during World War II represents continuity or...
Curated OER
Editor Travels U.S. Fixing Errors on Signs
An interesting article on editors helps young writers understand the conventions of written English. They read a news article about an editor traveling America correcting spelling and punctuation errors on signs. They discuss proper...
Curated OER
Imperialism in China
If you are completing a unit on the European impact on China, this short lesson may be useful. It requires an excerpt from Chinese Civilization: A sourcebook, by Ebrey, that gives Liang Qichaos's account of his visit to America. After...
Curated OER
Bird Interdisciplinary Possibilities
Students explore birds, their territory, breeding, and seasonal movement. They research and collect information on birds through writing letters to ornithologists, reading in books, comparing web sites, and observing pictures. Students...
Curated OER
Modern Day Pen Pals, Connecting Our Art Room to the Rest of the World!
Initiate an international pen pal program! After establishing communication with an art class in another country, groups share pod casts and video streams of their work. The scripted resource details how to prepare for the pod casts, but...
Curated OER
Cat Study Article
Learners write a letter to the editor of USA Today. In this letter writing lesson plan, students read a newspaper article about cats and consider a dog or cat's view on current events. Learners reflect this perspective in their letters.
Curated OER
Editorials
Students investigate editorials. In this literacy critical thinking activity, students compare and contrast two newspaper editorials and two letters to the editor by completing a Venn diagram. Students work in groups to write authentic...
Curated OER
Creative Writing
Eleventh graders write a persuasive letter to the editor using the writing process.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Evaluating Online Sources
All sources are pretty much the same, right? If this is how your class views the sources they use for writing or research projects, present them with a media literacy lesson on smart source evaluation. Groups examine several articles,...
Curated OER
Letter of Complaint
Learners write letters of complaint. In this written communication lesson, students use the active voice to compose letters of complaint to selected audiences.
Curated OER
Express Yourself
Students share opinions about the way students behave. They write letters to the editor responding to an article.
Curated OER
Block the Shock Jock or Not?
Students examine their own experiences with racist and sexist speech by deciding whether or not they agree or disagree with statements related to this subject. They explore the limits of public speech by reading about the controversy...
Curated OER
A Southerner’s Reaction to the Republicans
In this Civil War worksheet, young scholars write a letter to the editor of a local Southern newspaper in 1960. The letter should feature Republican platform statements regarding the issue of secession.
K20 LEARN
Plantation Life And Slavery: Antebellum Era
Learners evaluate primary sources from the antebellum era to determine the accuracy of textbooks. They examine narratives from enslaved people, then compare them to their own text. Extension activities include the opportunity to write a...
Curated OER
Elizabeth Fry
After youngsters learn about the life and work of Elizabeth Fry, they pretend that they are a child in the Newgate Prison. They write a thank you letter to Elizabeth Fry thanking her for making their lives better while in the prison....
Curated OER
Safe and Secure: More or Less?
Learners discuss what they believe to be the state of security of the nation since September 11, 2001. Reading articles on security, they gather insight into new reports on security. They write letters to major newspapers expressing...